Anyone still driving 2nd gens?

[spinnn]

Well said. There's something about the early explorers that grab you

This. A great combination of old school mechanical prowess and new style curves, aerodynamic yet doesn't look like every other unibody crossover SUV out there

 

[Terry Long Sr.]

Curious if anyone still running a 2nd gen explorer set up? I’ve seen a ton roll out of the garages since we got dumped on with snow up here in the north.
if you’re still running a 2nd gen, any trouble or recent issues?

I got a 96 Explorer XLT 4x4 that has been parked since the middle of last year that was given to me by my daughter in law and son after they drove it 4 years. I just put insurance back on it yesterday and will put it back on the road sometime next week, 200k on it and so quite you can't hardly hear it running. I've fix or had someone to work on it for me since I got it and will be happy to have it on the road again. Well I'll give a little update on my progress so far, I drove that Explorer to the garage to get the inspection done on it, it shook violently for the 4 mile trip there, long story short the tie rod ends and ball joints were shot (knew they were problems)and I had already bought a complete rebuild kit for it! So my cost began with a $13.50 or so inspection to $650.00 repair that may go up if they find anything else it may be more! All in all the cost is still way better than buying another car or getting a new one and adding car payments and collision insurance! It's getting back on the road!

 

[Poohdaddy]

This. A great combination of old school mechanical prowess and new style curves, aerodynamic yet doesn't look like every other unibody crossover SUV out there

Say it again for the kids in back of the classroom

 

[spinnn]

Say it again for the kids in back of the classroom

Haha. True story:
In the 90's I was a body guy, and an absolute elitist as far as the trucks I chose to four-wheel. If it wasn't a 1970's Ford 250 or greater, or Bronco, I trash talked it and disregarded it, because there was nothing that compared. I had a 75 f250 Highboy on 38's, 390/4 speed stick, and a 78 f250 extended cab 2wd with a 351M/c6.
One day in 1997 a girl brought to my bodyshop a 97 Sport to get fixed, someone ran into the right rear quarter panel. It was a stick, on 31's. The first time I climbed into the truck, I was transfixed. I was in love. Aside from the fact that it was a stick in an era of slushboxes, I felt like it was molded around me. Everything was just as it should be...the placement of the interior components, the driving and handling qualities, everything was pretty much just as it should have been from my point of view (yes, the lack of a 5.0/5-speed stunk, but the 4.0 isn't too shabby).
The 78 F250 got crushed by a tree in a windstorm, and the 75 became problematic because it was too damn big, and couldn't get down the trails I was trying to ride. I wound up with a 90 Isuzu Trooper, drove and wheeled that till the engine blew in 09. While looking for a replacement, I found a 97 Sport with a stick for $1500, with 100k miles. I bought it, and still have it, now with almost 400k on the clock. She never once stranded me or let me down, and I still drive her daily today...rusty and old, but still faithful as a hound dog.
My 95 I bought as a parts truck for the 97, with a bad trans (broken 2nd band). I had to take my foot off the gas to make it shift out of first. In this condition, the truck gave me 30,000 miles of mostly problem free driving...drove all up and down the east coast and aside from the trans glitch, she drove ok. And when the trans finally gave out, it was in my driveway, not somewhere where I would be stranded and need to be towed.
Do trucks have souls? The obvious answer is no. But these exploders I have been blessed to own might make one think twice.
Edit: The day I bought my 97 is the date I joined this board. Just noticed that lol.

 

[Psilocin]

Curious if anyone still running a 2nd gen explorer set up? I’ve seen a ton roll out of the garages since we got dumped on with snow up here in the north.
if you’re still running a 2nd gen, any trouble or recent issues?

My daily driver is 98 5 speed xlt ohv. It's plauged with problems tbh. Got a couple oil leaks, synchros are going bad, and I got a cracked head. I love her though.

 

[spinnn]

My daily driver is 98 5 speed xlt ohv. It's plauged with problems tbh. Got a couple oil leaks, synchros are going bad, and I got a cracked head. I love her though.

I have the synchro thing going on too, as a result of the one time I ever in my life went to Jiffy Lube. I told them repeatedly that the trans gets ATF, and they decided that gear oil was the more appropiate choice. You learn to work around the fried synchros haha

 

[97Sandbox]

My 97 XLT has been a blast this winter! I used to keep it out of the salt, but after burning up my 2nd OD band in th 5R55E, I elected to just run it into the ground. Ironically, my SOHC with over 200k and orginal timing guides is still solid without any death rattle to speak of.

