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High School Sweetheart 1992 Explorer Build

jimbo92

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Joined
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102
To move my build thread over from Canada. Updates and deviations from original plan in ( )

Where did Jimbo92 come from? It came from the 1992 Explorer I got in high school 20 years ago. It was a 2 door 5 speed 2 wheel dig that was actually lowered when I got it. Baja Blue in color and ready to party. Dude must have done a ton of drugs in it because I got pulled out of class every time the drug dogs came.

This truck has major history. I learned more on it than any other vehicle. I met my fiancé (now wife) giving her a ride home in it 18 1/2 years ago, we dated in it, we worked on it, we converted it to 4 wheel drive, it even ended up featured in her yearbook even though we went to different high schools. Fast forward to 13 years after I sold it sitting at a bar on Folly drinking and laughing about how funny it would be to find it and have it at our wedding....so I got to searching. Found it behind a guys trailer in the woods next town over. A little worse for wear but a crazy little time capsule. Even has some of my stickers still on it from high school.

Original plan was to clean it up, spray some paint on it and play a wedding prank with it. The project has sort of escalated from there.

I've got a built 9" and 44 in the garage from an early bronco.

9": Currie hi9, 488s, arb, 35 spline chromos, truss, and discs

44: 4:88s, arb, reid racing knuckles, crane diff cover, high steer, chromos, ctm joints, and a truss.

These are getting mounted via a james duff long travel SAS setup with 5.5" deaver EB (ended up on 3.5" wild horse progressive rate coils) coils and spring over in the rear. (with sport trac springs)

Have McNeil racing 4" flared glass fenders on the way, corbeau Baja rs seats, 35 bfg ko2s, and method wheels as well.

First step is to replace the clutch that is shredded and hanging out of the bell housing and get it drive-able and go from there.

Should be a neat little trip down memory lane and I've finally found a project I won't be able to sell! I'm basically building the truck I used to draw when I was bored in class.

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Parts have been rolling in for the last few weeks. Ended up buying a parts truck instead of running back and forth to the junkyard finding misc crap. Parts truck has a clean grey interior (mine is the ugly blue) so its getting swapped as well. Also scored on the parts truck having ice cold A/C with R12 (ended up going all new on this) so those parts will get swapped over as well and recharged with R12. Drove it an hour and a half home, best $500 bucks I have spent so far.

Luckily my seats had not been built yet due to waiting on some bracket so I was able to switch from black to grey vinyl with grey cloth centers. Ended up getting the heaters and lumbar as well. My James Duff coil buckets, shock towers, track bar bracket, coil retainers, and axle wedges are sitting in the garage, and my long travel radius arms and coils should be here in a few days.

For steering I went with 1 1/2" 1/4 DOM with 7/8" heims from Barnes 4wd and went with the same material for the track bar with their offset bracket for the axle side.

Rear is their spring plate kit for the 9"

I have been cutting brackets (axles were in a buggy) and grinding, and grinding, and grinding for the last few days getting these axles ready for the truck. Front is in good shape, I should just have to go through the hubs and service the bearings and seals and be good to go.

The rear is a little more tricky. The 4:88 gear set in the 9" is stripped so it needs to be replaced ( knew this going in). Ill get it torn down and I am assuming I will have to order the gear set directly through Currie. When I spoke with them this morning they also told me I would need to tear it down before ordering parts to see which pinion bearing I need. I also need axle bearings and seals as well. As far as brakes go it has some sort of rotor covered in surface rust that should turn out fine and what looks to be eldorado calipers. I need hammer down which exact kit it is so I can order some new hardware/lines and make sure I get the right calipers. (this was a james duff kit produced by TSM Brakes)
 
Parts car made a great addition to our "White Trash" Halloween costume. It was an outdoor party so it made quite the entrance with lawn equipment stuffed in the back, jamming classic rock, and revving with the muffler blown out. The 5 speed, damp pavement, 3:73 gears and 27" tires also made for quite the show leaving while yelling "DO IT FOR DALE" on our way out.

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Got my front housing all ground down last night and the rear is about 80 percent. What a dusty freakin mess that is. I'll be blowing black boogers for a week. Hopefully with a new flapper disc I'll have time to finish it off tonight. Also dropping my 3rd off tonight to get rebuilt. Hoping to start tearing out my axles next weekend and getting the truck ready for these.

*dent in the quarter was the result of doing doughnuts in a field in 10th grade. Tire blew off the rim and when the rim caught over she went. Went and made a fake accident scene and lied to my parents about a deer running out in front of me and rolling the truck trying to avoid it. I have a picture somewhere of the birthday cake Mom made me to make fun of it...little matchbox car suv she painted to match laying on its side on the cake and a plastic deer. It was pretty funny.

