New here!

[TheWhiteKnight]

Hey all, I have been looking for one of these explorer boards for a while now, I am a member of GMPerformance tuning as well as now this one. I'm not going to get into the GM vs. Ford debate. I'm happy to see there are enthusiasts in Explorers as well as tehre is in the GM FWD scene. Well, I have a forest green 1992 Explorer XLT. It has been wrecked and rebuilt, and I was wondering a few things.

1) Do all Explorer's rust out on the rocker panels?

2) What is there as far as aftermarkets for lift kits on this vehicle. I have 31x10.5" mudders on this truck, and I want to lift the truck up about 6-10", just to give my fiance a hard time getting in and out of it (j/k).

3) It needs some serious TLC. I bought it from a guy who beat the heck out of it. When I got it, the 4x4 didn't work, the front bearings were shot, the auto-lockout hubs were toasted... um, oh yeah, it taps too. Upon further inspection, the gas tank was leaking up at the top of the sending unit, the rear axel seal is leaking, I have no ebrake, the torque converter is dying slowly, I have an oil leak, a front and rear diferential leak, and the trans oil is brown. So it needs som serious TLC. It has lasted 125K miles so far, and I was wondering about an engine and transmission replacement. It would be about 4K total, but I don't know if I want to put that kind of $ into it since the body is rusting out at the rocker panels. So I managed to fix the gas tank and turned it from an Exploder into an Explorer again.

I don't know what I want to do with this though, I know that I want to use it o haul my race car to the track, and to shows, but I also want it to say "Get out of the way as well" I know they are not built for performance, so I guess the next best thing is to ask about suspension upgrades and lift kits. I am also welding up a front bumper guard for the front of it. It's not for looks, but I like to trail ride in it in the strip mines around my house, so I want that extra protection up there, and perhaps a nice 3 ton winch attachment. Thanks in advance, and its nice to see enthusiasts in the Explorer 4x4 world

- Josh

 

[Alec]

Welcome!

There are lots of lifts available. Your choices depend a lot on goal tire size and budget. Looking in the suspension and tire forums will give you some ideas. Also the feature explorers on the main site, explorer4x4.com.

It is very common for first gen rockers to rust out. If you use the search feature to look for rocker panels and rust, you'll find a lot of threads on this problem.

Front bearings and swapping to manual hubs aren't that expensive or difficult.

Your tranny probably needs a rebuild if you want to keep it, but the motor is probably for the most part ok. You could swap in a 5.0 V8 with a matching tranny, but this will most likely cost more than a tranny rebuild and motor TLC.

Just one more thing for now: You'll need much more than a 6000 lb winch. 9000 or 12000 if you go large enough.

 

[Carl D.]

Welcome, you find all your answers here. I know I have. Don't forget to check the search section, it;s loaded with info.

Oh yeah, goo choice in X's

 

[88vert]

Welcome to the board

 

[engera]

Welcome This site has been great for me. I have found tons of information here.

 

[TheWhiteKnight]

Thanks, I redid the lock out hubs, spend 6 hours with a cutting torch to get the bearings off.... the 4x4 is completely finished. Azone and Advanved do not carry the auto-lockout hubs, I went to Ford to get them, and :: holds his bum :: I got them, BUT already I have used my 4x4 and the $750 for both front lock out hubs paid itself off.

There is only one thing that I do NOT like about the Explorer, I have to back up about 15 feet after I get it out of 4x4 to fully disengage it. Is this normal?

I'll have to check out the suspention section. a 12K lb winch? :: tasty :: Personally I like my 4.0, and I would like to keep it that way if I can. I want to change out the tourque converter and do what is nessecary to it first before I swap or rebuild the tranny. I just want something that is good in snow (and this is believe me)

I'm going to check out that suspention section. I don't want to put anything super expensive into it, but I want it to look mean as all heck. Thanks

- Josh

 

[88vert]

You got reamed on the lockouts.I have a set of auto's in my garage in excellent shape you could have had for 75$ Why didnt you think about the manuel conversion for your hubs it would have been alot cheaper 200 and a hell of alot stronger

 

[Alec]

Originally posted by 88vert
You got reamed on the lockouts.I have a set of auto's in my garage in excellent shape you could have had for 75$ Why didnt you think about the manuel conversion for your hubs it would have been alot cheaper 200 and a hell of alot stronger

Ditto. I'm sorry, but you wasted about $500.

