2nd gen homemade lift kit idea

[ahuggins6]

I know Ford spent a few minutes on the front geometry design on the 96-01. I don't like the idea of the twist lift kits because it jacks up the geometry and probably makes it difficult to get a good alignment like was meant from the factory. When the body rolls thru a corner, how is bump steer affected? Does it start to scrub the tires at any point?? So let's do something different to maintain the factory alignment...

Stupid idea, but I think a real fabricator could make it happen. And maybe it's already been discussed here and I haven't found it yet?

First, is anyone still making the long knuckles? If so, get a set of those to start. If we can't get extended knuckles anymore, are the factory knuckles forged or cast? I think they're forged, which means a guy could take two pair, chop the top whatever length off one pair and weld them on the other pair to make longer knuckles. And it would probably require a little extra structure to be added in, such as a piece of pipe split and molded to fit, then welded on. ( Actually I run an explorer sway bar on my early bronco that I cut and welded and then added structure to in order for it to work. A few years back, I got to the offroad park for rock crawling, and forgot to take it off. After a few hours trying to figure out where my flex was, one of the mounting bolts pulled thru the tapped hole in the frame. The noise made me realize I had been stressing my homemade sway bar. Must be pretty good??)

So now that we have extended knuckles, and knowing no one makes drop bracketry anymore, draw a line on the frame, inside the rails and out, and cut the frame so that everything suspension, driveline and steering (except upper control arms) drops down whatever the extra length of the knuckles is. This cut has to be in such a way you can weld flat strap back in place to rebox the frame. Every suspension point, diff and steering mount needs to be dropped. Whatever height we're getting from the extended knuckles, and those points need to be EXACTLY straight down from their original spots. EDIT: I just saw that the Superlift knuckles apparently leave the steering in original location. Cool.

How's that sound? Will it make a homemade suspension lift? And then stack leafs in the back to level it up??

I may be looking for a bare frame.....

 

[410Fortune]

Ummmm superlift and rough country both make drop bracket lifts that will fit. 96-01 and they come with new 3.5” taller knuckles

 

[ahuggins6]

And they're expensive too. My idea is more funner.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

I know Ford spent a few minutes on the front geometry design on the 96-01. I don't like the idea of the twist lift kits because it jacks up the geometry and probably makes it difficult to get a good alignment like was meant from the factory. When the body rolls thru a corner, how is bump steer affected? Does it start to scrub the tires at any point?? So let's do something different to maintain the factory alignment...

Stupid idea, but I think a real fabricator could make it happen. And maybe it's already been discussed here and I haven't found it yet?

First, is anyone still making the long knuckles? If so, get a set of those to start. If we can't get extended knuckles anymore, are the factory knuckles forged or cast? I think they're forged, which means a guy could take two pair, chop the top whatever length off one pair and weld them on the other pair to make longer knuckles. And it would probably require a little extra structure to be added in, such as a piece of pipe split and molded to fit, then welded on. ( Actually I run an explorer sway bar on my early bronco that I cut and welded and then added structure to in order for it to work. A few years back, I got to the offroad park for rock crawling, and forgot to take it off. After a few hours trying to figure out where my flex was, one of the mounting bolts pulled thru the tapped hole in the frame. The noise made me realize I had been stressing my homemade sway bar. Must be pretty good??)

So now that we have extended knuckles, and knowing no one makes drop bracketry anymore, draw a line on the frame, inside the rails and out, and cut the frame so that everything suspension, driveline and steering (except upper control arms) drops down whatever the extra length of the knuckles is. This cut has to be in such a way you can weld flat strap back in place to rebox the frame. Every suspension point, diff and steering mount needs to be dropped. Whatever height we're getting from the extended knuckles, and those points need to be EXACTLY straight down from their original spots. EDIT: I just saw that the Superlift knuckles apparently leave the steering in original location. Cool.

How's that sound? Will it make a homemade suspension lift? And then stack leafs in the back to level it up??

I may be looking for a bare frame.....

this sounds nearly exactly like a superlift trail master rough country

And they're expensive too. My idea is more funner.

i mean sure but pretty much its just a superlift clone. not very novel, but yes if thats the route ya wanna go yes that would work

 

[ahuggins6]

this sounds nearly exactly like a superlift trail master rough country

I'm gonna need a sticker made for my new brand "SuperRoughTrail Country."

 

[Mbrooks420]

It’s be more expensive to have a fabricator build something like this.

Plus, the ones on the market have been pretty thoroughly tested.

 

[Turdle]

The lift knuckles are not only extended but the steering tie rod attachment is also raised for proper geometry . Stock knuckles are cast. Torsion bar rear drop brackets will be a huge challenge.

 

[ahuggins6]

It’s be more expensive to have a fabricator build something like this.

Wouldnt cost me a dime to have a fabricator do it.

 

[Turdle]

Wouldnt cost me a dime to have a fabricator do it.

You need to see the involved components. W e got some serious talent on this forum who would have by now attempted this. No way around the super lift knuckles, safely that is.

I understand the want, but you are much safer going with the tested kits.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Wouldnt cost me a dime to have a fabricator do it.

Then what are you waiting for?

