Ronin's Rig

Haven't done one of these yet, so here it is. Thanks to all who helped me with ideas and tips along the way!

I bought my 2004 Eddie Bauer 4.0 in 2009.

Current Mods:

-Scanguage II with blendmount rearview mirror mount: scangauge 2 questions
-OEM Class 3 hitch swap
-SCT XCal3 programmer with 87/89/93 torque tunes from Henson Performance
-Gibson stainless catback exhaust
-Hunter Brush Guard
-Helo wheels Maxx8 Black 16x8 wheels, 0 offset
-Treadwright Guard Dog M/T 265/75/16: Buy TreadWright All-Terrain & Mud Terrain Tires for Trucks, Jeeps & SU
-Cobra 75WXST CB radio with Firestik II 3' antenna - mounted over the right rear taillight: What do you reckon?
-Custom 1.25" front / 1" rear strut lift spacers
-12" limit straps - 3rd Gen Limiting Straps install
-Moog Coil Springs mounted on Monroe Reflex struts
-BTF tubular upper control arms with uniballs: For Sale - Upper control arms... Extended WITH UNIBALL
-PA 883 3” body lift: How to: 3rd Gen BODY LIFT. Install.
-Yukon 4.10 gear swap in the front and rear axles: Regearing the front differential - possible solution
-Aussie locker in the rear axle: How to: 3rd Gen Aussie Locker Install
-Rugged Ridge 100 Watt offroad lights x 4
-F-150 Tow Hooks
-OEM Fuel Tank and Transfer Case skid plates
-Custom Rock Sliders: Ronin's 3rd Gen rock slider build thread
-Viair 20001 On Board Air system: My "stealth" on board air install, pics, and video



Removed mods:
-Underdrive crank pulley/underdrive water pump pulley/overdrive alternator pulley
-Black Magic 150 electric fan/HHR electric fan (got too hot in the summer)
-1.5" body lift (upgraded to 3" body lift): How to: - 1.5" body lift for less than $50
-50W Baja Blazer offroad lights (too dim!)
-Mickey Thompson Baja ATZ radials 265/75/16
-KKM cone filter and MAF adapter with outerwear pre-filter: " Stage 2 " Intake 04-05
-BTF 1.75" front/1.5" rear strut lift spacers: How To: BTF-Fabrication Spacer Lift Install

More to come!

 

[NHarris]

FJ's are awesome. Don't go hating : Thats one of my replacement choices for my 2nd gen.

EDIT: James, do you have any pics of the wreck that you'd be willing to share?

 

[asull85]

:biggthump:biggthump

 

[Kazer]

But you've got the 410s, locker, sliders and whatever else you can salvage, get a v8 ex, buy duners kit, and make everyone even more jealous than they were of this truck


Edit: oh and can you describe what went down as far as "evasive" maneuvers?

 

[Triton8273]

But you've got the 410s, locker, sliders and whatever else you can salvage, get a v8 ex, buy duners kit, and make everyone even more jealous than they were of this truck


Edit: oh and can you describe what went down as far as "evasive" maneuvers?

Well I guess enough time has passed...sooo...If you scrap it I got dibs on the 4.10's

And Steve...you still think my onboard dash came was a waste of money? Would have been useful in an event like this.

 

[Ronin8002]

No pics yet...was working with the paramedics to make sure wife and other parties were ok and talking to the cops. Basically what happened was it was a divided highway with a t intersection on the right. I was driving on the highway, and the other car at the intersection started to pull out into traffic maybe 75 feet in front of me (intending to go across and turn into the opposite lane). I got on the brakes, blared the horn, and swerved hard to the left @ about 45 mph but the other car just kept leisurely crossing the highway and was heading directly into the space i was trying to swerve into. I kept heading left hoping i would miss it but my pass side front hit their drivers side front just in front of the door. They got spun around and I went off into a wide grassy ditch and came to a stop.

