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  • #16
    Re: Got me a new toy!

    Originally posted by DanStokes
    My advise - lower it if you can. It's about the only thing you can do to it to make it more stable and not look weird - gotta be either lower or wider. Suspension helps too, of course, but I have no clue as to what's available for these, and I suspect it will be pricer than lowering.

    In any case, have fun and enjoy. Anything can be fun if you play with it.

    Later
    Dan
    I hadn't considered lowering it. I did notice that it has a tendency to flounder, but I know part of that is the worn out shocks and the oddball tire. Lowering it an inch or two will probably help it's asthetics and it's handling. I'll need to look at the wheel wells to see how much room there is to pla with once I get back from this underway period.

    Comment


    • #17
      Re: Got me a new toy!

      I haven't messed with lowering a 4x4, but I'm guessing it's doable. Heck, ANYTHING'S doable! Getting 4 tars (NC for tires - I'm learning the language) that know each other has GOT to help, as well as shocks that still have all (oil) in them. Shock oil is the equivalent of electronic smoke - they don't work if you let it out.

      Have fun and come back safe
      Dan

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      • #18
        Re: Got me a new toy!

        Originally posted by HillbillySailor
        I hadn't considered lowering it. I did notice that it has a tendency to flounder, but I know part of that is the worn out shocks and the oddball tire. Lowering it an inch or two will probably help it's asthetics and it's handling. I'll need to look at the wheel wells to see how much room there is to pla with once I get back from this underway period.
        Hey fellow sailor,
        Just messin' with you. It is a Ford, I just thought Exploder was funny.
        I think Dan's advise to lower it is an excellent idea and sound.
        The "floundering" symptom you mentioned is not all from worn out shocks and an oddball tire.
        It's the design.

        As everyone says, come back safe and then have fun and enjoy !!!

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        • #19
          Re: Got me a new toy!

          Navy,


          Due to mil-pay & duty stations, yours truly had ZERO

          for a POV during my entire six-year hitch. :o


          Corcorans, low-quarters & Nikes were my "daily-drivers".


          Lots of wishes, intentions and plans are necessarily deferred

          (aka sacrificed) while serving your nation, but think of it as

          "Duty Now, For The Future". It doesn't matter what you drive,

          so long as it keeps you on the road to your dreams.


          Your skill-sets, commitment, desire-to-learn and discipline

          are the investments you're making in yourself that will pay

          dividends in all your endeavors, for the rest of your life.


          Your day's coming, bro'!! -- 8)

          Comment


          • #20
            Re: Got me a new toy!

            Did a little research on lowering an Explorer. Turns out there's a company that has a kit for it (called the X-SPEC kit). It includes a new sway bar, Edelbrock shocks, camber plates, and all the other stuff needed to do the job. And...it seems all I have to do to lower the rear of it (since it's an Explorer Sport) is relocate the spacers to the top of the leaf spring from the bottom and bolt everything back up. The kit and spacer swap will lower it 1 3/8 inches. It's supposed to help the floundering problem. They say it's almost like driving and riding in a car. I've always had reservations about lowering cars and trucks, especially the 4WD variety, but the last thing I want to do is flip ass-over-tea kettle down the interstate in an SUV. I've done that once and don't care to do it again.

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            • #21
              Re: Got me a new toy!

              Don't mean to imply you don't know what you're looking at, but I have a '97 Explorer XLT, and when it start to turn a little funny it was due to a broken sway bar end link. Seems there was a recall on it by Ford, but it only applied if they were broken, so if you had an un-broken bad part they wouldn't replace it. So anyway, didn't see anything until I put it up in the air since I'm literally shadetree (no garage, no carport, lifting one side at a time with a floor jack & stands). The Moog's on there now work great. Also Addco makes a sets of beefier 1 1/2" front/ 7/8" rear sway bars.

              The other thing to consider, is that you basically driving a station wagon bolted to a Ranger chassis. My Uncle's got a '94 Ranger and laying under it is the same as my Explorer. You have a truck, unless you toss the suspension for new it's going to drive like a truck.

              Also check out http://www.ford-trucks.com/ it's a pretty cool site with lots of info.
              sigpic

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              • #22
                Re: Got me a new toy!

