makeing a 4x4 a 2x4

[shorty_2low]

ok i have a 1994 4x4 4door explorer and i wont to make it 2-wheel drive so i can lower it and put ait bags on it. so can it be dun with ranger parts? like drop I-beams and spindles ? what about the brakes the 4x4 i-beams hang on will thay work for the conversion? please help me!!!!! i need to find the stuff to to it

thanks

 

[tbomb]

um, first of all, im gonna come right out and say i dont know the answers to any of your questions, heh. but, wouldnt it be cheaper and easier to just get an explorer thats already a 2wd?

 

[jimbo74]

i will answer the question... it will be way cheaper to start with a 4x2 explorer.... a lot is involved with turning a 4x4 into a 4x2...... it can be done but will cost a lot of money

 

[CoryL]

Find someone with a 2wd Explorer that is looking for a 4wd and trade them.

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

OK I am going to be a nice guy and help you out here. I helped a guy do this to a 94 I think. He left the T-case in the Truck and swaped a 2wd front end in to the Explorer

although I did the opposite of what you are trying this is a good place to start.

http://www.explorer4x4.com/2wdto4wd.html

 

[shorty_2low]

well ....so ....please tell me what all i will need!!! i plan to leave the t-case in so there is no mesin with the drive shaft. geting a pare of drop I-beams and spendles...but now i need brakes!....well what about the radios arm?? will that need to be changed??.....what if i find a ranger (what year would it have to be??) that is 2wd that has been wreacked in the back end? will the parts from that work/fit?
!!!!!!!!!!!this is going to be hard !!!!!!!!!!!
i really wont to do this because im a lowrider kind of person but i have nuthin bad to say about a suv with lift.
i think it would make people think about how cool a ford can be with a 5/7 drop with fast air bags!
so guys please help me ! if ya dont know it all but know sum help, if ya know it all help please.

PS. if i could have got a 2x4 i would have but ...it sold before i got to it! so i have a 4x4 that i wish was 2x4 .

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

If you plan to buy drop i-beams you will need the following parts:

Passenger side I-beam bracket
2wd Radius Arms
2wd steering kuckles 93-94 only (you will need ones with ABS since you have a 94)
2wd Spindels
2wd rotorsand complete front steering.

 

[shorty_2low]

Kris Guilbeaux you are being a big help ,thank you. now where can i find these parts?...on a ranger thats been wreaked? what year?

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

Stick with 93-94 Explorers This will help with makeing sure all parts work. Ranger parts could end up being smaller. 91-92 would work but you need to factor in the ABS system on the Front end of your Explorer.

 

[shorty_2low]

ok, now finding a 2x4 exlporer in the junk yard!

 

[Speedfreak]

I did that very conversion for my buddy and then put the 5.0L in too. We found all of the parts from a 2wd Explorer, I believe the Ranger parts will work but to be on the safe side we found Explorer suspension. The drop i-beams worked well too and dropped the front 3 inches. We used drop leafs in the rear and flipped the sway bar for clearance. Make sure that you get everything from the mount brackets on the frame right to the rotors. Even the radius arms are different. One problem I found was that after dropping the truck I had to used a longer front sway bar link ends to clear the drag link, if I remember correctly, they came off a '97 Ranger. If you have any specific questions ask away I can most likely answer them. We ditched the ABS system with our conversion. Not too big a deal it is pretty much only a show truck and summer cruiser.

 

[Dre]

I might add that you might be able to get some of the money invested back...... just sell the parts you take off...... if you're sure you won't be going back to stock suspension.....

some people might be interested in going the other way....... like some people mentioned.... it'll be cheaper to just swap the truck....

good luck

 

[410Fortune]

DUDE!!!!!!!

OK here's the easy way to do it.
Find a 2wd Explorer in the junk yard. Grab the front axle beams, and the DUMMY transfer case.

Thats all you need. Of course you will still have a bunch of 4x4 wiring and junk left in the truck, how you strip that out is up to you.

The 2wd models have a T case, it's just a dummy T case, so no modifications to the driveshaft are needed.

Personally I think thats a waste of a perfectly good 4x4.
You know you could also convert it to AWD and still lower it, this way you would get the benefits of AWD in a lowered truck.

Why not keep the 4x4 and buy a Mustang to lower?
Or drop a 2.3L Turbo in a 2wd shortcab Ranger?

Both much more rewarding projects.....

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

Explorers never had dummy t-cases... I wish they did.

Originally posted by 410Fortune


The 2wd models have a T case, it's just a dummy T case, so no modifications to the driveshaft are needed.

 

[Speedfreak]

Only Bronco II 2wd's came with dummy transfer cases.

If you find a 2wd Explorer then you can use the driveshaft and tranny from it so you dont have to modify anything. Or you can simply leave your transfer case in place, remove the front driveshaft and swap the front suspension. The transfer case will still serve the same function by transmitting power from the tranny to the rear driveshaft. You can even still use 4xLOW for cruising the strip for women at a nice slow crawl.

As for leaving the 4x4 sytem in and converting to AWD, this is a bad idea because the suspension and front hub assemblies will not stand up to the abuse of constant drive forces. The front suspension was only designed for part duty.

As for lowering, I only way to lower the Explorer is to use drop I-beams and they don't make 4x4 drop I-beams.

 

[shorty_2low]

410Fortune well i dont have a mustang or a ranger!! i have a explorer.
today i was thinking about maybe puting air bags on it and a c-section up front so the i-beams will clear for a few inches, ya know drop it down when i park (wast of time) but i took a look and seen that the bracket for the coil and shock would need to be modifide .... i dont wont to mess with the it could make for a bad mishap!

 

[shorty_2low]

o-yeah and 410Fortune how will a mustang thats lowerd or a turbo ranger be more rewording? come on there are all kinds of stangs runnin around ! and a 4 banger swap? are you nuts for the cash and time you could put in a 302! that would be more woth the time!! .tell me how many slamed and baged exlporers do you see?

 

[410Fortune]

How many 2.3L turbo Explorer's do you see?

 

[shorty_2low]

nun because it would be a wast, an didnt you say a ranger with a turbo?

 

[Speedfreak]

I would have to agree on 2low's comment. A heavy Explorer would be to tough on a turbo dependent 2.3L, the turbo would be working its ass of to move the truck. They work great in Rangers and Mustangs because the vehicles are light but to move the wieghty Explorer you need a good kick in the torque.