 

[88vert]

Originally posted by 88vert
You got reamed on the lockouts.I have a set of auto's in my garage in excellent shape you could have had for 75$ Why didnt you think about the manuel conversion for your hubs it would have been alot cheaper 200 and a hell of alot stronger

Alec,we need a way of getting the word out

 

[TheWhiteKnight]

I had the manuals in my hand.....$120 from Autozone! DUDE NO!!!!!! man I wish I knew about this board before hand. :: laughing :: Oh well the only thing I hope is that the $700 kept at least one guy here in the states working, but I am not going to hold my breath, The thing is that my fiance drives the truck as well as me, and (no offense to the gear head ladies) she will NOT get out to lock out the hubs or if she did, she would not understand the idea of 4x4H and 4x4L, and would end up burning up something. Do you still have those autolock out hubs? I might be interested in them, JUST incase, that is one thing that you can never have enough of.

If you want a way to get the word out, let me know. I am still in the process of opening up a high performance shop (The-Race-Shop.com). I can point people with questions about alternative parts and what not for Ford explorers/4x4's to here. Thanks


- Josh

Edit: Also, I am not seeing a Explorer FAQ or anything like that. I am seeing engine help forums and transmission, suspension, etc, but not an FAQ, unless I am just missing it. Should have things like the Auto to Manual Hub conversion, and where to get the parts and stuff at. Not trying to be critical, just asking.

 

[88vert]

Ask and you shall recieve

Dead Link Removed

 

[TheWhiteKnight]

Thank you

I was wondering if I should change the tranny fluid in my explorer (its brown) and its tranny is whining... It must be a first gen tranny (which is what I am gathering from some people on here) and I have been told that mabye I shouldn't change the fluid. I want to replace the torque converter and front seal since it is whining. If I am going to end up causing more damage than good, I'm not sure that I even want to attempt it.

- Josh

 

[Alec]

It's hit or miss. Sometimes minor tranny work and new fluid will stave off a rebuild; sometimes it will bring it on faster. If you have tranny problems already, might as well try to fix it before you need a rebuild.

 

[88vert]

91 and 92 auto trannys suck 93 and 94 are a little better.Cant hurt changing it out.Does your overdrive still work?

 

[TheWhiteKnight]

yes my overdrive still works, ther is no hit or miss in it at all. No slippage nothing, just whining (which is a sure sign of a TC.) and since its a RWD truck, it will be SOOO much easier to do than working on my FWD Racecar. :: Laughing :: AND I have more room under the truck! I'll have to get some new universals too, since I'll be be dropping the driveshaft.

- Josh

 

[dgibson]

Welcome to the site. There is so much knowledge on this site that it is unbelievable. I have been able to do so much to my x since joining here. Becoming elite is that much better. Just search for just about anything you can think of. As far as lifts, I have 9" total with 35's. There are a few out there, good luck.

 

[TheWhiteKnight]

9" would be plenty of lift, is that your X in your avatar? How can you get a wider wheel base? Do I have to change out the rims and stuff or can I use the stock aluminum rims? I would like to run 35" Chapparells on them, since they make one of the loudest rumbles on the road ya know So what you have 2 seperate lift kits? Hit me back with a PM or an email.

If you could PM me and let me know what you did and what I would have to do to geta 9" lift kit on mine. I have noticed something though. I have a sealed box with 2 12" Pioneer Premieer DVC's in it and they slam SO hard with my Phoenix Gold amp. I figure its because of the open hatch in the back, makes the bass during "Shake ya tail feather" sounds oh so nice!

- Josh