Maniak - Tucson, Az - 1992 Explorer

EDIT: I lost the pics in the older posts, but the later posts have pictures again.

Specs as of 10/13 (as far as I can remember)
1992 Ford Explorer XLT 4x4
700r4 transmission using Advanced Adapters kit
fl1a filter & mount re-tasked for external transmission filter
2 transmission coolers mounted in front of the a/c condenser
10" fan from a geo prism mounted on 1 cooler with Relays & a capacitor to control transmission cooler fan.
Rancho RS9000 shocks (rear)
Front/Rear sway bars removed
BFG AT 32x11.50 on 15X8 rims
Modified stock axle pivot bracket (pass side) to increase strength
Extended steel braided brake lines - (had to modify stock fitting on front driver side)
4.10 Gears
Detroit Locker in Rear
Trac lock from Jeep Dana 35 in front TTB D-35
Warn Manual hubs
Custom front bumper (designed for maximum approach angle)
New roof rack cross bars using stock sliders to hold Coleman basket
Custom Tube rear bumper (designed for maximum departure angle)
Extended Front/Rear Diff breather lines
Rear shock mounts moved to Swaybar mounts.
Extended Stock Radius arms with Ballistic Joints and custom mounts.
F-250 shock mounts with 32" long Rs9000 shocks.
SOA using a modified OME-36 spring pack and stock shackles (ruffstuff spring perch)
C-Clip eliminated using Echo spring and split colar
LED rock lights
Pair of 6" LED light bars from TWF on front bumper
Pair of 5" halogen lights on front bumper
3/16 steel welded to bottom of front TTB after fixing the Dent/crack in the bottom of the Beam.
Many Cracks in Beam welded up..
Opened front axle beam window
Moved Cat Converter back almost 12" to free up room next to trans.

Audio upgrades
Kenwood CD player (don't remember model number)
Sony XPLOD - 754 (350watt.. 75x4) for mains
American Pro 400 watt rms x 1 for sub
Clarion Pro 5x7 plates (front doors)
Rockford Fosgate 5x7 - 2 way (rear door)
MTX Thunderform Sub enclosure
Custom storage compartment in rear for spare parts and even more tools (REBUILT 10/13)


Soon to be done..
Ranger rear spring mode.. (off the list)
Rock Sliders
Tire carrier on rear bumper

SOA thread: Another SOA in progress
Rear Bumper thread: rear tube bumper..
Extended RA w/ ballistic joint thread: Extended RA with ballistic joints on a 92
Skidplate strengthening: Skidplate enhancement pics.
LED rock light upgrade: My Rock Light Upgrade

Dead Link Removed


~Mark


More updates later in the thread

[This message has been edited by Maniak (edited 03-14-2000).]

[Edited by Maniak on 06-27-2000 at 04:43 PM]

 

[Maniak]

Well, normally, when you install a 700r4 in a non chevy, you put a 4th gear auto lockup kit in the trans. That means, as soon as you go into 4th gear the converter locks.

You can also add a switch to force it to lock in 2nd, 3rd or 4th (it won't lockup in 1st). If you have Ground going to the trans, it will lockup in any gear other than 1st. You also wire it so when you hit the brakes you use a relay take to the trans out of lockup when the brakes on touched. I have that manual switch and the brake relay so I can manually lockup the trans, or let it lockup in 4th on its own.

As for using bowtie. I know they mean well but....
My 1st trans was built by them and they put in the wrong TV cable spring AND the 4.0l TV cable they sent me was for a 4.0 Jeep, not an explorer. I broke the basket in that trans within 300 miles.
The 2nd trans they sent me also had the wrong spring but I knew to check it first and had them send me the right one.
That trans still wasn't quite right (high rpm shifting, high line pressures). I drove out to bowtie which is in Hisperia, Ca which is a pretty good haul from Tucson, Az.
When I finally got there, they did help me swap out the transfer case that I broke on the way there (unlrelated issue.. I broke the chain in the transfer case) and even picked me up from the hotel I stayed at in Hisperia..
Then they rebuilt the trans again, and before we installed it at their shop (I helped) we checked, and they built it with the wrong spring, again..
Once that was fixed it was working but the line pressures were too high and my stall is still way higher than I want. They lowered the line pressures so it would shift better..

One thing I found out that really bothered me was that they CANNOT test a 60 degree v6 700r4. Every v8 one they build gets put into a vehicle and tested but their rolling test bed and test vehicles couldn't mount the 60 degree version..

I did go about 100k miles or so on the last trans before I started to have issues. That was almost 2 years ago. I have no engine braking.. still don't and my line pressures have dropped about 10% but otherwise it works fine. After this wheeling season I'll have the trans rebuilt locally (I said that last season too) and have a custom, low stall converter built. A converter stalling at 2700-2800 rpms is great for power, but bad for building up heat.

Ok, enough rambling....

~Mark

 

[Maniak]

A couple shots from the October Truckhaven run. This is the first run with the cut/turned beams and LS up front.

Both worked really well..

Here a poser shot on the RTI ramp thing at the truckhaven 4x4 training area.

truckhaven-rti-2011-1 by maniak_az, on Flickr

I think My rear springs are soft enough. They are about 5" of lift at rest but they flex pretty far. This might actually be too far.

truckhaven-rti-2011-1 by maniak_az, on Flickr

~Mark

 

[Ageman]

Very nice rig

 

[Maniak]

The 2012 MLK run was a resounding sucess for the mods..

The front LS really helped and I'm gettings tons of flex. I am still hitting the front rear spring hanger on things but I haven't decided how I will fix that yet.

Couple shots from that trip.. Neither was taken by me since I was busy driving .

The suspension flexes really well now. Almost as good as a solid axle. Of course, the solid axle would have more pressure on the ground on that drooped side.

Truckhaven-mlk 2012 -5 by maniak_az, on Flickr

I actually made it up the waterfall. Once I got the right line I stopped hanging up on the rear spring's front hanger.

waterfall-2-truckhaven-1-2012 - zoom by maniak_az, on Flickr


waterfall-4-truckhaven-1-2012 - zoomed by maniak_az, on Flickr

Just a video of the waterfall climb, including my failed attempts.


So, overall, all of these mods are starting to gel and work really well together.

~Mark

 

[Rick]

Your rig rode great! Soaks up the bumps on the fast stuff with the best of them

 

[timtimtimajim]

Are you still running the Duff 3.5" springs? Are these the same ones? 3.5'' Lift Suspension Progressive Rate Coil Springs, 1966-77 Early Classic Ford Bronco, Pair

I really like my Duff 2.5" kit, just wanting a bit more lift front and rear.