It's RWD and a ton of fun in Wisconsin snow now that I have the Yukon clutches in the trac lok rear!

 

[Floridacatfan2020]

For sure - daily driver for 10 years - left me stick once and it was trying to tell me it needed a new pump - 98 4.0 sohc with oil accumulated - I have tooling and parts for the chains but not the heart to tear down a perfectly running truck to replace - I know from visual the rear guide is broken and the left front is broken but it seems the system continues to perform

 

[W.C. Legere]

Curious if anyone still running a 2nd gen explorer set up? I’ve seen a ton roll out of the garages since we got dumped on with snow up here in the north.
if you’re still running a 2nd gen, any trouble or recent issues?

Let me tell you a story about my 96 2 Door Sport X Code. It's a 4.0 pushrod engine with a M5OD-R1 5-speed manual, 8.8 rear with a limited slip and 4 wheel disc breaks. I bought it in early 17 for $500. The tranny was locked in reverse and the previous owner didn't want to mess with it. The body had a little rust but the interior was absolutely perfect and everything else worked. It's loaded with power everything and lots of optional features. Turns out it was the reverse lock out plate spring in the top cover of the shifter. It cost me $18 to fix the trans. While the trans was out it got a new clutch, release bearing, resurfaced fly wheel and new rear main seal. Over the next year the Explorer got a complete suspension rebuild with a 3" lift, Upper and lower control arms, torsion bar lift keys, rear torsion bar delete, new rear SD Truck Spring multi-leaf rear springs and shackles, 4 new 31-10.50X15 aggressive off-road tires with ProComp off road steel wheels, new Rugged Ridge lifted shocks. It also got a new after-market 3 core aluminum radiator and a custom designed and installed 12,000 lb recovery winch mounted behind the front grill between the front frame rails. After all the work I did to this truck I started doing some serious off-roading with this "Poor Man's Jeep" and it went almost everywhere my friends went in their CJ's and YJ's. The open front axle prevented me from getting through some of the deepest mud holes but when climbing this little guy shined! With the 3.73 gears and the limited slip (new GT40 Limited Slip Clutch Pack and Spring) and the 5.0 4 hole fuel injectors and cold air intake made a huge difference in horse power and torque. What I learned is that the electronic BW 4405 transfer case really doesn't like water very much. After applying the now famous "brown wire mod" to bypass the Generic Electronic Module that controls the "Control Trac" element of the 4 wheel drive system the truck handled much better in a multitude of off-road conditions. This little truck did 3 "tours of duty" at a place called Interlake Off-Road Park in Lynnville, Indiana and trust me when I tell you, some of the trials there are literally white knuckle rides! When most of my friends who had Jeeps would shuck u-joints, twist axles and break tie rods ends, I only had one problem with the Explorer. I killed the electronic shift motor and a hall effect sensor in my transfer case going through really deep water. It was stuck in 4 wheel drive low for the remainder of the trip and had to trailer it home. I still had a great time though. Plus... I had air conditioning and they didn't! HA! The moral of this story, if there is one, is that with a little creativity and a LOT of hard work you can actually create a solid off-road performer with these Explorers. Ford got a lot of things right with this platform and while the older (non-electronic) Explorers are honestly a better off-road platform to build on you can make a Second Gen perform almost as well with some minor limitations. Mine is living proof of that. Lately though, I lost the trans to a burned up input shaft bearing, rebuilt the trans but re-assembled the 5th gear wrong so it pops out of 5th and won't hold in gear. My fault, I'm sure. I had a blast in this little SUV but have since acquired a VERY RARE 92 Jeep Cherokee XJ 2 door with a High Output 4.0 and T5 5 speed manual and have built on that platform. So my little Explorer has been retired from the trail and sits sadly on the side of my shop for the time being until I decide what to do with it. I literally beat the crap out of that truck and he just kept going and rarely ever let me down. Part of me wants to get him back on the road, another part of me feels this guy has been beat up enough and has earned a long rest .

