Explorer Express bump stops

[CDW6212R]

Oh definitely, Jim will like those a lot. I liked the few I've had made here for mine, but I didn't get to the rear parts back then. I wanted to concentrate on the front brakes, and I think the hydraulics business ended the franchise they had, with the business that provided the SS line tools and materials.

 

[CDW6212R]

I remember reading one of your old posts were you were talking about that. As you know on Big White (lowered 2000 Limited AWD with rear ARC) I’ve really contemplated if I should do anything further with the rear suspension. I totally want to keep the factory rear ARC and would be open to doing something to enhance the rear without losing that factory feature. When I lowered the truck I replaced the rear air shocks (per your suggestion) and I feel this contributed to the improvements that I saw as it was discovered the original ones I had were worn. If I were to add this piece that you speak of what would be the improvement that should be expected and is it something that can even be done with the rear ARC or the Explorer?

I have never hunted hard for examples of a leaf spring suspension with a panhard bar. I know the PHB is excellent for lateral control of the suspension, but I'm not sure how much movement the leaf springs can accept. I put off that idea since then, I would want an expert opinion about what the leaf springs could handle. The PHB strictly controls the side to side motion of the suspension. The bar runs side to side and has an arc, so the suspension is forced to move slightly side to side, matching the location of the PHB's end. Fitting one would be interesting, to find room for it and the exhaust etc. I daydreamed about just cutting the rear frame, and swapping one in from a 2006-10 truck. Forget I posted that, I'll be laughed at.

 

[97Sandbox]

I have never hunted hard for examples of a leaf spring suspension with a panhard bar. I know the PHB is excellent for lateral control of the suspension, but I'm not sure how much movement the leaf springs can accept. I put off that idea since then, I would want an expert opinion about what the leaf springs could handle. The PHB strictly controls the side to side motion of the suspension. The bar runs side to side and has an arc, so the suspension is forced to move slightly side to side, matching the location of the PHB's end. Fitting one would be interesting, to find room for it and the exhaust etc.

If you're really interested in the PHB, this GRM thread with a V8 Explorer 8.8 axle in a Ranger is really neat.

Autocross Ranger: V8 Swap, SLA, IRS

Autocross Ranger: V8 Swap, SLA, IRS

grassrootsmotorsports.com

Debate starts on pg 6 and build and analysis continues onto page 10. Fair warning: the GRM folks take things a bit more seriously than we do (you'll see what I mean) but this build is a wealth of knowledge and inspiration to anyone trying to make a Ranger-based vehicle handle well.

 

[CDW6212R]

I like any out of the box thinking, that's how we advance most things.

 

[CDW6212R]

You bas#### Grant, you got me reading a 19 page thread beginning at page 6. I'm at their arguing over a Watt's link versus the PHB. The thread OP made a 24" PHB and stuck it above the front of the diff. LOL, I never thought of making it as short as possible, or above the drive shaft. I do BTW own a Cougar XR7 IRS, I got it in the late 90's aiming for my first Lincoln. I wonder if that guy went anywhere with that thought, it sounded like he was going to hang the whole sub-frame under his Ranger. He's got an older Ranger, so the frame is narrower than the later trucks, or our Explorers.

 

[97Sandbox]

Haha...read the whole tread if you have the time -- it's worth it I assure you!

The OP does eventually swap in IRS, but the build thread follows his truck from stock beater to track monster.

I was just letting you know that pages 6-10 have good discussion of the panhard bar pros and cons in the context of a 2nd gen Explorer axle.

 

[CDW6212R]

I've reached page 18 where he's just testing the S550 rear IRS in track events. He has rebuilt the whole front and rear frame, brakes etc, and stuck four 335mm tires under it. I was looking for actual track widths or hub to hub rear end widths. But I only saw the 99-04 Mustang rear listed at 62.5" hub to hub, and the S550 is around 64.5", way too wide for our trucks. It's mentioned there that somebody made some parts to mount the Thunderbird IRS into those old Rangers. I need to get that hub to hub dimension, since I have one already. I would prefer the Explorer parts, but the width is more important, as is the packaging and strength. It's just an idea though, that would be among the very last things I would consider.

 

[97Sandbox]

Have you ever watched the Trucks! "Rolling Thunder" build series? They put a SN95 era Cobra Mustang rear subframe on a mid 2000s B-series and went pretty in-depth on the fab work. I know that setup is different from the Tbirds and Cougars, but it may give you some ideas re: packaging and strength. Not sure if they discuss track width, but the episodes are all on YouTube.

 

[CDW6212R]

Have you ever watched the Trucks! "Rolling Thunder" build series? They put a SN95 era Cobra Mustang rear subframe on a mid 2000s B-series and went pretty in-depth on the fab work. I know that setup is different from the Tbirds and Cougars, but it may give you some ideas re: packaging and strength. Not sure if they discuss track width, but the episodes are all on YouTube.

That's good, that would be a great place to start, to learn what issues will come up.

