Goose's 99 Limited. Before and After

[98EB]

How much does a lift like this cost and how much higher does your Explorer sit now? It looks great! Also, when you got your Firestone's replaced, were the BFG's covered? Everyone I've asked has a list of specific tires you can be reimbursed for and these aren't on it.
-STU

 

[greengoose]

How much does a lift like this cost and how much higher does your Explorer sit now?

Cost: $56 + 4 hours of my time. Warrior shackles = 1.5" and a 1.25" Torsion twist. (Front was a little higher to start with.)

My tires were strictly a tire trade-in. Nothing to do with the recall. They gave me $60 each for my original tires which had 24K miles on them. But I "had" to purchase the extended tire warranty. Only $6 per tire...I wanted that anyways.

 

[exploreraudio]

Hey, Goose,

Really nice looking truck! I am planning on doing the EXACT same mod to my 98 Limited. I am thinking of going with 31x10.5" Yokohama Geolander ATs, but if my math is right, the tires you put on are pretty much the same size.

I'm wondering about both the shackles and the TT. I have heard stories about people that can only get 1" from the twist, but it seems that 2" is more normal...do you know anything about this? It would be a bad thing to order 2" shackles and then only get 1" of lift at the front! The other thing I am wondering is if the shackles go on the front-end of the back-end of the leaf? I assume the back end. Can you see them from behind the vehicle, and do they look out of place?

Thanks, and once again...NICE RIDE!

 

[greengoose]

I have heard stories about people that can only get 1" from the twist, but it seems that 2" is more normal...do you know anything about this?

While I had mine up on jacks, I turned my Torsion screws all the way in. I had OVER 3". I let the truck weight down and let the screws out to 1.5". Drove it around to settle at 1.25"

The other thing I am wondering is if the shackles go on the front-end of the back-end of the leaf? I assume the back end. Can you see them from behind the vehicle, and do they look out of place?

Shackles go on the rear leaf springs. I have a trailer hitch so the shackles came even with the bottom of the hitch.

Hope this answers your questions.
-Bryan

 

[kcsport 00]

What brand is the grill guard? Looks GRRRRRRate!!!!!!!!

 

[greengoose]

What brand is the grill guard?

WAAG

 

[espnfreak]

hey did ford let you get bigger tires as replacements for your wilderness?

 

[greengoose]

My tires were not replaced under anything with ford or firestone.
The tire store (which happened to be firestone) gave me $60 each for my old tires. I put the $240 towards the BFGs.

 

[exploreraudio]

Hey, goose

I am that much closer to doing the 2" shackle / TT lift...A friend just pointed something out, though...did you have to get an alignment done after you did the TT on the front? It seems to me that raising a suspension 2" like that would throw off your camber like crazy!

 

[greengoose]

...did you have to get an alignment done after you did the TT on the front?

I had to weld in a cross member from the driveline to the power steering pump.
No..Just kidding. I had an alignment check and nothing was out of tolerance.
-Bryan

 

[Robert]

Same thing here, no alignment necessary, not the crossbar thing Actually if you watch the front tires as they go up and down, the tire remains perpendicular to the ground. It doesn't follow an arc like a straight axle does. My tires have been on for a year now with the torsion twist on it the entire time and they are wearing evenly all the way across with no pulling to either side.

 

[exploreraudio]

funny guy, greengoose. You did actually have me worried for a split second. "weld" just wasn't a word I wanted to read

I have been getting wierd looks from people when I tell them I am going to do a lift. Probably because I am never going to go off road. I just want the extra ground clearance for when the snow really starts to pile up (on my street, it sometimes gets a foot deep).

 

[greengoose]

I did my lift for the same reasons. I have gone offroading but now I have a newborn so I cant. im sure you will be very pleased with the results. It did make my ride more stiff....but the look and feel is awesome.

 

[JeeperLee]

Re: Also...

I was just wondering where this Explorer would go with AT's that it would be near a stuck Jeep. There is not even any stock tow points on an Explorer, how seriously do you expect Jeep owners to take Explorers as true offroaders.

 

[greengoose]

JeeperLee,
Thank you for noticing my Explorer. I do enjoy all of my creature comforts as I go 4x4ing. I guess tow points are for those of us who get stuck. I did notice that this is your 1st post. We do not discriminate against anyone...including Jeep owners. So I / we welcome you and your constructive questions and comments.
-Greengoose

 

[leebo]

bryan.....was wondering how everything was going?? Haven't heard from you as of late. Guessing you still aint getting much sleep.



jeeperlee......Welcome to the site. You'll find an answer to any question you may have. We even have people here to help with your J@@p questions. Welcome.....
ps.....if you want an answer to your question, come on out to Vegas. I'll show you the two things we got and you want. A Ford 8.8 and AC

 

[Robert]

Re: Re: Also...

Originally posted by JeeperLee
I was just wondering where this Explorer would go with AT's that it would be near a stuck Jeep. There is not even any stock tow points on an Explorer, how seriously do you expect Jeep owners to take Explorers as true offroaders.

My '97 4x4 DID come with a stock tow point. It is attached to the rear of my frame, right below my rear bumper. I guess it was put in the back so that I could pull a friends '97 Wrangler the rest of the way off the sand dune when he buried it. The other guy we were with had a '98 GMC Jimmy with his factory tow point on the front. I told him that was because GM had the least confidence of the three (GM, Ford, Chrysler) expecting him to get stuck.

 

[JeeperLee]

My neighbor/friend has a 1998 Explorer with the twist front lift and warrior shackles. It does okay offroad, but the twisted front suspension has very little travel. We used to take it offroading, but even with rocker protection it was a little risky to wheel such an expensive vehicle. He bought an old CJ-5 to wheel with. My 1980 CJ-7 has A/C and a built AMC 20, which I expect any problems out of. What can you say about the new Explorers, they have front and rear independent suspension. The 1995-2001 Explorers are pretty capable from the factory since you can throw on 31" tires, but they are too expensive to lift much and to really wheel hard. Talk to ya Later

Lee

 

[JDraper]

Originally posted by greengoose

I had to weld in a cross member from the driveline to the power steering pump.
No..Just kidding. I had an alignment check and nothing was out of tolerance.
-Bryan

Gee, I had to weld a cross member from my rear axle to the radiator to make mine work............... Riiiiightttt!!!!!!!!! But I did need an alignment when I did my torsion twist. It messed up my toe in, and I started to get feathering on the edges of my tires. (I went up a full 2")

 

[Robert]

Originally posted by JeeperLee
My neighbor/friend has a 1998 Explorer with the twist front lift and warrior shackles. It does okay offroad, but the twisted front suspension has very little travel.
Lee

Have your friend remove the front sway bar when he takes it off-road. He will get much better performance out of the suspension. The factory sway bars really hamper the flexing. Obstacles that seemed hard with the sway bar on became really easy once it was removed. With the bar attached I was constantly getting at least one tire in the air which basically eliminated the pulling ability from the front.

There is no doubt that stock for stock, a Jeep is the better off-road vehicle. A Jeep is also easier to modfy and can be modified cheaper. Just don't dismiss the Explorer as not being worthy of going off-road. We have 4 or 5 people at work with Jeeps. Most have a 4" lift with 33" tires, a couple have 35" tires. I have gone wheeling with them and everytime I have gone they all say that they were surprised at what my Explorer was able to go through. Sure it has gotten bad enough that I have turned around and have even left my Explorer parked while we went on trails that I am certain mine wouldn't fare so well on, but then again it will go a lot more places than people give it credit.