swapping shocks to the Automatic ride control units

[iggy1718]

Im really not happy with my KYB monomax shocks and Im looking at these monroe ARC shocks. They are non-electronic and look like they would mount right up. Has anyone done this? My friend has a 03 explorer and the ride quality is so much better! I know the newer ones have independent suspension all around and Im trying to get it closer to that kind of ride.

 

[Joe Dirt]

You're going to be hard pressed- the body-on-frame combined with a live axle is hard to get around. You could run your tires at 10psi... Not really- that would be ridiculously dangerous unless your on sand or in deep snow trailing...

 

[gijoecam]

Im really not happy with my KYB monomax shocks and Im looking at these monroe ARC shocks. They are non-electronic and look like they would mount right up. Has anyone done this? My friend has a 03 explorer and the ride quality is so much better! I know the newer ones have independent suspension all around and Im trying to get it closer to that kind of ride.

Seriously? You have the wrong truck... You have a torsion twist, body lift, and big off-road tires, and you wonder why it rides like a truck compared to an '03? Where's the mystery here??

Start with tire pressures... How high are you running them? What load range? Large truck tires generally equal stiff sidewalls.

Drop it back down to stock height, install stock c-load-range passenger car tires, pull the body lift, crank the t-bars back down to normal, .....

....and you'll still have a truck that rides like a truck.

You're not going to get the ride out of a solid axle truck-based SUV that you can get out of an IRS rear end. It's just not a realistic expectation.

 

[beach]

Yeh I agree, your sol, I have the air shocks, and their very nice, rides well for a 2nd gen... no where near a 3rd or 4th gen. It's a still a body on fram live rear axle truck based on an ollllllld chassis. Plus you have tt, bl, and 32's and your a short wheel base sport. There's nothing you can do, besides go back to stock settings with highway tires and even then its still going to ride like a choppy short wheel based truck.

 

[iggy1718]

Hmm interesting.

 

[iggy1718]

Im just disappointed in the KYBs they are nothing like they should be.

 

[Electrohacker]

you need to eliminate the stock susspension all together.

some how get air ride in there and you'll have a much better ride. but you'll have to re invent the wheel to do it

 

[iggy1718]

Is the air ride system intigrated into the computer or anything. Is it a seperate system that can be pulled from a donor truck?

 

[iggy1718]

Does anyone have a picture of the front end of the automatic ride control explorer? Do the shocks actually support the vehicle in place of the torsion bars?

 

[iggy1718]

And having a rough ride isnt the issue its the control I want out of it. Im used to driving sports cars with tight suspensions. I just want more control of the wheels. Im thinking the rancho rs9000 series for the front. and yes I know the explorer is nothing close to a sports car.

 

[Electrohacker]

then lower the truck.


the stock optional air system generally isnt worth the effort and only controls the rear an it was only to level the truck

no the torsion bars are on all models, you'd need to mod it for any type of coil or bag system

 

[gijoecam]

And having a rough ride isnt the issue its the control I want out of it. Im used to driving sports cars with tight suspensions. I just want more control of the wheels. Im thinking the rancho rs9000 series for the front. and yes I know the explorer is nothing close to a sports car.

You can't easily control a top-heavy SUV. It'll NEVER handle like a sports car.

For more control, lower it, install some heavy-duty sway bars and good quality shocks and that'll help. Nothing is going to make it as tight as a sports car though. Sorry. It's just the reality of the vehicle.

 

[iggy1718]

I swapped out the front KYBs with the Rancho5000s. BIG improvement. the KYBs felt stiff in my hands but they just didnt control the front end. Im giving the ranchos some time to wear in and see how they are. Does anyone know who or what other truck has a bigger rear sway bar that can be used that doesnt cost an arm and a leg?

 

[gijoecam]

Last I heard, Explorer Express made one. IIRC, Aldive had one on his.