Help with lift kit decisions.

[mattxplode]

im looking for advice to lift my 93 ford explorer xlt 4.0 4x4 and im wanting a 6 inch suspension lift or in that range anyways and maybe a 2 inch body lift if thats safe. i want to use this truck for moderate mudding and climbing. i dont know what i need to buy to make this truck safe when i do this. i need to know everything as far as what i need like coil springs,shocks,camber kits, stabilizers,axle gears,steering extension, brake lines,size tires and rims 35's at least,etc. im pretty new to this stuff. so if i sound like i dont know what im talking bout its cause i dont. lol please help though.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! I've moved your thread into the shocks, suspensions, and lift kits section.

 

[mattxplode]

ok thank you. im still trying to figure these forum things out lol. i appreciate it.

 

[unclemeat]

So many questions?

Let me start with a few questions for you.

How much money and or time do you have to spend?

How hard or often do you wheel?

When you lift a vehicle you are changing it. It will never be the same vehicle. IMO if you are not very mechanically inclined and or rich I would stick with 33s. If you click on my vehicle specs you can see what I have. If you search this site you will find answers and opinions to all you questions.

My best advice to you if you are new is to find local people that share you intrests a club perhaps. There are may options for lifting and modifing you vehicle. Each has positives and negatives. Just because I think a mod is good, does not mean that you will agree.

 

[KPSquared]

It all comes down to budget man.

I've got a 5.5" superlift, 35's, 4:88 gears, and have done all the labour myself and have around $5000 into it at this point. That number will probably not stop climbing anytime soon. Some guys build a budget lift and cram 33's for a few hundred dollars plus tires/rims. Some guys spend $20,000+ to make a killer rig. It all comes down to what you can afford. If you got lot's of cash, the skys the limit, if you're tight on cash (as is the case for most people who buy a 20 year old Ford in the first place) then you need to read, read, read, on this site and figure out what your best options for your truck are.

There is an endless amount of resource here. Good luck, keep us posted.

 

[mattxplode]

ive got time its not a problem. the budget im willing to spend is prolly $2500 to $4000 over a period of time. i want to do my mods lil by lil if possible. ive got tons of friends that wheel all the time and work at shops and i have already talked to them. from what i have come to conclusion is getting 4.10 gears in rear and front. 4 inch suspension lift with a 2 inch body lift. and running 33s. i might do a 6 inch lift.

 

[unclemeat]

If you are serious about wheeling, I would go with 4.56 axle ratio. I suggest either a 2-inch spacer shackle and 3-inch body lift if money is tight. A 4-inch suspension lift should fit 33s but will need rear springs. A 5.5 inch lift (spring over rear axle) is actually a little cheaper. I have a 5.5 incher superlift kit on my 91 with 33s.

 

[RockRanger]

Solid axle. Dana 44 swap can be about as easy as doing a TTB lift. When you are starting with nothing it about the same cost as well.

 

[KPSquared]

A solid axle requires a decent amount of mechanical knowledge and custom fab ability. An off the shelf, bolt on lift is much simpler. Specially for a daily driver.

If you want 6" of lift or so, the spring over axle and 5.5" lift is probably the cheapest route. You can fit 35's with the superlift 5.5". A 4" lift will require new leaf springs which is gonna cost a lot more than just new spring pads...

With 33" tires, you'll want at least 4.56 gears. Go to 35's you'll want 4.88's or even 5.13's if you want to really wheel the thing. 4.10's are pretty much useless unless you're running 31's but those'll fit stock.

You'll have to get it aligned afterwards, they'll have to use high misalignment bushings, but with any lift kit, the drop brackets will usually give you enough to be able to get it aligned.

Longer brake lines, shocks, etc. Lots of companies make those.

The steering is the tough part, if you have a 5.5" or 6" lift, no one really makes a drop pitman arm thats long enough. You can get the superrunner kit and make that work. From that angle, a 4" lift and 2" body lift would be easier to get the steering right.

 

[4x4junkie]

The steering is the tough part, if you have a 5.5" or 6" lift, no one really makes a drop pitman arm thats long enough. You can get the superrunner kit and make that work. From that angle, a 4" lift and 2" body lift would be easier to get the steering right.

The Skyjacker pitman arm #FA600 comes closest, but yeah it's still not 100% dead-on at that height. Unfortunately the arm included with pretty much every single 5.5-6" lift available is even shorter still, so the FA600 arm does offer a great improvement (IMO, it should be mandatory above 4" lift).

