Why do i have different holes on my frame rails than everyone else? body lift bumper?

[ericradford01]

hey guys i finished the actual body lift on my ex last weekend and now i am just getting around to putting on the rear bumper. i was using that mudmarine tripod site or whatever about the guy doing a 3in body lift on the explorer and i noticed sumthing...

the holes in his rear frame rails are different than the ones in my rear? i will post a pic if someone can tell me how to? but i just cant believe that there would be different holes drilled from the factory in the framerails? i need to have a place to drill a new hole to put the bolts into but now there is a like a 3/4in hole kind of close to wear im suppose to drill the new one. really would appreciate the help if you get a chance IM me at oscardriver13

 

[fangz]

hi eric, the only way you can post piks without becoming a member is to link to another site. I use ford forums cause ya dont have to pay up any cash just to post some piks,, its free to join and register, here is a link to some piks of my truck and the ford forums site. http://gallery.fordforums.com//show...00/ppuser/23253, hope it helps , cya mate.

 

[chris_miller]

rear bumper bracket

I use kodak site, its free and I have several gigs of pictures there. You can create LINKS to the pictures.

I also use photobucket.com as they HOST pictures for you and you can then display them on this site as below. It can display a thumbnail which is clickable for a larger image. Both examples show below

The rear bracket on a 98 xlt sorta looks like the attached link,, But the holes were 1/2 inch as per the diagram but they need to be bigger,, about 14 mmm ?? I am guessing.

Also I dont like the bracket much,, I think it should have been shaped more like a triangle and that way you could get all three bolts thru the frame rail and it would certainly be a lot stronger. Mine is only 6mm thick steel and that also could be 8 mm. I could not use 8mm as the tow bar already was created with 6mm space between the frame rail and the bracket.

If you can't see the link, copy and paste the following directly into your browser:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=mj47glm.8r8oa5sq&x=0&y=8b5w8a

 

[410Fortune]

Ford changed the frames slightly from year to year, most Explorer's you are correct are identical but there are slight differences. Like for example a 03 Sport has a fully boxed frame, same frame as all the other year Sports, but they started boxing them to make them stronger

If I ever get the chance to build a sport this is the frame I would start from.