01 ZR2 vs 99 Explorer Sport

[heathmo]

Well I've been trying to help a buddy of mine out with his truck and I'm trying to figure this all out as to why I've got much more power than he does. My specs aren't super impressive: 4.0L SOHC, 4x4, 5r55e, tag says it weighs 4880lbs, And the upgrades have been relatively minor, K&N FIPKII and custom Magnaflow Y-pipe to single in/out 2.5" muffler. I'm still running stock 235/75/15 BFG All-Terrain T/A KOs and 3.27 rear end according to my tags.

My buddy's ZR-2 according to specs is the 4.3L V6 - 190HP stock, stock tranny, stock 31x10.5x15s BFG LongTrail T/As, and he's put in the K&N panel filter, yet the thing is still a pooch compared to mine. Granted my engine stock put out 210HP, but the 20HP I wouldn't think would make as big a difference as I'm seeing. Mine has to be heavier I would think. And those mods shouldn't have given me more than 10-15HP gain I wouldn't think, dyno for the 4.0L Explorer @ K&N said 8HP for the FIPKII. So would approx. 30HP make that much difference even with my crappy gears?

 

[techieman33]

You don't weight 4800lbs, you should weigh around 3700lbs.

 

[heathmo]

beats me, I just read the tag on the door and went by that. I didn't think it was extremely heavy, but I figured it had to be heavier than a small pickup truck. How can I find out what it's really supposed to weigh by the tags on it?

 

[techieman33]

You can't, the best way to get an accurate weight is to run it over a scale at a recyclers, or truck stop

 

[yellowford]

I've ridden in a 2000 blazer with the 4.3L and it could probably take my Explorer but thats only a 2 door 2wd which will make quite a difference.

 

[heathmo]

Ok, well as much as I love my truck I don't get why they couldn't have at least put that on the tag right, makes me wish they made a mistake labeling my axle too, damn 3.27s, that was a dumb idea to put those in there, knowing full well the 3.73 is the ideal one, especially after 8 years of making them.

 

[heathmo]

Oh yeah, that would definitely be a difference, the regular 2wd, 2dr Blazer doesn't have the extra 500lbs that the ZR2s have and the 31s. Can you tell I really want bigger tires, but don't want to have to deal with the gear swap, so much money and time for something that Ford should've done in the first place.

 

[techieman33]

actually most sports have 4.10 gears

 

[heathmo]

Then why in the heck doesn't mine? That's so not fair. That's just more money I gotta spend to get it to where most people in my position already were.

 

[james t]

Ok, well as much as I love my truck I don't get why they couldn't have at least put that on the tag right, makes me wish they made a mistake labeling my axle too, damn 3.27s, that was a dumb idea to put those in there, knowing full well the 3.73 is the ideal one, especially after 8 years of making them.

Whats on the tag is not supposed to be the weight of your truck... its supposed to be the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating... in other words its the weight of your truck + the weight of all the **** it's rated to carry.

 

[heathmo]

Ah

Of all the crap I learned and actually retained, that was one that I never kept in my head, ok my bad then. Still don't see how I've go so much more get up and go than that pickup truck though. Granted it has the 31's but technically the gear ratio should be better matched or at least maybe a slight bit higher. I know that I've got some hp on him though. Maybe puts us closer to even, still odd to me. I just think that mine would end up driving about as slow as his if I were to switch to 31s or 32s, but I've got 3.27s apparently. Still don't understand how they came up with their numbering system either. Why the numbers don't go in order from bottom to top seeing as 41 is 3.27, then 42 puts it at 4.10 then 46 is 3.73 and 45 is 3.55. I would think it makes much more sense to maybe have it 42 as 3.55 45 3.73 and 46 4.10 or reverse that.