Effects of lowering?

[kgd102]

I'm interested in the answer for 98fordX24, which way do you turn the bolts? Bought 2" blocks and waiting for reply so I can install.

You would turn the bolts counter-clockwise...just as you would when you loosen a typical bolt (righty-tighty, lefty-loosey). Might need some wd40 to help loosen them bolts though. It's really easy to do. I just jacked up one side and loosened the bolt then the other and took a tape to measure each side and adjusted each side until it was where I wanted it.

 

[X24]

Originally posted by kgd102


I just jacked up one side and loosened the bolt then the other and took a tape to measure each side and adjusted each side until it was where I wanted it.

When you say "jacked up", did you jack it up by the suspension or by the frame? Frame, right? Also, do you need to jack it up so the tire is totally off the ground?

Approx. how many turns do you need to go for say a 1.5" drop? 2" is the most you can do with out flipping the blocks around, right? I think im gonna do 1" blocks in the rear and 1.5" TT in the front.

 

[expo5.0]

often they are not perfectly even to begin with from ford. i say just jack er up take em all the way out on both sides then put them back in and turn them about 3 full turns and then measure. then turn them more as is necessary

 

[DasFrem]

Lowering the Sport is even easier. Mine is a 97, so the front has torsion bars. The front is the same as the other makes '95 and above, just loosen the torsion bars. But for the back you have to put your rear bumper on jack stands, then jack up the pumpkin, take off the wheels, then let the pumpkin down enough to take the load of the springs. I removed the U-bolts and removed 3 out of 4 of the spacers and moved them from below the leaf spring to on top of the leaf spring. In all it gave me a little under a two inch drop with about 2 hours worth of work (and it was free!!) The only thing that'll cost you money is when you have to go for an alignment. I paid 200 bucks since I had to get these camber adjusters for the front installed, but in the future if I decide to drop it a little more, it should be less for an alignment. The best part is you'll keep staring at it, and it's pretty noticable when you park next to other Explorers.

 

[X24]

how far can you go till you have to get the camber adusters? im not really sure what they do.

 

[xuttah]

I keep hearing that lifting (via TT) will stiffen the suspension, providing (1) a better ride and (2) less body roll. I've also heard that lowering will do the same thing.

Can someone explain how the same effect can be accomplished by doing 2 opposite mods? I would like to lower my X, but after hearing that lifting provides a better ride, I'm worried that I'll just give my X a more sluggish ride.

 

[expo5.0]

well, there is some logic for both.

when you raise an explorer you are tightening the torsion bars. this should make the front a little tighter suspension wise, the problem would be that your shocks would then be "stretched" the amount you lifted it (unless you change them to longer ones) and would be effectively softer. i guess this is overcome in the front by the stiffness created by the torsion loading (i don't know i've never done it) but there is no logical explanation for this doing anything but loosening the rear (which of course is no where near as important in the handling feel of the car) so overall the truck seems to handle better with less roll.

as for the lowering you are loosening the torsion bars which takes them somewhat out of the picture making you rely more on your now more loaded shocks. this means that although your torsion bar is looser your shocks are now in effect tougher to compress. this makes the truck feel like the suspension is stiffer, and this goes for the rear as well.

i hope this makes sense so far. the two "opposite" mods can work because ford's stock settings were set so that it would provide the best ride for the general public (read- softest, most sluggish ride) but either mod will stiffen the ride just in different ways and for different reasons.

if you really want to take away the sluggishness of the x suspension lower it 2 inches and get kyb lowered shocks. or lift it and get some rancho's or something. in my opinion the lowered one will always ride better and it WILL handle better because of the lowered center of gravity, but either way works. Hope that clears it up a little.

 

[xuttah]

That makes sense now. Thanks!

 

[expo5.0]

so are you gonna go low. i want to hear about someone doing it with those shocks, i was close to doing it but it was too much money for now. but those kyb's are probably really tight

 

[jssong]

which kyb shocks are you talking about?
gasadjust? monomax? gr2? agx? and how much would 4 cost?

 

[expo5.0]

i just looked into it briefly 'cause i didn't have the dough, but the guy at the shop had them on a three inch lowered ranger and it rode really nice. (also he was a helpful, informative dude and he let me drive his truck so it was cool) they were his recommendation for my truck and he called his connect at the kyb factory or whatever and figured out which ones would fit, but then he figured out it would cost over 450 dollars installed (and i needed installation 'cause my shocks were rusted on) so i couldn't do it and didn't ask anything more about it. so i don't know which moniker they are, but the cost per shock would have been about 85 or 90 i think.

 

[xuttah]

I probably will lower it about 1.5 inches, though not very soon. My wife has agreed to let me do some mods that are low-cost, and I'm still debating where to start. I was going to get either the K&N or KKM Tru-Rev injection kit, and then a Gibson or FlowMaster exhaust to start out.

 

[X24]

I'm sorry... I just couldn't help but laugh when you said that your wife has agreed to let you do some mods. Yeah, Yeah, I know, I'll find out when I'm married. Will she notice things under the hood like a new air filter? Will she notice that it was lowered 1.5"? I know that my girlfriend wouldnt notice if I lowered my truck that much. Everytime I do something to it and point it out to her, I can see the excitement just bursting out of her... I wish ... Good luck man.

 

[xuttah]

Yes, I have to go through my "financial advisor" for any mod money. But in my case it's really not a bad thing. I hate dealing with money, and she has a Master's in Math & Computer Science. My credit rating has skyrocketed since she took over the $, so I don't mind having to go to her.

But it never hurts for luck when talking to a woman about money....

 

[james t]

xuttah; man you are runnin' the same wife/bills/money setup that i am! lol. mine is a CPA, and i am glad to let her take care of it all. my credit has also skyrocketed since we have been married. she isnt that restrictive with the funds, and never REALLY gripes when i drop money on my X. (ok, she is a little shocked at what the supercharger is gonna cost, along with other engine mods i will be doin' this spring.) two words for you man; RAT HOLE!!! notice at the bottom is says "saving for a charger." i hide/steal/scrape/pinch money any time i can (i dont literally steal) and put it in my rat hole fund located in a dark hidden spot in my home. this is how you do it!!! she never really notices small amounts over time, and like 98fordX24 said, i think i could do anything but paint my X diablo yellow and she would never notice. am i a bad husband? hahahahha!!!

 

[X24]

Any of you lowered guys had your ball joints checked lately (I'm talking about the ball joints on the truck ). I lowered mine about 2 months ago and my upper and lower ball joints are destroyed. I went to ford today to have them check out my blend door and they said that they put in up on the lift and there was a lot of play. I'm worried. I just spend all that money and time and it f**ked everything up. Now I don't know what to do. That just put a big ole' black cloud over my whole project. #$%^$ &%&$$% :frustrate

 

[red96camaro]

I just jumped into this post, but someone mentioned air bags, for you lowering guys, you like this? I have only heard bad things about them as far as them blowing out and what not.