Ray Lobato Los Banos, California

Name Ray Lobato
Location Los Banos California.
Explorer 1997 XLT 4Liter SOHC V6 4X4

• Tires: 33X12.5 R15 BFG KO's
• Wheels: American Eagle AE-117 15x8's
• Front Suspension: Trailmaster 4" Ranger lift kit
• Rear Suspension: Skyjacker 4" lifted springs
• Shocks: 4" lifted SSV's.
• Lift: 2" body lift
• Gear Ratio: 4.10:1
• Differantials: Rear: Arb Air Locker, Front: open
• Transfercase: Advanced Adaptor Atlas II 3.78:1 Lo
• Plug wires: Magnacor 8.5mm
• Spark plugs: Bosh Platinium 4+
• Power: Interstate/Optima Yellow Top
• Lights: PIAA Pro 80XT's, PIAA 520's
• Cargo Rack: Con-Ferr
• Winch: Ramsey Platinum 9500 with Serria Wraparound winch mount.
• Front Tow hooks: GM full size tow hooks
• Rear Tire Carrier/Bumper: Tom Rios (FAKRWEE) old bumper/tire Carrier
• Shock Mount Skid Plates Trains 4X4 & Off Road
• Rear swaybar disconnects Trains 4X4 & Off Road
• Custom T-case/Torsion Bar skidplate Trains 4X4 & Off Road
• Front Swaybar Disconnects Warrior Products
• Custom rocker panel protectors/step bars
• CB Radio: Cobra 29NT-ST With Wilson 1000 Antenna
• GPS: Garmin GPS III Plus
• Misc: Hi-Lift jack, Granatelli rear diff cover/support, Power One CO2 tank, Bushwacker Extend-A-Fenders
  The engine breaths better with a K&N drop-in filter.

------------------
Happy Wheelin'
Ray L.
97 XLT 4X4 4.0L SOHC

 

[Ray Lobato]

Sorry Guys, I didn't know that Imagestation wouldn't let you post to the outside world. I got an account on Fototime and now they all show up.

 

[rpenner54]

Ray just upload em to this board. No more disapearing that way.

 

[aggieEB]

Ray, I really love your X...is it okay if I take these pictures to a 4X4 shop and say "Make my X look like this!"?

Great job man, it's big, but it isn't "redneck big" if you know what I am saying. Very classy.

 

[red96camaro]

ray, did you have to modify the girll gaurd to fit after the lift? if not which grill gaurd is that and if so how much work was it? thanks

 

[Ray Lobato]

Red,
Yes the Ramsey Serria wrapwround grill guard/winch mount did have to be modified. The mounts had to be increased by 2" because of the 2" body lift. Other than that nothing else was changed.

 

[Mainfraim]

Wow, Ray, I never realized how close you were... I'm LA for school, but I'm from Modesto originally. Isn't it a small world?

 

[WILL]

Ray I have a 97 too and am interested in the same look you have achieved. Two questions, did you do the body and suspension lifts yourself? Second what approximately would you have to pay for just the suspension/body lifts. I plan to download your specs and take them to my local offroad shop for a bid.

Wonderful look!

 

[Ray Lobato]

The 2" body lift runs around 70 bucks.
The Trailmaster kit runs around 1300 bucks
Since I used a Ranger kit I also bought 4" lifted springs from Skyjacker.
The rear torsion bar bracket on the suspension kit needed to be modified to work. Any kit you buy, you will have to modify the rear torsion bar bracket, except someone here on the site said that some company now makes one the the 95-97 models. If that is true, then save your self and /or your mechanic that hassle of modifying the brackets and just buy that one.
I had both kits installed.

 

[WILL]

$1500 not too bad...

 

[Ray Lobato]

You will have to add another 300+ bucks for the rear springs.
It will also cost you some money to have the rear brackets modified, if you use a Ranger kit. Check out the board to find out about the Superlift 95-97 lift kit. It may come with springs or the stuff to convert to SOA. Hope this helps.

 

[WILL]

Not exactly your weekend project. I think I will start with the 2" BL. I have enough there to be modified. Can I get a bigger tire than the 31's with a 2" BL? I think it will look a little dumb with 31's. Let me guess there will be some rub when turning with 32's and a BL.

 

[Ray Lobato]

You can run 31's without a body lift. I did, and that was before I did the torsion bar twist on it.
With a 2" body lift and a torsion bar twist/Warrior shackles you can definatly run 32's(no rubbing) and maybe 33's with some trimming.

 

[WILL]

Well I will have to visit my local offroad builder and order a 2" lift for install. Then have to find some 32's. I want the suspension but think I might stop there and buy a jeep and put the $1300 into it for a 6" lift.

 

[krisp12yukon]

Go to a three inch body lift.

 

[Kinnish]

Sweet Truck!!!

Got a question for you. Those Bushwacker Extend A Fender flares, they will work with stock moldings on an explorer ( 98 XLT) ? Are they very hard to install , and how much did you pay for them. I'm looking to order a set of them this week ........

 

[WILL]

Ok 2 or 3 inch body lift? The advantages are 32's? I thought I could get 32's with 2 inches. What does trimming the fenders mean and what does it entail? As for fender flares, I recommend them. Since I went to 31's I have noticed more rock chips on the side of the truck. I would like to know about the fit too. If I went with a bodylift then I would have to do flares with 32's too.

 

[Ray Lobato]

Re: Fender Flares

Well, if I had it to do all over again, I would go with the Xenon flares. Why? Because the Bushwackers are ABS plastic and are very hard, which means thay don't flex well. I broke one off wheeling too close to a rock and it popped it off. The Xenon flares are polyurethane and flex more than the Bushwackers. I think the Bushwackers ran me about 350 bucks and to replace the one I broke off costed me 117 bucks. Just my .02
They aren't hard to put on, but they do need to be trimmed around the moldings. Be sure that you have a good sharp knife to do the trimming, and trim alittle at a time.Bushwacker furnishes pop rivets, but I used sheet metal screws instead to fasten the flares. also you will have to drill a hole in the rear door towards the end of the door to mount the rear half portion of the flare on the rear door, that is if you have a 4 door model. There is also 2 different types, one for models with the tupperware on the bottom of the truck and one without the tupperware.
Trimming the fenders means that you will take a knife or saw-all and cut the inside portion of the fender molding towards the rear tire, or the front portion of the wheel well on the inside part. Turn your wheel until the inside edge of the tire and the edge of the fender are aligned up, you will see that this is the closest that your tire will come to the rear portion of your front fender. when you compress your tire, it will rub against that portion of the fender. You simpy cut away the inside portion of the fnder well, which is actually the inner most portion of the front part of the tupperware. With fender flares, you will have to cut some of that also. Hope this helps.

 

[99EXP]

Ray, can you take closer pictures of the spindle extensions that come in the trailmaster lift? I want to see what the exact shape of them is and see how they connect to the spindle and A arm. If this is possible. Thanks in advance.

 

[Ray Lobato]

Hi Nathan,
Sure, I have alot of people that want pictures of a few things on my truck, so maybe Saturday I will take all these pictures I have been promising people and post them.

 

[99EXP]

thanks alot ray. it will be much appreciated. and one more question. where can i find those xenon fender flares you were talking about earlier in your thread? again, thanks ray.