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Lowering '01 Sport

jjsimpkins

Member
Joined
April 5, 2021
Messages
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City, State
Kingsport, Tennessee
Year, Model & Trim Level
2001 Explorer Sport
I've been kicking around the idea of lowering my explorer for a while, but I've pretty concretely decided that I want to at this point. However, I'm quite new to the modding community so I need a good bit of guidance. I've searched for other posts with helpful info, but none of them have had exactly the info that I need in terminology that I could understand. I appreciate any help, especially if you could provide me with where to buy any components, especially if you have links too. Thank you, have a good day!
edit: forgot to mention, but I have the rwd model
 



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Welcome. The same things that you will find for 95-01's will work similarly for your 01 Sport. The torsion bar in front is adjusted to a ride height. The later Sport Tracs and Rangers are higher as stock, but the parts except for those model torsion bar keys, are the same. So you can lower the front by turning the adjustment bolts out, which takes pressure off of the torsion bar. You have to get an alignment each time you change the front height much, it alters the tire camber. The front bump stops can be cut down a little if needed, depending on how low you go. 15 years ago the shorter bump stop was available, from all 95-01 Explorer Limited's. Those are obsolete now, only used parts can be found for those.

The rear to lower that, you install lowering blocks, they space the rear leaf springs downward farther. The typical 95-01 4dr's can go down 2-2.5" without trouble, given their stock height. In versions that are higher in stock form, like the Sport Trac and 98-11 Rangers, maybe the 01-03 Sport also, those can be lowered more before the body is too close to the rear bump stops.

I have the old Explorer Express lowering kit, EE went away almost 15 years ago. But they had 2 3/8" rear lowering blocks in their kit. My 98 Mountaineer has softer springs, so it slightly bottoms out on hard dips in the road. I would need stiffer leaf springs to reduce that or to go lower.

The rear lowering blocks used to be easy to find in the 2" size, but watch all of them, you want blocks which are cut with an angle(they are not the same thickness at the front versus the back). The leafs springs aren't centered on the block, so one end needs to be shorter than the other. I'd start with something in that 2-3" range, depending on how high your truck is versus a stock 95-01.

There are shocks made for lowering, but not many, and they used to be just the major brands. Bilstein has a set which I used last time, and Edelbrock is what EE kits came with.

Here's where the torsion bar adjustment bolt is, there is a cover to remove from each side. You can loosen those adjustment bolts with the vehicle on the ground/tires, but don't tighten the bolts unless the truck is off the front tires.

PICT2346.JPG
 






^ Excellent Don. As usual, very well explained. Just to add, camber bolt kits may be needed for both upper control arms for proper alignment.

OP, check out the Street Truck sub forum if you haven't seen it yet. Lot's of useful info there, but we're here to assist you in any way. Good luck!
 






Yes right, the camber washers and bolts. There's not much more to it than that and tweaking the final height choice you prefer. I wanted mine down 2-3", so it was easy except for the camber adjustment on all of mine except the Mercury. My three Explorers all wouldn't come down enough with the camber washers and bolts, for a great alignment. The range to get more camber with the special camber washers and bolt kit, is limited. I will want to find a way to gain more camber in my 98 Limited, but I'd rather not have to buy the $600 aftermarket UCA's(they are a little longer).
 






Yes right, the camber washers and bolts. There's not much more to it than that and tweaking the final height choice you prefer. I wanted mine down 2-3", so it was easy except for the camber adjustment on all of mine except the Mercury. My three Explorers all wouldn't come down enough with the camber washers and bolts, for a great alignment. The range to get more camber with the special camber washers and bolt kit, is limited. I will want to find a way to gain more camber in my 98 Limited, but I'd rather not have to buy the $600 aftermarket UCA's(they are a little longer).
To clarify, did you personally need aftermarket camber hardware, or did you use the original? I'm not the original owner, so I do not know for certain where my ride height is, but I believe it is stock and I want to drop about 2 or 3 inches myself.
 






The camber kits are a must, and they help to gain a little more positive camber. Most trucks won't have them unless someone altered the ride height before. They do replace the stock upper control arm bolts and washers. There are 2-3 brands and the parts are basically identical. They come as a set for one side, so you buy two kits, and they cost maybe $15 each or so. I've tried multiple versions and only the color of the washers seems to differ. They should work for a drop of 2" or so, but each truck is different. Three of mine I can only get about 1.5" down before the camber is more negative than I'd like. How you drive can help to, if you are hard going into corners, then more negative camber is not as bad. A long highway driven vehicle needs the tires straighter vertically, too much camber will wear the edges(inner) more.

Basically you install the camber kits loosely, and pull the UCA's out to the maximum adjustment, and tighten them there. I drive mine easy to my alignment shop, and they don't move the camber adjustment much from that point. I go there with my height adjusted where I want it, and ask them if it can stay that low. They tell me if it has too much negative camber, and then I settle on a height from their input. My Mountaineer I could go 3" down easily or more, but my other three have each had to be raised back up some at the alignment shop.
 






Is there any good way to tell how much I can drop while keeping 0 camber before installation, or do I just have to hope? Additionally, for parts sites that allow search by vehicle, should I put down Explorer or something else to get what I'm looking for?
 