Finally picked up my coils and radius arms yesterday from a guy on NC4x4. Started building an early bronco yota hybrid and never finished. These things are crazy beefy, and from what I have read the coils are a good rate for what im trying to accomplish.

Clemson 4wheel sent me pics of my tires and wheels mounted up so now I am really getting the itch to get the axles under it. They turned out to be a great modern version of what I had on it in high school. My fenders should be in by the end of the week and I will go pick everything up together. Mom managed to dig out some more throw back pics of the thing and found a pic of the infamous cake.

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In an effort to keep from plugging this thread up too much ill do an updated recap from here:

Ended up finishing the Exterior and having the truck drive-able for the wedding....the day of the wedding. It then sat for a year in my garage untouched until I got a wild hair to finish it for the Clemson 4wheel center poker run. The last year has been spent putting miles on it, working out bugs, and doing the detail work. AC, wiring lockers and accessories, running arb diff breathers, steering pump and cooler, new accessories, full cooling system R&R, pulleys, belts, tension, hoses....you know...all the fun stuff.

Its ended up way better on the road than I anticipated and I drive it probably 80-90 percent of the time. It rides great, has cold ac, great stereo, comfy heated seats, cruise, and its just plain fun to drive. My only "complaint" with its road worthiness is the "bobbley" feeling it gets on uneven curvy road surfaces. I attribute it to the progressive rate springs being so soft at first and then rebounding when it hits the stiffer part. I have been back and forth between throwing an anti rock in it, or sending the shocks off and having them tuned to the truck.

As far as a sway bar goes im not sure if better to go front or rear. When I pull my popup, rzr, or jet ski the thing drives great with a little tongue weight on it.

The truck wheels great, seems sufficiently geared (wouldnt hate a crawl box) and catches some pretty good attention on the trail.

*pics leaving the reception, when I found it and brought it home, and 3 weeks before the wedding.

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Few more pics. Out wheeling and the switch panels I made for the seats and accessories.

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That is a good looking 1st gen!

After putting a doubler on my Bronco II, I don't know how I used to wheel with 5.13s and 35s. Granted the 4.0L has better low end torque than my 2.8L did, but I definitely recommend a doubler with the 5 speed if you like the technical stuff. It makes hard obstacles so much less stressful with the added control and not having to concentrate so much on the clutch.
 
Nice Sport. I have a 1994 4 door with a HP D44 and those Duff arms and 14" Radflo coil over shocks. I didn't go with Duff SAS brackets because I needed to push the front axle forward 2" for the tires to clear the firewall. I recently installed a 3.8 Atlas II. Huge difference in low speed control and power. I have had it since it was new and have been modifying it slowly ever since. You writing about the memories you have had with your Explorer reminded me why I keep it. Its very stable on the highway.
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Nice Sport. I have a 1994 4 door with a HP D44 and those Duff arms and 14" Radflo coil over shocks. I didn't go with Duff SAS brackets because I needed to push the front axle forward 2" for the tires to clear the firewall. I recently installed a 3.8 Atlas II. Huge difference in low speed control and power. I have had it since it was new and have been modifying it slowly ever since. You writing about the memories you have had with your Explorer reminded me why I keep it. Its very stable on the highway.
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Thanks bud. What did you have to do to get the Atlas to clear the floor?
 
I have a GM 700R4 transmission which is quite a bit shorter than the Ford trans so the Atlas sits at a wider spot. I also beat the trans tunnel out of the way. I made a custom cross member out of 2x3" 1/4" thick square tube with a offset torque arm. It uses six puck type bushings as isolators. The cross member mounts to the AA adaptor. I pushed the Atlas up as far as it would go and it sits about an inch below the body. The only thing I don't like about my setup is the front drive shaft is a little short. I had to clearance the heck out of the double cardan joint to clearance it at full droop. if it was about 4" farther back it would be ideal. A good solution to that would be a NWF iBox, but I really don't want to redo the entire thing again right now.
Torque arm
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Cross member (those weld nuts across the bottom are for skid plate mounts)
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Installed
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With the puck type isolators inside the cross member, it allows the skid plates to be mounted flush to the cross member. Then, even if the bolts loosen, then cannot fall out or even back off very much before bottoming out on the skid plates. Cross member mounts are also angled to keep it place even if the bolts fall out.
 
