hey there, advice for me??

[duggiedirtbiker]

hey,
i have a 2000 ford explorer sport. I am into dirtbikes and have always wanted a pre-runner but i have this car. It is only 2wd and i would like to make it built to handle the occasional off road trip out to mojave or gorman and whatnot. I would like advice on what to do to it that is cheap or can be build at home, cause i have a tight budget at 17years old.
I already did exhaust and air filter stuff. I made a light rack. I am planning on getting 31" tires when the ones on it (29") wear out. i AM POWER HUNGRY AND LOVE SPEED! What can i mod or build for my car without spending alot??? I want a push bar and skidplate to, but i need plans or something for that. I want to lift it, but not 100% how i should do it? I want to put coils in the front, but i dont no wat kind or were to get them, im thinking like a 3" lift. And in the back i would like to swap the leafs from the bottom to the top of the axle. What are your guys thoughts on this? and anyone have advice on how to do it?
thanks,
matt:rangerred:

 

[Burns]

Really from the position you are in now to where i was a few years ago.


Keep it stock.


Its going to cost you 15x your budget. Trust me.

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! A custom tune might help.

 

[Tbars4]

...This is worth a read and is currently under construction..
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=216036

 

[97sprt4x4]

It half seems like you want to do everything. Which is ambitious to say the least. My advice to you, is to pick what is most functional. If you have the fabrication skills with a welder and pipe benders, you can make anything you can dream of, if you don't. usually someone who can will charge a pretty penny to make it. as far as the lift goes, If you do the SOA (spring over axle) that will get you between 4-6 inches of lift in the back from most cases, and that is as simple as welding in spring perches on the top of the axle like they're done on the bottom and flipping everything. and in the front, you're going to need some pretty big modifications, things that come to mind, would be a Solid axle swap(SAS) or the RCA kit there's a sticky somewhere. If that's a little to big, which is what i'm sensing, search for something called a Tortion Twist or TT and shackle lift, it's a 2 inch suspension lift that will allow you to clear 31" tires with absolutely no rubbing.

And if you're going that big, you're not going to be able to go all that fast.

I hope i answered a few of your questions. good luck with the truck.

Justin

 

[duggiedirtbiker]

"Really from the position you are in now to where i was a few years ago.


Keep it stock.


Its going to cost you 15x your budget. Trust me. "
yeah, i no its very expensive to truly build an off-road machine. But, i am talking about like free/cheap mods and things that can be welded just to make my car better! I enjoy working on my dirt bikes and truck. I have easy access to a few welders and metal.

 

[duggiedirtbiker]

Welcome to this forum! A custom tune might help.

okay, what would that consist of?

 

[duggiedirtbiker]

It half seems like you want to do everything. Which is ambitious to say the least. My advice to you, is to pick what is most functional. If you have the fabrication skills with a welder and pipe benders, you can make anything you can dream of, if you don't. usually someone who can will charge a pretty penny to make it. as far as the lift goes, If you do the SOA (spring over axle) that will get you between 4-6 inches of lift in the back from most cases, and that is as simple as welding in spring perches on the top of the axle like they're done on the bottom and flipping everything. and in the front, you're going to need some pretty big modifications, things that come to mind, would be a Solid axle swap(SAS) or the RCA kit there's a sticky somewhere. If that's a little to big, which is what i'm sensing, search for something called a Tortion Twist or TT and shackle lift, it's a 2 inch suspension lift that will allow you to clear 31" tires with absolutely no rubbing.

And if you're going that big, you're not going to be able to go all that fast.

I hope i answered a few of your questions. good luck with the truck.

Justin

oh, i dont want my car way up high, to easy to flip and stuff 4-6 in sounds like to much to me, cause its mostly driven on the road. Will 2" bigger tires really slow it down that much???

 

[97sprt4x4]

It's not that it will slow you down, it's just farther from the ground and it's not going to handle as well. your center of gravity will be higher so you're more likely to roll

 

[duggiedirtbiker]

:"you're going to need some pretty big modifications, things that come to mind, would be a Solid axle swap(SAS) or the RCA kit there's a sticky somewhere. If that's a little to big, which is what i'm sensing, search for something called a Tortion Twist or TT and shackle lift, it's a 2 inch suspension lift that will allow you to clear 31" tires with absolutely no rubbing."
yah SAS sounds to big and i dont know what RCA kit is? i tried searching it but i still dont know. ill cheack out the TT.
thanks......alot of help from all of you so quickly, i like this site!

 

[duggiedirtbiker]

It's not that it will slow you down, it's just farther from the ground and it's not going to handle as well. your center of gravity will be higher so you're more likely to roll

is there any way to just put coils in the front that lift it 1.5-2"? and then in the back i could just put longer shackles ( I think thats what they are called) right?

 

[97sprt4x4]

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1869871&postcount=3

That thread should help you with any lifting you need

And as far as coils, i don't think so, i still think you're exp has an IFS with Tortion Bars, but shackles yes, you can look at my registry, "sue" and on page 4 it shows the shackles.

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

welcome matt what kind of exhaust u got and u got pics of ur sport

 

[nitro71]

After reading this I think you should look into torsion bar twisting and some shackles for the rear. There is a post around here somewhere that shows what tires fit under what vehicles with what lift. Maybe a body lift might do what your wanting to do?

 

[duggiedirtbiker]

yeah, ill do the tortion twist and shakles, how to i balence my tires after i change the tt? Ill make some shackles, the stock ones are 5.5" eye to eye. So to lift it 2" in the back, would i have to make shakles 4" longer? Is there anything that needs adjusted or whatnot when replacing the shakles?
And, i would like to post before and after pics 4 u guys to see, but i dont know how to??? i can save them to a folder on my computer but i dont know how to blow it up on here?

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

matt join www.photobucket.com

it gives u a code and u copy and paste the code and the pics will show up