What upgrades to start with for getting into off-roading?

[Vikram]

i have a 95 XLT manual transmission, its been kept in very good condition as my father bought it brand new, but he gave it to me as a winter beater for the Minnesota winters and I plan to enjoy the hell out of it!

It's bone stock, but well maintained with Ford parts, just got a new set of tires on the stock 15" wheels (235/75/15)

I don't plan to do anything crazy, maybe find a big open field and drive around. What upgrades should I start with?

Do I need to lift it? I hear lifting can throw off the geometry of the suspension and cause lot of problems with ride quality and etc, so I rather not if i don't have to. what mods should i get? so far i just have a brush bar on the front and those raid guard things on the windows :/

 

[Mbrooks420]

Torsion twist, shackles, and tires will give you the most bang for your buck. If you don't go crazy with the lift, it'll be fine. If you stick with 30x9.5s you probably wouldn't need the TT. It's easy to do, and can be done with basic hand tools. Just costs the alignment.

 

[boominXplorer]

Start with supplies and recovery points. Tow hitch in rear and one in the front would be ideal (to get yanked out when stuck). A snatch strap, tools, jack ect.... are all good to have if traveling off road.

 

[boominXplorer]

I also need to add that the "brush guard" is not an acceptable to use as a recovery point, it will bend your front end to hell if you put a strap to it.

There is a simple bolt on front hitch or you could add tow hooks to the end of the frame rails (some valance trimming and custom work involved)

 

[RangerX]

I second the recovery points! Do it before anything else. Then go bomb around in a field and learn what it and you are capable of. Then think about which upgrades make sense for your needs.

 

[bigred4x4]

Start with supplies and recovery points. Tow hitch in rear and one in the front would be ideal (to get yanked out when stuck). A snatch strap, tools, jack ect.... are all good to have if traveling off road.

I most definitely agree that recovery points should be first before anything else even the most capable rigs get stuck. you have to have them! ..I regretted going lift and tires first when having to crawl in the mud and wrap a strap around the cross member or bending the rear bumper and ripping off a shackle on the ex I had before the one I have now . Class 3 trailer hitches aren't very expensive and I mainly use some frame mounted tow hooks in the front (also inexpensive for snatch strap recovery you also might want to get a hi lift Jack and the lift mate accessory could be had for about $100 and possibly even a winch but that'll be more costly but so nice to have especially if you go out alone and then I would worry about life and tires from there if you think you need them.

 

[bigred4x4]

If your on a budget then I would suggest a smittybilt 2"x20' recovery strap it is about the same price as the Walmart "tow strap" and has 4x the breaking strength and doesn't have the dangerous metal hooks on them I have two smittybilt straps and I've yet to have to replace them I've gone through probably half a dozen of those box store p.o.s in my early days of Wheeling. But whatever you choose just make sure it's a real recovery strap made for 4wd vehicles and not a "tow strap" that's probably only good for pulling a Prius out of an pot hole lol

 

[bigred4x4]

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/index.php?threads/offroad-checklist.199994/


Check this out as well

I literally carry about 85% of everything on that list at all times because having to walk out or find a lending hand from back stranger sucks it's happened to me twice but I guess that's my fault for going alone and it's not fun!

AAA is nice insurance to have as well

But if your just playing around in the dirt you should be fine with just the basics and if you plan on doing any water/mud extend your breather lines from your axles and t case and route them up higher it's simple and cheap also my 96 had a factory intake adaptor that pulled cooler air from behind (dropping your engine air intake level by about a foot) the bumper by pulling the fender and trashing that thing you'll be much better off in the soup.

 

[Bigred89]

Hey man I'm from MN too.. Hutchinson, I have a 98 explorer sport with a 5 speed and all I did is torsion bar lift and shackles and I fit 31x10.5s just fine, i only use my for off road so I also took out my sway bars for some more flex and have been out to freedom ridge in Atwater a few times with it, does pretty good in stock form and planning a trip to Appleton here in early October I also put a front skid plate on from rcimetalworks.com

 

[Stealthbowl]

My recommendation is Buy recovery items like a hitch, straps sand/mud boards I suggest an exhaust jack a behind the rear seat water tank and some sort of reliable on truck air for airing up tires and you can go to a jy and get a set of hooks to bolt to front frame off of a f250 plus proper recovery straps then do a tt shackle lift with a nice set of 31 10.50 r15 and you will have a decently capable truck to bugger about the wilderness with