Suggestions, 2.5" or 4"

[Epitaph911]

I have a stock '92 xlt. I do a fair bit of camping and off roading and would like to do much more. I've been looking into lifts for a few months now and reading this board very often. I usually go with other stock jeeps and pickups and the odd time with some lightly modified vehicles. Right now my Explorer just can't keep up, the ride is down right horrible, and I scrape the ground a lot. I've seen messages on here saying that a 2.5" lift with 31x10 tires is just too little to do any real off roading and that would only be an inch more clearance on my transfer case anyways (where I rub). A 4" sounds better but then there is talk on this board that once you get the 4" and 32x11.5 or 32x11 you'll get lower milage, need to change gearing, possibly lengthen break lines, grind some off of your radius arms, get fender flares for them to fit, etc. That sounds like alot of cash in the long run and it sounds like it will never stop. Next thing I'll be adding manual hubs, sway bars, lockers, the works...
My question is, can you lift an explorer 2.5" put 31's on and expect notice any real differnce offroad? My main goal is to not hurt my explorer or me when I take it out. Can a 4" lifted 32x11.5" tired explorer be left alone and not have any more work done to it or is it silly to spend the $2500 on that and not finish the job?
I know this is a vague question, but if I don't have a lot of i'm wondering if I should just keep it stock and forget about it or is there a such thing as going "half way" and being happy with what you have.
Thanks for reading my ramblings, some suggestions and examples would be helpful in my decision. Do any of you have 4" lifts and 32" tires and haven't done anything else to it?
-Confused

 

[DOGMAN]

You've come to the right place if you're considering lifting your Explorer. Height of lift ultimately comes down to personal preference. I have a 91 with a 5.5" Superlift and am currently running 31x10.50's. That will change in two weeks when I install 33x12.50's. But you can do quite a bit with 31's and the lift to clear them, a 2.5" being good. Rancho and James Duff make that size lift and I hear they do a good job.

It's hard for anyone to get inside your head and figure out what will satisfy YOU, so my suggestion is to do as much research as possible before you do make a decision, it will save you money and time in the long run.

Realize too that, like any hobby, this build up bug tends to want to keep growing and expanding, which is part of the fun too. That's the reason most of us use this site, to get ideas from each other with our own customizing thrown in.

Any time you increase tire size appreciably, your performance will suffer without regearing. I'm currently running 31's with 4.10 gears, which is a good match. When I install 33's, I will change the ratio to 4.56, because that's where the power band is for the motor and tire combination. I ran 30x9.50's with my stock gears (3.55) and it was OK, but when I changed to 4.10 before installing the 31's, the power band was very good. You will actually get better mileage, to a point, when you match the correct gear ratio to the proper tire size. One thing this all heads toward is MORE MONEY. Gears and installation can easily be $1000, mine cost me $850. Throw in a traction device or two (which is a good idea since you have everything apart and that is really what makes you have a true 4WD) and the price keeps going up. I guess what I'm trying to say is that having a capable Explorer for off-road is a major kick, but to really do it right is going to set you back a decent chunk of change. It's the old adage "you get what you pay for".

I DO think you can install a 2.5" lift with 31's and get fairly good off-road performance. The best money you can spend though, in my opinion, is by adding a good traction device, at least to the rear. This could be a good limited slip, like an Auburn (that's what I run), or a locker like a Detroit or one of the new Gearless Lockers or No Slip by Powertrax, or an air activated locker, namely an ARB. These names might sound like a whole lot of gibberish right now, but if you research lockers and limited slips extensively, you will know what each one means. That is part of the fun too, learning something new.

In summation, only you know what fits you best. The best way for you to know what you want is to do as much research as possible. This will make you proud that you built the vehicle that you want, and will minimize the dissappointment of not going far enough the first time. But then again, a lot can be said for trial and error, although it does tend to cost more.

Oh yeah, it really is a good idea to go with manual hubs. I'm surprised your auto hubs still work. Most of the time they break with just minimal usage.

Good luck and keep asking questions.

DOGMAN