No pictures yet, but I removed the blocks between the axle and leaf springs (yeah I know, I can damage the springs), using anti-roll spring perches, KYB monomax shocks all around, heavy duty leaf springs (raises 3 inches to compensate for the lack of blocks), 4.10 gears front and back, LSD, all the rear suspension and hardware is brand new.

Let me tell you, I have NEVER felt such a tight rear end in a truck before, I'm excited as hell about this after my first test drive tonight. The braking is great, the traction is damn good, cornering ability is beyond decent considering what it is.

Oh man I've NEVER been so happy with a suspension/drivetrain upgrade in my LIFE! Took a lot of time, effort, and money, but it was worth it.

 

i need to do the swap... for one my braking sucks.. second i would really like to have a stronger axle before i manage to blow this one up haha

my friends just moved into a shop... yes moved into a shop with heated bays and they're getting a welder so i'll try to get it done there.... its gonna be nice knowing them when its -10 out and i need to work in my truck this winter

 

I put an FX4 31 spline in mine -- I love it. I'm going to a full width F-150 31 spline 8.8 eventually to match my front track width.

Sure wish I'd done the Exploder rear though -- the discs would be a boon. I hate drum brakes -- particularly working on them after mudding when the adjusters and stuff jam up and they quit working right.

Braking is better on my truck with the F-150 calipers on the SAS D44 axle -- but I still want those discs.

Something you might like to do if you offroad is to cut off the shock mounts and reclock them on the axle so they are parallel to the ground. I did that and it's worked out well and gives a much "smoother" profile under the truck.

 

I think my plan is to JY hunt for an FX4/Level II (I realize the odds are heavily against me) axle and then convert the drums to disc brakes. This seems to be a better option than hacking up an explore axle. Granted, the almighty dollar is the key factor.

 

yea...i was gonna get a '03 L2 axle.....for a mere $200! The yard called me and told me basically they lost it. Them bastards. I'm on my start to search for an Expo axle.

 

Bastards? Perhaps "morons" is a better word. How do you lose an axle? Oh, wait, maybe I'm being too harsh here...someone could have smuggled it out under their coat or in their toolbox. I shouldn't judge...

 

Any added clearance is a plus in my book. I have a friend with a 98 taco turd that did the same and he's nagged me to do so as well. I just don't feel like getting new shocks yet, especially since there are other relocations I'd like to do for better rear articulation with these deavers before I muck with the lower shock mounts.

 

Actually I did it to avoid getting new shocks. When I added 2 more inches in the rear after getting spindles, moving those mounts allowed me to retain the stock length RSX Rancho's I'd previously gotten.

 

Unless I move the upper mounts equally I think I'd have to get shorter shocks with moving the lower mount. Could be wrong. Don't know much about the idea/topic yet as I'm more interested in getting this BW13-54M installed, plus articulation in the rear is good for now I think....



And kook, get some blasted images up already, gees!

 

Congrats. I love my explorer rear. It has the disc and stopping power is great. I also threw on chevy springs and the axle hop is about gone.

 

Ha ha! You have the picture of me pulling your tow strap through in your avatar! I have that as my "member" (as opposed to truck) avatar on Cardomain, lol.

I remember how cold the water was, and how I sounded like a "pissed off Tom Hank's" if I remember someone's quote correctly. Those movies are probably still kicking around somewhere.

 

only thing I'd say about the explorer axle swap is that I need to get a brake portioning valve as my rear brakes lock up to well. I think its starting to warp my rear brakes because of it.