Project Vulture

[Fix4Dirt]

Well, to day I went to the sand pit and finally tested the TOD while the 4WD lights were flashing, and the TOD was indeed disabled. Cutting the engine does reset it, and until 30 MPH is maintained for 10-15 seconds continuously, TOD works as it should. No new news, but I wanted to play with true 2WD before attempting to fix.

Still got to isolate the speed sensor, still haven't poked around the T-case. Spring is on the way, though, so I gotta hurry up and get her ready for the Uwharrie run later this year!

you can get 2wd with the BWM. the end result is no different than this afaik, since no power goes to the Tcase anyways

 

[DintDobbs]

@Fix4Dirt Incidentally, the BWM was suggested earlier in this thread. The good thing about the BWM is that you can turn TOD back on! I can't grasp the function of purposefully disabling the TOD; like, is the idea to just reduce traction? It doesn't save gas.

If anybody knows the name of the T-case output sensor, or knows where I can find one, I'd appreciate suggestions. Picking randoms from junk yards doesn't seem like a great idea.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

@Fix4Dirt Incidentally, the BWM was suggested earlier in this thread. The good thing about the BWM is that you can turn TOD back on! I can't grasp the function of purposefully disabling the TOD; like, is the idea to just reduce traction? It doesn't save gas.

If anybody knows the name of the T-case output sensor, or knows where I can find one, I'd appreciate suggestions. Picking randoms from junk yards doesn't seem like a great idea.

the point is usually if one adds front LS/locker/etc it won't lock up if you have a lunchbox locker (since then turning sucks) and it also works for example when you dont want controltrac to come on, for some could be hitting just a tiny patch of ice, or if youre used to RWD, etc. or if you like burnouts? or in this case ot keep TOD off during normal driving if thats your thing

 

[DintDobbs]

@Fix4Dirt For lockers, I can grasp it, although in honesty, if you going to lock the diff, you should be in 4WD any way. Oh well, to each his own!

Been checking other threads again to discuss similar issues, this one is interesting, although the issue discussed didn't have the 4WD lights flashing. In his case, it was the front output shaft Hall effect sensor.

4405 Transfer case Auto not engaging

Noticed this starting a month ago turning right on a wet road. Rear tires spun easily, fronts didn't seem to pull at all. Took it to the dirt and sure enough, front axle never engages in Auto. In 4WDhi or 4WDlow it works as it should. Front axle locked to rear. This seems to point to the...

www.explorerforum.com

In my case... I guess I can check out that relay behind the radio. Not fun, but not hard. May be I'll get lucky and it's caused by some obvious thing I'm overlooking.

I've got an ABS code again, this time it's C1233, left front. I don't care, ABS still works. If it ever stops working, I'll know to check both front sensors first (never replaced the right front, code never came back).

Examining the Hall effect and the principles upon which we harness it, it's nigh incredible to imagine that we can actually get it to work consistently and reliably in the first place. When God made Adam and Eve, ya figure he knew how long it would take for us to figure this stuff out?

The good news is that I learned the closely-protected name of this "transfer case hall effect sensor". Time to read up on @Glacier991 's 4405 rebuild thread!

 

[DintDobbs]

Here's a useful thread in case anybody else wants to use it, in the event that your Hall effect sensors are suspected of failure.

Testing hall effect sensors

does anyone know how to test and/or the pin out for the hall effect sensors for the control track in the t/c? I have already cleaned them and changed the fluid with no change so I am pretty sure one of them is bad but money is tight and don't want to replace both if I don't need to. Thanks...

www.explorerforum.com

Don't know how I overlooked this when I searched around before.

 

[DintDobbs]

Having made a few outings recently, I've decided that the time has come to pick the rear end up another inch or two. It scrubs on flex under load, which is not cool. Time to add a leaf.

I'm currently running the 1.5" lifted OME CS042R's with overload leaf removed; does anybody have experience with the OME D10XL (Dakar) AAL? I've noticed they tend to be favored here, but most threads on them are 10+ years old. I know Fabtech, Torch, Supreme Suspensions, etc. make a number of universal and application-specific options, but I'm interested in the OME because it's designed for this spring pack.

