Sigh...back into the modification abyss...

[JDraper]

As many of you know, I recently sold my wheeling vehicle and bought a stock '94 Explorer. Weeelllll, I just couldn't leave well enough alone....

As I bought it:

As it looked after about 8 hours of work yesterday:

I put a Superlift 4" system on the truck. I've got a set of 33's sitting out in the shed I need to get mounted, and now I'm looking for 4:10's and lockers....

NOTES TO ALL DOING THE SUPERLIFT 4": I found that the suspension angles are much better when using the 5.5" lift holes in the drop brackets for the 4" lift. My camber was waaaaaayyyy off in the 4" holes, so we moved to the 5.5" holes and it's just about right. A little spring settling and it should be right on. Also, buy the extended brake lines...especially for the front. The stock lines fit...but if you flex it out you can kiss your lines goodbye...

 

[slapthefunkyfou]

Isn't it fun?

I'm doing a BDS kit on mine right now as we speak.

 

[CodePoet]

Congrats on the "up"grade LOL

Does it have sliders too? Looks like it does in that second picture...

 

[JDraper]

Congrats on the "up"grade LOL

Does it have sliders too? Looks like it does in that second picture...

Yep..I built 'em and installed them before the lift. BTW...sliders also work great as part of a cheap redneck bead breaker...1 wheel with tire + 1 bottle jack + 1 slider=cheap beadbreaker

Another pix with the new tires on. I'm beginning to think they shipped a 5.5" lift instead of the 4" lift. My brake lines are fully maxed out (new on order), I had to use the 5.5" holes in the drop brackets to get the suspension geometry right, and I don't remember other X's on 33's with no body lift having this clearance around the tires...

Next up...4.10's, lockers, custom bumpers

 

[Hartman]

4" or 5.5", who gives a damn, it looks great.

 

[Creager]

damn thats how i want my sport to look.

 

[SVO]

We'll see you at Moab 07'







Jeff - :navajo:

 

[FROADER]

That definitely looks higher than 4". Looks good.

4" with 33s

 

[bmxking5]

Cool. Looks great. Just wondering, why did you decide to sell the Sami and start over?

 

[HappyGilmore]

nice, it looks pretty high....

 

[JDraper]

Cool. Looks great. Just wondering, why did you decide to sell the Sami and start over?

I needed something a little more "road friendly". The sammy was an awesome wheeler (waay better than this X ever will be), but it was a **** to drive on the road...top speed of about 52 mph...cold as hell in the winter, getting passed by semi's on uphills.....

I would have kept it for wheeling, but I'm out of driveway space

 

[Blee1099]

It was Grog in a sardine can

 

[JDraper]

It was Grog in a sardine can

LMAO...that too...6'1, 245 lbs in a Sammy is kinda tight....Y'all shoulda seen me, Lizardtrac (6'3" or so) and Doug (6') crammed into it one night...THAT was funny...

 

[Creager]

How are you liking those Kumho's on the road?

 

[SkanlaxJMO]

that looks awesome.....the drop down braket for the 5.5 and 4" are the same?.....ahh well it looks great either way and it does look like the 5.5".

 

[JDraper]

How are you liking those Kumho's on the road?

Not bad..a little whine, but I think they're quieter than my old BFG M/T's that I had on the Sammy.

 

[Creager]

They hold that quietness until about 50% their threadlife, when they tend to get a little more droney. But even then they are still more quiet then any other mud terrian ive heard on the street.

What kind of lockers you going for? Detroit front/rear? ARB? If my understanding is correct, you can use a ARB from a Jeep 35 for your 35. You gotta be careful though, the carrers for all model 35s are not created equal. Example: The M35 in the 95+ explos are larger then the TTB M35s.

 

[JDraper]

I'm going the powertrax route on lockers. I've had several before and have liked their performance for the price. I just bought one for the rear off a board member, and I'm thinking about trying an aussie locker in the front.

 

[Creager]

I dont know if you want the the Aussie for the front. They are good for the rear and are defiantly a 'beefier' unit, but for the front you will end up having to grind the carrier just to get it to fit in the window. Then you are going to end up having to grind around the spider gear seats to make it actually fit the carrier. I felt it was quite a bit of work when the lock rite is only $20 more. But the Aussie will work, and is most likely stronger then the lock rite.

this picture should show all

Since when i was testing for them, they have switched to a smaller unit. But i hear the smaller unit still requires a good amount of grinding to fit. Aussie didnt feel the market was large enough to actually design a locker for the D35 TTB, so they market the one they designed for a dodge.

 

[Rhett]

Nice job on the Sport.

And using the negative term "Abyss" to describe modding....no way...!! Modding is a good thing, remember that. After all, it's only money. You can't take it with you.