EXPLORER

I acquired a 1992 Explorer XLT to use as a wheeler / camper / exploration rig.

The Zuk is incredibly capable, cheap and easy to work on, but it's also ruining my back, it's noisy,  uncomfortable, not great on the road, and restricted to local trails as the 5.13's are miserable on the highway.

Overall plan is to replace the Zuk.....IF I can let it go.

I always liked this generation of Explorer; it's shear squareness and quirky Twin Traction Beam front end setup....and it was cheap!!

It's in overall reasonable condition. Being a Nova Scotia vehicle it's seen it's fair share of salt and bodywork repairs. The previous owner was a kid and he started collecting parts to repair it, and made some shitty repairs to it.

Right now it needs;

The radiator was replaced, so I need to double check the hoses
Needs a drivers side manifold and some exhaust work

It's got a killer transmission leak. The whole underside of the pan is wet and it looks like rubber hoses were used on it. I'm hoping the PO just got cheap and replaced the lines with leaky hose.

Body mounts - all of them look 27 years old and the body is sat on the frame.

Once all the service items are sorted, the plan is for a super mild build - put some 33x10.50's under it, maybe build some sliders, maybe build a winch bumper...and that is it!

So to the 1st dilemma - the body mounts need replacing, so do I use stock mounts or 3 inch lift mounts. Lift mounts might get me to up enough to fit 33's without the expense of a suspension lift.