Minimum Lift Required - I know, crazy

[BSD]

My TTB need about $500 work says the shop. Mechanic says working on TTB front end is not fun at all. He says save the 500 and put it towards a SAS. I say OK. But all the searching/lurking yeilds awesome writeups of some really sweet lifted ex's, i want to know what the Minimum lift is to clear all parts and peices. I only want to go 33" max, only on 31" now. I relly like the coil d44 full width front idea, with the stock 8.8 rear. How does that perform as a DD? wide front and all. Or is it that noticeable.

Advice needed for sure, as I am out of my league here.

 

[Tbars4]

...do a search on here for f150 coil seats, war shackles, body lift...there is also a tire guide on here too...

 

[BSD]

Oh yeah, been searchin, for months...

Thanks for the reply but i am past that stage of the process. Sorry I wasn't very clear.
Basically, do I need to do a SOA in the rear to be able to do a SAS D44 front. And that would in turn answer my Minimum lift question. And after i write this Me Thinks The Answer Is Yes.

 

[Willard]

Why not just stick with the TTB? It is much more durable than regular independent front suspension. Yea, it seems like it needs some maintenance work done, but do it yourself and you will save some serious $$$. Personally, I would stick with the TTB, but if you really want solid axle, go for it.

 

[CodePoet]

I don't know exactly what the the least amount of lift possible would be. I would think that i'm close to it with mine though at less than 6"s You have to clear the engine crossmember and crossover pipe. I'm hacking mine up to clear the pumpkin.

It would be cheaper to run your ttb. With only 33" tires I don't think that a sas would make a whole lot of sense.

 

[BSD]

TTB Stays - for now...

Thanks! I guess even 35" 's will be ok on the ttb. So says the guide. Now while the repairs are being done, gears should be changed (4.88 from Yukon front and back w/33" tires)and locker added correct? From what I have read here over some time is that ARB makes a pricey but reliable fully selectable front and rear locker for our 1st gen. And the experiences seem to be good according to members.

So
Repair the TTB (leaking-Shop Quote $500)
Add 4.88's Front and Rear
ARB Lockers front and Rear

Hmmm...Sounds Expensive. Just spent $1500 on the other Ex.

Anybody have this done at a shop? How much?

 

[Dannyboy]

Well, tell us what is wrong with your TTB. Back before I worked on my truck I paid like $200 labor just to have one u-joint changed out. It is just labor intensive, but not a bad job.

I will personally answer any TTB question you have on a PM when you break it down. I only draw my own line on setting up my own gears, but even then you could do all the work in a day and take the pumpkin in for the gear setup. I even took my knuckles off and had a machine shop press out my old ball joints and press in new ones for like $30. The rest is simple once you learn the process.

A SAS can be cheap, but very labor intensive, will lift your truck at least 6" if not more to wheel it hard. I easily put over $3K into my sas, but I did buy everything top of the line for shafts, joints, hubs, locker adding up to at least $1500 right there. On my initial trip to the hardware store I remembered buying about $120 in bolts, nuts, washers, etc. Plus if you need a good drill bit for the holes you'll drop at least $20 a piece. It's those little things that I see people overlooking.

 

[CodePoet]

I'll be wheeling mine very hard and will hopefully not have any more than 6"s...

Keeping the amount of lift to the bare minimum is a good thing. Sliders and other armor become more important though.

 

[BSD]

No TTB surgery in my driveway.

Due to no space/limited tools/limited time/and limited skills (at the moment) I will not be doing anymore work on the explorer in my driveway. I allready changed the vaccuum modulator on the tranny and 1st time radius arm bushing replacement (no torch=ended up at shop for completion). That is where I drew the line. I am more than happy to pay a fair price to have the gears and lockers installed.

As for the problem with the TTB is its leaking on DS seal and carrier somthing or other...I was thinking of the SAS by this time in the conversation with the mechanic cause all the trucks on here look killer with the SAS.

So yeah:
leaking ds seal
carrier somthing or other,....

Does this $500 from the family's mechanic seem correct? How many hour job is a TTB teardown and re-assemble. In a shop?

rant: I went to the stealership cause it was up the road a few hundred yards from my house to have them inspect my other explorer. Assume the position, no lube. Rear drums, shoes, battery, radius arms bush, wheel bearing repack, winshield...$1569.00+tax without winshield. I thought that amount buys a really nice rifle scope... Paid it. Ouch. Never Agian.