My question is, can I expect extra height from this AAL? Nowhere does OME advertise it as a lifting AAL. I don't want to spend the money if it's just a fancy overload spring.

 

[DemonMudder]

Too bad you're that far north, I've got a single aal that I was going to throw on mine and never did, never got the other one either, but still. You're still adding a leaf to the pack, which will increase it a tad either way, if it's from ome then it'll probably be a lift one, think that's who I got mine through too

 

[DintDobbs]

Welp, bought 'em. OME D10XL, incoming. I expect a small lift due to it being designed for the CS042R; my springs are sagging and this will at least bring it back up.

Strange that I didn't find any real info about this AAL on this forum. I'd have thought many would find it useful, being that it's built for that pack. Including @Fix4Dirt , since I know you might like a bit more lugging capability.

@DemonMudder The real issue is that since I already have the OME 1.5" lifted spring packs, and this is designed to go with those spring packs, I assume the arch would keep it at 1.5", rather than lifting. I removed the overload leaf to bring it up closer to 2" (spring under axle means that more springs = less height), but it sags badly under load, so now it's worth keeping it at 1.5" to prevent it from sagging more. On the flip side, if it's designed to keep it at 1.5" with the overload spring in, then I've got the advantage because with the overload spring removed, it'll go back up to 2". I'll report back after I put 'em on, which will hopefully be before Uwharrie 2023.

 

[DintDobbs]

I'm at my wit's end again with the TOD. Replaced both ABS wheel speed sensors with Motorcraft, and it fixed the right front issues completely. Left front still reports missing signal. I tried putting light bulb grease on the contacts to see if it was a loose connection, but that didn't correct it. Every thing I've come up with leads to a dead end. Guess it's back to the diagrams...

 

[DintDobbs]

Halfway through the AAL process, got one spring pack hung bolted back up, but had to cut the center pin out of the second one. Waiting for a new pin to ship from ARB... could be a little while.

For posterity:

When you buy the Old Man Emu CS042R Leaf Spring Packs, helpful associated parts are:

Front and Rear Bushings: Dayton RB131 and RB237
Add-A-Leaf: Old Man Emu D10XL
Center pin: ARB/Old Man Emu UCB5

You might also want to consider extended rear soft brake hoses; I noticed how close these are to their limit when the rear end is off the ground. My single-digit IQ decided not to think of photographing it.

 

[Turdle]

Betty's "I want to be a mule" progress log thread

The new turd mobile. 2000 Mountaineer v8 awd. The bad: Was living it's prior life on a dusty road. Must tear out interior and deep clean. Driver window off track "or something" and will not roll down. It tries but the rear part wants to stay up. 3 out of 4 door handles have issues. I have...

www.explorerforum.com

For extending the rear brake line

 

[DintDobbs]

Well'p, been around the block chasing the flashing 4x4 Hi / Low lights. 30 MPH, 20 seconds, 6 flashes. Nothing gives.

Chased it down to the front ABS wheel speed sensors, input was missing on both sides so I replaced both sensors with Motorcraft. Previous was Timken, junkyard truck also had Timken - anybody know what they were made with from the factory? I assume Timken, since OEM was Timken hubs, but not sure.

After replacement, the left front signal was still missing, so I swapped sides and ran to the parts store for a scan... Guess what? No stored ABS codes! Ran it around the block again, got six flashes, went back to parts store for a second scan, and still no stored ABS codes, before cutting the engine or after cutting the engine.

I did NOT reset the PCM before the first test drive, and stored CEL from previous trip (P0455) was still present.

I am, once again, at my wit's end. I could more closely inspect the wiring around the TC, or I could just throw a rebuilt 4405 on and see what happens... but I don't have a parts cannon yet, and I have a big trip coming up.

 

[DintDobbs]

In other news, I knocked down exactly one tree and cracked my front bumper in a third place on my last outing, so a front bumper is on the list of minor improvements. I'd like something strong first and lightweight second, akin to the Dixon Bros. Racing Ranger bumper and definitely NOT like Affordable Offroad's Explorer winch bumper.

