Strutteks installed....serious rake

[Ronin8002]

The rubber donut things are called coil spring spacers. They work by pre-compressing your springs so when the weight of the truck is on them they don't compress as much...your truck will then sit taller as a result.

Not a bad way to lift, but if you get too crazy with the height on them they are reported to lead to a stiffer ride.

That sounds a bit pricey for coil spring spacers though unless that's labor included to disassemble to struts, insert the spacers, and reassemble.

Unless he's talking about strut spacers that go on top of the struts and make the whole strut assembly effectively longer.

Body lift could be the PA 883 kit. If that's what it is then that's not a terrible price but you could find it cheaper used or on ebay.

 

[jad2411]

Thanks Ronin, both prices include labor, the bodylift is not from a kit, he said he has the blocks and that he could cut them if I wanted less of a BL. The spacer goes in the strut assy, not on top. He said he had to compress the coil spring remove the top mount and install the spacer, then mount it on the truck...
I already gained 1in just by swaping the front strut assy's, and I see that I might gain some height once I do the rears, so not too much in a hurry to lift it more, I have time to research.

 

[Ronin8002]

ah gotcha. If you go the coil spring spacer route see if you can get the part numbers he used and take ride height measurements before and after...I am sure lots of folks on here would like to see another lift option.

For the BL if you are going much over 2" I think you'll need a steering shaft extension....definitely if you go 3".

 

[mattd08]

Since the Strutteks give somewhat of a lift, will these just leave my Ex riding on the stock level that i have?

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums...-strut-direct-fit-mmy-ford-explorer-2002.aspx

 

[jad2411]

first I need to get my truck back on the road then I can look into lifting it :

 

[mattd08]

Jad2411, do you have pics of both of your Exs? Each showing the different struts and how they can be compared?

 

[jad2411]

I'll park them next to each other for a comparison shot, blue one most likely be taller because of the bigger tires (265/75r16 vs 245/75r16) and the 1" lift on the front due to the strutteks...

 

[mattd08]

Okay, thanks!

 

[jad2411]

Next to eachother:

White truck (stock)

Blue truck (struttecks and 265's)

 

[Ronin8002]

When you are able, could you also measure the coil spring height on the front and rear of each truck? Measuring from where the lowest point of the spring where it sits on the spring seat on the strut body to where it touches the rubber isolator at the top?

 

[jad2411]

Haven't replaced the rear struts yet, a couple of times I've tried to buy them and I get the Out of stock mssg, so both trucks have stockers on the back.

I'll meassure anyways

 

[Ronin8002]

Haven't replaced the rear struts yet, a couple of times I've tried to buy them and I get the Out of stock mssg, so both trucks have stockers on the back.

I'll meassure anyways

That'll work thank you

 

[mattd08]

Thanks for the pics jad2411. Seeing that the struttecks add some spring to the ex, is there any alternative anyone knows about to replacing or getting after market struts that DONT give the Ex some lift?

 

[jad2411]

what about buying srtutteks with no coil springs and keeping the stock ones? that's my plan for the white truck

 

[mattd08]

Okay, that would make pretty good sense. Just replace the strut itself without the coilspring. Can the coilspring actually ever go bad?

 

[jad2411]

yes it can and it can break too but I'll have spares from blue truck in case I need to replace the stockers, you will need to check yours

 

[tower]

Okay, that would make pretty good sense. Just replace the strut itself without the coilspring. Can the coilspring actually ever go bad?

If your 02 still has the stock springs there is a very good chance they are bad (broken) very common problem with explorers. You can buy "stock' springs pretty cheap though.

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=180806

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=182961&highlight=coil+spring

 

[mountaineer02]

Thanks for the pics jad2411. Seeing that the struttecks add some spring to the ex, is there any alternative anyone knows about to replacing or getting after market struts that DONT give the Ex some lift?

I just recently got the monroe quick struts and put them on ( only got the rears done for now) , It only gave me a lil over an inch then previous, and BOTH rears were broke. I went with the Monroes cause of the back order issue at Struttek. I bought them on Amazon, and if you buy all 4 theres a rebate for 1, so i only spent a lil more then i would with Struttek and there not super high and i got them right away. hope that helps

 

[mattd08]

Can you post pics perhaps?

 

[mountaineer02]

I will really try, all i took pics of was the shocks next to the new ones. I will take one of the new height aswell. Im pretty impressed though, with all four new quick struts on, the truck is sitting exactly 34" all the way around!! Im happy