                This dude made a sleeper out of one. I know how you love sleepers ;)

                -2000 Explorer 5.0 AWD.... Holset HX35 12cm, Tial WG, GReddy RS BOV, 80mm Lightning MAF, 39lb. Cobra injectors, AEM UEGO wideband, 3" straight exhaust, and alot more.. Tuned by Henson Performance.

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                • #23
                  Re: Got me a new toy!

                  Originally posted by joebogey
                  The other thing to consider, is that you basically driving a station wagon bolted to a Ranger chassis. My Uncle's got a '94 Ranger and laying under it is the same as my Explorer. You have a truck, unless you toss the suspension for new it's going to drive like a truck.
                  I've owned SUV's for quite some time, so I understand that it's going to drive like a truck...hence why I'm taking the advice to lower it Not upgrading the Ranger suspension when they put it under the first and second generation Explorer is one of the main reasons the thing has a roll-over problem. Instead of fixing the problem what does Ford do? "Hey, let's just have the customer drop the tire pressure to 26 PSI!" Did dropping the air pressure work? Yes, but then it caused a new problem of the tire getting too hot and having the tread peel off of it at speed. Kinda reminds you of Ford with it's Pinto problem doesn't it?

                  I like the pic of that Explorer Justin! That's exactly the look I'd go for!

                  Comment


                  • #24
                    Re: Got me a new toy!

                    Cool, sounds like you got it under control.
                    I would make sure you have both front and rear sway bars, the beefier the better.
                    It really improved the cornering on my '01 Tacoma PreRunner.
                    Good luck.

                    Comment


                    • #25
                      Re: Got me a new toy!

                      Originally posted by HillbillySailor
                      Not upgrading the Ranger suspension when they put it under the first and second generation Explorer is one of the main reasons the thing has a roll-over problem. Instead of fixing the problem what does Ford do? "Hey, let's just have the customer drop the tire pressure to 26 PSI!" Did dropping the air pressure work? Yes, but then it caused a new problem of the tire getting too hot and having the tread peel off of it at speed. Kinda reminds you of Ford with it's Pinto problem doesn't it?
                      Absolutely, plus it was compounded by people that have no idea what to due in a blowout (not that it would apply to all), with driving cars with traction control & ABS. I had to drive my father-in-laws Maxima once in the snow. I was all over the road until I turned the traction control off, then it was smooth sailing. ;D

                      Also, that's a cool Explorer in the pic, hmm... may have to do something this weekend...
                      sigpic

                      Comment


                      • #26
                        Re: Got me a new toy!

                        Originally posted by White Monster
                        Cool, sounds like you got it under control.
                        I would make sure you have both front and rear sway bars, the beefier the better.
                        It really improved the cornering on my '01 Tacoma PreRunner.
                        Good luck.
                        I'll need to crawl under it to be sure ,but I think it already has sway bars. If it does have them, it will be the hollow ones. Turns out that they didn't get solid sway bars until a couple of years later. I may go to the junkyard and pull a set off of a later model and put them on mine.

                        Comment


                        • #27
                          Re: Got me a new toy!

                          Don't let 'em sway you, Hillbilly. A good beater daily for cheap is hard to beat.

                          BTW, what's your rate and what ship are you on? I was a DS2 when I got out after 6 on the USS Constellation. Right after I got out they decommissioned my rate and my ship.

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                          • #28
                            Re: Got me a new toy!

                            Ha, Data Specialist.

                            I was thinking about that one, but eventually went with Electronics Technician (ET).
                            Hadn't heard they retired your rating though.
                            Time fly's
                            ;)

                            Comment


                            • #29
                              Re: Got me a new toy!

                              yea man, dont take any crap about daily drivers. (or sleeper to-be's)

                              i daily drive a dented four door aspire :-[

                              ps. how about i get a new signature? perhaps P.A.P.E.R.C.L.I.P.?

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                Re: Got me a new toy!

                                Gotten Cheep, ya can always fix and trade or sell for that Muscle car or Truck down the road.

                                If ya want you can make it whatever you want it to be, its yours. Excited? why not, its a project.

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