To be safe assume this means from the firewall forward. There are differences for 2001 engines referred to as Job 1 and Job 2. Regarding suspension, they are identical with the exception of 2001 front shock differences.
The 01-03 Sport has EXACTLY the same front end as the 2001-2005 Sport Trac .....NO difference. They are totally different from the regular 4-door Explorer.
 






Is there any good way to tell how much I can drop while keeping 0 camber before installation, or do I just have to hope? Additionally, for parts sites that allow search by vehicle, should I put down Explorer or something else to get what I'm looking for?

There is no way to know what an individual Explorer will be allowed to drop and achieve 0 camber or the ideal range of camber. As I described it is the best way to get it as low as it can be. Install the UCA's with them pulled outboard as far as possible. That gets the most camber possible for the given camber washers and bolts. You can have a shop install it all and do the alignment, the adjustment is the same either way. You do need a shop that is reasonable and will work with you to get it lowered as much as you want it(and is possible for a good camber). Some shops will be bad and not be willing to deal with altering the ride height. Each time I've had mine done with new camber washers put in, the time to speak with them about wanting it lowered, and them consulting back with me to discuss how high it has to be, that's been about five minutes for each trip. I've done it four times with my four trucks, to the same shop.

Here's a link to an Amazon sold kit for a Mevotech MK80065; https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001CA22SA/?tag=serious-20

There are several brands and the parts are basically all the same quality. That one is about $14 per side, and there were some kits that would total $50 or more for doing both UCA's.
 






There is no way to know what an individual Explorer will be allowed to drop and achieve 0 camber or the ideal range of camber. As I described it is the best way to get it as low as it can be. Install the UCA's with them pulled outboard as far as possible. That gets the most camber possible for the given camber washers and bolts. You can have a shop install it all and do the alignment, the adjustment is the same either way. You do need a shop that is reasonable and will work with you to get it lowered as much as you want it(and is possible for a good camber). Some shops will be bad and not be willing to deal with altering the ride height. Each time I've had mine done with new camber washers put in, the time to speak with them about wanting it lowered, and them consulting back with me to discuss how high it has to be, that's been about five minutes for each trip. I've done it four times with my four trucks, to the same shop.

Here's a link to an Amazon sold kit for a Mevotech MK80065; https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001CA22SA/?tag=serious-20

There are several brands and the parts are basically all the same quality. That one is about $14 per side, and there were some kits that would total $50 or more for doing both UCA's.
Thanks for the clarification. Can you direct me to where to look for lowering blocks?
 






That took a while longer, I used a 1" or 1.5" in my 99. Search "lowering blocks Explorer" and see if enough comes up to locate those for a 95-01 model. Hopefully there will be some useful pictures to see that they have a taper to them.
 






Will I need new torsion keys when I lower the vehicle, or will the stock ones be sufficient?
 






They don't wear out after the 1997 models, so that is no trouble. The keys have a range of motion to adjust the ride height.The stock ones usually can be used to adjust up or down a couple of inches.

You can find out if you might need new keys, but do it right before the alignment(reduce the time you're driving on the tires with the altered suspension). When you lower the truck before going to the shop, adjust it to the height you'd like. Drive it forward or backward several feet after adjusting the height, to have the suspension settle, which will then show the new height. Adjust it as needed, try to make both sides even(measure from the ground up to the front LCA mounting bolt. If you end up removing an adjustment bolt and don't reach the height you want, then it would need a different key, the lowering keys listed on eBay. Usually one side will lower more than the other before the bolt comes out all the way.
 






Only reason I used drop keys is because I only got a 1-1/2 inch drop with the t-bolts all the way out. Wanted at least a 2-1/2" drop and found similar keys to those linked below and 3 inch cast iron blocks including 3-1/4" u-bolts required for 8.8 axles. After installation and jouncing the front to settle, found it riding on the front bump stops and cut 1/2" off them. Still bottoming hard on large bumps so I removed them completely. Did a chalk test and hit large speed bumps with no evidence of LCA contact. Rear bump stops have plenty of clearance and travel on 2003-05 Sport Tracs. Once I got all four corners within 1/4" equal height and camber kits installed went to a specialist for a rear thrust alignment that was dialed in to all green. YMMV.

Airbagit did not have the best rep ten years ago, although things may have changed. Use their site for reference and compare.
 












Here's a thread from 2012. NOT a fan of anything Dorman, but how bad can you fubar u-bolts? LOL

BTW, I would avoid using the hollow aluminum "billet" blocks if possible. Many known failures on various forums if you search. Cast iron is the ticket but, the trick may be finding the tapered type Don recommended.
 






I wouldn’t buy Dorman anything. It’s always junk. Blocks are blocks for the most part. Someone has to make a better set.
 






I wouldn’t buy Dorman anything. It’s always junk. Blocks are blocks for the most part. Someone has to make a better set.
Finding 3.25" may be the hard part. Can always force them by bending, but that's a real PITA and half assed IMO.

Does Dorman still make their metal parts from recycled coat hangers? JK ;)
 






You’re probably not far off.
 



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I'm prepared to order parts for the front end, but, before I do, should I get UCAs too, o should the camber hardware be sufficient? If I should get them, Amazon suggests to get these control arms with the hardware you linked me to, would these be a good option?
 






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