My Explorer (little dif than most on here)

[Mounty 09]

That thing looks sick. I want one. When can I drop mine off?

 

[T3h H4r3]

Super nice!!! First thing i thought when i saw it... BAD@$$, someone built an Explorer Trophy Truck!!!

 

[danwaters]

haha. I have a hard enough time working on my own. AS far as a TT explorer. There are a few nicer than mine. If it was caged and linked with a new front end Id be about happy with it, lol. I am realy excited on how its comming together though.

 

[96 XOD Prerunner]

did u do make the lt kit or did u buy them?

 

[96 XOD Prerunner]

never mind i just saw the first paige on the thread. haha. were u gonna be going to soilovers or stick with torsions?

 

[HighRoad]

Hey Dan,
Maybe this will be a better place to ask about your expo than over at DR in someone else's thread!

Your expo looks great. When you get a chance, could you explain what all had to be cut to get the 62's under that thing.

Also, will be interested to know what your impression is with the 62's compared to your old springs. Looked at your first post that mentions "custom springs" What were they?

 

[danwaters]

Hey Dan,
Maybe this will be a better place to ask about your expo than over at DR in someone else's thread!

Your expo looks great. When you get a chance, could you explain what all had to be cut to get the 62's under that thing.

Also, will be interested to know what your impression is with the 62's compared to your old springs. Looked at your first post that mentions "custom springs" What were they?

Well boss...Ill start with the old springs. They were stock springs out of a 96 f-150 with s few leafs out of a deaver pack I had from my last ranger. Ditched the Overload spring and cut 3 leafs down to size and placed them strategically in the f-1 pack. The f-1 pack has much more arc than the explorer leafs because they come stock with a flipped shackle. The Spring perch to center pin is the same measurement as stock explorer springs so they fit no prob.

Now on to the 62s...I had to cut the rear body mount crossmember out because of where the shackles mounting on top of the frame swing. That and I had to cut everything off rearward of the shackle and re-built the frame out of 1/8" cold rolled plate and fit and welded a 2x4 0.120 wall square tube arcross the frame rails to act as my new crossmember and to mount the body off of. The shackle spread is 3 inches so the stock shackle location had to be completely cut out because the spread on that part of the frame was greater than that of the shackle so in order for the shackle to swing free of that I had to cut it out and replate that as well. You can see it in the pics.

As for the performance of the 62s. I couldnt ask for better for all that I have done and since I have the same travel in the rear (14 inches) it handles way better and doesnt "buck" nearly as much. The spring set up is just way more pregressive and I also filled my rear shocks up to 260psi as opposed to 200 I had before. I will take full advantage of the 62s when I through the 18s through the rear and go into the cab and get the full 20" of wheel travel those springs cycle on my explorer.

 

[donlightbody]

Very nice! My only beef, visually, the doors just don't blend. But I do love it!

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

nice lookin x u got there it looks bad ass

 

[danwaters]

Very nice! My only beef, visually, the doors just don't blend. But I do love it!

That will be up to the paint guys to straighten out when I get it painted. Hopefully they can blend the cosmetics...the fiberglass work is as good as it gets. It took major trimming and cutting to get it to fit propper.

I did however pull the door trim off the front doors and cleaned it all up so they match now

 

[carlover]

That will be up to the paint guys to straighten out when I get it painted. Hopefully they can blend the cosmetics...the fiberglass work is as good as it gets. It took major trimming and cutting to get it to fit propper.

I did however pull the door trim off the front doors and cleaned it all up so they match now

i will feel your pain soon enough lol. buying the big glass soon, not looking forwrd to the install.

 

[danwaters]

i will feel your pain soon enough lol. buying the big glass soon, not looking forwrd to the install.

aha, Its defiantely a ***** if you want it to look perfect. I think its impossible to get it perfect but you can get it close. Youll be stoked.

 

[HighRoad]

Hey Dan,
If the seller gets a new AC pump installed, I'll be picking up a 97' V8 Mountaineer on monday.
I have been looking at the dixon bros and the BMS kits for the front. Want to keep 4x4 (not sure if the bms kit will work with 4x4.) I have a buddy here in oregon that did the same full width 8.8/5on4.5 conversion on his ranger and it turned out really sweet!

I am interested in how your 62's are working out after getting some more time on them. Are they still really stiff? Wondering if I should go with the 62's or the deaver G50E's which are pretty much a bolt in deal, but most likely not as much travel and I don't think move the axle back as much???

How much wider over stock is your front end a side? Your front glass covers the tires well. The dixon kit it 4.5 inches a side wider and I want to still be able to cover the tires.

What back spacing are your wheels? 15'' wheels I assume as I don't think the baja TA in the tread you are running comes in a 17"?

Sorry about all the Q's.....Sweet ride you have there....not a lot of 2nd gen's being built for the desert yet.

Brent

 

[danwaters]

Dixon bros kit is nice if you want to keep 4x4. Otherwise the BMS or the Camburg kit is the best. My front end is 3.25 per side over. The tires are 35x12.5x15s. The wheels are a 15x8 with a neg 30mm offset so they dont stick out as much.

As far as the 62s. They work nice in the dunes where the sand is more fogiving thus a softer ride compared in hard pack areas like ocotillo, barstow etc...I just need a fuel cell and a spare and it will be a little less harsh. The g50e pack or whatever it is i believe is a waste. With that pack the wheel base is still the same.

 

[South.East.Beast]

the wide body look is sick!

 

[mounty71]

He got some new wider front fenders, and it looks even better now!

 

[GRNMACHINE]

Aside from getting the paint to match up better as he will be doing I am not sure this truck could look any better! Great Work Dan-Subscribing to follow the build/progress. Wasnt so sure about the dually wheel well look in the first few pics but the last ones definitely changed my mind--That is incredibly different/Greak Look!

 

[danwaters]

Thanks for the comments. Its been 3 years in the making and just recently I decided to do a full build and not just a play toy with street driving capabilities. If it werent raining in San Diego right now Id be going to get tubing for the cage Ill be starting this week so Im kinda bummed but oh well.

I also got new front fenders installed. Still need to do a little massaging but my patients came to an end so I left it at that. After the cage is done Im taking the truck in to have the front and rear fenders painted professionally and some touch up work done as well. The new front fenders are baker motorsports fenders and theyre 7in fenders. I finally got rid of those Fiberwerx fronts Ive always disliked. I cant wait to see it fully painted. Im really picky about having everything match up and it drives me nuts tnoticeing the difference...The fronts are spray painted now cause I bought them off someone who had already painted them with spray pain a different color so I sanded them down and just out a can of white gloss on them. The rear fenders are the factory gel coat straight out of the mold still.

 

[Sams01XplrSprt]

looking good by the way were by near san diego by any chance cause i saw an explorer that looked like urs. i was driving to a friends house when i saw it

 

[danwaters]

I live in North County San Diego...I dont dirve it everyday but its possible you may have seen me driving it lately.