Some thing like this, but may be doesn't stick out as far. Ideally, it would be bolted to the factory bumper mounts AND welded to the hitch receiver bar, for that extra strength and potentially a place to mount a skid plate, if I ever decide I want one. I'll have to devise some creative means of mounting the factory fog lights underneath it, as these are indispensable for night driving on road.

Yeesh! Not my style, thanks. Nice touch though, having tow hook tabs preinstalled. This bumper is winch-ready though, for those who are interested...

Thought long and hard, and I do not want to run a winch on this build. If I change my mind, fabricating a mounting plate that fits into my 2" front hitch receiver will be easy, cheap, and really ugly.

PAExplorer had a nice bumper, this is sorta what I'm looking for.

Ideas, thoughts, thoughts, ideas... Meanwhile, I'll keep a sharp eye locally. If something nice looking pops up at the junk yard, I could take an existing bar and have new mounting brackets fabricated to fit my Ex. That'd be easier and cheaper.

 

[TexasBear]

Thanks man. I really liked the look it had stock, with the wide fender flares and gray trim, but I couldn't learn to like the low ground clearance and tiny wheel wells. Thinking of regearing to 5.13's eventually, though, to handle those fat rubbers. I'm a torquemonger. Making one modification requires another, and if you don't keep it basic, you got to go full blown. But the Vulture must remain basic enough to daily.

Ford made a product that lasts 300k with literally no maintenance other than oil changes, so I figure the less I change its core components, the longer it will last. But at the same time, when it does come time to replace parts, replacing them with bigger and better just kinda makes sense, for "us" people.

On note of "us" people, you've got one mean looking rig yourself! No single part of it receives all of the budget, it looks like a purist's truck should. Kudos!

Firstly, thanks for sharing both details and pics! I share some of the same concerns with regards to a desire to retain as much of the original truck as possible, to preserve its function as a daily drive. However, with the beach being a measly 30 minute drive away, I really want some better than stock clearance and some decent rubber under it.
I’ve held off making any mods as yet because I don’t want to waste time and money doing anything twice!

Mine is a ‘96, so I believe we have the same truck basically. I know you mentioned wanting to re-gear at some point. Which is a big question I have, how does it drive with the 33’s?
Obviously I would need to address other things to make room for them, but I’ve wondered if that’s worth it without changing gears. I’ve considered just putting some 31’s on it to improve footprint, without the need to lift. Of course this would be temporary as I really want to end up running 33’s.
I’m old school and my head always thinks power first. There too I seem to go in circles in my head, should I just upgrade the exhaust system to include headers and higher flow system. (Although I’ve never seen anything but stock CATS) Or would that just be my initial step, followed by intake changes (cold air only or go all-in adding a turbo) do I delve inside and change cams etc.
I just keep thinking, as you pointed out, these were engineered to run a very LONG time. Plus, mine is still under 70k miles, if I don’t over modify it, it’ll last the rest of my life and still be a solid truck beyond.
Ok I’m rambling on…just let me know how much impact the 33’s have had on drivability

Although, I would appreciate all input on the direction I could/should go. I’ve had this for a year and a half and hardly drive it, never of-road, not even in the beach. I would like to get it undercoated first since it’s rust-free.

Oh that brings up another thought I’m kicking around: I’ve been thinking of removing the carpet and having the entire floor done with headliner. There’s nothing like having to try removing sand from a carpet floor!

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Firstly, thanks for sharing both details and pics! I share some of the same concerns with regards to a desire to retain as much of the original truck as possible, to preserve its function as a daily drive. However, with the beach being a measly 30 minute drive away, I really want some better than stock clearance and some decent rubber under it.
I’ve held off making any mods as yet because I don’t want to waste time and money doing anything twice!