Skid plates (I went a little overboard, but those expensive parts are as safe as they can get) Transfer case skid bolts to the cross member, the frame on both sides, and to the front end of the gas tank skid plate mounts. Trans skid mounts to a custom cross member up front, and to the transmission/transfer case crossmember on top of the end of the tcase skid that is tabbed so they are flush.
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Center console with shifters
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Skid plates (I went a little overboard, but those expensive parts are as safe as they can get) Transfer case skid bolts to the cross member, the frame on both sides, and to the front end of the gas tank skid plate mounts. Trans skid mounts to a custom cross member up front, and to the transmission/transfer case crossmember on top of the end of the tcase skid that is tabbed so they are flush.

Don't know how I missed this before. That is some slick work with the auto, atlas, console, and skids. Nothing wrong with going a little overboard. Few things make you sleep better at the end of the day than wrapping up some clean details on a project.

I'm currently on the waiting list for the "new and improved" behemoth drivetrain crawl box. Figure it was worth jumping on the list for the discount, and with it taking as long as it hopefully I will have a good feel for the new owners by then. If that pans out it a good option, but if not I imagine I'll have to take the atlas plunge at some point. There were a few spots in Harlan I could have used a little more gear. But I guess if it just binds up and stalls out I won't break anything...
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Ended up getting a little creative to get a sway bar under this top heavy bastard. Running a JK antirock with modified Synergy TJ high steer brackets to clear my high steer. It took some creativity here to get everything to clear. Big difference in drivability, although it is taking some getting used to offroad. It doesn't just soak up everything I throw at it low speed like it did before. It is a lot better at speed though.
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Another item I found that ended up being pretty cool was a new old stock Ramsey brushguard/winch mount from the 80s. The Warn winch plate I ended up buying for my YJ project for perfect so I ended up using it since it looked better. Still have to fab brackets up since my factory bumper setup uses crash cans and the original ranger it was intended for did not. Solid way to mount a winch and add another throwback to my younger days.
 

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Like to hear about the sway bar and how its working for you. I have been looking at one for some time, but most of my sway, body roll and unpredictable behavior comes from the rear suspension.

I ended up removing the transmission skid plate as I have been some places I really shouldn't have been and never touched it. It also absorbed heat and the trans temps were higher than I liked. Temps dropped a lot without the plate.
Trans skid plate with the new mini-plate in front of it
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Mounted. Those bolts go into the transmission cross member. The skid plate prevents the trans mount bolts from backing out.
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I have a 3.8 Atlas II and am looking at a NWF Black Box-i. It would be nice for those long, slow and steep grades that I usually drop it into low range for to have something in between. It would be nice at high altitude to have a doubler because my 4.0 seems to be effected by altitude in that it loses a lot of power, and its gutless to start with. It also would push the transfer case back 4", which would be just about perfect to lengthen the front drive shaft and shorten the rear. I have a GM 700R4 trans, which is about 6" shorter than the stock auto and when I swapped the NP231 for a Atlas II, it got even shorter. Front drive shaft double cardan joint has been clearanced to keep it from binding. I had ordered a Tom Woods front shaft when I put in the Atlas and they said it was clearanced for 30* which ended up being not even close since at full drop the shaft is at 26* and it was bound up. I pulled it apart and clearanced it a bunch more to get it to work.
Mmmmm, Atlas
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Looks great. That Atlas is :smokin: Yeah the ol 4.0 isnt much for power...This meme sums it up well
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I've kicked around a 302 swap with a zf behind it with the 5.72 first....but man this 4.0 is just so reliable, never runs hot, and the air works.

When you get a chance I'd love to see how you set up those air bumps. Ive got a set of fox's in a box in the garage I need to mount.
As far as the drivability of this thing with the antirock...Interesting you brought up the rear. It is overall much tighter while exaggerating the softness in the rear if that makes sense. matth_85 called that before I installed it the first time he rode in it. After I get the winch on I think i'm going to pull the trigger on shock tuning and then go from there. It's definitely not bad. Just weird on those slower speed uneven secondary roads. It will blast down the interstate solid as can be.
 
The bumps are Daystar Stingers. They work well for me because I don't hammer them all the time. I haven't had to rebuild them and they have been there for about five years. I set the cans so I could replace them with air bumps and not have to redo it all. They hit plates I welded to the top of the radius arms. The bumps hit dead center on the plates. I like them because they compress when going fast / hard hits, but don't compress that much when crawling and keep the tires from contacting the top inside of the fenders when one side is up and the other side is down. I am told you could get that same result with air bumps with high pressure.
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The Daystar's are short so I made spacers for the top of the cans to help hold them in place.
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When I had FOA shit shocks, now have Radflo's
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Sweet 1st gen sport build :smokin:
Thanks man. I've followed your Ranger build pretty close on the gram. That thing is rowdy.
Spent some time in the garage screwing around with bracketry for the bumper/brushguard/winch mount last night. Cardboard template, then a rough metal template, then a dialed in metal plate in 3/16". Uses the existing Bumper mount holes in the frame and will have a 90 degree channel on the bottom to fasten to bottom of frame. What a time consuming freaking thing getting it exactly where I wanted it. I also wanted the winch mount to go through the bumper directly instead of fastening to the frame via the bumper. Figured its stronger that way. Also this way once the plastic trim goes back on the bumper it should be fairly clean looking. I think I would have less time invested in a damn bumper at this point.

