Lifted Explorers.HELP! need suggestions!!

[leetz]

Ok guys let me start off by saying I am 17 years old and in high school and have a 1998 Explorer Sport 2WD. I have been wanting to lift my truck for about 2 years now, but haven't had the money to. My new job has been paying me well and I have been able to afford alot of modoifications for my truck. What I want to accomplish is to have a nice looking truck that will look great on 33's. On Thursday I will be taking my truck to be lifted at Pungo Offroad in virginia beach. I have about 1300 dollars to do this. I have come up with a few options but I really need your guys opinions on what I should do. THis is what I have already

What I have (not currently on):

-33x12.50 Xterrains
-4 door leafs from a 2000 xlt
-4.56 Gears with detroit true-trac
-spring perches

Now what type of lift do you guys suggest. I thought about doing SOA and planned on doing an SOA. Now I'm having 2nd thoughts about it. I have read on problems about axle wrap extending driveshafts ETC. and people have said doing this would be foolish if I am not taking it offroad. I'm not totally convinced one way or the other now. But I would like your guys inputs on what I should do. Which one you think will put the least wear on my truck as I drive it everyday, be the safest, and look the best. I was hoping to get about 5 - 5.5 inches of lift. I also want it to still be able to get a good alignment and such and not travle like this \ /. I was thinking about the Fabtech kit because it has something to fix alignmnet issues. Well I have thought of a few ideas:

3 inch body 2 inch shackles 2 inch TT.
3 inch body add a leafs 2 inch TT.
3 inch spindle kit from fabtech, shackles TT.

Opinions are very welcome please help and post other ideas if you have them. THANKS!!!!

 

[j602]

From what you described, Choice #1 or 2 would probably be your best bet. It's the cheapest, and safer than all suspension, as it keeps the center of gravity lower. It's also not as necessary to do all suspension as you said this is more for on road use. With TT, shackles or add-a-leafs, and 3" body lift, you can run 33's and it will look good. Also, on the alignment, if you stick with just the 2" suspension lift (TT and shackles or AAL), any good alignment shop should be able to fix you up no problem.

 

[leetz]

I found a kit by fabtech I was thinking about maybe doing. This is a 3 inch spindle system that is made for the ranger , but I am pretty sure they fit explorers also.They come with a cam to fix your alignment and shocks so you still have a great ride. I could get 3 inches from that all around. I would torsion twist to get the rest, then for the rear should I do shackles or add-a-leafs?(don't know which is better for your truck or better looking). Post what you guys think about this. Thanks!

 

[j602]

Umm...If you do spindles and TT in the front, and only shackles or AAL in the rear, you're going to have some major sag. You will need to do both shackles and AAL to match the spindles and TT, and even then you might have some sag. Do the spindles, shackles, and AAL, and then do the TT to match.

 

[leetz]

OK I have now thought about doing a 3 inch body and a 3 inch all around Spindle System. I have been looking at explorers for about 2 hours now, and 33's with about 6 inches of lift on a sport looks awesome! Only problem with the 3 inch body 3 inch spindle is its about 926$ together not including installation charges from my offroad shop and I still have to buy my rims. that puts me around 1100. It will be more then 200 dollars to install this stuff. Not to mention I still have to have my gears installed. So I'm put back to doing the body lift torsion add a leaf thing now.

soooooooo..........

Put on a 3 inch body lift by performance accesories. Not quite sure what I need to install so my truck still looks great as far as the guards and stuff. I don't really know whats included with the BL. If someone could clarify this that would be awesome.

Then to get the extra 3 inches I don't know what I should do. I thought if I did AAL and shackles that would be close to 4 inches. I don't think 4 inches of twist would be good for my truck even though it is 2wd... I think the ride would be really bad. Would the two combined give me closer to 3 or 4 inches?
Once again guys please help me this has been driving me nuts!! lol I need to decide on something.

 

[Con Seann3ry]

wait wait...926 for 3 inch body lift? and the spindles and such?

get a 3 inch body lift, do the TT and Shackles, that will put you at like 5 inches with a bit of trimming (maybe) it should be enough for 33s...and that's 110 bucks for the body lift, 60 bucks for the shackles...and if you're not going to do it yourself, maybe it would be like 200 for labor...soo...170 + 200 = 370 for 5 inches of lift...actually...you know, because you're 2wd, you can get more than 2 inches out of your torsion bars...maybe have both the shackle and AAL in the back - but really...to lift a 2wd it should not be anywhere near 1000 bucks...

 

[leetz]

Well the 926 included all shocks and my rims.