ordered WP153 - what to expect

[swak6287]

i ordered my WP153 today from 4x4partswarehouse for 46 after tax. anything i should be worry about or aware off before installing it this weekend? i have a hidden hitch at the rear. i willl also TT the front. hopefully this will eliminate the sideway rocking. i already have RS5000. i will be riding on stock wheels for a while though. hopefully it will not look too funny. any help/aid/comment is greatly appreciated.

 

[roadkill]

Easy!

I put warriors on my '92 truck last month. I put warriors on and did the torsion lift on my sister's '00 last weekend.

I had to remove the hidden hitch to remove the shackle bolts, which pull out to the inside of the truck. I would recommend to install the new shackle bolts from the outside, so if you remove them in the future, you don't have to remove the hidden hitch again.

We got about 2" in the rear, 1 1/2" in the front.

Good luck.

 

[SplashMan]

I installed them on my XLT(check out my link in my sig I just put up some pics) the ride improved alot. No more bounch. I only got an inch out of them, so I am going to put in a set of add-a-leafs next month. Any questions just e-mail me and I will try and answer them.

 

[briantf]

Hitch issue dependent upon brand

My wife's truck has a Reese tubular, it didn't interfere with the shackles at all.

I had an early set, had to drill them out to 9/16". I bought grade 8's at OSH, overkill but it makes me happy.

Good upgrade, they're much sturdier than the factory ones. My wife whacked one good crossing a streambed filled with boulders, it got dinged but nothing else.

Regards,
Brian in CA

 

[C Jeff]

They were extremely easy to install, just remember to let the jack do the work to get the clearance needed to put the bolts through the new shackles. I have not done the TT yet because after I installed the shackles the vehicle seem level and I don't want to make the front higher again.

 

[skender]

Shackles

I put mine on acouple of weeks ago and did a 1.25 TT in the front. It was really easy. What I recommend is just cutting the old shackle bolts off. Don't waste your time trying to undo the. I could only get one off by hand. and I cursed at the other three for about a half hour. A dremel tool come in handy for working in there. just cut two notches accross the bolt. That should weaken it enough so that a two year old could twist it off with his hand. Shackles go on preatty easy if you use your bottle jack. nake sure not to over toque the bolts. You don't want the shacles to have that pinched in sort of look. Some people have reccomended using loctite on the threads. I didn't and the bolts haven't moved. Just check them out for play every so often. Good luck....

 

[swak6287]

ok, one more question, which one i do first. the front or the rear? do i turn the TT nut one at a time or do it together. running it with stock tires, 235/70/15, sounds ok?

 

[SplashMan]

I ran mine with the shackles by themselves for almost 3 weeks then did the T/T. You might also want to check and see if your rear diffy has a shock on it. Mine does and it is limiting my lift along with makeing the springs bow at the end with the warrior shackles. I am going to remove it this Sunday when I put my 2" lift on. It is a comfort shock acording to to mech. It is just for more support when cornering.

 

[briantf]

Splashman, get a new mech.

The little sideshock may be limiting your articulation, but it is there to control a high-speed vibration experienced in many Explorers. It may have a dampening effect when cornering, but only if your axle shocks are worn out.

For reference, my wife's 98 XLT (mini-shock intact) has scuff marks on the interior fenderwell on both sides. The wheels were stuffed to the bump stops at various times on both sides.

Your articulation is going to be much more affected by your anti-sway bars increasing the effective spring rate than by a little damper like that.

There is actually no additional bow in the springs - the arch is the same, it's just been shifted down by the longer shackles. If you do a search, there's been an extensive discussion about this specific issue.

As for the mini-shock causing BOTH springs to bow, that's a pretty silly thing for your mechanic to say. I would be worried about other things he says.

 

[SplashMan]

Well, according to two other mechs(one at a totally different shop). The small shock is for the support of the diff during cornering. It has nothing to do with vibrations at high speed any more. That was a fix for earlier explorers(91-94 I think) that was taken care of with the help of the IFS. It was added on the late model explorers to help primarily with the cornering and overall handling of the rig. It also helps with the side to side motion at high speeds. All three suggested that it be removed if the explorer is going to be used for off-road use, because it will actually do nothing beneficial. As far as the leafs go they ARE bowing at the end I had them looked at by the mechs and they said that the shock may be limiting the travel of the diff (when the explorer is sitting the shock is almost maxed out, because it was not designed for the height the shackles add) which is causing more pressure on the end of the leafs. They don't know if removing the shock will stop the bowing or if it will get any worse. it seems to have only bowed so far and is not getting any worse. I think that Blisten makes a replacement shock that would fit there, but a lot of others on the site have simple removed it and had no ill effects at all. The shock will limit your articulation, so I suppose you could maybe put a longer shock there, but I am just taking mine off. Remember I am not a mech and I am only speaking from the experiences that I have had in the last three months with the shackles and stuff. When I am in doubt I always ask a mech.
Back to the subject, put the shackles on first and then do the T/T so that you are not running higher in the front than in the rear(unless you want too). Both are easy and you will more than likely like the ride you get much better than stock.
Unfortunately you will learn that the one BAD thing about this board is that there is always someone who thinks they know your rig better than you do even if they have never seen it or driven it. I am not a mech and I don't pretend to be one. I just figured since we seem to have the same year and model and you are going to be doing the same things that I have already done that I would try and help. There is a lot of great information here for any thing that you may want to do to your rig. Have fun with it and make it look and do what you want. Good luck and happy wheeling.

