Midgets new "Family Friendly" Project

[coverinearth]

Well with the wife due soon with our first baby. The YJ had to go away. And in place, i demanded that I find something, 4 door, 4wd, that I could still lift a little and be able to take camping and do some mild wheeling/exploring.

So in stepped this:

DSCN0479 by coverinearth, on Flickr

1998 Ford Explorer, 5.0L, AWD. 140k on the clock. Full power everything.

The best part, the price, $400.

It needed:
Fuel Pump
Brake Lines
Trans Cooler Lines
Wheels/Tires
Brakes all around
Rear spring shackles

Picked up a set of 33" Cooper STT's on Wheels for $300 immediately got those stuffed under it:

DSCN0493 by coverinearth, on Flickr

It needed some lift to clear em, and the rear shackles were rotted through. So i built my own lift shackles and cranked up the torsion bars about 2"

DSCI0022 by coverinearth, on Flickr

As it sits without the ghetto running boards. Gonna build some sliders, also working on a pre-runner-ish winch bumper for up front.

DSCI0034 by coverinearth, on Flickr

Brakes are all re-done as well:

Before:

DSCI0050 by coverinearth, on Flickr

After:

DSCI0051 by coverinearth, on Flickr

Thats it for now. Started working on the front bumper tonight. I'll get some pics of that up soon

-Nick

[joe_and_jeep]

That have AWD? Low Range? 5.0 might be fun

[tanz45]

Good deal Froto.

[IAmTodd]

Great looking Explorer! That's a really good deal too.

Sadly the AWD transferbox in these is single speed only. The BW4406 is bolt up if you want to put in the small Sport gas tank.

[coverinearth]

already looking for a manual shift bw4406 tcase. and ive heard of guys fitting them with the stock tank. Also looking into ditching the t-bars and goign coilvers up front.

[2002wranglerX]

already looking for a manual shift bw4406 tcase. and ive heard of guys fitting them with the stock tank. Also looking into ditching the t-bars and goign coilvers up front.

There's some 10" coilovers on Hrja pretty damn cheap.

[coverinearth]

awesome deal. but unfortunatly WAY too long. Even the guys running the 4" Superlift drop bracket kit and swapping to coilovers can only use a 6-6 1/2" Travel coilover.

Stock shock lengths are as follows:
Compressed:13.75"
Droop: 18.25"

-Nick

[Azzy]

Only two things I remember from working on a couple 90's fords (including the wife's old explorer) was that the ABS was safer to disable than fix, and that cruise either works 100% of the time (wont shot off) or doesnt.

Good price on that, its looking good so far!

[coverinearth]

0530131355 by coverinearth, on Flickr

Crazy hot outside today!

[coverinearth]

Progress.... my first time doin any kinda bending. Using poop-pipe, a harbor freight bender and a hand grinder this is what i've got...



DSCI0058 by coverinearth, on Flickr



DSCI0060 by coverinearth, on Flickr



DSCI0054 by coverinearth, on Flickr

[DMG]

Looks 100 times better than in the first pic.

[coverinearth]

The bumper is almost done...

DSCI0063 by coverinearth, on Flickr


DSCI0064 by coverinearth, on Flickr


DSCI0066 by coverinearth, on Flickr

[Azzy]

Digging it...

[coverinearth]

Little update.
DSCN7863 by cvrnrth, on Flickr

DSCN7864 by cvrnrth, on Flickr

DSCN7861 by cvrnrth, on Flickr

DSCN7860 by cvrnrth, on Flickr

Bumper is almost vomplete gotbsome light tabs and maybe some headlight guards. Just finished up the weld in sliders to fix the rotted rockers and gain some rocker clearance

DSCN7862 by [url=https://www.flickr.com/people/96673828@N03/]cvrnrth[/url

I think the stance is perfect for now. Only running a torsion twist in the front and a bastard pack made from 3" old man emu xj springs. I have a body lift sitting here but dont see the need yet. Curious to see how it does when i disco the front swaybar and flex it up. Built some quick discos for the front and took the rear off

[Sycotik Skier]

I dig it!

[coverinearth]

1223141302.jpg by cvrnrth, on Flickr

Debating on adding some headlight protection?