Lift my '96 Explorer

[MountaineerMac]

Well guys, I have a problem...

I own a 1996 Eddie Bauer Ford Explorer, and I love
4wheeling. I love working on trucks and have pretty
good experience and knowledge of what I'm doing.

As we all know, the 96's have the dreaded IFS, making
it near impossible to lift the explorer. I have, however,
tightened the torsion bars in order to gain a 2" lift out of the front, and added a 2" Ford Ranger add-a-leaf kit from Trailmaster to get a solid 2" lift out of my explorer.

Any Ideas on how to get a bigger lift?? Is it possible with the '96? I'm new to the sight, and I see some AWESOME explorers with sweet lifts...Can someone please help? Any advice and information would be greatly appreciated...

Right now, I have BFG All Terrain TA's in 225/75/16...I would like to fit BFG 33/1150/15's or preferably 34/1150/15's on there...

Thanks SO much yall...Please email me if you can

 

[RobbieJ]

Ray Lobato has a converted ranger lift modified to fit his 97 explorer. Also Gerald Jarett has a 99 running 33's and so does Sinjin. They have 3" bodylifts and torsion twists.
Look around You can find tons of info on this. Robbie

 

[Ray Lobato]

Hi Mac and welcome to the site.
Well you can wait for superlift to come out with their 4" lift for 98-00 Explorers and modify it to fit your 96 or you can do what a few of us have already done and use a trailmaster or Superlift 98 Ranger 4" lift kit an modify it.
Either way, your gonna have to modify it at the rear torsion bar brackets. This is the only place that you will have to have modified. The rest is pretty much bolt on.
The thing about using a Ranger kit is you have to decide wether you are going to do a spring over or spring under for the rear.
Juan Felsmann went spring over and I went spring under. I had to buy some skyjacker 4" rear springs and I'm not sure what Juan had to do to get the spring over to work.
I also have a 2" body lift that Juan doesn't have, but that is because I also have a AtlasII transfercase and I needed the body lift to be able to get the transfercase to fit.
You can do a search for "Trailmaster 98-00 update" and there is alot of info about this. Hope this helps

[Edited by Ray Lobato on 12-13-2000 at 09:20 PM]

 

[PUR PONY]

what I dont understand is: if the lift companies are coming out with a kit for the 98-00 explorers... why wont they bolt right up to the 95-97... whats so different? also if you modify the 98-00 lift- will it work on the V-8 AWD???


I am about to install pro-comp add-a-leafs, warrior shackles, torsion twist, and a 3" 98 ranger body lift... I hope I can fit 33x12.5's without rubbing but my have to go with 32x11.5's

on my 96 limited 430hp supercharged V-8

 

[GJarrett]

Actually I only have a 2" body lift (not the 3" that Sinjin does) with my torsion twist but it took qutie a bit of trimming in the front wheelwell to fit 285/75r16s (33x11's) in with all that Eddie Bauer trim. But it can be done.