Suspension Question on 98 ex

[joker1457]

So I have a 98 Explorer with a 4" Super lift. Im running 31" Hancook mud terrains. The issue isnt the power of the car but the suspention travel. We all know the front is the crappy IFS.

So my question is if I put coil overs in the front will that privide more stability when wheelin, the vehicle is very top heavy and because its also my daily driver rolling it is not on the top of my list.

Second if I remove the rear sway arm and links will that provide more travel or is the Super Lift that they make for these just for looks.

Any suggestion would be great I know the vehicle is capable of wheelin but the setup I have isnt workin well enough for my liking.

 

[rileyrs]

sway bars should help your travel alot. just make sure to put them back on for streets.
coilovers would help, but are expensive, i would jus do new shocks up front.

 

[gavin]

yes, disconnecting the sway bar will grealy improve the off-road ride.

I certainly do not recommend disconnecting the sway-bars for normal every-day driving (I did this once... 10 minutes at 65mph, and it was actually kinda scary as much as it swayed and bounced)

 

[joker1457]

yes, disconnecting the sway bar will grealy improve the off-road ride.

I certainly do not recommend disconnecting the sway-bars for normal every-day driving (I did this once... 10 minutes at 65mph, and it was actually kinda scary as much as it swayed and bounced)

I see you have done the Torsion Twist does it provide any more travel?

 

[gavin]

I see you have done the Torsion Twist does it provide any more travel?

no.
The only way to improve travel is with a new suspension.

All the torsion twist does is increase the ride height, which actually decreases the amount of droop left in the suspension.

 

[joker1457]

Ok good to know I noticed the other day that there are bump gaurds on the front. These only allow like 2" of upward travel. I think the superlift kit had additional bumpers that where placed in the front to keep the same travel. Question is can they be removed and if so will it cause the CV axles to tear apart if I flex the front end.

 

[gavin]

too much travel with the stock suspension/cvs can cause the cv's to bind up and blow up.

I know there's a thread around here somewhere where somebody actually had this happen. Although it was from too much downtravel, iirc.

to get more travel, you will need to get a long-travel suspension. Dixon Brothers Racing has such a kit, for the low low price of ~$3000

 

[joker1457]

Low Low price of $3000.00 lets get two. Well I guess my best option is the sway disconnects in the rear as far as the front goes Im still stumped I guess I will have to dream of a solid axle swap for it. Or buy an older model with the ttb. Time to put in a locker as well.

 

[gavin]

yeah, there's nothing you can do with the stock suspension in the front end.

The major factor of such low travel is due to the length of the control arms. Which is why the Dixon Bros kit is so expensive.

You get new upper and lower control arms, along with "custom" Porsche CV axles, iirc. Since lengthening the arms requires longer half shafts.

 

[joker1457]

yeah, there's nothing you can do with the stock suspension in the front end.

The major factor of such low travel is due to the length of the control arms. Which is why the Dixon Bros kit is so expensive.

You get new upper and lower control arms, along with "custom" Porsche CV axles, iirc. Since lengthening the arms requires longer half shafts.

So I made rear disconnects out of the original sway links got them all ready to go with clevis pins and washers. Took her for a drive in the mountains and I think I might leave them off it actually rides real nice. Only time i will put them on is for long trips and towing. I'm actually thinking of removing the front as well, any suggestions on the rear travel other then the sway links its still pretty sad as far as wheel travel goes.

 

[gavin]

So I made rear disconnects out of the original sway links got them all ready to go with clevis pins and washers. Took her for a drive in the mountains and I think I might leave them off it actually rides real nice. Only time i will put them on is for long trips and towing. I'm actually thinking of removing the front as well, any suggestions on the rear travel other then the sway links its still pretty sad as far as wheel travel goes.

I, personally, do not recommend disconnecting the front sway bar.
I did this a couple years back and wow, it was scary to drive! every bump, and the truck kept bouncing. A LOT of sway. The drive honestly scared me, so I put them back on.

only other thing you can do to the rear would be a custom leafpack.

 

[joker1457]

I, personally, do not recommend disconnecting the front sway bar.
I did this a couple years back and wow, it was scary to drive! every bump, and the truck kept bouncing. A LOT of sway. The drive honestly scared me, so I put them back on.

only other thing you can do to the rear would be a custom leafpack.

So I have to say taking the rear sway arms off gave me about 6'' more of travel. I took her up to Guanella this weekend and intoduced her to a couple of trees. All in all she wheeled pretty good got stuck in the same stream crossing both times but she got herself out. The front sway connects are realy limiting the front end which caused most of the issues I ran into this weekend if I take them out am I going to rip through CV's left and right. I broke the sway arm on the drivers side and have to say that angle that the CV goes into is quite scary. Can I buy upgraded CV's that will allow harsher angles?

 

[trj360]

So I have to say taking the rear sway arms off gave me about 6'' more of travel. I took her up to Guanella this weekend and intoduced her to a couple of trees. All in all she wheeled pretty good got stuck in the same stream crossing both times but she got herself out. The front sway connects are realy limiting the front end which caused most of the issues I ran into this weekend if I take them out am I going to rip through CV's left and right. I broke the sway arm on the drivers side and have to say that angle that the CV goes into is quite scary. Can I buy upgraded CV's that will allow harsher angles?

Do you have a locker in the front end? It helps a whole lot with IFS. You don't need as much travel because both tires are always spinning.

 

[joker1457]

Do you have a locker in the front end? It helps a whole lot with IFS. You don't need as much travel because both tires are always spinning.

I dont have any recommendations

 

[gavin]

I believe there was somebody that grenaded a CV when weeling without the front swaybar connected, I can't remember who it was though, or how long ago that thread was made.

but that's the only one that I remember seeing/reading.

 

[trj360]

I dont have any recommendations

what?

 

[joker1457]

Do you have any recommendations I dont have a locker......

 

[trj360]

Do you have any recommendations I dont have a locker......

ok i didn't understand what you were saying. I'm not sure how many companies actually make a locker for the explorer's IFS front axle but I know Aussie does. It's only around $250 and it's the best off road modification you can make to your vehicle. You can lift a front tire a foot off the ground and keep on going.

http://aussielocker.com/item.php/TM4779dc/2e60/06/306011/.html

 

[joker1457]

ok i didn't understand what you were saying. I'm not sure how many companies actually make a locker for the explorer's IFS front axle but I know Aussie does. It's only around $250 and it's the best off road modification you can make to your vehicle. You can lift a front tire a foot off the ground and keep on going.

http://aussielocker.com/item.php/TM4779dc/2e60/06/306011/.html

Good to know, are they hard to install im sure you have to pull the whole front end apart, but hell Ive done that enough should go pretty smoothly. How hard is it to install?

 

[joker1457]

One other thing my Ex has the auto 4x4 option which is great but I dont know if thats a good idea with a locker. Is there a way to bypass that or am I just screwed?