And I agree with the others, 4.10 is NOT enough gear for 33s, you want 4.56, even with daily street driving (if primarily offroad-only, then 4.88 gears for 33s).

 

[91ROKKRAWLER]

i love my 5.5" Superlift... if thats the route you go though, make sure to gusset the brackets before you even put them on, the tabs WILL break... I fit 33's EASILY on mine and will be movin to 35's as soon as i get gears... with a 5.5" lift you really should have 15x10 wheels for the stability purposes. i'm on 15x8's again but i loved the 15x10s for the short amount of time i had them... no road wobble or anything...

 

[DB_1]

The Skyjacker pitman arm #FA600 comes closest, but yeah it's still not 100% dead-on at that height. Unfortunately the arm included with pretty much every single 5.5-6" lift available is even shorter still, so the FA600 arm does offer a great improvement (IMO, it should be mandatory above 4" lift).

One thing I've found when I went through a couple different lift kits is that the "4 inch" Superlift pitman arm and the "6 inch" Skyjacker pitman arm have the same amount of drop. The Skyjacker arm does project out an inch forward more than the Superlift arm though.
Since they were virtually the same, I didn't even bother switching them out and I even left it on when I did the SAS.
What's the saying, if it aint broke...:

 

[mattxplode]

ok guys i totally appreciate the help so far. still got a couple more questions.
do i need to do any modifications or upgrades to driveshaft,transfer case,transmission? they are all stock.
i have found tuff country 4 inch suspension lift for $500http://www.suspensionconnection.com/cgi-bin/suscon/248504.html
i will add a 2 inch or 3 inch body lift after i do this possibly. i will prolly run 33's after i do a gear swap to 4.56 gears then to 4.88 if i switch to primary off roading like KPSquared and 4x4 junkie suggested.if i get a newer truck hopefully and tow this beast around to places. if you find a good deal on a 6 inch suspension let me know please.

 

[Mud4Life]

I don't know about a good deal. But at NSOR.com (from Vancouver) they sell 6" BDS suspension lifts for a ranger for $950 CDN. The kit comes with everthing, so all you need to lift the rear is new perches or the superlift ones. The BDS kit comes with an AAL so you can boost the SOA to 6" to match the front.

This is the route I'm taking and plan on either 33's or 35s. I'm not sure how small 33's will look thought...

 

[mattxplode]

ok i found the 4 inch lift on that website i didnt find a 6inch. if you can post the direct link. thanks

 

[unclemeat]

I did not have to modify my drive train with a 5.5 inch lift. I still drive it to the trails and back.

 

[Mud4Life]

I never was on their site, I just called NSOR and talked directly to them. They could sell me a 6" BDS ranger lift for $965 plus 45 bucks for shipping.

 

[mattxplode]

I never was on their site, I just called NSOR and talked directly to them. They could sell me a 6" BDS ranger lift for $965 plus 45 bucks for shipping.

oh ok man thanks a ton.

 

[KPSquared]

NSOR might not be as good a deal for all the Americans on here. I love them though. Got all my parts through them...and got free shipping... Will is the man. And I called 6 months later and he knew who I was by name. That's customer service...

Then again, with our dollar being worth less, you may get a good deal getting shipped from Canada.

Mud4Life - Are you on other RBV forums? Not to many Ford fellas in the Edmonton area...

 

[4x4junkie]

One thing I've found when I went through a couple different lift kits is that the "4 inch" Superlift pitman arm and the "6 inch" Skyjacker pitman arm have the same amount of drop. The Skyjacker arm does project out an inch forward more than the Superlift arm though.
Since they were virtually the same, I didn't even bother switching them out and I even left it on when I did the SAS.
What's the saying, if it aint broke...:

Pretty much every single arm out there drops the same amount: a mere 2" (leaves little wonder why so many people have tire wear and handling problems after lifting their truck).

The SJ #FA600 arm is unique in that it drops down 4" from stock. For whatever reason this is NOT the arm included in their 6" kits (but should be, since 4" puts things closer to where it's supposed to be than 2").

Mattxplode, you may want to decide for sure what gears you want, because swapping gears is not a shadetree mechanic operation, this is something that generally needs to be done at a shop due to the special tools and precision required (plus the gears themselves ain't exactly cheap). Maybe what you could do is get the 4.88 gears, and if it seems too "revvy", you can always bump it up to 35" tires

Lastly, avoid BDS. They (along with Rough Country, and Trailmaster) use the infamous drop-plate axle bracket extension, which is known for busting holes in differential housings. Most of the other kits give you full replacement brackets that won't interfere with the movement of the axle.

Ok, hope that helps.