Explorer_801
New Member
- Joined
- November 30, 2020
- Messages
- 6
- Reaction score
- 1
- City, State
- Salt Lake City, UT
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 1998 Ford Explorer XL
Hey everyone!
I am a new member to the forum, however I've been a long time reader of the many useful threads here for years. I grew up around every generation of explorer. My dad has had every generation and we love them. I've been a Ford guy for years, and have been buying, restoring, and selling 60s Mustangs since I was in high school. Well, life changes and I'm growing out of the go fast life and growing into the overlanding life. I recently got a 1998 Ford Explorer XL with 140k miles that landed on my lap for $200. It does need a transmission as the reverse band is fried, but I've already bought a rebuilt one thats going in tomorrow. I decided this would be the perfect time to get into overlanding, as it is a ford and it was cheap. I've been doing my research, and I've decided that i'm going to work on suspension first.
For the rear, I'm going to replace the leaf springs with a whole new assembly (mostly to be able to rust proof the bottom while everything is off, but also to refresh the rear and get some spring back). While the leafs are off, i'll add a leaf and get some new shackles to raise the rear, while going with the monroe load adjusting shocks.
For the front, i'm just going to replace the front suspension assembly with new OE parts and bushings. I found a Spring Code 1 Torsion bar at my local junk yard and i've ordered some forged Torsion keys to hopefully give me a solid 2.5 inches in the front (advertised at 3, but I dont want to crank my torsion bar that hard). I'm still determining the shocks I will use up front.
Wheels I'll be running some 15 or 16s wrapped in 32s max.
All said and done, prices were very cheap, even for the new parts. It just makes me love the platform even more. My question to everyone out here, is who is running body lifts ontop of suspension lifts, and how does it effect driveability, offroad features, and more? What has been your experience with it? I'm not looking to do anything crazy, just some back service roads and maybe some rocky terrain. If it hasn't been pleasant I'll probably just stick to the lifts I described above.
I am a new member to the forum, however I've been a long time reader of the many useful threads here for years. I grew up around every generation of explorer. My dad has had every generation and we love them. I've been a Ford guy for years, and have been buying, restoring, and selling 60s Mustangs since I was in high school. Well, life changes and I'm growing out of the go fast life and growing into the overlanding life. I recently got a 1998 Ford Explorer XL with 140k miles that landed on my lap for $200. It does need a transmission as the reverse band is fried, but I've already bought a rebuilt one thats going in tomorrow. I decided this would be the perfect time to get into overlanding, as it is a ford and it was cheap. I've been doing my research, and I've decided that i'm going to work on suspension first.
For the rear, I'm going to replace the leaf springs with a whole new assembly (mostly to be able to rust proof the bottom while everything is off, but also to refresh the rear and get some spring back). While the leafs are off, i'll add a leaf and get some new shackles to raise the rear, while going with the monroe load adjusting shocks.
For the front, i'm just going to replace the front suspension assembly with new OE parts and bushings. I found a Spring Code 1 Torsion bar at my local junk yard and i've ordered some forged Torsion keys to hopefully give me a solid 2.5 inches in the front (advertised at 3, but I dont want to crank my torsion bar that hard). I'm still determining the shocks I will use up front.
Wheels I'll be running some 15 or 16s wrapped in 32s max.
All said and done, prices were very cheap, even for the new parts. It just makes me love the platform even more. My question to everyone out here, is who is running body lifts ontop of suspension lifts, and how does it effect driveability, offroad features, and more? What has been your experience with it? I'm not looking to do anything crazy, just some back service roads and maybe some rocky terrain. If it hasn't been pleasant I'll probably just stick to the lifts I described above.