Found some answers, but now need more!

[newexplorerguy]

Hi there folks;
I was wondering if any of you wonderful wiz-bang explorer technical experts out there could help me with a couple of things?
I just took my recently purchased 97 limited V-8 awd on its first road trip.
Well; two days before the trip, I noticed a little mettalic banging noise at the rear of the truck. looked and found that the tailpipe was contacting the frame due to what I thought was a pretty sickly looking tailpipe hanger. went to San Bruno Ford and purchased a new one; much beefier looking than the stock one. Put it on; no more banging except over extremely sharp bumps. Thought, "oh, well I can live with that".
Fiancee and I left on our first vacation in five years. As I turned off of highway 49 onto a little forestry service road, I heard a loud mettalic "CLANK" from under the front of the truck and could also feel it through my feet.
Well; after making the truck recreate this sound over and over, and doing a search in this forum, I am pretty sure that the source of my frustration is coming from the torsion bar adjusters. So; I will be getting a set of them soon. Now, to my questions. Taa Daa!!!!
I would like to lift this truck a couple of inches. I have read a lot of the threads on lifts and such. What I would like to do is a torsion bar twist and rear add-a-leafs. I would like to get about 2 inches at the rear and about 1 3/4-2 inches at the front.
Now; my truck has that air suspension stuff on it as well as that normal/off road switch that in the "off-road" mode, lifts it about an inch and stiffens the ride slightly. Can I do the torsion twist and add-a-leaf on this truck; and will the air suspension and normal/ off road modes still work after the mods? Do I need to get a front end alignment after doing the lift? Will the stock brake lines still be adequate in length? Will the stock drive shafts be adequate in length? Should I disconnect the rear anti-sway bar for more articulation? ? And does anyone make quick-releases for the front bar on this truck?
Has anyone done this combo of mods on this model explorer? If so, please let me now how it turned out, and any problems that cropped up during the process.
Thank you all; for the answers I have already recieved from past threads and the answers I hope you all can help me with.
George

 

[yob_yeknom]

brake line lenght: ok
driveshafts length: ok
need alignment: yes
disconnect sway bars: pain in the butt I wouldn't worry about them
anyone make quick disconnects: not that I know of
air suspension still work: not sure probably not

 

[newexplorerguy]

Thanks for the reply

John;
Thanks for the reply. I'm planning on doing all of this work sometime next month. I'm hoping that the air suspension "off-road" feature will still work. I might try the rear sway bar both ways and see how it is. After the work is completed, I will post back and let everyone know how it worked out.
George