4x4broncoII vs 2x4 xploder?

ok i just got my X, i had a friend who has a 4x4 bronco II (89) and we beat the hell out of it. but we never had problems with it getting stuck in mud even with 4x4 off until it got really bad. my question is how good can a 2x4 explorer handle mudding, i dont want to take it out if all im going to do is get it stuck....

right now my X is stock. i dont know if i want to jack it up yet or now...

 

[Texplorer]

In any low traction material like mud you arent going to do very well. A locker and big aggresive tires will help a little but not very much.

 

[brendan]

My guess, unless you have mud tires, some lift so you don't drag, and a locker, you're probably not going to get very far at all.

I think you can get lift pretty easily by putting spindles on the front and new leafs in the rear, do a search for 2wd lift or something like that. Then throw some 32's or 33's on and a locker in the rear and you can roll pretty good I'd bet.

 

[m3dia_lab]

ok, im comming form the import world so i know i gotta learning to do.

what is locker?

what do you mean "dont drag"

what are some good wheels i can get. i want to keep stock wheels for work and stuff and get other decentlly cheap wheels just for off roading...

i see these black wheels on alot of trucks, what are those?

 

[410Fortune]

two wheel drive will never be as good as 4 wheel drive off road, especially in MUDD!

However you can still surprise yourself with what a 2wd CAN do offroad, a locker is a must (others will explain) and ground clearance is important. Big tires = more traction. Traction is what you lack in 2wd...

Oh and FYI even a stock 4x4 BII kicks ass off road.........BII's have an excellent power to weight ratio, they have a perfect wheelbase, and a good low range with a very capable suspension, even in stock form....

Alec's Explorer sport is 2wd and he still attends the off road runs and does rather well.........I am guessing eventually he will give in anad swap a D44 up front with a transfer case........

 

[John_Rock]

Sounds like you are asking to get pulled out a lot.
Real mud is nasty.

Check out my pictures from Feb. 9th of this year:
http://www.explorerforum.com/data/showgallery.php?cat=3116&ppuser=4107&papass=&thumb=1

I have lockers front and rear, but I was missing the front passenger side CV shaft that day. I had broken it in Jan. and hadn't put in a new one yet. So, I only had the rear tires and front drivers side tire spinning.

I had a terrible time in that mud that day. It wasn't deep mud, but it was slimy as hell. My first stuck was because I bottomed out in some ruts. But, once I got out of the ruts, I still had major problems trying to get where I wanted to go. Mud will make you go where it wants you to go if you don't have really good tires and all 4 wheels spinning. Even then, sometimes you are SOL.

It took me over two hours to get out of that area. And I don't think I would have made it all the way out until my friend showed up and gave me a tug.

Check out the mud just gathering on the tire that wasn't spinning under power:
Dead Link Removed

Here I am spinning the tires like crazy, but barely moving:
Dead Link Removed

Good luck!

 

[John_Rock]

Originally posted by m3dia_lab
i see these black wheels on alot of trucks, what are those?

They are usually steel wheels. They are cheap, strong, and fixable on the trail. But, they are heavier than aluminum wheels.
They run about $50-$60 per wheel.

 

[Alec]

With good gearing, tires, and a locker a 2wd can do surprisingly well in loose mud. However, down here we have clay which eats all trucks for lunch. Last time I got stuck I had to leave my truck out there for 4 days until the mud dried up a little. Even then it still took a few hours to get it out.

 

[m3dia_lab]

i dont plan on going threw anything like Johnstone until i get alot of work done.

i wanted to ask this because i can buy a bronco II for $500, all i gotta do is get a new torque convertor. do you think i should get it? i had alot of fun in it...

and still, what is a locker?

 

[410Fortune]

$500 is about right for a decent BII with nothing done to it.

Dont count on it only needing a torque converter, it probably needs an entire auto tranny.

A locker is a traction device. It goes in teh differential and makes sure both wheels turn no matter what.
Your two wheel drive truck is actually a 1 wheel drive, you see you get stuck if one tire lifts in the air or slips in mud right? because all the power goes right to the wheel that is slipping, With a locker both wheels turn no matter what.

A true 4x4 rig has lockers front and rear with all 4 wheels turning no matter what. Makes for some interesting cornering on pavement........

 

[m3dia_lab]

where can i get a locker?

i know for a fact the tranny on the B2 is messed up, how much do you think i could pick up the whole tranny for at a junk yard or sumthing?

 

[410Fortune]

Locker for the Explorer? try looking at the classifieds section on this forum..

You can get a junkyard tranny for $300+ but dont think its gonna be much better....if you do get one get one from a 91-94 Explorer and it will work in teh BII and be a little stronger then the stock unit.......

look to spend over $1000 especially if you dont do the work........

 

[Alec]

For new parts: Randy's Ring and Pinion. It is usually around $1200-1300 to regear both axles and put a locker in the rear. For just a 2wd, look at about $400-600 for parts and installation from $200-350.

 

[m3dia_lab]

this is not sounding cheap....

is the 91-94 a direct bolt in for the b2?

 

[Alec]

Offroading can be a cheap hobby if you run a beater and do the work yourself. However, if you want a quality vehicle that performs well both onroad and off, it gets a little pricey.

Mud is one of the hardest terrains to prepare for, BTW

 

[410Fortune]

it is a direct bolt in with a couple small exceptions........the Ex uses a cable shifter and the BII a floor shifter with solid linkage. The Ex starter is wired differently, but you should be able to retain the BII starter.
there may be some small differences like these and some small wiring issues but nothing that cant be fixed easily with some imagination and engineering.....

 

[GaSouthern1]

Do yourself a favor, if you are gonna be goin in the mud or any harder than average trails, just go ahead and get yourself a 4wd something. The B2 would be fun and you can do all kinds of mods to them.

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

I think there is only one place for a 2wd and that is on pavement. I am sorry to say it but, it is how I feel.

 

[410Fortune]

OH come on Kris, you know a 2wd also does great in the desert!


until they stop and sink

 

[Kris Guilbeaux]

Originally posted by 410Fortune

until they stop and sink

My Point Exactly...