Because it happened 3 hours from my home I don't think the truck is going to be towed back here. So I dont know I'd the chances of pulling the diffs, btf arms, rock sliders etc for salvage. Might have to show receipts to the insurance company and see if i can get reimbursed.

I guess what replacement I get depends on what happens with the salvage thing. If I have to write everything off then i'll prob look into a non-explorer replacement

 

[Turdle]

Glad you all are OK, for the most part. But Dammm

I'm sending a PM

 

[NHarris]

I can say this much (due to past experiences), if the frame got bent then the truck will most likely be totaled. Actually if it has to go on the frame puller for anything its already several grand.
I'm glad to hear that you and your wife are okay, as well as the other party isnt too badly banged up.
Its definitely quite the bummer to have this nice of a rig go down like this. Keep around here, and make a registry in the other vehicle section to keep us updated on your new rig.

 

[Hbrichman]

Real bummer to hear about what happened bud, glad everyone is ok though. Best wishes with the new ride!

 

[HiImBrian]

I just heard man! Glad to hear you guys are okay. Your Ex protected you which was EXACTLY what it was supposed to do. Hopefully you'll get her back to do some salvage, it'd be tough to see all the work you've done just get towed away. Be sure to let us all know what you get, and what forum you end up moving to so we can all still keep tabs on ya! After all you did to the Explorer, I can only imagine what you could do to something more 'fitting' to the offroad style..

 

[The Electrician]

lolol had a feeling someone might have that reaction.

I would look at a 4th Gen but body lifting is a bit tougher because of the whole welded on rear hitch thing.

With 4th gen you don't need body left.

All what you need with the V8 4x4 is 4.10's with TrueTrac (TorSen) or a locker, 32" or 33" tires, strut spacers and BTF UCA and you'll have a very capable rig on and off-road

 

[Ronin8002]

Went to the salvage yard today, here are the carnage pics:

Frame is tweaked a bit on the passenger side towards the front. I could tell because the front passenger side tire appeared to be pushed up into the front edge of the slider...so I think the frame on that side got crumpled. The passenger rear tire got popped and part of that side smashed in when the other vehicle spun around and hit my truck again after the initial impact.

On a positive note, I was able to retrieve my CB and antenna, Scanguage, XCal3 (downloaded the tune back into the tuner also), my on board air system, and all of my tools and recovery gear. The BTF arms, my struts with spacers, regeared diffs, and sliders all stayed on the truck. The salvage yard place wouldn't let me do any serious wrenching, jacking up the vehicle, etc....something with their liability insurance I think. Fortunately insurance will cover most of these (probably not the sliders) so I'll get my money back.

So that about wraps up this thread I guess.






Oh, and I brought home this "heap" today to replace the Rig :

2008 XLT 4x4 Ironman Edition with the 4.6L V8

.

 

[GRNMACHINE]

Oh Wow, that is sickening to see, and as everyone here and on your rock slider build thread has said GLAD YOU ARE ALL OKAY!!!

And Nice Replacement!!! Cannot wait to see what you do with this one!

 

[Ronin8002]

Oh Wow, that is sickening to see, and as everyone here and on your rock slider build thread has said GLAD YOU ARE ALL OKAY!!!

And Nice Replacement!!! Cannot wait to see what you do with this one!

Thanks! Yeah I tried to just be all business about it and not mope around too much. Seeing as it could have been way worse, I don't feel so bad about it.

It's good to be back in an Explorer again so quickly....though it seems like a low rider to me. I can actually see the surface of the roof while standing on the ground...weird lol

 

[Kazer]

Nice upgrade! It's too bad you can pull the helos and guard dogs off youre old one. truxxx spacers are already on order I hope!!

oh and how is that big big compared to the 4.0?

annnnnd, did you break the body mounts up front curious if the body mounts are weaker with a 3" body lift

 

[NHarris]

Oh, and I brought home this "heap" today to replace the Rig :

2008 XLT 4x4 Ironman Edition with the 4.6L V8

You're eventually going to have to show us the missing trim piece on the rear! Good looking rig though! And I see a nice set of V8 emblems as well

Good to hear you got most of that stuff off your truck. Whoever gets the remaining parts off of there is going to have some nice parts!

