Rear Axle Leaf, POR-15, U-Bolt Upgrades

[BonesDT]

I want to do an axle-out rear axle restoration:
1) Upgrading from Sport 2-door mono-leafs to New 4-door leaf packs
2) Aussie locker
3) AMSOil Diff Lube
4) New U-Bolts
5) Aftermarket Diff Cover
6) removing rust and painting axle, Warrior shackles, shock mounts, shocks
7) fixing parking brake

Here are some questions I have:

1) LMC Truck catalog shows a "3 Leaf" and a "4 Leaf". Which Explorers had what? Is LMC the best place to buy new ones?

2) Is POR-15 all that it is cracked up to be? I'm thinking about sanding everything down, then using their etch solution with the semi-gloss black brushed on. I might leave it at that or I'll decide to paint it. Or should I just prime and paint?

3) What is the big name in stock U-bolts, like ARB for U-bolts? I want to go bling on them, stainless steel, polished, zinc-plated, etc. It seems like all the quality U-bolts are in the lift kits.

 

[HahnsB2]

Sports had 3 leaf packs (and the mono leafs), 4 doors had 4 leafs.

 

[2001 Sport 4x4]

I got a set of 4 door leaf springs from a wrecked 2005 exp (front was burned out) for like $80 from my local junk yard and its great when i hall heavy stuff and they fixed the sag.

 

[techieman33]

I got a set of 4 door leaf springs from a wrecked 2005 exp (front was burned out) for like $80 from my local junk yard and its great when i hall heavy stuff and they fixed the sag.

Umm... do you mean 95? the 3rd gen explorers don't have leaf springs.

I would just get standard u-bolts and have Jtsmith powdercoat them, along with any other pieces you take off.

 

[IZwack]

I'd skip the POR-15. Just hit it with a base epoxy spray paint (Home Depot -- used for stoves and so on). Once the epoxy is dry, hit it with rubber undercoating/bumper paint -- this is flexible enough to take on debris coming up from the tires and not chip/crack.