Photos Lifted Sport Tracs Picture Thread!

[ezg594]

thanks 01STrunner and OffTrac.

being new to all these, i am really learning a lot from here.

wanted to share some pics of my 01 XST but still have to figure out how...(sorry, I'm not tech savy. ) will post them soon...

 

[Mace350]

I have a 2004 Adrenalin and a Jeep Wrangler. I need to choose one to keep, if you guys who have wheeled with or in a jeep and sport trac wouldn't mind letting me know how they compare to each other on the trail. Obviously I've driven both and like both but I need to choose. I have never taken the trac off-road as it is still stock. Selling the jeep will pay to lift the trac or selling the trac will lift the jeep. Just looking for honest off-road comparing from personal experience and didn't want to start a thread.

 

[OffTrac]

I have a 2004 Adrenalin and a Jeep Wrangler. I need to choose one to keep, if you guys who have wheeled with or in a jeep and sport trac wouldn't mind letting me know how they compare to each other on the trail. Obviously I've driven both and like both but I need to choose. I have never taken the trac off-road as it is still stock. Selling the jeep will pay to lift the trac or selling the trac will lift the jeep. Just looking for honest off-road comparing from personal experience and didn't want to start a thread.

Need a little more info. I own a Sport Trac and have wheeled with Jeeps (everyone has one).

Which Wrangler?

What terrain? What size tires do you expect you'll need? How many people in the vehicle? How much "stuff" do you carry with you? Do you need a pickup bed? Will you eventually want a solid axle (probably yes) and are you willing to make it happen without off the shelf kits? Do you like working on things unrelated to wheeling damage that no quality built vehicle normally has to worry about (Jeep electronics and drivetrain).

Would you like to hear Jeep guys say "you probably should take the bypass on this obstacle," but proceed to easily walk over it?

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[Mace350]

2004 sport trac adrenalin, would do 33's first with superlift and then use the drivability to decide on a body lift and 35's down the road(201,000 miles). 1989 Jeep Wrangler laredo with 3" lift and 53,000 miles has 31's but could already fit 33's(had them but downsized due to 3.07 gearing) never have offroaded would be first time for either vehicle. Would be my wife, me, and our dog.(camping and thinking of joining a local off-road club) I have machine work and fabrication skills, I could do an SAS but would try the superlift first. I've searched and searched but have never seen a sport trac compared to a wrangler with both being lifted. Either vehicle chosen will be built with lockers winch ect... I love the jeep in summer with no top and love the trac being sealed in winter lol. The jeep has a lot less miles but the trac has more space, jeeps our everywhere but I've never seen a lifted trac in person. The list goes on and on. Figured I would ask the capability from those that have wheeled with jeeps and their tracks, looking for built rig vs built rig comparison not lifted compared to stock. Would love to keep both but not an option.

 

[01STrunner]

Well don't ever do the super lift. Huge waste of money and you get less clearance than you would get with a TT/AAL and a body lift which only cost about $300 total. As far as a comparison the long wheelbase can be advantageous but at the same time it really hinders you on trails because you need more lift to get the same approach/departure angles. I would say it's a hard choice. I love my Trac and shutting up Jeep guys that don't think it will do anything. You will find it mandatory to do a SAS eventually because ifs just doesn't flex like you need offroad.
You won't need to do an SAS right away on the jeep but often you need to upgrade from the stock Dana 30 and 35.

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Well you have the least capable Jeep wrangler they built for wheelin without tons of mods and stretching the wheelbase. You already have the longer wheelbase, storage space for gear, better drivetrain, electrical system, etc... with the Sport Trac. Honestly don't waste your time or money on the super lift, go SAS if you want to do serious wheelin. You can run 35's with a simple TT, BL and either a add a leaf or shackle lift with minor trimming. Look on YouTube and you'll find tons of ST's wheelin including mine, John Rocks ST is all over YouTube.

 

[OffTrac]

I've out-wheeled a JK Rubicon with all the mail order bolt ons a couple times. That's probably the closest comparison I have but it's hard to say how much was driving skill vs vehicle capability. Most of the other Jeeps I've wheeled with haven't been modified much beyond a mild lift and 33s but I thoroughly out-wheeled them and leave the tow strap connected when I go out with them.

Mind you, you're going to get a biased answer. Ask this same question on a jeep forum and see how readily they dismiss the ST without having ever wheeled with one. They'd probably just flame you for even asking.

You can do fairly well and have fun wheeling in either, even without spending a small fortune. Your wife will probably enjoy it more from the comfort of a ST.

The only part I've been jealous of the Jeeps for is the solid front axle. Aside from that, the ST shines in every other measure.

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[Mace350]

The wife does like to st ride better, however it has left me on the side of the road 3 times in 3 years and she votes for the jeep(she fears breaking down far from home). I had the trans blow, front diff lock up and blew a wheel bearing. I've done a frame off on the jeep and would rebuild the trac if I kept it for better reliability. Trans and wheel bearings are new now lol. It's a really hard choice if you have ever owned a jeep and looked through this thread(which I have a million times). I've already read threads on the jeepforum so I knew better than to ask there...

 

[OffTrac]

One caveat on the superlift. I would (and have) consider it but I would only do so with removing the torsion bars in favor of coilovers.

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[upther]

Yeah, that's one thing I really dislike about the Super Lift. It keeps the torsion bars at the stock height and then they're just begging to get hung up or bent on some obstacle.

 

[N2FORD]

I have run with jeeps on 33's when my other ST was on 33's. We both made it everywhere we tried but my longer wheel base helped me some. He was less stable and got crossed up in ruts and had a little more trouble than me.

As far as top down on the jeep that is nice but my ST has a sunroof and with all 5 windows down I get a convertible feel that can be rolled up in 10 seconds on the fly.

 

[OffTrac]

As far as top down on the jeep that is nice but my ST has a sunroof and with all 5 windows down I get a convertible feel that can be rolled up in 10 seconds on the fly.

That is nice. Also good when you're about to go through water or mud.

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[OffTrac]

Well, how timely. A set of coilover hardware just got posted on the for sale thread. Somebody jump on it.

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[01STrunner]

Off trac. Cough cough.

 

[OffTrac]

Off trac. Cough cough.

Don't want to spend on short term improvements any more. I've got bigger ticket plans.

Edit: they sold already anyway.

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[Mace350]

I have run with jeeps on 33's when my other ST was on 33's. We both made it everywhere we tried but my longer wheel base helped me some. He was less stable and got crossed up in ruts and had a little more trouble than me.

As far as top down on the jeep that is nice but my ST has a sunroof and with all 5 windows down I get a convertible feel that can be rolled up in 10 seconds on the fly.

I'm leaning towards keeping the truck and getting these bills paid for and maybe I'll get a garage queen wrangler in a couple years. I really just love driving them in the summer...Anyway, I see a few Torsion key kits with AAL's...should I get one of these and a BL? I want to start with 33's and go from there. I know the keys are not needed but it seem they keep you from having to crank the hell out of the bolts???

Edit: I contacted superlift about buying just the front end of their kit and I would SOA the rear but the kit(just the front) is over $1,400 and that does not include shipping!

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Which is exactly why I did my SAS. More strength, suspension travel, ground clearance and cost is way cheaper overall unless you go full bore lockers, top end parts, etc...

 

[MidnightRebel07]

Great pictures man, looks like you had a lot of fun wheelin'. Let's see some build threads for the snorkel and manual t-case swap? Pictures??? Lol.

 

[JuBean]

Let's see some build threads for the snorkel and manual t-case swap?l.

2nd!

Nice to see it filthy!

 

[OffTrac]

Nice update!