mmmmm equal length...

[BMXunleashed]

so i finally got enough saved up to start a project

I have a 94 4x4 EB explorer. I was playing around with wanting to do long travel TTB but my younger bro has a 93 explorer with failing drivetrain probs (t-case is done) so i thought i'd donate my parts to him and just convert to 2wd equal length with a c4 tranny

plus i dont do anything where i would need 4x4 i just want a desert toy...younger bro likes playing in the mud haha...

anyways i think im going to go with some Mcneil equal length beams or maybe paying a visit to Solo Motorsports since lots of my ranger buddies have recomended those two...

-ill go with king coilovers up front and king shocks rear
-deaver leaf pack in the back , havent decided on shackles yet still researching
-4.56 gears with tru trac rear
-4 hunsaker buckets (2fronts for now rears will come later)

ive got some ideas on doing my rear air bumps through linkage so i dont dent up the axel housing.
since im going to cut up the cargo area to make bigger tubs and do shock hoops etc im going to build pretty much like a second firewall behind the rear seats with a sheet of plexiglass so i can still see out the back and keep it kinda quiet in the cab.... i probably will remove the glass from the cargo area and do window nets or someting... i dunno

ive already thought about just starting out with a 2wd X but im doing equal length so it really wouldnt matter and plus i have my head unit and infinity 6x8's that took so much work to wire up haha...and i have wheels and tires already too...

should be a fun toy, ill keep pics posted as progress comes....goal is to have it done a little after xmas

 

[HappyGilmore]

sounds sweet

 

[IZwack]

Sounds fantastic. One question tho, and I'm not trying to shoot down your idea, I just want to throw this onto the table:

Since your already fabbing things, why not just design and make your own front suspension?


I know the Explorer's front end looks nothing like this, but here is a trophy truck's front suspension (2wd) just to get your mind on some other designs :

 

[BMXunleashed]

your pic didnt work

i know A-arms could be built up very beefy i just decided to go with I-beams because its a more simple design (in my brain that equals less stuff to fail)
im not sure if i wanted to fab my own suspension anyways......
i dont mind welding up bumpers and shock hoops and roll cage but i wasnt sure about getting all the camber angles and caster angles... i guess i could do some math and figure things out :thumbdwn: haha

and with equal length your camber angle dont get THAT dramatic so im not too worried. i just love how beams look too makes fords look nice and tough the way they were intended

 

[IZwack]

Sorry that pic of Robby Gordon’s Red Bull truck didn’t work.. and I am at work now so I can’t really see that server since we’re only allowed to see some domains, but here is the website where that pic is at: http://www.desertrides.com/features/vehicles/gordonTT/index.php

 

[Josh S.]

Sounds like an awesome project! We need more desert trucks on here

Keep us posted!

I'm currently putting some kings on the rear of mine under the bed with some 2" stroke radflo bumps. I plan on simply making a pad on each side for the bump to strike on the axle. no damage to the tubes this way

The thread on my exploder is here

 

[CodePoet]

Sounds nice. Be sure to setup your steering right too

 

[cgriffin_5139]

also talk to the guys at camburg dont hack up the tubs you can just put the rear fiberglass kit on it from perrys

 

[BMXunleashed]

well i have 31's on there now and i have rub issues so 33's might be worse unless i scoot them in with different offset a 4dr is harder to do fenders on in the back...ill just bend some metal...good enough haha

first off is gears then front beams and im goin to have to rock the stock steering for a while....gotta space it out so i can keep refreshing my funds

its most likely gunna take longer than i anticipated but doesnt every project?

if i dont fab my own suspension im going to do the equal lenght steering on my own....thats not too hard...measure, measure, cut, weld! hooray! done! haha

i found 2 older WARN fog lights brand new.....in my grandpas shed my dad said i should have em they are brighter than my high beams

 

[FROADER]

a 4dr is harder to do fenders on in the back...ill just bend some metal...good enough haha

You can fit 35s with the 4 door rear glass and a 4" lift.

 

[cgriffin_5139]

You can fit 35s with the 4 door rear glass and a 4" lift.

i was thinking that to

 

[BMXunleashed]

33's shouldnt need fenders i dont think..n but i could keep my wide offset if i do fenders....hhrmmmmmm
i guess if i was going to cut the tubs i can cut the body a little instead to do fenders and have a wider butt

 

[FROADER]

You're right, 33s don't need glass. I had 33x12.5 on 15x8 wheels with 3.75 backspacing with no rubbing.

 

[SteveG3]

You can fit 35s with the 4 door rear glass and a 4" lift.

I think we've gone back and forth over this already, but... If you don't modify the sheet metal the 33s ans 35s will rub at full bump.

 

[FROADER]

Ok, since we've gone back and forth over this already Mr. 45 posts...

4" Trailmaster with 35x12.5s on 15x8 wheels with 3.75 back spacing, bushwacker flares so there is no sheet metal modified (since they mount to the lip of the fender well) at full bump, not rubbing...

Plus, if your putting glass on it, why wouldn't you modify the sheet metal?

Oh and here it is with rear glass:

 

[SteveG3]

Retract the claws kitty, I wasn't trying to pick a fight.

Here's a pic of 31x10.50's on stock wheels at full bump. Notice that the tire is just barely under the stock sheet metal. Also keep in mind that most aftermarket wheels are offset a little more putting the tire further out. Add a larger tire and it's easy to see you'll have contact issues.

Here's a zoomed in pic at a different angle:

Plus, if your putting glass on it, why wouldn't you modify the sheet metal?

I don't know why someone wouldn't, but I see it a lot. For slow speed wheeling such tight clearances are hardly ever an issue, but a truck that is used at high-speeds will see both rear wheels at full bump sooner or later. All of my trucks have seen it at some point. When it does happen it'll be during a really hard landing and/or at a high rate of speed. NOT the time you want tires contacting sheet metal and creating a situation that can cause a blowout.

If you're going to put rear glass on an Explorer, remove the stock fender...problem solved.

 

[SteveG3]

BTW: Maybe our previous encounter was under my old screen name prerunnersvo. If there's any way to combine the two names that would be great.

 

[FROADER]

Meow...

I guess the saying, "all trucks are different" is true. I never had problems with tire rub bombing a wash or even jumping in that truck.

 

[SteveG3]

Meow...

LOL.

 

[IZwack]

SteveG3 >> those picturs you put up, does that vehicle have a lift kit? Cauz it doesnt look like it.

BTW thats not at full stuff. That tire will stuff further at the trail or a RTI ramp.