Mine is a ‘96, so I believe we have the same truck basically. I know you mentioned wanting to re-gear at some point. Which is a big question I have, how does it drive with the 33’s?
Obviously I would need to address other things to make room for them, but I’ve wondered if that’s worth it without changing gears. I’ve considered just putting some 31’s on it to improve footprint, without the need to lift. Of course this would be temporary as I really want to end up running 33’s.
I’m old school and my head always thinks power first. There too I seem to go in circles in my head, should I just upgrade the exhaust system to include headers and higher flow system. (Although I’ve never seen anything but stock CATS) Or would that just be my initial step, followed by intake changes (cold air only or go all-in adding a turbo) do I delve inside and change cams etc.
I just keep thinking, as you pointed out, these were engineered to run a very LONG time. Plus, mine is still under 70k miles, if I don’t over modify it, it’ll last the rest of my life and still be a solid truck beyond.
Ok I’m rambling on…just let me know how much impact the 33’s have had on drivability

Although, I would appreciate all input on the direction I could/should go. I’ve had this for a year and a half and hardly drive it, never of-road, not even in the beach. I would like to get it undercoated first since it’s rust-free.

Oh that brings up another thought I’m kicking around: I’ve been thinking of removing the carpet and having the entire floor done with headliner. There’s nothing like having to try removing sand from a carpet floor!

i believe dintdobba has the sohc motor and you have the ohv yours beng a 96. the sohc has more power, but iirc yours is a manual, so theres a little less power loss ther. for the 33s, many reccomend 456s, as it seems you like your torque a bit, and although some have done 33 w stock gear, its not fun so i hear. the v6 exhaust afaik are good for stock, and iirc headers and mufflers dont do a whole lotnfor it, but there are seeveral cam options available that would be great for your truck. so maybe CAI (make aire its actually cold, many CAI end up being hot air intake haha) and a cam? i believe theres a member on here that did a ohv/sohc hybrid build by the name of brandon?

 

[DintDobbs]

@TexasBear Well, let's see... Lots of questions, lots of answers. Lots of comments in the answers.

Firstly, @Fix4Dirt is correct, I'm running the SOHC. It has a lot more power and particularly of note delivers maximum torque at about 3250 RPM, whereas the OHV delivers its significantly smaller peak torque at 2750 RPM. Basically this means you're going to spend a lot more time on the throttle to get her moving, in all situations.

- - -

>Q1. Mine is a ‘96, so I believe we have the same truck basically. I know you mentioned wanting to re-gear at some point. Which is a big question I have, how does it drive with the 33’s?

>A1. The platform is the same. The drivetrain is significantly different. Check your door sticker and if you have axle code D2, you have 4.10:1 axle ratio, which is more ideal than the others, but not necessarily ideal for you, your drivetrain, or your personal driving habits. With the OHV you still probably want to run shorter gears (higher ratio) if you're going extreme off-road, but the daily driveability suffers badly if you go too short.

There is no short answer. Any 2nd-gen Ex requires significant modifications to fit 33" tires in the first place. All in, I can say with confidence that the tires themselves had a less significant effect than did all of the prerequisite modifications to accommodate them, which included a 2" lift front and rear, another 4" front and another 2" rear, new front and rear springs, and EXTREME fender trimming. The rear always scrubbed on flex, even with the spacers removed, until a few weeks ago when I installed OME's AAL into the spring packs.

In other words, it wasn't just the tires that made the difference. I built the truck around the tires, and the tires were chosen for the express purpose of off-road use. Such an aggressive M/T tread pattern as the Nitto Trail Grappler is far from ideal for road use, and well nigh unsafe for daily driving. If you're going to use a tamer A/T tread pattern, you'll likely be more concerned for weight than for traction on road.

I felt that the SOHC-5R55E-4.10 combo was plenty fine for daily driving on 33's, but didn't have the torque control I desired from a dedicated offroader, hence the extreme 5.13 ratio. Generally speaking, most folks prefer 4.56's or 4.88's, and I did a lot of mathematics before making my purchase.

In conclusion, with your lower-powered, lower-revving OHV, different transmission, and unknown-to-me axle gearing, my experience and opinions are not applicable to your rig.

- - -

>Q2. Obviously I would need to address other things to make room for them, but I’ve wondered if that’s worth it without changing gears. I’ve considered just putting some 31’s on it to improve footprint, without the need to lift. Of course this would be temporary as I really want to end up running 33’s.

>A2. Yes. Besides going three rounds with suspension lift kits and companies, piecing together two lifts stacked on top of each other (or get an unsafe body lift, please don't), then lastly plan on regearing both differentials. Plan on not doing it yourself unless you're already experienced, plan on paying somewhere between $1500 and $3000 inclusive for parts and labor, and plan on having new, unknown problems once it's done. You will also need to reprogram your PCM to account for the new gear ratio, as well as have your speedometer recalibrated to account for gear ratio and tire size changes. I did all of the above, except calibrate the speedometer.

