Superlift SOA done, now for the front

[akcrogers]

Finished my Superlift SOA last night. It started raining as I finished it up, so I don't have the 'after' pics yet, but I'll post pictures later this afternoon. My front lift should get here today, then I'll order any missing parts (know I need shocks and pitman arm) and I will hopefully be installing the lift over 4th of july weekend, and then the additional parts will go on early next week.

The SOA is a pretty easy and quick job, especially if you wd-40 all of the bolts several times in advance. the couple that I didn't hit with the wd were a real pain to get out. Almost all of the bolts on the back of the X are 18mm, so you only need a couple of sockets. I disconnected the parking brake, but because I was pulling the leafs instead of rolling the axle out of the way, I didn't disconnect the brake line or sensor (don't have my extended brake line yet and don't feel like bleeding the brakes twice). I knew that I wanted to swap the leafs while I was at it, so I jacked the back up high enough and pulled the leafs. Then cleaned out all of the dirt from inside the stock spring perch where the superlift bracket sits.

Side note- I don't know how anyone could think that the superlift bracket could slide, I see no reason to weld it on. Its bottom edges sit inside the lip on the stock spring perch that is welded to the axle. Once the u-bolts are on, for the superlift bracket to shift, the stock perch would have to break.

Anyways, marked the leafs left and right, and then swapped them. Put the superlift brackets in and set the leafs on top and then fought with the u-bolts for a while. I cut the stock shock ears off with a sawzall and those went on top to hold the ubolts. Torqued everything down. Then installed the new swaybar extensions, which fit fine, even around a non-stock exhaust. Finally, pounded the shocks back into place, which is going to be a pain to undo when I get the new shocks, but oh well.

Pictures tonight or whenever it stops raining. thanks to everyone who did this before me and posted info about it. It really makes a big difference going into something like this, and really knowing what you are doing. Well, time to get back to work on those rivets with the grinder

Oh, and there will be no problem with 35s on this beast. I mean, except for the $ problem...

 

[akcrogers]

+/- 5.5" Rake

Here are the pictures:

Before

Superlift SOA Kit 1160

SOA Leaf and Bracket shot

After

Another After

The front lift is here and I've started working on preping for that. I'm pretty sure I have the Ranger coils though, so I need to see if Superlift will switch them before I install them

 

[AlaskanJack]

Its pretty tricky dealing with Superlift on something like this.

I'll PM you

 

[akcrogers]

Got lots of little bits done today. Nothing worth posting yet. Just grinding off rivets all day. They were actually much easier than I expected, for the most part they popped right out after the head was ground off. It started raining just as I was getting ready to start on the axle pivot drop bracket rivets. Those are a real pain to get to btw.

Probably won't get much more done in the next few days but who knows.

 

[liquidx9]

i dont want to sound like an idiot, but i need to prove to my friend that we can use a superlift SOA kit on a 97 2wd 4 door, will this kit work, or was i wrong (i searched, dont kill me, just getting started on my suspension now, everything else is perfect)

 

[CarFreak146]

Sorry
This is a little off the subject of the thread, but akcrogers, is your front bumper a Smittybilt, and do you possibly know what style that is? (Since they make four, I'm just wondering. Is it Style A?)

 

[akcrogers]

liquidx9, I've never worked on a 97, so I have no clue if it will fit or not. I know some late models on this site have gone SOA, so they would be the ones to ask.

CarFreak146, I have no idea what that bumper is. I put it on as a temporary while I was waiting for my next stage lift. It was off a buddie's bronco and I just had brackets welded to it so it would fit...

 

[Josh S.]

Originally posted by akcrogers

Side note- I don't know how anyone could think that the superlift bracket could slide, I see no reason to weld it on. Its bottom edges sit inside the lip on the stock spring perch that is welded to the axle. Once the u-bolts are on, for the superlift bracket to shift, the stock perch would have to break.

Well, I'm kinda with you on this one, but kinda not. I never welded mine, and never had any serious problems. I have crushed 2 or 3 spring perches however, and not tacking them into place may have something to do with it. The perches still do have a bit of play in them(rotating around the axle forward and backwards), so this can cause the legs to get more stress when it goes back and forth, causing the legs to seperate at the welds from the top/side plate of the perch.

I know you just got this kit, but beware of Superlift's welds, they blow ass and will break if you romp. Thats why I got the main bracket reinforced in the front.

 

[AlaskanJack]

I want to see a pic of the mian bracket re enforced so I can have mine re enforced.

