ld50 Explorer mods revisited

[ld50]

I took apart the cable at the bracket, drilled the hole larger, and assembled my pieces like so:

 

[ld50]

This made the holder for the rear pass. side line 2 & 3/4 " farther back. Now I needed the cable before that to be that much longer.
I chucked the piece that holds the front part of the cable and the rear part of the cable together, and made my own connector that was 2 & 3/4" longer.

 

[ld50]

Then it was just a matter of putting it all back together, and I got this.

Lots of room now!

At first the pedal went quite a ways down, but the self adjuster tightened it up after a few push and releases. Now it is just as it was.

 

[ld50]

Spacers

I can`t recommend this to anyone until I try it out for a while. A lot of people, as I said, don`t think it is a good idea. But some people disagree. All I can say is it sure is alot of bolts to mess with, especially since my hubs seem to like to loosen off on me.
Well I got them, put them on, and here is some pics for you:

 

[ld50]

putting one on

 

[ld50]

I had a slight rub on road at the tupperware on the passenger side so I cut a wee bit off of it, just the corner. I have been up to 130 kms/hr with them and feel no vibration or anything. It does feel a lot more stable now. I have passed on the flares I mentioned because they don`t really stick out too far, and it kinda looks cool.

Looking down the side

 

[ld50]

Custom exhaust

I`ll come back and tell you what kind, cuz I can`t find the bill right now. basically it`s cat- back with 2 & 1/4 inch tubing and a tiny muffler called a "spinner" which is VERY free flowing, and sounds really trick.
I got a crappy pic of it:

 

[ld50]

I notice more oomph at higher rpms and a little more snap with this installed.

I`m going wheeling tomorrow to check everything out, and finally run with the swaybar detached. I`ll post results later, and I guess I have to update my price list too.

Woohoo!

 

[ld50]

He he,

Whoops?

My first stuck

Well it was bound to happen. I never liked mud anyway, and damned if that one spot didn`t look alot shallower

It was the Stave lake mud flats, a very well known area that people flock to after mid September, which is when they lower the level of the lake via a dam. I could have stayed there all day watching the crazy wheelers with there HUGE trucks. They seemed to have one goal, get stuck! Saw some crazy trucks there, one was I think a Monza on a huge frame with enormous tires, yeehaa.

So after my slight embarrassment and a pull out from a buddy of mine, I needled my rig through the hordes of trucks on the flats, none of which being a fellow Explorer, I might add, and headed to a more suitable playground.

 

[ld50]

The rocky trails!

I tackled some trail sections that even I thought would stop me, but my chariot crawled on, rarely succumbing to the gravity that fought to stop her and throw me back to begin anew. Even when I tore the front piece of my tupperware off one side, I ventured on, undaunted, until....
There began a squeek, subtle at first, and then more insistent and demanding of my attention. As soon as I crested the hill I was climbing, I exited my steed to have a look at her vitals. And there noticed that my springs on the drivers side were still holding up fine, but the passenger side didn`t look too good.

It seems to me that the forces I was putting on my rear suspension had actually started to bend the frame around the shackle on the passenger side, angling it towards center. This made the springs splay a little, but ultimately they were caught by my "splay guard" I had built. Nonetheless, there is definitely an angle to that shackle now, which to put it bluntly, F`n sucks.

Anyway, I will probably have to straighten it out and reinforce it some how, and I may have to get some help from someone with a good welder and know how to match.

Other than that she performed great! A funny point was when we were deep into this trail and this big Toyota is coming down with advertisements all over it and they are filming it like it is the ULTIMATE trail machine,and up comes little old me....
Can you say double take?

Well I gotta rip off the rest of the tupperware now I guess and figure this problem out.

 

[ld50]

My shackle is crooked because the bushing is squarshed!

What now? hmmmmm.

Well some guys originally chimed in here suggesting poly bushings, which is what I attempted to use.


<thought I would add here that I later realised it is all because of my Ranger main leaf springs being bent sideways. They push the shackle to the side because of it>

 

[ld50]

Still don`t have those bushings, but the mods go on!

I am talking with a guy in town that might build me a set of rock sliders. He`s relly into wheeling and does some awesome work. First I had to do a bit of prep work for them tho`.

<the slider dude flaked out on me!>

I got rid of the tupperware, which was a good idea after all, because there was some rust forming under there. Anyway, I got this stuff called "Hippo-liner" which is the same as rhino, herc, etc. I cleaned up the rockers and bent the pinch weld in so that I could eventually have the sliders as far up as possible. I got some plastic push things to cover the holes, then I Hippo-lined up to my door trim.
Here`s some pics.
Prepwork:

 

[ld50]

It looks pretty good, and I managed to keep the liner off my body parts.

You may notice that I took the bra off. It sucked, flapping in the wind and catching all the dirt and mud from the trail. Not good for off-roading.

 

[ld50]

TOTAL $ CDN SPENT

Truck = $8500.00

Plasma white hid headlights = $39.96
Mini driving lights = $65.00
Filter adapter = $68.41**
K&N filter = $50.00
Window visors = $45.00
Cheap CB = $75.00
Antenna = $50.00
Tow hooks = $40.00
2" susp lift with shocks = $464.00 **
31x10.5 BFG T/A K/Os = $835.00
New lower ball jts. and alignment = $ 604.00
Fire extinguisher = $ 40.00
4.10 gears, locker, U-joints = $2635.37
2" body lift kit = $148.45
Shifter extension = $58.21
2" x 20' tow strap = $40.50
War1780 skid plates - $115.00 **
War153 shackles - $99.95 **
1.5" Wheel spacers - $504.87 **
Custom exhaust - $320.00

(** includes shipping)

Total "EX"penses = $14798.72

 

[ld50]

I got me a set of poly bushings in town after calling every place I could think of. They were Energy brand.


