Super Swampers on a 98?

[thump96@aol.com]

I have a 98 AWD four door. I'm going to use a 1 1/2" add a leaf in the rear and crank the torsion bars 1 1/2". I would like to use my factory 16" wheels with a set of Super Swampers. My only choice are :

265/80/16 (if I have to)
33x10.5r16 (a little too big?)
32x11.5r16 (thinking they would look great)

I don't do a whole lot of off roading but I do love the look of the Swampers!!

Thanks for any and all help.

Ryan

 

[Kyle K.]

hey ryan have you seen the new swamper SSR ? they have the same look but offer a better street ride and handling, they only have 2 16" sizes that i know of, a 265/70 and also a 31-12.50 which would give you that look but still short enough to help fuel economy. hope this helps. oh and when youre thinking about tires from 265/70 all the way to 33? you need to consider gearing.

 

[Shaggy]

If you have never owned a set of serious mud tires you might want to reconsider. I had a set of 10/15 (29.5 x 10.5) ground hawgs on my 92 for a while. The looked great, but were a horror on the street. They would not balance, they shook the entire vehicle at any speed over 10 mph, and whined so loud you had to scream at the passengers to be herd. They were also much rougher than radial tires, and gas milage suffered as well. They looked real mean and threw mud better than any tire I've ever seen, though. The new SSR's might be better. If you drive on the street a lot, talk to some that has a set before you buy.

 

[EXPLORER SPORT]

Thats a good point shaggy. I have a 91 sport and i ran 33" super swampers for a while but boy are they loud. I guess there is one good thing about running tires like that around town, You get people turning their heads just for a second look. I like that part Dead Link Removed Later all...

 

[Shaggy]

I ran the Hawgs backwards on the front axle every now and then. I could be heard MILES away. Too much of a good thing can be bad. They were just about as loud as a friends wore down 35" Boggers, but with a higher pitch. I drive 75-100 miles a day and could not bear the damn things. I don't mean to be a downer, get 'em if you really want 'em.

[This message has been edited by Shaggy (edited 04-28-99).]

 

[Jordan714]

I am not sure about what size to use right now either. I am new to the Explorer world but I am looking for a good lift kit for my 98 Explorer XLT. I only have 2wd but I want a bigger look for some light off-roading. I am thinking about trying to find a 3inch lift and some 32 or 33's? Whatcha all think about that? Also, I heard raising the torsions in the front and blocking the back works BUT your ride is REALLY STIFF then. Good luck!

 

[bachelor25]

Ryan,

I've done the torsion bar/add a leaf lift on my '96 4WD 4DR Explorer and have 31x10.5 Yokohama Geolandar A/T's on it. I actually had the 31's on for 6 months before the lift with no problems, I just now have much better clearance and better appearance. From the recent 4'wheeling I've done since the lift, I know I could go with a 33x9.5 M/T but nothing much wider. (Too bad they don't make a 33x10.5, would be perfect!) I'm sure you could fit 32x11.5 on after the lift (looking at mine I know I could) but you might experience some rubbing at full wheel lock in front, and full compression in rear.

Jordan,

The torsion bar/add-a-leaf does stiffen the ride up a bit on the Explorer, but my truck handles better now than it ever did before. I have increased load carrying capacity in the rear now, and more ground clearance. The truck corners more level now, and my fiance says she doesn't really notice any difference when she's in it. (Women are the ultimate test of vehicle comfort) <G> I only wish I had done it 3 years ago when I first bought it. After replacing the old and worn shocks with a set of the new Edelbrock IAS shocks, I will probably be removing the swaybars, as I'll have that much more ride stiffness. Removing the swaybars will improve my wheel travel immensely. Hopefully it'll all be a win/win situation?

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Cheers,

Andrew B.
1996 Ford Explorer 4x4 (slightly modified)
BC, Canada

 

[Jordan714]

Andrew,

Thanks for the info. I was talking about raising the torsions in the front about 2" and blocking the rear about 1 1/2". What do you think about doing that? Most people that I have talked to say DONT DO IT YOU WILL REUIN EVERYTHING????? HELP!

Jordan
98 XLT 2wd
Irvine, CA

 

[EXPLORER SPORT]

How do you plan to block or put blocks in the rear? Have you checked out your springs yet. You first need to get the springs on top. If you put blocks in the way it is now, you'll lower it. Later...

 

[ExplorGM]

Jordan714/Thump96
Here are some pictures of my Explorer with 32x11.5/16 tires on the stock rims (16x7). 2 inch torsion lift in the front and 1.5 inch shackle lift in the rear.
www.hometown.aol.com/explorgm/Explorer/index.htm
www.hometown.aol.com/explorgm/trailer/index.htm
www.hometown.aol.com/explorgm/pictures/index.htm
The ride is fine. Plenty of room except for slight rubbing at full lock on the torsion bar. Edelbrock IAS shocks should eliminate the bar. I'll probably lower it to 1.5 inches of lift in the front to ease some of the stress on the bearings and cv joints since there is plenty of travel room both front and rear.
If you have any questions please feel free to e-mail me or check back to my web page in the future (when I have time to finish!) for a complete description of the lift procedure on page 2. ExplorGm@aol.com

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RickG
95 Explorer Sport Expedition

 

[tech1]

hay explorer-gm are those baja hp's or just baja's how are thay on the street i just orderd ne ar rims 16X8 and thinking of upgrading my tires to I think that the wider rims way not rub like yours and I might use a spacer on the front to help it what do you think Thks Jamie

 

[Paul Gagnon]

RickG

How come I can't see your pictures when I go to your page?

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Paul Gagnon
Dead Link Removed

 

[bachelor25]

Jordan,

Explorer Sport is right. The Explorer comes with a SUA rear, so blocks are not an option. But your sources are correct, if it was SOA and you used blocks to raise it, your ride would suffer. I have a friend with a Cherokee Sport, and he used blocks to raise it 2" in the rear. His ride quality is very harsh in the rear now, but it's a cheap solution I guess.

I went with the add-a-leaf. It was only $225, done at a great suspension shop that has plenty of 4x4 experience. Not only did I get 2.5" of lift, but several other handling and load carrying advantages. Shackles are another cheaper solution, but you don't gain any other advantages than height, and are limited to the amount of lift. Hope this helps you make a decision.

I should have pictures up on Rick's website shortly!

------------------
Cheers,

Andrew B.
1996 Ford Explorer 4x4 (slightly modified)
BC, Canada

 

[ExplorGM]

Tech1,
They are Baja Belted. They are probably less street-able than the HPs. They ride fine on the street, but they whine like a pack or banshees! The gas mileage has been cut by 2-3mpg. There is a significant power "loss" as well. On the plus side, they out handle the old stock tires off road hands down. They also upgrade the appearance of the truck so much that strangers, friends, and employees comment positively almost daily!

Paul,
You should be able to see the pictures now. I've been having trouble with AOL's PP3. There are 5 pages to the site. (1) Intro w/pics, (2) Lift instructions, (3) WWII "Matching" Trailer, (4) more pics, and (5) Clearance page showing the tires and fenders/spoiler more closely for those that have questions about tire fitment.
The HTML and photography are pretty new to me so it might take me awhile to het it ironed out! I have some off-road pictures to develop, and publish as well, hopefully soon! Not much spare time these days!
Thanks for the interest!
Rick

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RickG
95 Explorer Sport Expedition