Why no lift for 3rd generations??

[minimagpro]

its really pissing me off that i got a 3rd generation explorer without doing research because clearly my 04 4x4 wasnt ment for offroad because currently there is not lift of any kind available (according to the guy at the 4x4 place here in town, said theres no suspension or body lift, coil spacers, or tortion twist)

has ford decided to make the explorer another soccer mom car?

cause i really wanna do some offroading here in tennessee and i dont want to sell my car and get a jeep or anything

 

[Robb]

has ford decided to make the explorer another soccer mom car?

Explorers were meant for soccer moms since 1991.

 

[BigDave!!!]

just today i actually passed a 3rd generation with probably a 3 inch lift. probably the 4th or 5th gen 3 i have seen lifted out here (san diego, CA) my guess is that it was a custom job though.

 

[Crankcase]

has ford decided to make the explorer another soccer mom car?

Basically. Something to do with axle shafts gong though the frame makes it unliftable.
Basically Ford sacrificed modability for ride comfort.

 

[jimbo74]

you cant lift a new explorer.... unless you do some wierd custom stuff and basically rip out the drivetrain and jsut use the shell.... the frame doesnt allow it

 

[huskyfan23]

Buy a first gen if you want offroadability. Cheap, solid rear, and infinite possibilities. You bought an '04 X to offroad?

 

[93liftedXLT]

Fabtech makes lift for all ford's 70-05...

 

[Hartman]

Fabtech makes lift for all ford's 70-05...

 

[dreamr]

Fabtech makes lift for all ford's 70-05...

Don't we all wish


There is no suspension kit available for the 3rd gens due to the axle going through the frame as Crankcase metioned.

If you want to clear a little bigger tire you could install a 3" body lift. There isn't a specific kit, but the ranger lift is close to a bolt on. You will need to make bumper brackets. It is generally the same for a second gen. Do a little searching there is a '03 on here somewhere with a Body Lift.

 

[Aquinoheat]

actually ya here in san diego, i see a lot. http://www.afstrucks.com has a few actually but i dont see one right now. They had a few posted up a few weeks ago.

I usually see them with on AT 33's.

These guys sell 3rd gen's with 33's also:
http://www.goodguysautosales.net

 

[jimbo74]

actually ya here in san diego, i see a lot. http://www.afstrucks.com has a few actually but i dont see one right now. They had a few posted up a few weeks ago.

I usually see them with on AT 33's.

These guys sell 3rd gen's with 33's also:
http://www.goodguysautosales.net

i did not see any third gen lifted in that add... and as others have mentioned, the third gen cannot be lifted due to its suspension design... a bodylift is possilbe, but not suspension umless the frame is pretty much scraped and they do a lot of custom work and are basically jsut using the shell

 

[93liftedXLT]

I was talking to a local guy yesturday, that made this lift http://www.fabtechmotorsports.com/html/ford4wd04f150.html work for his 03 xlt 4x4..go figure

 

[jimbo74]

do you have any proof to back that up? the explroer and the expedition are not the same..... and its very unlikely that the parts underneath are....

 

[dreamr]

do you have any proof to back that up? the explroer and the expedition are not the same..... and its very unlikely that the parts underneath are....

Agreed.

The rear suspension is quite different actually.
I believe also that the Expedition retained a solid rear axle untill more recently than the X.

And yes I have seen a 3rd gen on 35's but it was using a prototype 2.5" suspension designed by Rancho with heavy modification to the frame. As well as a body lift and a lot of fender chopping.

Anything is possible with enough cash, but there is no kit for the 3rd gen X's, and no easy way to lift the suspension without serious modifications.
All of the links posted above only verify this.

Note that Fabtech makes kits for the Expedition only till '03, and nothing at all is listed for any generation of Explorer 4x4. The f-150 is an entirerly different set-up and is deffinately liftable. I did find new Sport Tracs lifted, but they retain the solid rear axle unlike the IRS Explorers.

Not to be mean or anything, but unless you have pictures to show us and proof of how it was done I don't believe it is possible without basicly redesigning the chassis.

Or swapping an 8.8 out back and a D44 up front

 

[chrisrbarrow]

Rancho is coming out with one!

http://www.gorancho.com/news/2004/news110804d.stm

Also KW suspensions but they have been saying that for almost 2 years now.

 

[PEP]

i did not see any third gen lifted in that add... and as others have mentioned, the third gen cannot be lifted due to its suspension design... a bodylift is possilbe, but not suspension umless the frame is pretty much scraped and they do a lot of custom work and are basically jsut using the shell

They have one on their website:

 

[dreamr]

They have one on their website:

Body lift I bet notice the exposed frame rails.

That's cool that Rancho is considering releasing the coil-overs they developed a few years back for desert racing Hopefully it doesn't take them till the next generation is out to release them.

So just out of curiosity how many of you with third gens have actually wheeled your rigs hard?? I am curious how they do with the much wider body and very limited wheel travel? No I am not trying to be a smart a**, I am truly curious.

 

[chrisrbarrow]

I have a 03 4x4 xlt and am very impressed w/ the 4x4 auto, I do a lot of duck hunting and where I launch my boat, it is always muddy and with deep ruts from the large 4x4x's out there, one guy looked at me and said that I was going to get stuck, well, he was wrong. The ruts and the humps I had to clear was about 8 Inches deep, any way I was able to launch the boat but I drug underneath so much that it knocked the float in my gas tank, so when I fill up with gas, the gauge would sometimes read empty, but that is fixed. As for the 4x4 high and low they work fine but wish I had more ground clearance!

 

[dreamr]

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=108938&highlight=35s+rancho+tires+3rd+gen

Here's the desert runner 3rd gen mentioned earlier. Anything can be done with cash. Still not worth it IMO.
And a link to their site.
www.douglasmotorsports.com

 

[Aquinoheat]

They have one on their website:

Hey thats funny cuz i went there two weeks ago considering to buy that exact one.