- - -

>Q3. I’m old school and my head always thinks power first. There too I seem to go in circles in my head, should I just upgrade the exhaust system to include headers and higher flow system. (Although I’ve never seen anything but stock CATS) Or would that just be my initial step, followed by intake changes (cold air only or go all-in adding a turbo) do I delve inside and change cams etc.
I just keep thinking, as you pointed out, these were engineered to run a very LONG time. Plus, mine is still under 70k miles, if I don’t over modify it, it’ll last the rest of my life and still be a solid truck beyond.
Ok I’m rambling on…just let me know how much impact the 33’s have had on drivability.

>A3. The 33's and associated accommodations basically rendered it useless as a daily driver. The regear sealed its fate as a dedicated toy, as it reaches top gear in overdrive at 35 MPH and RPM's hover around 2500 at 50 MPH. Your numbers will be different from mine, as discussed before, but in any case daily duty will absolutely, unarguably suffer. If you intend to accommodate anybody under the height of 5' 8", getting in and out can be difficult, particularly for rear seat passengers.

As far as more power goes, it would likely be cheaper and more practical to just get an additional Explorer with a SOHC or V8 (V8 only if you're OK with a 4-door and no 4-low).

- - -

>Q4. Although, I would appreciate all input on the direction I could/should go. I’ve had this for a year and a half and hardly drive it, never of-road, not even in the beach. I would like to get it undercoated first since it’s rust-free.

>A4. Definitely get it undercoated. Great mod, no regrets. Would recommend to anybody who regularly visits coastal areas.

If I could do it all over again, I wouldn't have bothered with all of this. I'd have kept it at 2" of lift, factory 4-door rear springs, and 31" tires. Do I regret what I did? Absolutely not. I love it every time I get in, but the sacrifice of daily driveability is what led me to buy a second to keep simple.

- - -

>Q5. Oh that brings up another thought I’m kicking around: I’ve been thinking of removing the carpet and having the entire floor done with headliner. There’s nothing like having to try removing sand from a carpet floor!

>A5. Do as you like. My Limited came with Motor Trend rubber floor mats that do a great job of catching all the sand, gravel, grass clippings, etc. Just take 'em out and shake 'em out. I too dislike beach sand in carpet!

- - -

My best advice? Keep your favorite Explorer as you like it. Explorers are cheap and easy to get. RTZ makes a nice torsion bar key and shackle kit which I've been using for years, they're great quality and cheap. That will be plenty enough to fit 31's without any other mods, you'll get a fat bit of clearance with minimal drawbacks, and you'll be able to enjoy factory-like performance and reliability.

Find another 4x4 Sport with whichever engine you like better (should be less than $3k) and go crazy with that one. Plan on the Rough Country or Superlift if you want 33's, and understand that at least some early 2nd-gens were not compatible with differential drop kits such as those.

33" tires are easy to want, but hard to accommodate. It requires sacrificing a great deal of what you already know and love about your Explorer. After every thing I did to make my Explorer "better", I bought another one because it was no longer suitable for daily use.

 

[DemonMudder]

That was probably the best summary to each or those questions I think anyone could've given.

I have to agree, I only went up to 32x10.5s with a 3.73 gearing on my '99 4.0 sohc and even those I felt the power decrease, for a daily I'd definitely stick lower than 33, 32 would be max but even those ya got to trim some for and suck some good power away. Especially with that 4.0 ohv, I wouldn't go anywhere over a 31". Though I dont feel like I can really give much advice wise with what I'm doing to my c1500, a bit of a stupid choice and I'm definitely starting to second guess it.

Just listen to the guy, @DintDobbs has been at this a while and knows the game, I ain't been as long and even I'll steer ya away from doing 33s. I get wanting big and beefy tires, but there is a drop off point, especially when it comes to being your daily rig. Honestly do some good and aggressive 30"-31" A/Ts or R/Ts and call it good hoss, you'll be much happier with the performance in the end I assure ya.

