j602's 2wd Beast

My name's Josh and I live in Dothan, Alabama. I've owned the truck since November, 2003. It's a 1992 Ford Explorer XLT 2WD. I started with basic upgrades and modifications like new paint, clear corners, tires, and wheels. It then turned into a constant work in progress resulting in what it is now.

It's curent state:

Specs-

Exterior:

Black metallic paint
Longtek brush guard
35x12.5" Dunlop Mud Rovers
15x8 Rock Crawler 97's
Sylvania Silverstar 9004 headlight bulbs
Clear corners
SRB 6" fogs
Taillight guards
Removed front valence/license plate holder
Custom shorty antenna
4' fiberglass CB antenna with custom mount on T/L guard
Herc'd door jambs
Bedliner'd rockers
Cut front bumper, bedlinered both
Painted grille
Tint
Curt Class III hidden hitch

Interior:

All-Weather floor mats
Leather steering wheel cover
Pioneer DEH-6500 head unit
Infinity Reference 5x7's in doors
(2) Infinity Reference 10's in a sealed enclosure
LA 1000W Amp
Uniden PRO538W CB

Suspension:
Front -
Custom SAS with HP Dana 30 from a Jeep YJ set up for spring over axle
BTF YJ SOA perches
Pro Comp 2.5" lifted YJ springs
BTF shackles
Warrior spring and shackle hangers
Custom hanger mounts
F-250 shock towers
Rancho RS5000's
Rough Country drop pitman arm
BTF crossover steering bracket with DOM links and heim joints
2" Slanted Body Lift

Rear -
Spring over axle with weld on perches
Warrior shackles
2" Tapered Blocks
Pro Comp ES3000 shocks on swaybar brackets
Homemade swaybar extensions
Relocated brake line with custom bracket


Drivetrain:

4wd transmission swap with electric transfer case that is now manual
KKM open element filter
Flowmaster Cat-back with Original 40 Series swapped in
Single Magnaflow high flow cat
Summit Manual Cutout after Y pipe
EGR delete
Motive 4.56 gears w/ Mobil 1 synthetic gear lube
Powertrax No-Slip locker
Skyjacker SS brake lines


What it was:

Then...

Then...

Then...

 

[96limitedX]

i'm in love with it! looks so nice!

are you going to leave the body lift?

 

[j602]

Thanks!

Most likely so, since it provides clearance for the crossmember and brushguard brackets in the front.

 

[j602]

Flex pics!

Finally got this biotch strecthed out. I put it up on the retaining wall at home and stopped where the ledge was over 2 feet off the ground. This was just before the rear tire started to slip due to a lack of traction. Not bad considering I didn't unbolt the rear sway bar. Anyway, it did well, and felt considerably smooth cycling, which makes me very happy with how it turned out. Only thing now is to get a bent drag link in. The stock link would definitely hit if oppositely flexed. Anyway, enough **** talkin', here's some pictures.

Once I get the new drag link in I'll take the sway bar off and flex it further. Still trying to figure out where this thing's going to end up sitting. I'll most likely put in 1.5" blocks to level it out.

 

[95offroadx]

does it ride better or worse?

 

[j602]

Much better. Feels tighter (minus the steering) and takes bumps smoother.

 

[mynameisaric]

you should cap the ends on the crossmember. well i would, but i live up north with salt. but i still dont think it would be a bad idea even in the south and it might provide some additional strength. i'm sure that it will hold just fine anway. that d30 will give before anything else does, and that would take some abuse. other than that... Awesome.

 

[FROADER]

Looks good. I just noticed your bumper too. Have you had it like that this whole time?

 

[JS91X]

that truck is as fine as a sweet piece of a$$ now !!!!!!

 

[JS91X]

oh btw about your steering, since your yj's d30 now has a spring over did you have to get different knuckles or a hi steer kit ? give me details about what you did...

 

[Creager]

Damn, very good lookin

 

[j602]

Thanks guys.

Aric - I've thought about capping the ends of the crossmember but salt is not a big issue here. Also, it provides a good clamping point for the ground when welding. the crossmember is 1/4" thick, and extremely stout; it's not going anywhere.

Froader - Yeah, I cut it a while ago. It's in this thread a couple pages back.

JSX91 - I did nothing to the steering except bend the drag link slightly to get a little more clearance. It's barely bent though, and the stock link would work. This setup works find on the road, but if flexed on the driver side, I would not be able to turn due to the drag link hitting the leaf spring. An S bent drag link is on the way as we speak to correct this.

 

[JS91X]

wher did you buy your current tires from ?

 

[j602]

Sam's Club.

 

[SkanlaxJMO]

have you though of putting in an Atlas 4:3:1 T-case and a front Frive Shaft as well as the rest of the needed 4wd parts?

 

[j602]

Yes, I discussed it earlier in the thread.

 

[SkanlaxJMO]

oh missed it

 

[SkanlaxJMO]

So when is it going to be 4x4 you said when it is SASed

 

[j602]

After this tranny goes I'm replacing it with a 4wd model and transfer case. I'll then get a front d-shaft and gear the front.

 

[SkanlaxJMO]

Is all you need a 4wd model Tranny a T-Case Gears and a front D-shaft? ( i am alreadyt 4x i am just curious)

 

[j602]

Yep.