Suspension --- suggestions

[richy2kool]

i have a 98 explorer sport and i want to redo the sespenion so i can carry heavier loads ... so i started changing parts ... i repleced all the bushings for the swaybars and i have the ones for the control arms but i getting a mechanic to do those ... i just bought bilstein shocks for the front and back ... now!!! ... i have a single leaf in the rear so i went and bought the leafs off a 98 or 99 reg. explorer the has the 4 leaf and i put in new bushings (that was a *****) anyway a friend of mine gave me new shackles to put in and he said it might lift the rear up about 1 1/2 to 2" so im going to have to a TT up front ... now for my questions.

1. will the leaf springs i got work for my truck
2. should i even bother getting thicker sway bars
3. what hardware should i change or replace or need to get to put these leafs in
4. can i add any springs or coil overs to front or back
5. i was looking all around the undercarriage and cant seem to find this fifth shock does anyone know if i have it on my truck and im not finding it
6. will this be to much hight for a TT

i would appreciate any and all help ... suggestions are great ... if anyone thinks i should do sumthing else or add sumthing please say sumthing ... again im doing this for heavier loads and towing

i thank everyone in advance for there time and help

 

[richy2kool]

wow nothing yet no responses ... well i can wait ... its not like i havent before ... it takes 3 or 4 days to get **** out of people

 

[colintrax]

Chill out.
How much weight are you trying to tow? Explorers aren't exactly designed to tow a lot of weight
1. Yes
2. That's up to you, it will handle better
3. You should be able to reuse all the hardware but I have a 4 door so I've never done that swap
4. You can, but it aint cheap or easy. Use the search function, a couple guys have done this
5. You should have the 5th shock, its mounted on top of the rear diff. Mounts sideways
6. If you're 2wd then thats fine, if 4wd expect the CVs to not live long. Of course ball joints don't like TT either

 

[richy2kool]

thanks for taking the time

the weight ... well .. my roof rack, toolbox, 2 spare tires, a box in the roof rack with a bunch of stuff, my jack, hitchgate, grill guard, 11 lights around the basket, 4 lights on roof, 2 on grill , and sum other stuff in the back , and a pop up trailer when i get it... i think thats it

i will be getting the thicker swaybars front and back

and that dam fifth shock ... i went to go look on my break and i still cant find it... its just not there

 

[Keeper0311]

It'll be on the passenger side of the axle, climb under the Explorer from the rear passenger door and look at the back of the pumpkin, you'll see it if you have one.

 

[AlexSport'00]

Sports don't have a fifth shock. It's due to the modded frame, if I read correctly.
Also, politely self bump yourself. Sometimes you'll end up posting on an off day or at a slow time. You posted originally at 2:38pm, on a Friday. Most people are at work at that time. Just sayin'

 

[2TimingTom]

Modifying suspension and carrying heavy loads- add-a-leaf. Before you put in the 4 door leaf pack to make it easier on yourself.

 

[richy2kool]

sorry alittle impatience needed sum answers before put all this work on my truck next week

yes i looked again and no fifth shock ... is that good or bad

as for adding a leaf ... thats not going to happen i already have the 4 leaf springs and i put new bushings in them and that was a ***** so now im using them

 

[2TimingTom]

Yeah, you sorta need the 4 door leaf packs to use an add-a-leaf. AAL will do more to improve load carrying than sway bars and bushings.

 

[AlexSport'00]

AAL (add a leaf) only works with the 4 door's leaf pack. Well, I guess you could technically put it on mono leaf out of a sport, but that's probably dumb. The AAL helps the leaf pack, so it's a good start.
The fifth shock was mainly to help with axle wrap....I think. Or something like that. Maybe. I think stability of some sort. Most trucks have a shock on each side of the axle (like if the right/rear shock is on the back of the axle, the left/rear shock would be on the front of the axle). The Ex has both on the rear of the axle, so the fifth shock put a shock on the front of the axle. You're fine without it. Seriously. A ton of the guys who had it on (so 4-door guys) took it off and claim no difference.
Sway bars and bushings help the handling, which is important when carrying large loads, but doesn't allow you to carry larger loads.
Look into products by Hellwig. Just google them. I've heard good things about the products and that they really help for carrying loads, but they aren't super cheap, so not many guys have stuff by them.

 

[OffTrac]

Helper springs might be useful. There's a set on mysporttrac.com from a member over there for $45.

http://mysporttrac.com/shared/msgboard9e.asp?BOARDNAME=SWAP&VIEW=1320795

 

[AlexSport'00]

With what OffTrac just said, those will help. Much cheaper than the Hellwig stuff, but also very different. At that price it's worth getting just to see if it's what you need.

 

[richy2kool]

again thank you for the help

i checked out the hellwig stuff and it is pricy but my trucks worth it ... im doing my shocks and stuff this staurday but i will be looking into this kind of helper stuff ... i never even thought of this stuff ... thanks

 

[richy2kool]

soooo after my last post i started looking around the net for alittle suspension helpers and came up with these couple of things ... if anybody has experience with these please let me know... thanks

http://www.suspensionconnection.com/cgi-bin/suscon/ssa3-ford-explorer.html

http://www.sdtrucksprings.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=3238&currency=USD

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221038901908?hlp=false

http://www.suspensionconnection.com/cgi-bin/suscon/59514-explorer-air-springs.html

i like the air system so i might get that anyway just for when im towing stuff ... and those timbren bumper stops look good also sooo i just might get a set of them also ... but for the everyday stuff im not sure where to go yet

 

[swshawaii]

i will be getting the thicker swaybars front and back

Definitely upgrade the rear sway bar for vastly improved handling and towing.

Ford revised the front sway bar for 98 models. They are now solid like our 95-97 part. These vehicles require only a rear sway bar to upgrade to X spec.

Changing the front probably isn't necessary since it's solid and meets EE X-Spec.

http://www.explorerexpress.com/swaybars-9803-explorer-sport-xspec-sway-rear-p-575.html

 

[AlexSport'00]

I've heard very good things about the Roadmaster stuff. No experience with the other items, but that first link that had some larger springs on top of the normal leafs (painted yellow) looks like it would make the ride real stiff and rough when you're nor towing, but I'm not sure.

 

[richy2kool]

yeah ... they look like a pretty good deal