 

[donalds]

I’m old school and my head always thinks power first

Me to lol
Love the power
Your exhaust is just fine even if you do add some form of forced induction
By the way my wife has put tons of miles on our engine with forced induction and it's fine it'll last forever as long as you don't try to break it lol

 

[DintDobbs]

@DemonMudder I won't take credit where it isn't due; but as many hours as I've spent browsing the web to see what's available for Explorers, and buying this part for a Ranger and that part for an Explorer, and mishmashing together double- and triple-stacked lift kits and going three rounds with a garage that did good work once and bad work twice, and chasing down a mystery problem for several years (TOD) since the regear, not even to begin to describe countless hours spent on, under, and around the truck in my back yard, I can say I've been around the block a few times on this subject, ha ha.

Off-road payoff: it ate all of the trails at Uwharrie National Forest except the two most difficult ones (didn't attempt those, with limited rear flex at the time) without even thinking about it really, just hand on the wheel and foot on the gas (uphill) or brake (downhill) and I only had to get out once, to look at the other side of a rock before maneuvering past it. You can search those up to see how much trouble they give other people.

I forgot to even mention fuel economy, but my MPG's roughly stick around 10-12 now, and highway range has gone down to about 200-250 miles per tank. For comparison, my stock Limited gets about 20 MPG, according to its onboard calculator.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

@TexasBear Well, let's see... Lots of questions, lots of answers. Lots of comments in the answers.

Firstly, @Fix4Dirt is correct, I'm running the SOHC. It has a lot more power and particularly of note delivers maximum torque at about 3250 RPM, whereas the OHV delivers its significantly smaller peak torque at a much higher RPM (somewhere in the 5000's range, IIRC). Basically this means you're going to spend a lot more time on the throttle to get her moving, in all situations.

- - -

>Q1. Mine is a ‘96, so I believe we have the same truck basically. I know you mentioned wanting to re-gear at some point. Which is a big question I have, how does it drive with the 33’s?

>A1. The platform is the same. The drivetrain is significantly different. Check your door sticker and if you have axle code D2, you have 4.10:1 axle ratio, which is more ideal than the others, but not necessarily ideal for you, your drivetrain, or your personal driving habits. With the OHV you still probably want to run shorter gears (higher ratio) if you're going extreme off-road, but the daily driveability suffers badly if you go too short.

There is no short answer. Any 2nd-gen Ex requires significant modifications to fit 33" tires in the first place. All in, I can say with confidence that the tires themselves had a less significant effect than did all of the prerequisite modifications to accommodate them, which included a 2" lift front and rear, another 4" front and another 2" rear, new front and rear springs, and EXTREME fender trimming. The rear always scrubbed on flex, even with the spacers removed, until a few weeks ago when I installed OME's AAL into the spring packs.

In other words, it wasn't just the tires that made the difference. I built the truck around the tires, and the tires were chosen for the express purpose of off-road use. Such an aggressive M/T tread pattern as the Nitto Trail Grappler is far from ideal for road use, and well nigh unsafe for daily driving. If you're going to use a tamer A/T tread pattern, you'll likely be more concerned for weight than for traction on road.

I felt that the SOHC-5R55E-4.10 combo was plenty fine for daily driving on 33's, but didn't have the torque control I desired from a dedicated offroader, hence the extreme 5.13 ratio. Generally speaking, most folks prefer 4.56's or 4.88's, and I did a lot of mathematics before making my purchase.

In conclusion, with your lower-powered, higher-revving OHV, different transmission, and unknown-to-me axle gearing, my experience and opinions are not applicable to your rig.

- - -

>Q2. Obviously I would need to address other things to make room for them, but I’ve wondered if that’s worth it without changing gears. I’ve considered just putting some 31’s on it to improve footprint, without the need to lift. Of course this would be temporary as I really want to end up running 33’s.

>A2. Yes. Besides going three rounds with suspension lift kits and companies, piecing together two lifts stacked on top of each other (or get an unsafe body lift, please don't), then lastly plan on regearing both differentials. Plan on not doing it yourself unless you're already experienced, plan on paying somewhere between $1500 and $3000 inclusive for parts and labor, and plan on having new, unknown problems once it's done. You will also need to reprogram your PCM to account for the new gear ratio, as well as have your speedometer recalibrated to account for gear ratio and tire size changes. I did all of the above, except calibrate the soeedometer.