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Got the ol paw paw 90s brushguard dialed in last night. Boy modern winches are huge compared to the old stuff. Super happy with how it turned out though. Need to pull the cable and reel it back in tight but other than that...good to go.
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Nice I like the result and overall look, fitting for the vintage.
I have similar evo, need to respool as well, used once quickly with loose rope, made a mess.

Relocating the solenoid box is an option if you want to change the look a bit.
 
So finally got tired of fighting that currie 9" after blowing the ring and pinion. I never trusted it to cool properly on the highway and it was always noisy. Not interrupt conversation noisy...but made enough deceleration chatter to drive with forest Whitaker eye.

Ended up building a strange pro series 3rd with motive 4:88s, chromoly 1350 yoke, and a new 35 splineARB for it. She's ready to party now. Truck is as smooth and quiet as a normal vehicle now on the highway.
 

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Is your rear driveshaft a double cardan? If so, your diff should be pointed at the output for the transfer case. I had a custom set of leaf springs made and noticed a new driveline vibration. Installed shims to correct the angle and the vibration went away. I would have moved the spring perches to correct the angle, but I have a welded on Superlift SOA brackets and it was easier to use shims.
 
Hows spring wrap out back?

Did you do that blue paint yourself?

awesome build:beer:

Thanks bud!

Its actually a wrap. Ive got some buddies with a wrap shop that hooked me up on a pretty solid price for it. Worked well with the build having a tight deadline, and it makes repair more modular than paint.

No problems with spring wrap at all. It hooks real well. Had a little problem in the front with wheel hop before the linear rate coils and antirock. My only real complaint with the truck is gearing. Even with 4:88s that 4.0 just doesn't have the oomph my Jeep 4.0 does with less gear. I was going to do a crawl box, but the unexpected rear diff, and YJ impulse buy ruined that budget. The little YJ is a hoot though, and "safer" to wheel on these tight SE trails than the Explorer.


 
Is your rear driveshaft a double cardan? If so, your diff should be pointed at the output for the transfer case. I had a custom set of leaf springs made and noticed a new driveline vibration. Installed shims to correct the angle and the vibration went away. I would have moved the spring perches to correct the angle, but I have a welded on Superlift SOA brackets and it was easier to use shims.
Single cardan. Tcase is around 4 degrees and the rear pinion is 2.5. Falls within the "margin of error" accounting for pinion rotation under load. Zero vibes at any speed, but I do wish it didn't hang so low. If it ends up being a problem I will get a double cardan, and turn it up. I did not anticipate the same driveshaft working and had that in the back of my mind, but it ended up going together easier than I thought. Turning it up will also involve shock mounts and possible reworking of the truss, so glad I didn't have to go that route yet.

*can't really lower the tcase because then it puts the front driveshaft in a bind. This current setup is the best I have ran and been able to smoothly run 4wd on the road if needed. Its tough trying to make one do everything, but its pretty close.
 
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Well, went down the leaf spring rabbit hole. Stock OEM springs are 3 leaves plus an overload, and went with ATS springs that are 4 leaves plus an overload. Threw some poly bushings in while I was at it. Holy moly what a difference in ride quality. It also got the body sway very under control. This thing drives very normal for what it is now. I removed the overload from the new pack but still got an inch lift I did not want, so now I've got to do some fiddling with the pinion angle. Overall very happy though. The old springs were worn to the point of arching so much the overload was wrapped into the pack.
 

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Sofa king awesome 😎

My first new car was a 4 door Explorer.
4.0, 5speed manual.
We drove back and forth across the country in that ride.
Good on you for your dedication to your first ride :usa:
 
Sofa king awesome 😎

My first new car was a 4 door Explorer.
4.0, 5speed manual.
We drove back and forth across the country in that ride.
Good on you for your dedication to your first ride :usa:
Thanks bud.

Apparently I need to get under there and powerwash and throw on some fresh paint. We did a snow ride a few weeks ago and all my other spray paint got sandblasted off by road salt.
 
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