 

[briantf]

Sorry, but they're wrong

People have 94 Explorers with the minishock, they may have them earlier than that.

The damper is just that, a damper. Like an axle shock, it offers no "support" - that's what springs are for.


If you bother to look it up, you'll find people actually measured the deflection of the leaf springs with and without the shackles on, and there is no difference - it's an optical illusion. If you can't measure it, it's not science. Show me measurements, then we can discuss it.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=23642&highlight=warrior+leaf+arch

As for:
>>
Unfortunatly you will learn that the one BAD thing about this board is that there is always someone who thinks they know your rig better than you do even if they have never seen it or driven it
>>

Since you've obviously decided that your mechanics know all about your truck, I'm happy that you're happy with their "expert" opinion. Since they didn't know enough about Explorers in general to know they have been fitted by the factory for quite some time, it's up to you to trust them on other issues.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=13185&highlight=minishock

 

[SplashMan]

I am too old for a pissing contest, YOU WIN.

Since you obviously didn't read what I wrote(I had even gone in this morning prior to your post to correct part of mine that I had worded wrong), the mechs told me that Ford has been putting the minis on for quite sometime(I belive the exact years they told me were 91-94 sometime) and that they started to put these on to counter the vibration problem(I agreed with you on that point) that they used to have. The IFS helped fix this problem, but ford continued to put these on as sort of a sway bar helper to help counteract the swaying of the rear and it also helps with the overall handling. The bottom line that I was trying to let him know was that on MINE it may be causing excess pressure on the ENDS of the leafs because my shock if maxed out when it is sitting and that most of the other people on this board have removed theres with out any problems.

Next, if you had bothered to read what I wrote again, you would see that I am not talking about the flattening effect that everyone was reporting. I spent three weeks reviewing posts about the shackles because I am not a mech and I do not assume to know all about this stuff and I even had a friend with the shackles already on his help me install mine. Nowhere in my post did I mention the flattening effect, because I am sure that he has researched the shackles and already knows about the optical illusion they create. I am talking about the ENDS of my leafs(that would be where the leaf ends) in back and the pressure that the warrior shackles are putting on them. And the possibility that the shock being designed for the stock height of the vehicle and not that of the warriors added height may be causing it.

Finally, YES I do trust a FORD CERTIFIED MECH who has serviced vehicles in my family for years over and IT who I have never met, does not even drive the same year Explorer as me and that has never seen my vehicle and obviously does not know what I am talking about.

This is a complete waste of time, I am not going to get into a pissing contest with someone that I don't even know. I was trying to help by telling of the experiences and different things I have had with my Explorer since his is the same year and I believe the same model.

I will leave it up to him to decide if he wants my help and leave you to do whatever...

Sorry swak6287. Hope you get your Explorer working and don't take this discussion as an example of the rest of this board. Good Luck.

 

[COMMOCOZY]

WOW all I can say is that I never thought 2 pieces of metal could create such an argument!

CAN'T WE ALL JUST GET ALONG!

 

[Cameron]

I have two comments:

First, common guys, we can disagree without negative criticisms. Let’s keep it polite please.

Second, I think the questions are, does the “third” shock negatively affect articulation in a lifted vehicle? And, will removing this “shock” have a negative affect on the ride and/or control of the lifted truck?

Yes, this shock will have a negative affect on the articulation of a lifted truck. Just sitting there it is already extended several inches right? Although the lift was 1.5 inches, the shock is at an angle so it would need to “open” more. A shock that is extended before you hit the trails will not have as much articulation as a shock that is not pre-extended or a longer shock.

Second, removing this shock will have a negative affect on the trucks ride. The affect may be negligible and worth it. That is, the benefits of removing it out way the benefits of keeping it!

This is just my opinion!


As with any modification you do to your vehicle, always consult an expert. If an expert is not available, get as many opinions as possible. Don’t assume.

 

[swak6287]

ok ok ok guys, calm down. i just want to know how and what on the shackels and TT, not a showdown at OK Coral.
BTW, 4x4partswarehouse said it iwll be after 4/1 before i get the shakles, when they said it will be delivered 3/26. should i ask for reimbursement or just free install??

 

[Dre]

and I've missed out on this great argument?? guys, you should of let me know....... as far as lifting of your vehicle all I can tell you is that T/T and shackles is not all. You need to know that there are a few other key components that need to be adjusted and/or replaced in order to achive needed results. That third shock just like your regular shocks and a sway bar will limit your ability to perform off road. It will limit articulation. That's why it's a good idea to replace these shocks with longer ones. Also, that's why you'll need to either remove or disconect sway bars to get more wheel travel. If there is a third shock to keep your diffy in check and with your shackles it is extended to the max..... take it off. My opinion......
later,

 

[rpenner54]

ehh... Lets just keep it all on topic we can all agree to disagree just don't be calling names. I don't see anyone here getting to bent out of shape so don't make it go there.