Explorer 8.8 axle swappers What sway bar and shock mount did you use?

[4wd]

Finally going to start my explorer rear axle swap, but looking for some info concerning the choice of sway bars and shock mounts. I have searched and read everything I found on sway bars and shock mounts but couldn't find an answer. I do not have the explorer crossmember so I cannot mount everything up like the explorer. I am going to stay with the ranger's shock mounts with one facing forward and one facing back. I have an 1999 extended cab 4x4 and will be going spring over axle as don't have a lowered truck. Ideally I would like to use the explorer sway bar, and not use the factory explorer leaf spring plate with integrated shock mount. I would like to use new fabricated leaf spring plates and weld on new shock mounts onto the axle. I am not sure that will work as the explorer sway bar will be in the way of the rearward facing shock mount. For those with an explorer axle what combination of shock mounts, and sway bar did you end up using. If possible pics of your setup would be helpful. Thanks in advance.

 

[shane96ranger]

This might help you on the sway bar part.

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=113725

 

[4wd]

shane96ranger- thanks for the reply and the link. That's a really great pic of the explorer axle. Looks like you went with explorer sway bar, explorer spring plates with integrated shock mounts, in a spring under axle configuration. Probably got a real nice custom lowered look to your truck. Anyone do the explorer sway bar with aftermarket weld on shock tabs and aftermarket spring plates in a spring over axle configuration?

 

[shane96ranger]

shane96ranger- thanks for the reply and the link. That's a really great pic of the explorer axle. Looks like you went with explorer sway bar, explorer spring plates with integrated shock mounts, in a spring under axle configuration. Probably got a real nice custom lowered look to your truck. Anyone do the explorer sway bar with aftermarket weld on shock tabs and aftermarket spring plates in a spring over axle configuration?

It's actually a guy over at Ford Ranger Forum. He was lowering it, but the swaybar has a lot of range for different height. Here's a link to his page:

http://www.fordrangerforum.com/lowered-suspension/40272-explorer-rear-flip-kit.html

 

[scotts90ranger]

I cut off the sway bar mounts (not needed on my application), welded on custom spring perches with about 3/4" of lift built in, and made shock mounts out of some plate metal I got from the recycle yard near me ($.50/lb)

 

[legoms013]

I ditched my rear sway bar years ago, and found no noticeable difference once it was gone.

When I did my explorer 8.8 swap I didn't bother attaching a rear sway bar, as the front one is what does most of the work anyway.

Had I been inclined to hook a rear one up though, I would have reused the stock Ranger swaybar, and not even mess with the Explorer one.

I would have just modified the mounts a little bit. All they are, are clamp on mini-leaf sping like mounts and wouldn't be hard to modify to work on the Explorer 8.8's larger axle tubes. That would be easier IMHO that trying to make the Explorer sway bar work with the Ranger stuff.

I used RuffStuff spring plates, u-bolts and diff cover. Beefy stuff!

For shock mounts I used some generic ones like this:

Later I fixed the pinion angle with some 2.5 degree shims.

 

[Sasquatch_Ryda]

I was gonna say......sway bar? What is that?

 

[4wd]

scotts90ranger and legoms013 thanks for post pics of your setups. If I end up running without a sway bar the pics will be a good guide for me. My truck is a workhorse daily driver that has to meet alot of needs so I prefer to have a sway bar on it, but it good to know that it is possible to run without one. Still looking for someone with the explorer sway bar with aftermarket weld on shock tabs and aftermarket spring plates in a spring over axle configuration?

 

[scotts90ranger]

Honestly my truck has had a VERY VARIED past, stock 4x2 grandpa mobile with 3.08 gears and 24" tires, 3.73 gears with 28" tires, stock 4x4 with 4.10 gears and 31" tires then as shown above with explorer axles, 5.13's and 35" tires. The truck didn't come with a rear sway bar and never really noticed, I don't even think it had a front sway bar back when it was 4x2... it had a front bar when I changed to the 4x4 chassis but I took one of the end links off one day and didn't notice a difference so I took it off. My explorer has both front and rear and it drives like my truck. The front bar really does all the work, the back bars on the rangers and explorers are too small to make a huge difference. Looking at my explorer it looks to be about 1/2" thick...

 

[dla]

Later I fixed the pinion angle with some 2.5 degree shims.

What did you set the pinion angle to originally?

 

[legoms013]

What did you set the pinion angle to originally?

I welded the perches on at 6 degrees, supposedly the stock angle for Rangers. But I am at 6" of lift so I still needed some correction.

I think I forget to mention before that I used RuffStuffSpecialties weld on perches.

These ones IIRC:

http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/88PERCH.html

Also, for the brakelines, instead of running a new T-fitting and new hardlines like many people do, I left all the stock explorer hardlines and there and hooked a FRONT RANGER passenger-side rubber brake line to the short piece coming off the t-fitting on the Explorer axle. Much cheaper than the other way, and has plenty of length for suspension droop. Cost me about $9.99 from the autoparts store. Anybody else do this I wonder? I was trying to save money. I was already into this axle over $1000!

I basically bought this kit without the shock mounts (as previously mentioned, I used some generic shock mounts from my local 4wd shop):

http://www.ruffstuffspecialties.com/catalog/88SS-31.html

Some will say it is expensive, or excessive for people who don't offroad. I beg to differ! Anytime you can upgrade and make something stronger (which you are already doing by adding a true 8.8 under there) you improve the overall reliability of the truck.