Explorer mod dirrection change.

[zerodevil]

OK so more reading later, and ive found out the 883 kit needs some custom fabed parts? anyone care to elaborate to those less educated in suspension + frame work? Ive spent all my time learning how to make it go fast, not how to rase it up and the likes...whole nother ball game. What is wrong with the existing bracketry? is it just the bumper mount? Anyone have some plans of one already built to make my job easier? or better yet forsale? idealy id like to run the 3 inch body lift, the 2.25 X 1.75 inch spacers and run up to 265's. This is getting way more in depth than i had hoped for lol. This could be in the works for quite awhile...darn. some one said 265's will clear with no lift? is that on the XLS or the XLT? mine has a bunch of plastic wheel fender stuff going on that will deffinately hit with out lift...or so i assume. i think i will start with the body lift. as to propperly do the suspension lift i will need new rims..or how do you guys feel about wheel spacers? and just to clarify, the 2.25 + 1.75 spacers wont realy effect drivabilty, and i should be able to hit things like speed bumps, curbs, small hondas, with out suspension maxing out? id still like decent travel.


Anyone had any sucess doing gear swaps to say 4:10s? Id like to go at least that high from the 3.73:1s to reduce stress on the trans and T case. also considering Eaton LS on the rear end and an E locker on the front...

From the looks of this to do this right im going to be spending between 4 and 7 thousand dollars. more if i have to have a shop do any work for me.. which may happen as im lacking air tools. that considered this project may be a year or two in the making. but having just put a new engine in, and a trans rebuild in the near future... as well as new ball joints and wheel bearings.. i dont forsee me getting rid of this ride anytime soon... ill be driving it down the Alcan after i get done with basic training.

Keep the info coming guys, realy apreciate it.

 

[CALDWELL]

Jared, 265's will clear on your truck without lifting at all...

now something I would suggest since your looking into about 5.25''s of combined suspension and bodylift. 265's are gonna look small being up that high. you may want to look into 33's ( 285's ) like PotRoast has on his set up...

And in regards to the stress on the front control arms, you will be applying a little bit of stress with the suspension spacers, but they should be able to hold up fine considering your not going with a 3" spacer...

 

[bigone65]

this is mine spacers 2.25 front 1.75 back 3 " body lift 33 " rubber and 883 you just need to make a 1/4 inch bracket for the back bumper.

Next to stock Jimmy

next to stock X.

 

[thepotroast]

265's are going to be way too small on 5.25" of total lift, go with 285/75's if you go that high (33's).

You can do 265's on stock wheels.

Modifications I had to do with my 883 body lift....

Hollow out the steering shaft extension to fit around my steering shaft to slide on

Modify the front bumper mounts to accomodate the front bumper brackets that come with the kit

Add about 8-10 flat washers to the extended body mount bolts that come with the kit...they don't cinch up without the extra washers

Some people have flipped their rear bumper and hollowed out space in the black foam inside of the rear bumper to flip it....I didn't have to flip mine at all, and I have the Class III factory tow hitch

 

[zerodevil]

Thanks for the info. 285 75 r16 goodyear duratrac is going to be my tire then. I have the class 4 hitch as well, hopefully i wont need to do any flipping or to get a drop down hitch. bigone how does your suspension travel with the 2.25 spacers? ive heard of people taking chunks out of the springs with spacers, but was that the 3 inch spacers?

 

[thepotroast]

Thanks for the info. 285 75 r16 goodyear duratrac is going to be my tire then. I have the class 4 hitch as well, hopefully i wont need to do any flipping or to get a drop down hitch. bigone how does your suspension travel with the 2.25 spacers? ive heard of people taking chunks out of the springs with spacers, but was that the 3 inch spacers?

With 2.25" spacers you won't be taking any chunks out of anything. It's a safe spacer height. I was the first to order the 2.25" front spacers from RoadBully...and soon after it became the "safe bet" for lifts, because combined with a 3" body lift you could run 33's with plenty of clearance, which is about the max you can go on these without doing major transmission or differential modifications. It's sort of pointless to run anything more than 2.25" spacers because you don't need the extra clearance for anything, and all you're doing is sacrificing suspension travel and wearing out parts.

 

[bigone65]

I never had any problems with suspension travel as my bud thepotroast stated looks good nice off-road I dont have a front locker yet but wow just rear locker gets you almost anywhere you want to go i can still get alignment with no problems and did i say It Looks great lol.and if nyouhave class 4 hitch as I have stated just use a peace 4 inch by 1/4 steel plate to mount your bumper that is what i did bumper lines up and you can still tow.

 

[Ronin8002]

Anyone had any sucess doing gear swaps to say 4:10s? Id like to go at least that high from the 3.73:1s to reduce stress on the trans and T case. also considering Eaton LS on the rear end and an E locker on the front...

I haven't done it yet but I have been researching this too and it looks like it IS possible to regear these axles higher than 3.73. The rear is a ford 8.8 31 spline IRS for which gears can be found pretty easily.

There has been a lot of debate about what type of axle the front is but a knowledgeable person informed me that it is a Dana 30 27 spline standard rotation (NOT Dana 35 as has been used in all past Explorers). See post here...he might be able to hook you up with the rear axle gears also: http://www.explorerforum.com/forums//showthread.php?t=282464

The Eaton TrueTrac is supposed to be a very good (won't wear out) LS that will work in the rear axles of the 3rd gens...I'm looking at these also.

 

[zerodevil]

thats excellent! i have a feeling im going to be stuck with this ride for quite awhile now... this is a lot of money to be dropping into a vehicle. the lift and tires are less than a year away, but lockers and gears are going to take longer.

 

[Cozmik]

With 2.25" spacers you won't be taking any chunks out of anything. It's a safe spacer height...

I agree that it is the 'safe' spacer height, but when I removed my 2.25/2 lift to go back to stock, I had spring chipping front AND rear. It's not major replace the spring right now damage, but still present.