I need your help/advice

[SuRrEaLNJ]

I need your help/advice on lift

Alright, Ive been doing alot of talking about lifts and suspensions since i joined up here. Ive learned alot in the past few months of reading and searching, but now my head is full of all kinds of info and questions i need to get out

Just for reference this is about what were talking about:

(photochop by dmasini)

I took a drive out to Whaley Enterprises in PA this morning to have him look at the truck. Said its more than doable, but were limited to what we can do to clear the rear frame. At an earley estimate were looking at about 10 inches over stock heigh when riding on 33s. Might be able to go lower, but cant really tell without taking parts off the truck. Looks like wagoneer axles are gonna be a good cannidate too.

First off i want to ask about leaf springs vs coilovers, specifically on the front. I know that coils are suposed to ride better then leaf springs, but how big is the difference really? the rear is gonna need to be leafed in the front, but i want to know if it would be worth further complicating the project to do coils in the front. This is the only vehicle i own so ride quality is a concern. I know no mater what it wont be as car like as it is now, but id still like it to be reasonable

Secondly, is that kind of lift going to be insanely high for a DD? I know that should put me siting a little highter over all then a F150, but is this going to be way to much for the X?

Also i ask you all this in all seriousness. Am i Crazy for thinking about doing this? Especially to such a new vehice?
I respect alot of your opinions and could really use some input on weather persuing this further is a good idea.

 

[SuRrEaLNJ]

i take it form the lack of responces that i might be nuts

 

[unclemeat]

I think you are talking a lot of money for not a lot of improvement. You could abandon the stock suspension and axles and go with custom coil system. If you were going to do that then go with a big lift, it would cost the same. You could always think body swap. It would likely be cheaper to buy a couple doner vehicles. You could put a Gen III body on a Gen I cheaper than what you are planning.

 

[james t]

I think you guys may have your calculations off... i dont think you'll need anywere near 10" of lift to clear 33's. There is a pic floating around the net of a new X with nothing more than a 3" bodylift and 33's and it looks just right.

As for the SAS, yes you can have leaves in the front that ride nice. I would start with the 7 leaf waggy springs and add/take away leaves until you get a decent ride. It will take a little trial and error, because as far as i know no one has done a 3rd gen. SAS. The best thing you can do right now is have the front of your truck weighed. That will help immensely no matter what type of spring you go with. It will take most of the guess work out of what type of leaves, or what coils will give a decent ride.

No, i dont think your crazy. The 3rd gen. Explorers have been out since late '01... its about damn time someone did an axle swap on one.

 

[SuRrEaLNJ]

jamest, the 10 inches is a guestimite ow what it'll need to clear the rear frame and still have atleast 4 inches up travel. This can change if the frame can be modified to alow clearence for the axle's up travel. the guestimite of 10 inches comes from measurements taken from the rear diff, wich means about 8 over stock due to the angle of the suspention at ride height.

Ideally id like to see between 4 and 6, but like i said im limited by how we can modify the rear frame

unclemeat, the stock suspention would be long gone. I put the truck on a jack and theres only about 2.5 inches down travel, so working with this susp would make no sense

 

[SuRrEaLNJ]

Oh, and 33s are planed as i know theyll fit in the wheel openings

 

[DeRocha]

Oh, and 33s are planed as i know theyll fit in the wheel openings

Just for curiousity sake how do you know they'll fit? I ask because if you take a 33 tire and hold it up agains the wheel wheels and it may fit just fine... But you may not be able to turn the wheels as they may contact the fender etc..

 

[SuRrEaLNJ]

Because BenS is runing worn 285s on 2nd gen wheels on a stock 3rd gen. I mean i could be wrong, but im asuming with the lift a non worn pair would fit.
I have the pic saved here somewhere, but cant remember what thread its in.