New registry is where?

 

[Ronin8002]

Nice upgrade! It's too bad you can pull the helos and guard dogs off youre old one. truxxx spacers are already on order I hope!!

oh and how is that big big compared to the 4.0?

annnnnd, did you break the body mounts up front curious if the body mounts are weaker with a 3" body lift

Yeah, the helos would have looked nice on this one. Might go with them again when the time comes...I liked them. I'll probably go with a little less aggressive tire this time...General Grabber AT2 is a possibility.

I am considering the truxx lift as well. No plans on a body lift this time around though.

the 4.6 is nice...real easy to get up and going even compared with a a 4.0 running 4.10s. So far I am averaging better gas mileage than I was getting with my other truck, at least according to the dash display.

 

[Ronin8002]

You're eventually going to have to show us the missing trim piece on the rear! Good looking rig though! And I see a nice set of V8 emblems as well

Good to hear you got most of that stuff off your truck. Whoever gets the remaining parts off of there is going to have some nice parts!

New registry is where?

Lol! The dealer ordered the piece and said they'll paint it and mail it to me with all the hardware (they're a bit of a drive from my house).

I'll start a new registry soon.

 

[Ronin8002]

annnnnd, did you break the body mounts up front curious if the body mounts are weaker with a 3" body lift

It looked like the body mount on the passenger side got bent in...but the bolt seemed to be intact. Driver's side was ok. I don't think the body shifted at all on the frame.

Both tow hooks came off in the collision though. Bolts were torn right out of their mounting holes...and the hook on the passenger side got bent downward into a "U" shape

 

[Kazer]

Yeah, the helos would have looked nice on this one. Might go with them again when the time comes...I liked them. I'll probably go with a little less aggressive tire this time...General Grabber AT2 is a possibility.

I am considering the truxx lift as well. No plans on a body lift this time around though.

the 4.6 is nice...real easy to get up and going even compared with a a 4.0 running 4.10s. So far I am averaging better gas mileage than I was getting with my other truck, at least according to the dash display.

Are the Guard Dogs Shot? and i'm sure that 4.6 would love the 4.10s with the aussie. and it seems like you should be able to go a tad bigger, i posted in the 4th gen pictures a guy who just has the truxx lift and is running 33x1.50's with minimal cutting, so a mild 285 should fit well

 

[Ronin8002]

Are the Guard Dogs Shot? and i'm sure that 4.6 would love the 4.10s with the aussie. and it seems like you should be able to go a tad bigger, i posted in the 4th gen pictures a guy who just has the truxx lift and is running 33x1.50's with minimal cutting, so a mild 285 should fit well

Two of the guard dogs were shot. I couldn't retrieve the wheels, differentials, exhaust, or control arms because of the salvage yard's safety policy (I guess they don't want to be liable if you've jacked up your vehicle and it falls on you while you're working on it or something). Insurance will reimburse me for the cost of those items though...I'm really glad I have pics, dates, and receipts.

I think I'll stick with 265's so I can continue using the stock spare tire location. Not sure if I would want to go as far as 4.10 gears or would even need to...the new truck has the 6r60 6-speed auto so the first two gears are pretty low already...even with 3.55 diffs.

What I might do is pick up some 4th gen 3.73 diffs from the junkyard and buy some Eaton truetracs to install in them myself. That would be cheaper than a 4.10 regear. I could use a 3rd Gen front diff also, I am pretty sure they are identical to the 4th gens. The rear diff on the 4th gen is slightly different though since it has at least 1 additional mounting point compared to the 3rd gen.