SQRLPWR Posted March 10, 2019 Report Share Posted March 10, 2019 Picked up another project, and a body style I've always really liked...aka square AF. It's a bone stock 1992 Explorer 4.0 with 119k, TTB, 8.8 Limited Slip 3.73's and 29" Wrangler M/Ts...and unmarked bright red interior. Its had bodywork and paint in its past, and needs body mounts, manifolds, exhaust work, a heater resistor, brakes, and 27 years of dried up crusty Krown knocking off it. It drives like your grandmas living room LOL Plan is to get 33x10.50's on it by means of a lift. Maybe build a front bumper and throw a winch on there....and that is it! It's never going to be a hardcore wheeler, but just a nice overland camping rig that I can take on club runs and get some fun back into wheeling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sar4x4 Posted March 11, 2019 Report Share Posted March 11, 2019 I think it will make a great weekend driver and overland rig. And parts hauler and and and..... Congrats and it looks great! Esp. with an off-road themed front bumper...…….. :-) It will be a luxo-yacht compared to the Sammi! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autumnwalker Posted March 11, 2019 Report Share Posted March 11, 2019 Great looking rig Jay! You and I have similar taste - "square AF". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SQRLPWR Posted March 11, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2019 Thanks. 1st order of the day, find a manual shift transfer case to replace the troublesome exploder electronic shift. Since I'm Ranger based, Kennys has a handful of Rangers and B2000's in the yard so hopefully I can find a suitable 1993+ Borg Warner 1354 (6 planetary gears vs 4 gears in pre-1993) https://www.therangerstation.com/how-to/transmission-transfer-case-driveshaft/1983-2011-ford-ranger-transfer-cases/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
D2. Posted March 12, 2019 Report Share Posted March 12, 2019 wow, that sure is red! Looking forward to seeing the modifications Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autumnwalker Posted March 13, 2019 Report Share Posted March 13, 2019 On 3/11/2019 at 12:09 PM, jay said: Since I'm Ranger based The Explorer is based on a Ranger? I would have assumed F150! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SQRLPWR Posted March 13, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2019 1st gen Explorers from the front doors forward are Rangers. Only 1st and 2nd gen Explorers are related to the Ranges. 3rd gen + are their own platform. Expeditions are related to the F150 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SQRLPWR Posted March 13, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2019 I've also been rethinking my plan for this and not building it at all, and just keeping it stock. The thought of selling the Zuk is killing me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomWood Posted March 13, 2019 Report Share Posted March 13, 2019 Its hard deciding what to do with rigs. I wish I had kept the Cherokee I had, the Liberty needed to go but the Cherokee was one I should have kept and fixed. However hindsight is what it is. Either way you will have a good rig to run! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SQRLPWR Posted March 13, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 13, 2019 Yeah I'm torn. And I know some day down the line the disposable Mazda3 will be gone, and the Ford will do just fine for that role. ...well that's my reasoning anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autumnwalker Posted March 14, 2019 Report Share Posted March 14, 2019 21 hours ago, jay said: And I know some day down the line the disposable Mazda3 will be gone, and the Ford will do just fine for that role. That seems like a rather large gap. Fuel economy, creature comforts ... I say mod! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SQRLPWR Posted March 14, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2019 ha yes, esp fuel economy, but I don't commute anywhere Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SQRLPWR Posted March 19, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2019 Picked up some repair pipe for the zaust - there is a rotted out section after the cats. I'm dying to get this out...hopefully get that repaired before coffee night Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SQRLPWR Posted March 19, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2019 Getting ahead of myself here I know, but been looking into winch bumpers, and I've decided that I want something no frills/utilitarian looking, like this. I don't think it'll be too difficult to make Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
89runner Posted March 19, 2019 Report Share Posted March 19, 2019 Suits the body style! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autumnwalker Posted March 21, 2019 Report Share Posted March 21, 2019 Looks about right! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SQRLPWR Posted March 28, 2019 Author Report Share Posted March 28, 2019 Started on the 1st of a few little jobs on the Exploder. There was transmission oil finding its way onto the radiator shroud. Previous owner installed a new radiator, and the fan was blowing droplets of oil from a leak on the transmission line connector to the radiator. A bit of Teflon tape fixed that Seems there's a few nasty DIY hoses on this thing that will need to be sorted out too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SQRLPWR Posted April 1, 2019 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2019 The Exploders heater only worked on high, so I went on a search for a replacement resistor pack at Kennys. Out of all the Ranges, F-series trucks and Explorers, I was only able to find 1 resistor pack in the whole yard from a '91 F-Super Duty ....well I only needed 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sar4x4 Posted April 2, 2019 Report Share Posted April 2, 2019 Once I have the Scout running well, and the spring SAR event is over, a trip to Kenny's is in store for me as well! Better seats for Scout and Burb….. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SQRLPWR Posted April 3, 2019 Author Report Share Posted April 3, 2019 Picked up a Keeper 8.5 from PA last night for the Ford that was on sale from 599 to 336. Winch looks almost identical to the Superwinch 8500, and that worked pretty good, so hoping for the best. Also picked up a roof basket so I can move the spare out from under the rear and have something to attach antennas and the hi-lift to...maybe lights and decal or 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sar4x4 Posted April 4, 2019 Report Share Posted April 4, 2019 "Decal or two..." Nuff said! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SQRLPWR Posted April 10, 2019 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2019 'fixed' the tick in the manifold...the drivers side has a hole. I don't want to tackle pulling the manifolds just yet, so a little furnace cement plugged it up nice for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SQRLPWR Posted April 10, 2019 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2019 Installed my HF and CB radios. Piggybacked the CB to the HF with hot glue. Let's see how long that lasts. Just waiting on a new antenna to complete the job..... They look a bit lost in the big ol' Explorer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SQRLPWR Posted April 22, 2019 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2019 Deja-vu time!! So after a LOT of deliberation, advise from those that have lifted an Explorer, and research, I've decided I don't want to sink twice as much $ as the Explorer is worth into a quality long arm Skyjacker or James Duff lift, and I don't want a weak $1200 Rough Country bracket lift as they have been know to crack on the bracket and there is no performance benefit to it either. Plus, most build threads online start with sinking money into TTB upgrades, then eventually go and do a SAS. I want to avoid spending money twice. So I decided to do a solid axle swap and I bought a set of '1976' F150 axles - HP Dana 44 and 9 inch with 4.56 gears. '1976' because the rear end is stamped 73, and it has drums up front so it could be a 73..who knows. The 4.56's will handle 35" tires no problem ..and the 9 tooth pinion is massive. (well compared to the Zuk LOL) A few thing need to be addressed; it has drum brakes up front, so I want to swap to discs one side of the Dana 44 has a broken inner and outer shaft due to a blown ujoint it needs radius arm pivot and C's bushings the coil buckets have seen better days This time I'll make sure the coils are completely vertical, and I'll buy a Superlift adjustable track-bar instead of cutting and sleeving it to fit. https://superlift.com/adjustable-front-track-bar-66-79-ford-f150-bronco-97-06-jeep-wrangler-tj/1978/ford/f-150?fbclid=IwAR0hn_0OGMx0w__hyS-u6pHqSRcGLSjNKHfAyc9QE-xAthyAh_XmkMIalGg It should be a relatively simple swap since there's no IFS hardware to remove from the frame. Goal is to replace anything worn or broken, and try and keep the width as narrow as possible. As a side note, buddy had swapped a 302 into a Ranger.....hmmmm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomWood Posted April 22, 2019 Report Share Posted April 22, 2019 302 would be beautiful in the exploder as well That with a 5 speed and manual shift t-case and you would be rocking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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