What do I need to do to fit 33x10.5s | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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What do I need to do to fit 33x10.5s

Jeffbethandkidz

Well-Known Member
Joined
November 12, 2007
Messages
115
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City, State
Gypsum, Colorado
Year, Model & Trim Level
'94 Eddie Bauer
Hey everyone. Sorry it's been so long since I last posted. Lots of stuff going on. Anyway, I got the wife an Expedition so the 94 X is mine now to do what I want with. I don't want to get stupid big with it yet, just because the engine isn't done yet. I want to be ready for CCR2009 when it happens so....What do I need to do to get some 33x10.5s under it? Can I do it with a body lift? I'm not really ready to do a suspension lift yet because I plan on going SAS and SOA eventually, but probably not for a couple of years. Or I might consider some 31x10.5s also if it is easier. Right now the suspension is stock, but rebuilt with new everything and Energy Suspension bushings everywhere. I did a search but there is so much on this site I couldn't sift through it to find what I wanted. Thanks for the help.

Jeff
 



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I've got 31's under mine with plenty of room and just a body lift. From what I remember 33's will fit with a little trimming. Something to think about though is tires aren't inexpensive when you're going that big, so if you want to go with 33's I'd say do that right off the bat.
 






A Mild (read: CHEAP) 2" lift and a 2-3" Body lift will be able to fit 33x10.5 no problem..

I have a Mild Lift done on my X, and I have 31's....When I do a BL, I will go to 33's.

Ryan
 












I was thinking of a 2" body lift and probably the 31x10.50s. This will get me around pretty good, since I only have 4.10 gears. Don't see the need to regear again if I'm going SAS and SOA...won't reuse the 8.8 or the D35. I am having trouble finding a 2" body lift made by Energy Suspension. Does anyone know if it is available? Can anyone recommend a 2" body lift kit? I also am looking for a new steering shaft since mine has play in the slip yoke. Has anyone seen a replacement shaft that works with the 2" or 3" body lifts? Thanks again friends.
 






You should ask around on how the bumpers line up with a 2" body lift. The 3" does increase your steering linkage angles more but I suspect the bumpers don't line up as well? And you don't need a lift to just put 31's in there. They will fit on a stock 91-94 explorer.
 






I stuck a 31 in there once just to see what it would look like (on the front) and it fit ok with the truck on flat ground, but how would it be once I started to get agressive off road with it? I figure the fronts would get in the fenders under compression with the wheel turned. I don't want to trim the fenders at all...not my style. I also didn't mention that the reason I don't want to alter the suspension at this point is because I just put Bilstein shocks on all the way around and don't want to have replace them again. I need to build some swaybar disconnects for the front and rear, just don't have the time right now. I have to finish the wife's Expedition first before I will start another project.
 


















I would go with the 31's and save all the work and money for the real conversion (sas)

Serious, we had 31's last year and they seemed to do just fine. :thumbsup:
 












Can someone give me the measurements on the warrior shackles? I have access to all the necessary equipment to fab my own, and I found the front spring pieces supercheap, so I'm gonna go with that and see where it gets me. I'm hoping for the 33s. Thanks again
 












Ok, I'm going with the spring seats in the front, and shackles in the rear. Now what size tire can I fit without trimming? I'm gonna order tires today or tomarrow.
 






...Tire sizes for your X can be found here...;)
Dead Link Removed
 






Looks like I still can't fit any bigger than 31x10.5s without more lift. Oh well, here we go.
 






OK! Spring spacers and shackles installed! It didn't go to bad, except I had one upper shackle bolt sieze in the bushing for the frame. Nothing a little heat, Penetrating oil, balljoint press, and an Ingersoll-Rand 1/2" impact couldn't take care of! I had a friend of mine tig weld some shackles up for me (Thanks Ted for the illustration) and they turned out sweet! Super strong, no doubt about it. So much better than the crappy factory stamped steel ones. Especially since mine were beginning to rust out. The front spring spacers went in, but I fought getting them compressed enough to get them back into the perches. We don't have the little spring compressors like you see in the how-to-install post, we have the big wall mounted type for doing heavy duty strut/spring setups. So I manhandled them in with some big freaking Snap-on prybars and an old torsion bar I use as a hammer. And a ratchet strap to pull them back in towards the frame. I noticed my front shocks seem to be the limiting factor in how much articulation I have up front. The rears didn't seem to be to short though. Has anyone ever built some front shock extenders? I have a guy who can tig weld damn good, so I'm not to worried about them not being strong enough. And how about rear swaybar disconnects? I haven't figured out how to keep the bar and links out of the way after you disconnect them. Anyway, I love how much better it sets up...looks like a 4x4 should. It was looking like a 2wd...springs must be settling out. I would too after 15 years though. And an alignment is definetly a must...I had positive 2.5 degrees camber before I changed the cams...looked really crazy. Anyway, I'm gonna order my tires on Monday. Lets hear your opinions on tires. I already have my mind made up, but am curious what others like and pros and cons.
 






...BFG AT KO's would be my choice...:biggthump

...They are great in all conditions and last a long time...;)
 






Man, you would pick the one tire I hate the most. When I was in the dealer, we couldn't get those stupid tires to wear decently at all. Even now in the shop I'm at they don't wear right. They cup badly. What are you running? I'm leaning heavily toward the Toyo Open Country M/T. It looks alot like the Cooper STT, and has some similarities to the Goodyear MTR (not the new style with the Kevlar). I like Toyo better than the others.
 



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...I've been running those on my daily drivers since the 70's, mainly all F250's...;)

...I could see those problems if the tires were run at 32 psi and/or running bad shocks, and not rotating...I run mine at 45-48 psi, check the pressure weekly, and offroad them every chance I get...I also get new shocks and alignment with each new set's of tires..

...I've never had a problem with them cupping and I've drove them till the cords finally popped out...:biggthump
 






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