 

[Turdle]

The trail master lift kit was dangerous as hell, for example. They attempted to use the stock knuckles by building a secondary, lower steering rack which was moved by the stock steering rack thru some additional drop bracketry that soon turned to sheert.

 

[410Fortune]

anything trail master or "trail disaster" scares the crap out of me. Rough Country was the same way until a few years back when they upped their game.......

 

[ahuggins6]

So if the ranger lifts fit the explorers why don't Superlift advertise it that way?

 

[BKennedy]

Wouldnt cost me a dime to have a fabricator do it.

What type of off road suspensions have you fabricated?

 

[410Fortune]

maybe because the rangers were built until 2011 and the last gen II explorer was 01/04?
The superlift kit we can only use the front end components
to match the front 3.5" drop brackets us explorer dudes simply spring over the rear axle

I have installed several of these kits if you are questioning whether or not they fit

 

[Fix4Dirt]

So if the ranger lifts fit the explorers why don't Superlift advertise it that way?

the rangers with t bars were 98-11 iirc the last t bar explorer was 01 explorer sport 03 but the major difference between the 2 is that the ranger has an SOA rear axle, the explorer has SUA rear axle, so the rear wouldnt fit. but to sell it they need to sell a front and rear. the fronts are identical, the rears take different springs (same width but iirc explorer is stiffer) ranger is SOA with block iirc explorer is SUA so the blocks many kits use in the rear would lower the explorer

 

[ahuggins6]

What type of off road suspensions have you fabricated?

Ignore the steel toed flip flops....

Boss gets a “makeunder.”

Well I’m finally giveing it a face lift. It’s done a lot over our years together with stock suspension. But I’ve recently worked my way up to 37s for trail tires, so the 3” body lift isnt enough anymore. The fenders got cut out in a big way last year in prep for OCBR, but it’s still got some...

classicbroncos.com

 

[Fix4Dirt]

sharp!!!!!!! i like the name boss hugg haha you just need those steer horns then youre boss hogg!

Boss gets a “makeunder.”

Well I’m finally giveing it a face lift. It’s done a lot over our years together with stock suspension. But I’ve recently worked my way up to 37s for trail tires, so the 3” body lift isnt enough anymore. The fenders got cut out in a big way last year in prep for OCBR, but it’s still got some...

classicbroncos.com

 

[ahuggins6]

sharp!!!!!!! i like the name boss hugg haha you just need those steer horns then youre boss hogg!

Thanks, as a kid knowing nothing about it but playing on CB, my handle was Boss. I had the same username there that i've got here, but we've got an admin over there that will kick some favors around now and then, so I asked him to change mine. It didn't seem to confuse anyone there when i started using it.

I'm fighting the urge to fill a fully locked 4dr explorer for overlanding, but TBH, I don't expect my wife will ever get onboard with overlanding, so it'd be a mall crawler. And if I want to do something that requires full lockers, the Bronco does it with ease. I've got a "cold duck" (doubler from a dana 20) to put in it, but that will require changing drive shafts and that leads to more money spent. But it's FUN to watch my buddies drop it down into low lower lowest range and just steer.

I hate the idea of stock stance Ex with locked diffs and real t-case, but I also dislike how the upper control arms look with 2" twist lift. And I HATE buying suspension stuff that I can build with enough research. Thus my recent activity on this site.

When I get my explorer back on the road (5.0/4wd swap) I'll end up with a spare frame that I could play with my crazy idea just to see what it would look like.

I'm curious if there is any other knuckle in a junkyard that will work with the ranger hub assembly.... AAAAND this is where I start to lean toward SAS. I should stop for the night! I have too many D44s sitting around to let my mind wonder too far. (I actually have been saving a dana 30 to put in this explorer, but I fight bushings in the Bronco way too often. I want to stick with independent front suspension.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Thanks, as a kid knowing nothing about it but playing on CB, my handle was Boss. I had the same username there that i've got here, but we've got an admin over there that will kick some favors around now and then, so I asked him to change mine. It didn't seem to confuse anyone there when i started using it.

I'm fighting the urge to fill a fully locked 4dr explorer for overlanding, but TBH, I don't expect my wife will ever get onboard with overlanding, so it'd be a mall crawler. And if I want to do something that requires full lockers, the Bronco does it with ease. I've got a "cold duck" (doubler from a dana 20) to put in it, but that will require changing drive shafts and that leads to more money spent. But it's FUN to watch my buddies drop it down into low lower lowest range and just steer.

I hate the idea of stock stance Ex with locked diffs and real t-case, but I also dislike how the upper control arms look with 2" twist lift. And I HATE buying suspension stuff that I can build with enough research. Thus my recent activity on this site.

When I get my explorer back on the road (5.0/4wd swap) I'll end up with a spare frame that I could play with my crazy idea just to see what it would look like.

I'm curious if there is any other knuckle in a junkyard that will work with the ranger hub assembly.... AAAAND this is where I start to lean toward SAS. I should stop for the night! I have too many D44s sitting around to let my mind wonder too far. (I actually have been saving a dana 30 to put in this explorer, but I fight bushings in the Bronco way too often. I want to stick with independent front suspension.

the internet is filled with answers and ideas.................. just some stick more than others... and some cost more (usually those 2 go hand in hand)