Reddit mentions of Monroe 58617 Monroe Load Adjust Shock Absorber

First order of business is to get it in as good running condition as possible. All the mods in the world won't help if you are broken down. Find out what is causing your CEL and get it fixed.

The bouncy ride is likely due to bad/worn out shocks. Replace them with higher quality parts. You can get Monroe load adjusting rear shocks (look like coil overs) for about $90 for both. They are helpful for fighting rear end sag when you are loaded up. There are a lot of options for the front shocks depending on what kind of ride you prefer.

If your shocks were neglected, your other suspension components might be used up too. Replace the upper control arms, lower ball joints, tie rod ends, and might as well check the brakes too. Check to make the bearings in your wheel hubs aren't worn out either. If you can't stop or a wheel falls off, you will be in rough shape.

Change all of your fluids too if you can. This includes your differentials, transfer case, engine oil, trans, and coolant. You never know when the last time some of those have been changed, or what kind of condition the oil/fluid is in until you check. Test your battery or replace it if it is over 5 years old.

As far as mods go, start off with the basics. Get good tires that are designed for off road use, not passenger rated street tires. You can fit 31x10.5r15 tires with no problems or modification needed. Your tire choice will vary depending on the terrain you most often travel on and budget. Because of the 4wd system in your v8 explorer, you should also get a spare in the same size as your other tires. If you do get a flat, you can burn out drivetrain components because the smaller spare has to spin more than the larger tires in order to cover the same distance.

If you do want a slight lift, you can crank your torsion bar adjusting bolts in the front for a 1.5" gain. Any more than that and you will be putting too much strain on your cv joints. You will need to get an alignment after a torsion twist though. However, if you are replacing your ball joints and other front end parts too, you'll need to get an alignment anyway. For the back, you can buy a set of longer shackles (Warrior 153) that connect the rear part of your springs to the frame. That should get you about 2" more clearance in the back. You can also use an add a leaf spring to help bring the rear up more. An add a leaf will make your ride much more stiff in the rear though. If you have running boards, remove them for more clearance as well.

Set up proper recovery points in the front and rear. There aren't any good places to pull from stock, and you don't want to go breaking anything while you are trying to get out of a mess in the middle of nowhere. Also, check to make sure you have the factory fuel tank skid plate. It isn't 1/4" laser cut steel, but it is better than nothing. If you don't have one, look in a local junk yard.

You might want to get some new headlight housings too. They tend to fog and not do much at all. They are easy enough to replace and will make a huge difference on and off road. Auxiliary lights like Hellas, KCs, or maybe a lightbar will be very helpful if you find yourself off-road in the dark very often. Most of these aux lights come in a kit complete with a relay, fuse, switch, and a wiring harness. Installation is pretty straight forward and can be done well in a few hours (even if you have never done any electrical work before).

Other than that, just get out and enjoy the process of figuring out what you really need from your vehicle. Learn proper recovery techniques and always go with another vehicle if you can. Always pack emergency gear like a first aid kit, extra clothes, food, water, flashlight, and a handful of tools for quick fixes. You might find that you need a winch, awning, rtt, storage drawers, dual batteries, and full armor eventually, but it is better to build as you go to find out what is really necessary for you.

There are not a ton of aftermarket modifications for second gen Explorers, so you might have to do some custom work (or find someone who can do it for you). I'd advise that you do as much of the maintenance on your own as you can. That way if something fails, you will know where to begin troubleshooting and will hopefully be able to fix it. If you haven't already found it, ExplorerForum.com is a VERY helpful place. Tons of DIY guides and other resources for Explorer owners.

Bought as a pair on Amazon. Just over $100 w/ shipping. Now the time we spent swapping them out... well that was probably 15 hours total. We're not fast.

Edit: they will fit a 97 Explorer.

I had considered that but I needed new struts anyways. Two birds, one stone. The Monroe strut spring combo fixed the sag and I got new struts.

http://www.monroe.com/en-US/e-catalog/58617

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000C53RXK/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1477966664&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=58617

Wow three inches! My shocks have 90k on them I probably wouldn't see that much haha. I'm not really after suspension lift in the rear, I've been thinking I would level it with a t-bar crank and then get a body lift later on. I like the idea of more load support. How is the ride?

Are these the ones you got?

http://www.amazon.com/Monroe-58617-Sensa-Trac-Adjusting-Absorber/dp/B000C53RXK/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8