Lift Kit and Brush Guard

[skisprinkle686]

Looking to upgrade my '02 Explorer by adding a brush guard and lift kit. Wanted to hear suggestions on what everyone recommends?

What type of brush guard and where to buy it?

What is the best lift to go with and where to get it? Don't want to go over 3" and I prefer anything but a body lift. Also, are there any issues with lifting it over 2"? I owned Jeep Grand Cherokees until now and they have an issue with Death Wobble when lifted over 2".

Thanks,

 

[extra-medium]

Check here for your brush guard, best prices around that I have seen.

https://www.truckgeardirect.com/Pages/FORD_02_05_Explorer4DR.html

As for a lift you can go with a body lift (various how to's in the section), BFT spacers, or Rancho Quicklifts.

 

[kifferarri]

The biggest BTF spacer lift will give you approx. 3" of lift, which is the highest suspension lift you can do with these trucks without major modifications, due to the rear axles going through the frame. I personally went with a 2" space in the front and 1.75" in the rear, and that gave me a perfectly levelled 3" lift (spacer is smaller than the actual lift due to the geometry of the suspension). That coupled with 265/75R16 tires (for a total lift of about 4.5-5"), and the only downside I have seen is a little stiffer suspension in the front. If I where to do it again, I would go with a 1.75" spacer front and rear, to keep a bit of the factory rake with the lift (probably end up around 2.75-3" higher). That and the suspension would be a bit softer and more like a factory ride.
All said and done, it is not overly harsh by any means, in fact I would compare the ride to a new f150 truck.

Also, if doing any kind of suspension lift, I would highly recommend a set of btf upper control arms. They will correct the ball joint angle, be stronger, and also give you a much stronger style of ball joint. The factory ball joint is weak, and with any lift, will be put into a dangerous angle.