orangeisnon
New Member
- Joined
- February 15, 2024
- Messages
- 2
- Reaction score
- 1
- City, State
- Plainfield CT
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- Working on it
Howdy,
I've been a Ford guy since my first car (a hand me down Escape that was nowhere near roadworthy) and I'm looking to pick up an Explorer as my next - hopefully long term - vehicle. Right now I'm driving an 03 Ranger that I lifted 4" with the Superlift kit, but that has 270k, a lot of body rot, and the frame isn't much better. It also has the "ticking time bomb" 4.0, which has been ticking for the past 4 or 5 years.
I've also been driving a 2000 Chevy Blazer ZR2 for the past year, but just this week it spun a bearing and is going to need a new motor. Before I do that I want to weigh my options, and one that has been on my mind for a while is consolidating to one larger SUV. Most times the cargo area in my Blazer is enough for me, and I have a trailer for the rare occasion it isn't. I'm also interested in the towing capabilities of a V8.
So, I have a couple of questions.
First, can anyone confirm that the Superlift - at least the front end components - will fit an Explorer? I have read conflicting reports centered around the 2nd Gen.
Second, are the front bumper mounts compatible across 03 Ranger/95-01 Explorer? Again I've heard a lot of conflicting info, and the junkyards near me don't have any 2nd gens for me to go try out on my own.
Third, what are the most common issues with these trucks? My Ranger, despite being old and rotted out, has never given me a lick of trouble (except the self-inflicted type - for instance the garbage Amazon hubs I installed a few years back)
I'm looking at a $2-4000 repair for the Blazer, but this is after nearly $4000 in other repairs over the past year. Trying to get away from GM and an Explorer seems like the way to go, but I also don't want to lose my lift/winch bumper from the Ranger.
Thanks and looking forward to being here!
I've been a Ford guy since my first car (a hand me down Escape that was nowhere near roadworthy) and I'm looking to pick up an Explorer as my next - hopefully long term - vehicle. Right now I'm driving an 03 Ranger that I lifted 4" with the Superlift kit, but that has 270k, a lot of body rot, and the frame isn't much better. It also has the "ticking time bomb" 4.0, which has been ticking for the past 4 or 5 years.
I've also been driving a 2000 Chevy Blazer ZR2 for the past year, but just this week it spun a bearing and is going to need a new motor. Before I do that I want to weigh my options, and one that has been on my mind for a while is consolidating to one larger SUV. Most times the cargo area in my Blazer is enough for me, and I have a trailer for the rare occasion it isn't. I'm also interested in the towing capabilities of a V8.
So, I have a couple of questions.
First, can anyone confirm that the Superlift - at least the front end components - will fit an Explorer? I have read conflicting reports centered around the 2nd Gen.
Second, are the front bumper mounts compatible across 03 Ranger/95-01 Explorer? Again I've heard a lot of conflicting info, and the junkyards near me don't have any 2nd gens for me to go try out on my own.
Third, what are the most common issues with these trucks? My Ranger, despite being old and rotted out, has never given me a lick of trouble (except the self-inflicted type - for instance the garbage Amazon hubs I installed a few years back)
I'm looking at a $2-4000 repair for the Blazer, but this is after nearly $4000 in other repairs over the past year. Trying to get away from GM and an Explorer seems like the way to go, but I also don't want to lose my lift/winch bumper from the Ranger.
Thanks and looking forward to being here!