That Ranger thread you linked above, the guy built a sub frame above the IRS's subframe. He added a good 30-40lbs of steel to make the mounting points in a line for straight frame rails. Then he fabricated the new frame rails, making them raise up an extra 1-2 feet due to the excessive subframe he made. I would not add any more than needed, make connections to the existing IRS subframe, to the old frame, strengthened as needed.

 

[MuscleJunkie]

I received today the energy suspension rear bump stops. Now will just need to cut them to match the way it was done with the EE ones

Do they seem to be the correct size?

 

[CDW6212R]

So about 4.5" by 1.5" thick, I bet it's an exact match.

 

[swshawaii]

Don and MJ, while on the subject of upgrading rubber to polyurethane. MJ sent me these pics of his 7/8" Saleen rear sway bar frame bracket and bushings. They appear to be stock frame brackets and rubber bushings that have been drilled larger. Don, do you believe drilling the 19mm (3/4") bushings supplied with the ES 4.5153 poly kit would be a worthwhile upgrade to the stock rubber? As we've discussed before, the stock brackets are much stronger than the ones that were supplied with most aftermarket sway bars. Stock brackets have an unusually low profile around 1-1/2 inches tall, whereas most others are 2 inches or taller. Concern is there wouldn't be much material around the sway bar, especially if the hole is drilled larger. Bolt spacing is too wide for the universal bracket/bushing kits from ES and Prothane that are much thinner and weaker than stock brackets, so those wouldn't work anyway.

Rear stabilizer bar bushings (19mm -> 23mm)

So, i finally got out the stabilizer bar, had go and buy few tools to get the last stubborn bolt out that was simply too rusted. Question: how does one put new bushings into the sway bar since the ends seem to prevent it? This one simply wouldn't come out, too rusted. This one was the one...

www.explorerforum.com

 

[swshawaii]

Front

Sway Bar Links

i have installed on my ex the eibach sway bar kit...In the begining of the year i had to replace my sway bar link bushings because the eibach bushings that came with the kit were worn down and the links were loose... As of yesterday i have the same problem and my links are loose again...my ex...

www.explorerforum.com

 

[CDW6212R]

I do like the OEM rear sway bar mounts, the EE mounts seem strong but I wondered why they made them so different than the stock brackets. They are made to hold the bar from moving left or right.

I encourage anything to make larger bushings fit on the end links, as well as larger end link shafts, and washers. I mixed three parts kits to put my front end links together for my big bar. I think the Addco shaft was the best size, and the ES bushings were the largest. Finding the best fit is the key, it can take some time.

I would definitely install urethane bushings in the rear bar brackets of any of the bars, that Saleen bar as well. The urethane gains a lot of stiffness over rubber, I'd suggest a step of maybe 1/4 of the gain to a next larger bar size. So the EE bar is the best given the urethane mounts on the rear, and stock rubber end link bushings. But that bar is much larger than stock and a good bit more than the other three that were made. I'd put urethane in all positions of the smaller bars. I haven't tried the Moog rear end links yet, but I have one kit to try out some day.

 

[CDW6212R]

I saw a 1973ish rear sway bar end link available, used and broken, for sale last week. It made me realize that there are many much larger rubber bushings made for shocks, or odd end links like that old kind. Those end links have a threaded end and nut with no bushing on one end, and two very large rubber bushings/washers on the other end. Many vehicles use end links with just one end cushioned with bushings. My 95 Crown Vic is like that.

I said I wanted to try a little rubber for my 1.5" front bar, I think I can find a rubber bushing which is fairly large like a shock bushing, and soften my front bar a little. Given the very stiff bar, any rubber bushing will have to be very strong to not simply crush(having a big affect or change). Making that kind of final adjustment may be slow to get just right.

 

[swshawaii]

I do like the OEM rear sway bar mounts, the EE mounts seem strong but I wondered why they made them so different than the stock brackets. They are made to hold the bar from moving left or right.

Didn't EE supply their rear sway bars with split collets to prevent lateral movement? I know my Addco 633 moves at least 1/2" looking at the grease marks. Bought two split collets but couldn't get the driver side to mount properly because of a weird bend on that side. Addco is not symmetrical.

 

[CDW6212R]

Oh Jim, seeing the rear of your truck there with the height ensor, you should keep those joints lubricated well. I see corrosion in each of those joints, and when they are dry like that, they wear much faster. If they wear too much, they'll get loose and work less well, and fall apart later. I used anti-seize on mine, and that worked well for a year or two. I'd bet spraying them with white lithium would be a good short term method. There are three joints BTW, two links with those three pivot points.

 

[CDW6212R]

Didn't EE supply their rear sway bars with split collets?

Yes, that's what they are called, it's how they held the bar in place next to the bushings. Let me see if the one picture I have shows anything useful. It's not, bad angle.

 

[Josh P]

Swshawaii, how old are those computers?

 

[swshawaii]

^ Dunno, those are pics @MuscleJunkie emailed me. Probably about as old as my Sony VAIO dinosaur with Vista Premium I'm using now. LOL