over 100mph in an explorer

Hitchhikingmike · December 22, 2008

I made a road trip from Dallas to Denver in one day. I had to cover lots of miles quickly in 12 hours. So when I could I was cruising at 90-100mph through New Mexico-Colorado. The explorer is still comfortable to ride in at 85-90mph. But once I got past about 105mph the steering wheel began to violently shake up and down. I assume this is because my wheels are not properly balanced to an extreme to handle the speed. I just backed down the speed and continued cruising at about 85-90mph for a few hours. The explorer handled great. The 4.0 has barely enough torque to stay in overdrive gear at 90mph, never the less it was able to. At 95mph rpms are at about 3000 in OD gear. My top speed was 107. The 4.0 has plenty of power to push it past 110mph for sure, I just didn't feel safe at 110mph.

I just wanted to rant there for a minute about pushing my explorer to its limits. Has any one else breached the 100 mark on their spedo??

Please share.

Thanks.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1547518&l=57b86&id=557846679
Note: rpms are high in this photo because I was accelerating and was not in overdive gear. Otherwise when cruising at 100mph in OD rpms are still low.

*Disclaimer* All speeds over 75mph were upon private property and not on the highway. *Disclaimer*

Cozmik · December 22, 2008

Mike , please tell us a passenger took that pic!!! I've done 85 in a Freightliner with 46,000lbs in the box, and no way should I have been taking pictures!

Other than that, way to go!! I'm afraid to see my Ex's speedo that high.

CCr · December 22, 2008

I do not condone this behavior but will admit to reaching the rev limiter once. felt like hitting a brick wall.

gsx220 · December 22, 2008

anything over like 80 in mine feels unsafe lol

parad1mg · December 22, 2008

reached 92 a few months back when i was testing out if my new wheels were balanced well enough... but even with only a mild TT and 1" rear shackle lift at that time, the truck felt like it was floating around plus i didnt have that much of a straight road to run around and more of the bumpy curvy roads (damn VA..)

maybe i'll try again when the weather gets better..

JessyJames · December 22, 2008

I had the needle buried on mine once, friends radar gun said 127mph

Hitchhikingmike · December 22, 2008

JessyJames said:
I had the needle buried on mine once, friends radar gun said 127mph

Yes I had a passenger take that photo. 127! oh my!

xadriannn · December 22, 2008

limited to 95, hit it often though, plenty of endless straight roads where im from.

avg speed signs read 55mph, nobody goes that slow though.

remember kiddies CLICK IT OR TICKET! now to go change my oil...

Hitchhikingmike · December 22, 2008

xadriannn said:
limited to 95, hit it often though, plenty of endless straight roads where im from.

avg speed signs read 55mph, nobody goes that slow though.

remember kiddies CLICK IT OR TICKET! now to go change my oil...

All the passengers in my explorer were "clicked" in. However if I got pulled over that would have been the least of my worries if I was unbuckled at the time.

aldive · December 22, 2008

Hitchhikingmike said:
Yes I had a passenger take that photo. 127! oh my!

How did you acheive that speed? PCM tune?

Hitchhikingmike · December 22, 2008

No my explorer is all stock. I was able to set my cruise control at 105. My speedometer never encountered a governor. If I pushed it I have all confidence I would have reached 120, the top of my speedometer without hitting a governor.

kert0307 · December 22, 2008

I've hit 95ish before passing people, and it felt really stable and smooth with plenty to go... My brain wont let me go over that in a top heavy lifted truck with mud tires and no rear sway bar.

techieman33 · December 22, 2008

Hitchhikingmike said:
No my explorer is all stock. I was able to set my cruise control at 105. My speedometer never encountered a governor. If I pushed it I have all confidence I would have reached 120, the top of my speedometer without hitting a governor.

Honestly I doubt it would get to 120 unless you were going downhill or gave it a good long time to get there. There is a big difference between 105 and 120 when your driving a rolling brick wall. I've had mine somewhere it the 130ish range, with the motor revving 4k and it was just out of power to push me any faster.

chriswells78 · December 22, 2008

kert0307 said:
I've hit 95ish before passing people, and it felt really stable and smooth with plenty to go... My brain wont let me go over that in a top heavy lifted truck with mud tires and no rear sway bar.

Yeah, I'm with you on this one, around 95 my baja claws make it sound like I'm being followed by a million bees. It's kind of a reminder to back off a bit.

blueka · December 22, 2008

I took it to the limiter on mine... and it nearly snapped my leg off, but now i'm limited to about 70mph due to the mud tyres

Si

Jd0gg919 · December 22, 2008

techieman33 said:
Honestly I doubt it would get to 120 unless you were going downhill or gave it a good long time to get there. There is a big difference between 105 and 120 when your driving a rolling brick wall. I've had mine somewhere it the 130ish range, with the motor revving 4k and it was just out of power to push me any faster.
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v601/techieman33/?action=view&current=12-29-07_1206.jpg

Crazy how you're mileage just happens to be 100,000 on the dot while taking this haha.

Hitchhikingmike · December 22, 2008

I wonder at what speeds an explorer would begin to be air born?!? Do you think its possible? I mean all of us have at least 9" of ground clearance, a LOT of air is channeled underneath an explorer on the highway.

gsmaclean · December 22, 2008

I don't have any pics of my Explorer speedo, but I do have this picture of my old 1991 MR2 Turbo at 137 mph that I took back in 1995 (when I was young and stupid). Note turbo boost gauge (top, center, in between the tach and speedo) is showing full boost. I once had this car up to 150 mph (which is as fast as it would go) but I wasn't taking pictures of the dash at the time.

Melon · December 22, 2008

I took my Ex to about 95mph a few weeks ago. I didn't feel comfortable at that speed so let off the gas and let it slow down to 65.

My 'Bird on the other hand

Taken it over 100 a few times but not too often. Not many good roads around here to do that on.

-Melon

Glen4X4 · December 22, 2008

In my 92 Ex I had it past 85, the needle was down at the bottom of the cluster tapping. Haven't taken my 2nd gens that fast. I've decided to keep my speed in my ex's no higher than 70.

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