-Then I buggered one up so could only fix the offending one for now, which was okay because after spending three and a half hours to get one side done I have had enough.

-And I hit the center of my hand with a hammer, something might be broken, hurts like a *******, almost puked too.

-And just to round out the wonderful evening, when I went to leave my workplace, where I was conducting my repairs, SHE WOULDN`T START! Just a big ol` "click" when I turned the key. I tell ya man, I just felt like laying down for a while after that. Thankfully there was a hill from the shop so I jumped it and came home.

I`m thinking (hoping) I just knocked something loose with all that hammering. It wouldn`t take a jumpstart either so maybe if I check and clean the connections at the starter it will work.

Well I`m gunna put some ice on my hand, an ice cold beer in my belly and kick back now.

 

[ld50]

Pardon me, but:
F***in G*dDa*m F***in Ford C***!!!!!

AAAH....

Well I went down this morning to see what was what, and it fired up first try. Then it refused to do anything after that, just that "click". I went for a walk and bought some new battery terminals, trimmed off the ends of my wires and connected that all up and "click"
Then I swore at it for a bit, then pulled out the starter and cleaned all those connections. I left the starter out and tried again. "Click"
So I disconnected the starter and walked across the street to get it bench tested at a shop, and it was fine.

My shop manual suggested a test for the "starter relay" where you put a jumper wire from your battery terminal to your relay and try it. I did and "click"
Anyway, it appears to be the relay, so I guess I`m off for a little stroll now. Might grab a new positive battery cable to be sure.

** I`m back, but I tried something else first! I bypassed the relay entirely so that when I pressed the Neg batt cable on, it sent full power to the starter, which got me that "click" again. I started thinking maybe the bench test just "happened to work at the shop and perhaps something was amiss with the starter itself. I hooked everything back up and tried an old trick I learned long ago. which is beat the starter with a hammer. Well I turned the key and it turned over and started up instantly. I tried it three more times before the "click" came back, so it must be the starter then! Right? Thing is, do I replace the whole starter or just the solenoid? Ah hell, better to replace it all, I guess.

 

[ld50]

<Gotta add, I got a lot of help from guys here, and other posts on the site, THANX)




Starts Now!

Whew, fixed her. Got a new Bosch starter. $180.00 cdn. I hate electrical stuff!

there was a note in the box it came in:

"FORD EXPLORER / MAZDA NAVAJO
NO START CONDITION

1992-1993 Ford Explorers and Mazda Navajos, May exhibit repeated no start conditions. Ford suggests that technicians inspect the condition of the battery cables and any other wiring harness in the vicinity of the battery for signs of corrosion. The condition is easy to spot as the cables will have become swollen and discolored from the battery acid emissions. To cure this condition, all suspect cables should be replaced with new, and a new battery cover (Ford part # F3TZ-1OA687-A) should be installed over the battery to prevent this condition in the future"

I say:

"how bout bucking up for the problem, since you have admitted to it?"

My cables don`t seem to be too bad right now and I have a new , sealed battery in there that they put in when I bought it. Might look into new cables anyway, but maybe I`ll ask how much they cost from Ford.

 

[ld50]

My pass. side shackle is still a little bit crooked. Might have something to do with the springs, it straightens when it hangs. OMEs are pretty expensive too, DOH!

But they are built well, hmmm. $$

{ I dunno if I bent that ranger leaf or not, but It seems to not even want to sit straight in the pack any more either, like it doesn`t line up with the old main leaf. I just might be getting rid of the Zim now. Killer droop, yes, but there doesn`t seem to be a lot of strength there to keep the axle from moving laterally, which is most likely why they want to get all askew for people. Kind of a bummer, but only cost me 30 bucks anyway. Perhaps my Ranger springs were too old for this.
My other option would be definitely Old Man Emu springs and new poly bushings to put in with them. I already priced it out, I`m lookin at about 900 bucks for these items. OUCH! but they do seem to be good shat, and I am so sick of messing with the damn rear end.
I can get a set made for me, there is a spring place in town so I guess a phone call to them can`t hurt.}

 

[ld50]

So whats up with the truck?

Well, I should tell you that I get a little bit of noise from my quick disconnect system for my swaybar. I don`t know how to get it tight enough with my method, so it make a popping noise as it moves. It is not terribly annoying, but I thought I would let you know.

I am still waiting on a guy who is going to make me some rock sliders, I`ll have to bug him some more.

I am not happy with my long shackles. They are hell on my departure angle. I am trying to figure a way to do a spring over while maintaining the same height I have now. that probably means getting new stock springs. I haven`t figured it all out yet. they hit the ground quite a bit when wheeling though, and makes me leary of stuff, so they gotta go soon.

 

[ld50]

Okay, the first new post since the re-write. I haven`t done a whole lot of new mods, but have done quite a bit of wheeling lately.

I`m still happy with everything, and the shackle problem I was whining about isn`t that bad I guess. One thing I did do was change up my front sway bar disco`s. Basically, I have studs with big wing nuts. All I have to do now is get them loose, and spin them off by hand.
As for the SOA or new springs I was talking about, there is way too many other things I want to do first, and I don`t see an SOA in my future (Right Now).

NEXT EPISODE:

"Dual battery install"