 

[akcrogers]

Worked hard yesterday and got both axle drop brackets and the passenger radius arm drop bracket arm. It all went pretty smooth. However, I made almost no progress at all today because the driver side radius arm bracket is going to fight me all the way. I got one of the bolts in, but the other just isn't lining up, its like the axle is too far forward by about a half inch. Need a longer pry bar I guess. Then its just waiting on the shocks, dd pitman, sway bar links, and brake lines to show up, and it will be back on its tires.

 

[AlaskanJack]

Did you get a drop pitman arm yet?

If not here is one on ebay superlift part number is 1109

going pretty cheap

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33585&item=2422414317

 

[akcrogers]

yeah, i bid on that ebay auction up to $45. He wants 10 something for shipping. I had a $20 off certificate at Summit, and it was $55 there, so I just went with that.

 

[splodo49]

soa

i have a 94xlt with 2" add a leafs in the rear and 2" shackles i want to keep them on when i do my soa im pretty sure its ok to do it but i was wondering if someone has done it and had problems.i have sky jacker 2" coils (at least thats what the box said but it feels like it lifted it more than 2")in the front with a camber kit and cj quick disconnects i was wondering if i could install the coil spacers with the 2" coils and not have to drop dwn the radius arms or the pitman arm.i would appreciate you help . (also will my after market camber and caster bushings be enough for 2 more inches.) thanks

 

[AlaskanJack]

Re: soa

Originally posted by splodo49
i have a 94xlt with 2" add a leafs in the rear and 2" shackles i want to keep them on when i do my soa im pretty sure its ok to do it but i was wondering if someone has done it and had problems.i have sky jacker 2" coils (at least thats what the box said but it feels like it lifted it more than 2")in the front with a camber kit and cj quick disconnects i was wondering if i could install the coil spacers with the 2" coils and not have to drop dwn the radius arms or the pitman arm.i would appreciate you help . (also will my after market camber and caster bushings be enough for 2 more inches.) thanks

Well I think you will have to do something to the front. If you go SOA in the rear with AAL and shackles you will be higher than what a 6" skyjacker with radius arm drop brackets will give you in front.

Maybe I am missing what you are saying. I am running a superlift 5.5" lift in front with axle drop brackets and extended radius arms. to level out the front to the rear I had to add F150 coil spacers. The rear is just a 4 dr leaf pack no AAl or shackles well stock shackles.

If you do what you are saying and just add 2" lift coils to the front and go with an SOA in the rear. You will look similar to AKCrogers pic in the beginning. The nose of the Ex will be diving down. But like I said maybe I missed something that you are saying.

 

[taxx]

Originally posted by akcrogers
liquidx9, I've never worked on a 97, so I have no clue if it will fit or not. I know some late models on this site have gone SOA, so they would be the ones to ask.

Yes it does. The rear ends are almost identicle. I think the only reason it is not marketed to us is the fact that superlift has no matching front.

I think the factory perches are a bit different so on a 2nd gen even the superlift perches have to be welded on, but I have been running them for a lnong time now. to do it over I would go a cheaper route and get the same quality perches. But I am happy.




BTW this install is looking nice.

 

[splodo49]

soa

Thanks for the info alaskanjack what i was saying is that i already have the coils and to add the spacers to try to get the front up some more.but now that i look at the pics if i do go with the soa with the aal and shackles that it would look funny.i had another question but you already answered it i was wondering if you could put spacers on a 5.5 inch lift but you already answered it thanks.

 

[Hermz]

Hey . Just got my 5.5 inch in, and I did the SOA conversion the same way as you, but the brake lines they gave me don't work! So I have to go down in the morning and get those, my explorer is pretty close to yours, cept for I'm going with a Safari rack and rectangle lights, I'll post some pics when its done.

 

[ProPhotog]

What kinda cash you guys talking on this SOA conversion? I thought about pissing the wife off and lifting her 2wd explorer XLT. That and I'm thinking of lifting my 94 2 door XL for the next storm chasing season. Superlift has the complete kit? I'm wanting 2.5 lift at the very least...really want 4-6. Then, well, where's the best place to re-gear these beasts from and rear for 33's?

 

[Hermz]

4wheelparts.com is the best. Most of the time there is free shipping. The 5.5" Kit is $650, w/o the radius arms.
And all you need to get extra is brake lines, don't get the brake lines that come with superlift get the pro comp ones from what I've read. So around $730 for full lift. But beware, the explorer comes with alot of rivets and some in very hard spaces if you don't have some good grinding tools than youll have to pay to get it done, 4wheelparts will do it all for you, but its $1900 with install.

 

[Josh S.]

cheapest would actually be to buy my xtra parts, then order the missing links through 4wheelparts...