I need your help

[brwirt549]

Hey guys,

I am a new member to the forum and I just purchased a 2000 Ford Explorer Eddie Bauer. I need help on the quickest and most cost effective way to help a sagging rear end. I am not a grease monkey when it comes to 4x4's but I am pretty confident that I can do this myself. I just need direction and advice. First, what are shackles, TT, and AAL's? Secondly, I am not looking to put alot of money in this vehicle other than upgrading to a 16 in wheel or just keeping the wheels I have but putting a beefier tire on. Are shackles, leaf springs, TT or AAL's the best way to go?

Thank you guys

BR

 

[Greg_DonWindsor]

Shackles are the brackets that attach the leaf spring packs to the frame. Aftermarket shackles can achieve rear end lift/sag correction via lowering the point where the springs are anchored. However, doing this to correct sag will cause the leaf springs to flex more, and they will flatten out over time.

In my honest opinion, if you are looking to correct sag, an add-a-leaf (AAL) is the best way to go. This part is just what it sounds, it is an extra leaf that adds renewed stiffness to an old leaf spring pack. You may even wish to have your existing pack of leaf springs re-arched.

A "TT" is a torsion twist, and entails twisting the torsion bar's adjustment screw to achieve front end lift or sag correction. Twisting your torsion bars to achieve more than 2 inches of lift is ill-advised, as it will cause premature wear/binding of your CV joints.

If you want a cheap way to lift the front and rear slightly to clear larger tires, do your add-a-leaf to correct rear sag first, then go with aftermarket shackles, and twist your torsion bar to lift your front end slightly to match the rear.

Good luck!

 

[brwirt549]

Thank you Greg,

I cant thank you enough for responding back. You response and advice is very helpful. Thank you buddy

 

[DaExplorer]

Just to throw my two cents in.
Since you are just trying to correct the rear sag and looking for and easy fix.

I added air shocks to the rear of mine. If I'm going to hual a heavy load I add more air and the rear can go way up. Later I can level it back out by letting some air out ( I did the same to the wife's mini van) easy fix.

My son did the rear shackles on his which raised the back end up. We then did the TT to bring the front up to level. Gave it a nice look. I'm actually thinking about doing the same to mine before the Truck Haven run in January.

 

[Greg_DonWindsor]

Regarding air-ride rear leveling or tow-assist; my Limited actually came with an automatic load leveling air shock in the rear. It automatically sensed when I was hauling heavy loads, and adjusted the rear end as such. The only problem with it was that it was in the way of the final bend of the aftermarket exhaust system I was looking at, and thus I had it uninstalled, and resorted to the add-a-leaf and gas-charged bilstein shocks to stiffen the rear end instead.

 

[drdoom]

Add a leaf is cheapest it will bring the truck up average 1.5"