- - -

>Q3. I’m old school and my head always thinks power first. There too I seem to go in circles in my head, should I just upgrade the exhaust system to include headers and higher flow system. (Although I’ve never seen anything but stock CATS) Or would that just be my initial step, followed by intake changes (cold air only or go all-in adding a turbo) do I delve inside and change cams etc.
I just keep thinking, as you pointed out, these were engineered to run a very LONG time. Plus, mine is still under 70k miles, if I don’t over modify it, it’ll last the rest of my life and still be a solid truck beyond.
Ok I’m rambling on…just let me know how much impact the 33’s have had on drivability.

>A3. The 33's and associated accommodations basically rendered it useless as a daily driver. The regear sealed its fate as a dedicated toy, as it reaches top gear in overdrive at 35 MPH and RPM's hover around 2500 at 50 MPH. Your numbers will be different from mine, as discussed before, but in any case daily duty will absolutely, unarguably suffer. If you intend to accommodate anybody under the height of 5' 8", getting in and out can be difficult, particularly for rear seat passengers.

- - -

>Q4. Although, I would appreciate all input on the direction I could/should go. I’ve had this for a year and a half and hardly drive it, never of-road, not even in the beach. I would like to get it undercoated first since it’s rust-free.

>A4. Definitely get it undercoated. Great mod, no regrets. Would recommend to anybody who regularly visits coastal areas.

If I could do it all over again, I wouldn't have bothered with all of this. I'd have kept it at 2" of lift, factory 4-door rear springs, and 31" tires. Do I regret what I did? Absolutely not. I love it every time I get in, but the sacrifice of daily driveability is what led me to buy a second to keep simple.

- - -

>Q5. Oh that brings up another thought I’m kicking around: I’ve been thinking of removing the carpet and having the entire floor done with headliner. There’s nothing like having to try removing sand from a carpet floor!

>A5. Do as you like. My Limited came with Motor Trend rubber floor mats that do a great job of catching all the sand, gravel, grass clippings, etc. Just take 'em out and shake 'em out. I too dislike beach sand in carpet!

- - -

My best advice? Keep your favorite Explorer as you like it. Explorers are cheap and easy to get. RTZ makes a nice torsion bar key and shackle kit which I've been using for years, they're great quality and cheap. That will be plenty enough to fit 31's without any other mods, you'll get a fat bit of clearance with minimal drawbacks, and you'll be able to enjoy factory-like performance and reliability.

Find another 4x4 Sport with whichever engine you like better (should be less than $3k) and go crazy with that one. Plan on the Rough Country or Superlift if you want 33's, and understand that at least some early 2nd-gens were not compatible with differential drop kits such as those.

33" tires are easy to want, but hard to accommodate. It requires sacrificing a great deal of what you already know and love about your Explorer. After every thing I did to make my Explorer "better", I bought another one because it was no longer suitable for daily use.

sound advice here ^

one correction however: the ohv makes 225 twist at 3k iirc the sohc makes 350 at 3250 or something like that. and the sohc redlines higher than ohv, old ohv iirc up to 95 redlined really early i think it was 5k??? and later ones 6k flat, but sohc goes til 6300. heres how i see it- theres a rrason they put the sohc in the stabg, its much more like a car motor. revs higher, more power ij the upper band. up til 3k the 2 motors feel pretty close, maybe sohc fasterbby a tiny margin? who knows, but its small, if at all. but past 3250/3500 the sohc really pulls much harder, since it makes about 45 more hp and the curve doesnt fall off like the ohv does, and you can feel that variable mani haha. tldr: ohv more like truck motor, has off the line power, falls tlat merging and passing, sohc more like car motor, off the line pretty close, sohc pulls away at higher rpm


in addition- i dont think his truck wouldve come with 410s stock since i dont know of any 96 that came with the 16s i think yours did. iirc ford issued 410s only to rigs with 16s vs 15s since 16s had 30 inch tires cs the 28 or 29 or whatveer they were