4.0 Explorer Swap

[lil_Blue_Ford]

It’s not really recommended procedure, but you can chain or strap to the exhaust manifolds. The better way is to bolt to the heads, but you have to pull the accessory drive off the front of the motor to do it, which is actually a help because it gives you more room to manouver.

A 94 Explorer will be reasonably similar. Some of the wiring will not match up though, that’s something you’ll have to figure out. Should be all on the drivers side that you’ll have to mate everything up.

Front axle is a bolt-in swap. Remove the driveshaft, shocks, brake calipers, ABS sensor wiring if it has it, remove the steering from the pitman arm, disconnect the sway bar if it has it, pull the axle pivot bolts and the radius arm nuts and pull it all one shot.

Rear axle is a problem. Explorers used SUA (Spring Under Axle) so the spring perches are welded to the wrong side of the axle unless you’re planning to majorly lower the Ranger, which is SOA (Spring Over Axle). So the spring perches have to be cut off the axle tube and re-welded to change that.

 

[JoshT]

Generally we pull the accessory drive before attempting to pull the engine. IMO not worth the work saved to do it all assembled. At that poijnt we attach to what ever is convenient.

If the exhaust manifolds are on, we've pulled them by wrapping chain around the manifold. I agree with lil_Blue_Ford on that not being the preferred method, but it can work. If the manifold is off, usually with a bolt through a chain link and into one of the manifold bolt holes or an accessory drive mount hole on the head. Usually the manifolds are off unless they just won't come off like one of the 5.0Ls we've pulled.

I should note that we do have a Harbor Freight engine leveler. It does help some with tilting, rolling, and slotting the engine into place, but where it really helps is spreading out the chain attach points. If I did engines more often I'd definitely be invesing in a heavier duty piece.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I have two engine levelers from Autozone. Only really need one bit one disappeared for awhile and I thought it was gone for good. Nope, it magically came back couple days after I bought and used the second one. Oh well.

 

[JoshT]

That's how it goes. Easiest way to find something that disappeared is to buy another.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

That's how it goes. Easiest way to find something that disappeared is to buy another.

I actually bought the second, then spent a couple days waiting and poking around a little more before I put the new one to use, trying to coax the old one out of hiding when I could still return the other one. Nope, wouldn’t appear until the new one was past the return stage… I need my garage…