'99 explorer 8.8 Swap

[tda88]

HI! I'm new to the site this is my first time posting it has been VERY helpful so far. I finally got something worth sharing, and I figured of anyone, you all would share my enthusiasm. I was rummaging at my local junkyard and stumbled across this gold nugget. Yes...it is an 8.8 out of a '99 explorer and to top it all off it's a 4.10 limited slip! I saw the D2 on the door and I about fell down, then to top it all off it only had 92k miles on it, and appeared to be in perfect condition. I then contiued to another 95+ explorer and pulled the nicest set of brake pads and disks I could find out there and ended up with a really nice set-up. I've already chopped the spring pads off and i'm getting ready to set my pinion and weld her all up. I'm now running into a little problem that I was hoping I could get some help with. My MJ has a 4.5" full leaf UNDER pack and i'v since pitched the stock springs. I feel like it's a complete waste to go leaf under on this 8.8 just due to ground clearance, however if I use my 4.5" leaf pack i'll net like 11" of lift which is WAY higher than i'm looking to go. So...My question is...does anyone know if cherokee springs are the same length distance so I could just use the main spring then build my own leaf pack? Or, would the stock explorer leaf under pack bolt in because I could go over with those and i'd be at about 4.5" again? Unfortunatly the one and only comanche my local u-pull it had they scrapped before I began this project or I would just go pull the stocker springs out of that and go over with it. Any feedback would be great, and if anyone is interested I will probably have a set of full 4.5" under springs for sale and my stock D35 rear end (3.07gears) if someone wants a bolt in 4.5" rear lift let me know! Also i'm swapping out the front and maybe going long arm so if anyone wants the matching front D30HP let me know...for the right price i'll sell the whole lift and both axles it's a rusty's 4.5" kit.

 

 

[Pete M]

car-part.com should be able to locate some stock leafs for ya. :thumbsup:

 

XJ leafs are shorter in length than MJ leafs.

[boardmanMJ]

...for the right price i'll sell the whole lift and both axles it's a rusty's 4.5" kit.

 

 

man i was really interested untill you mentioned this part...ive had some problems with rustys and i try to avoid them at all costs.

 

 

Josh

[tda88]

BTW here's a full size pic of my MJ; it's my first MJ. I've had over 10 XJ's, ZJ's, WJ's. I've been looking for one for about 10 years now and this was the cleanest one I have ever seen! Oh...and the lift is like new and it's very tight. It's been problem free i've actually been very happy with it.

 

 

 

[Backroads]

can't help ya with the axle stuff, but nice lookin truck! 31's?

 

edit NM just read your sig...32's looks great man!