Rear end Sag

[KJB]

Garbear,

I've been thinking about adding airshocks to my `96 to get rid of the sag. What brand did you use and about how much pressure do you have in them?

 

[dreamr]

Sorry, but I don't understand why you would want to have air shocksw set with permanent load. I was under the impression that airshocks were primarily designed to level a vehicle for towing or when heavily loaded. I would not recommend using air shocks exclusively for the lift.
I mean why cover up a problem when it is just as easy if not easier to correct it.

 

[scribsac]

AGREED.

You can use just about any leaf pack from a 4-door when it comes down to it. I used a set of a '96 and butt sag vanished.

Celly, you say you used a leaf pack set off a '96 4-door? You only replaced the rear springs, correct? And I also noticed that you have the white face gauges that you got from an '02 Sport. Did that fit your '00 exactly or did you have to "tinker" with it.

Btw/ you have the IDENTICAL Explorer as I, only mine has a gray interior (your's looks tan in the photo) and I run on Wild Country APT's. Isn't that blue beautiful?!

 

[celly]

Celly, you say you used a leaf pack set off a '96 4-door? You only replaced the rear springs, correct? And I also noticed that you have the white face gauges that you got from an '02 Sport. Did that fit your '00 exactly or did you have to "tinker" with it.

Btw/ you have the IDENTICAL Explorer as I, only mine has a gray interior (your's looks tan in the photo) and I run on Wild Country APT's. Isn't that blue beautiful?!

Yup, the leaf pack from just about any 4-door will work on your Ex. There are a gazillion threads on the subject (the SEARCH button is your friend) in the archives which is why I did it. I scored a set from a local boneyard, covered them with a few coats of rustproof paint (which is probably all rusted over now), and got them installed. They're pretty much plug and play and fit your Ex exactly.

re: the gauges, the faceplates on Explorers have been virtually unchanged through the 2nd generation. In '01, the Sport got the white faced gauges when they did the revamp of the two door. The Sport Trac got the same treatment soon after. Clusters work across all the 2nd generation Explorers the way I was told. I didn't actually swap out the cluster, but just the white faceplates off the cluster. I'm going to swap out the cluster when I catch up to its mileage (in about 14000 km). It's got the black numbers on a white background which will round out "the look". Outside of cosmetics, these clusters are identical (and differ only between 2 door and 4 door as some indicators are active in the 4X4 that aren't active on the 2WD and probably AWD).

My Ex is Medium Wedgewood. I like the colour a lot (and it was the colour I really wanted when I re-entered the Explorer market after a few years in a COntour SVT), but it really shows the dirt and scratches. I've always preferred the grey interior (I've owned 2 other Sports), but the price was right on this used one. I don't mind the tan, but given the choice, I'd still take grey.

 

[Garbear]

I used Garbriel, and run about 50 psi, and 125psi if I am loaded. Easy and cheap solution, these aftermarket leaves will make a harsh ride. I run the air shocks with independent air valves to eliminate the turn roll effect.

 

[scribsac]

Yup, the leaf pack from just about any 4-door will work on your Ex. There are a gazillion threads on the subject (the SEARCH button is your friend) in the archives which is why I did it. I scored a set from a local boneyard, covered them with a few coats of rustproof paint (which is probably all rusted over now), and got them installed. They're pretty much plug and play and fit your Ex exactly.

re: the gauges, the faceplates on Explorers have been virtually unchanged through the 2nd generation. In '01, the Sport got the white faced gauges when they did the revamp of the two door. The Sport Trac got the same treatment soon after. Clusters work across all the 2nd generation Explorers the way I was told. I didn't actually swap out the cluster, but just the white faceplates off the cluster. I'm going to swap out the cluster when I catch up to its mileage (in about 14000 km). It's got the black numbers on a white background which will round out "the look". Outside of cosmetics, these clusters are identical (and differ only between 2 door and 4 door as some indicators are active in the 4X4 that aren't active on the 2WD and probably AWD).

My Ex is Medium Wedgewood. I like the colour a lot (and it was the colour I really wanted when I re-entered the Explorer market after a few years in a COntour SVT), but it really shows the dirt and scratches. I've always preferred the grey interior (I've owned 2 other Sports), but the price was right on this used one. I don't mind the tan, but given the choice, I'd still take grey.

What year were your leaf packs from? And how much did they cost?

Anyone else, feel free to jump in on this discussion.

 

[celly]

What year were your leaf packs from? And how much did they cost?

Mine came off a '96 4 door with about 60,000 miles I seem to recall. I paid around $150 CAD (that's about $120 USD at current rates), but most people have said they've got them for a lot less than that. I didn't have a lot of local choices (only one boneyard in town had a set). I was satisfied with my purchase and how much I paid. I considered getting an aftermarket set. I may do so if my current ones wear out.

 

[MONMIX]

I got mine from a junk yard, $100.00 a pair USD about two years ago.
Celly is right. A cake bolt on.
If you have acess to an impact it is all the better.