My 91 Explorer build......finally.

[Sunk]

Well I had an '88 Ranger with a D35 and 8.8 with 4.56s and Lock-Rights, but after blowing up 2 motors, 4 starters, a clutch, and a lot of drivelines, I wanted a clean start. Last month I stripped the truck of the good parts and watched the rest drive off on the back of a flatbed.

On Sunday I found what I was looking for, a 91 Explorer 4 door with manual everything. I went and picked it up Tuesday for $1000.

It took the last two days to get my Ranger 8.8 swapped in since the first shock mounts were too close to the spring pads.

Then the rear extended brake line was broken so I had to find a place in town that would make another, but luckily there was one just a ways up the street. I got the rear end bolted in yesterday and the sub and amp installed too.

I'm gonna make a different box that fits along the passenger's side of the rear cargo area so I don't lose so much space, but that setup will work for now.

How it sat last night.

Then I discovered the radius arms brackets had already been removed so a lot less grinding was involved in removing the front end.

This is how it's sitting right now... A couple friends just showed up with some more tools, so we're gonna beef up the front drop brackets and get the front end up under it...

 

[MikeWild]

Looking good. Nice score!

 

[compleckz]

Then I discovered the radius arms brackets had already been removed so a lot less grinding was involved in removing the front end.

that is a NICE surprise!

good luck with the swapping, looks like a great deal for a grand

 

[mjonesjr]

A lot of the early Explorers had the bolt on radius arm brackets.

Looks good!

 

[Sunk]

Thanks guys... The front end is in except for the brake lines, radius arm and steering. We had to modify the crap out of the Tuff Country brackets to get them to fit well. Those brackets are absolute crap. I'll post some pictures up in the morning before I get back to work.

Should be wheeling tomorrow.

 

[out cast]

nice build up. i'm doin a lift VERY similar to this once i get my pitman arm and some shocks.

 

[Sunk]

I guess I should mention where I'm going with this thing eventually.... It'll be on my 31s from my Ranger until I get some 33s, which will probably be next month. I may try to pick up a Superrunner setup for it too.

I have a friend with access to a ton of machining tools, so the plan is to sell one of the 1354Ms I have and pick up a 1350 and have him machine a shaft so I can double this.

I'm gonna do a custom bumper up front, most likely with a winch. I'll probably do a rear too, with the possibility of a tire gate, but I'm not 100% on that yet.

 

[out cast]

nice... so i've studied and studied the superlift instructions. the r/a brackets and passenger beam are riveted? i also need to drill a hole for the passenger beam bracket right?

 

[Sunk]

Well my RA brackets were bolted, and apparently that's common? The pivot for the passenger side beam was riveted, but I took care of that with a slitter disc on a grinder. I don't have Superlift brackets, so I don't know what you'll need to drill. Hopefully for you you'll have to modify less than I did.

 

[Sunk]

Alright, so I'll do pictures tonight....

The passenger side drop bracket with a nice crack in it...

Had to grind this tab off too since it wasn't in the right spot.

How the crappy bracket fit with the 2 bolts on the engine crossmember bolted in. We ended up welding a spacer on next to the bottom bolt to account for most of this.

Notice how the stock bracket it offset on the left side since the coil bucket wraps around the frame. The Tuff Country bracket didn't account for this so it sat and a pretty bad angle until it got modified.

Finished product, with gussets added.

Had to do some grinding on the frame and the other bracket to get it to fit.. Damn that took a long time.

Brackets finally bolted in securely.

Both sides are at this stage now.

 

[metalmacguyver]

Looks good!

 

[Sunk]

Sitting on all 4, about to be rolled out of the garage!

 

[Evan]

Looks sweet man. Welcome to the all-manual Explorer club.

 

[out cast]

i wish i had manual everything... except for driver comforts...

 

[JohnnyU]

What was wrong with the 31 spline 8.8 that was in the explorer?