Question about rotors & drums swapping | Ford Explorer Forums

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Question about rotors & drums swapping

RockcrawlerEX

Well-Known Member
Joined
April 21, 2010
Messages
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City, State
El Paso, Texas
Year, Model & Trim Level
1994 Explorer XLT
I bought some used rims and tires for my 94 XLT and, being ignorant to rim compatibility, I thought ll 5 lugs fit all 5 lug vehicles. :roll:

Anyways, I was selling them, but now I think I'll just buy new rotors+drums with the correct size bolt pattern on them for the rims.

I'm on oreilly's.com and it shows that ford e-150 econolines of the same year have 5.5 pattern. (the bolt pattern I need)

My question is, if I were to buy the 2 front rotors and 2 rear drums for 94 Econoline, would they be compatible with my Ex?
And if they are, is there anything else I'd need to buy to make them work on my truck?

Thanks in advance.

pic of the rims and tires:
255ript.jpg


Was really bummed when I found out they won't fit and the guy wouldn't refund me. lol
 



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uuhhhh, no. It doesn't work that way.

1.) Explorers are all 5 lug 5x4.5" bolt pattern.
2.) There is more to a wheel than just the bolt pattern. Different wheels from different vehicle also have different offset/backspacing.
3.) You can't simply put drums and rotors from another vehicle onto yours so you can use a different bolt pattern wheel. (OK, in some cases this works, but not the way your thinking.)
4.) You need professional assistance. Seriously, I'm not saying it to insult you. From what you have said so far, however, you should not be working on your own stuff just yet. Go see a mechanic, and they can help you figure this out.

Those 5x5.5 wheels are NEVER going to go on your Explorer, unless you do some crazy custom suspension. The tires? I don't what size you got with the rims, but maybe you can use them. You will, however need different rims.

The other thing to keep in mind, with your 1st gen 4x4 explorer, is that many wheels that have the right bolt pattern still won't fit, because the center hole is too small for your locking hubs to pass thru. For example, many stock Jeep rims would otherwise fit, except, since many Jeeps don't have locking hubs, there stock wheels have a much smaller center hole.
 






uuhhhh, no. It doesn't work that way.

1.) Explorers are all 5 lug 5x4.5" bolt pattern.
2.) There is more to a wheel than just the bolt pattern. Different wheels from different vehicle also have different offset/backspacing.
3.) You can't simply put drums and rotors from another vehicle onto yours so you can use a different bolt pattern wheel. (OK, in some cases this works, but not the way your thinking.)
4.) You need professional assistance. Seriously, I'm not saying it to insult you. From what you have said so far, however, you should not be working on your own stuff just yet. Go see a mechanic, and they can help you figure this out.

Those 5x5.5 wheels are NEVER going to go on your Explorer, unless you do some crazy custom suspension. The tires? I don't what size you got with the rims, but maybe you can use them. You will, however need different rims.

The other thing to keep in mind, with your 1st gen 4x4 explorer, is that many wheels that have the right bolt pattern still won't fit, because the center hole is too small for your locking hubs to pass thru. For example, many stock Jeep rims would otherwise fit, except, since many Jeeps don't have locking hubs, there stock wheels have a much smaller center hole.
Ah, alright, I get you.
Just a question because I've never swapped rims before. I'm more into the engine **** then I've ever been with looks.
The tires would be fine, they're only about an inch and a half bigger than the ones I got on it right now.

Thanks for clearing it up. =]
 






Actually, no. After seeing the pics, those tire are not fine, They are GARBAGE! THROW THEM OUT. Do NOT use those tires! I can clearly see TONS of dry rot/cracking. Those tires are disastrous blowout/tread seperation waiting to happen! Go back to the guy you bought them from. Forget the bolt pattern issue, he sold you unsafe/worthless tires.
 






Actually, no. After seeing the pics, those tire are not fine, They are GARBAGE! THROW THEM OUT. Do NOT use those tires! I can clearly see TONS of dry rot/cracking. Those tires are disastrous blowout/tread seperation waiting to happen! Go back to the guy you bought them from. Forget the bolt pattern issue, he sold you unsafe/worthless tires.

Na I saw they were dry rotted, I was going to get new ones. I only paid $100 for the rims and tires lol

Guy I bought them from was off of craigslist, already asked for a refund and got denied, so I'm reselling them.
 






Oh, well that's not so bad then. The rims do look pretty nice. You ought to be able to get your money back, maybe even a little profit.
 






Oh, well that's not so bad then. The rims do look pretty nice. You ought to be able to get your money back, maybe even a little profit.

yeah I got 'em up for $250 obo and already got calls about them. It's just the matter of me being honest and not wanting someone to go through the same thing I just went through. So I ask them what they're planning to stick them on and check online for the bolt pattern and all that. lol
 






Why couldn't he just do a dana 44 outer swap?? It's not hard or crazy suspension mod... And just happens to give better wheel bearings and brakes, along with that good old 5 on 5.5" wheel pattern. That's what I did before going 8 lug outers, on my dana 35 ttb.

He would need to do something about the rear end as well, but there are a few 8.8's out there, and they have the vss sensors as well as the corect lug pattern. I believe the v8 explorer axles are 5 x 5.5" and they have disc brakes as well. I could be wrong on the v8 x axles, but there should be some options.
 






If he wanted he could get custom shafts for the 8.8 w/ the 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern.
 






Why couldn't he just do a dana 44 outer swap?? It's not hard or crazy suspension mod... And just happens to give better wheel bearings and brakes, along with that good old 5 on 5.5" wheel pattern. That's what I did before going 8 lug outers, on my dana 35 ttb.

He would need to do something about the rear end as well, but there are a few 8.8's out there, and they have the vss sensors as well as the corect lug pattern. I believe the v8 explorer axles are 5 x 5.5" and they have disc brakes as well. I could be wrong on the v8 x axles, but there should be some options.
Nope, all Explorers are 5X4.5". As for changing the front knuckles, I don't know a whole lot about that. I'll trust you when you say it can be done. However, I would consider that a crazy suspension mod, when done primarily for the purpose of making a set of used wheels fit. I'm sure it's not free either. By the time you do that, and deal with the rear, might as well just by the right wheels to begin with.

If he wanted he could get custom shafts for the 8.8 w/ the 5 on 5.5 bolt pattern.

True, but what about the front? Why spend money on custom anything, just to make a used set of wheels fit???
 






To get the benefit of using larger brakes from the D44. Then you start running into deminishing returns where the money spent upgrading the TTB to 5 on 5.5 might have been better spent on a SOA.
 






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