 

[Poohdaddy]

Haha. True story:
In the 90's I was a body guy, and an absolute elitist as far as the trucks I chose to four-wheel. If it wasn't a 1970's Ford 250 or greater, or Bronco, I trash talked it and disregarded it, because there was nothing that compared. I had a 75 f250 Highboy on 38's, 390/4 speed stick, and a 78 f250 extended cab 2wd with a 351M/c6.
One day in 1997 a girl brought to my bodyshop a 97 Sport to get fixed, someone ran into the right rear quarter panel. It was a stick, on 31's. The first time I climbed into the truck, I was transfixed. I was in love. Aside from the fact that it was a stick in an era of slushboxes, I felt like it was molded around me. Everything was just as it should be...the placement of the interior components, the driving and handling qualities, everything was pretty much just as it should have been from my point of view (yes, the lack of a 5.0/5-speed stunk, but the 4.0 isn't too shabby).
The 78 F250 got crushed by a tree in a windstorm, and the 75 became problematic because it was too damn big, and couldn't get down the trails I was trying to ride. I wound up with a 90 Isuzu Trooper, drove and wheeled that till the engine blew in 09. While looking for a replacement, I found a 97 Sport with a stick for $1500, with 100k miles. I bought it, and still have it, now with almost 400k on the clock. She never once stranded me or let me down, and I still drive her daily today...rusty and old, but still faithful as a hound dog.
My 95 I bought as a parts truck for the 97, with a bad trans (broken 2nd band). I had to take my foot off the gas to make it shift out of first. In this condition, the truck gave me 30,000 miles of mostly problem free driving...drove all up and down the east coast and aside from the trans glitch, she drove ok. And when the trans finally gave out, it was in my driveway, not somewhere where I would be stranded and need to be towed.
Do trucks have souls? The obvious answer is no. But these exploders I have been blessed to own might make one think twice.
Edit: The day I bought my 97 is the date I joined this board. Just noticed that lol.

Hell yeah man excellent story I'm partial to the 1st and 2nd generation Sports. Perfect size for me since I'm single with no kids. I've probably had 6 of them over the years and just got another one. She's definitely staying with me even with the SOHC engine....

 

[spinnn]

Let me tell you a story about my 96 2 Door Sport X Code. It's a 4.0 pushrod engine with a M5OD-R1 5-speed manual, 8.8 rear with a limited slip and 4 wheel disc breaks. I bought it in early 17 for $500. The tranny was locked in reverse and the previous owner didn't want to mess with it. The body had a little rust but the interior was absolutely perfect and everything else worked. It's loaded with power everything and lots of optional features. Turns out it was the reverse lock out plate spring in the top cover of the shifter. It cost me $18 to fix the trans. While the trans was out it got a new clutch, release bearing, resurfaced fly wheel and new rear main seal. Over the next year the Explorer got a complete suspension rebuild with a 3" lift, Upper and lower control arms, torsion bar lift keys, rear torsion bar delete, new rear SD Truck Spring multi-leaf rear springs and shackles, 4 new 31-10.50X15 aggressive off-road tires with ProComp off road steel wheels, new Rugged Ridge lifted shocks. It also got a new after-market 3 core aluminum radiator and a custom designed and installed 12,000 lb recovery winch mounted behind the front grill between the front frame rails. After all the work I did to this truck I started doing some serious off-roading with this "Poor Man's Jeep" and it went almost everywhere my friends went in their CJ's and YJ's. The open front axle prevented me from getting through some of the deepest mud holes but when climbing this little guy shined! With the 3.73 gears and the limited slip (new GT40 Limited Slip Clutch Pack and Spring) and the 5.0 4 hole fuel injectors and cold air intake made a huge difference in horse power and torque. What I learned is that the electronic BW 4405 transfer case really doesn't like water very much. After applying the now famous "brown wire mod" to bypass the Generic Electronic Module that controls the "Control Trac" element of the 4 wheel drive system the truck handled much better in a multitude of off-road conditions. This little truck did 3 "tours of duty" at a place called Interlake Off-Road Park in Lynnville, Indiana and trust me when I tell you, some of the trials there are literally white knuckle rides! When most of my friends who had Jeeps would shuck u-joints, twist axles and break tie rods ends, I only had one problem with the Explorer. I killed the electronic shift motor and a hall effect sensor in my transfer case going through really deep water. It was stuck in 4 wheel drive low for the remainder of the trip and had to trailer it home. I still had a great time though. Plus... I had air conditioning and they didn't! HA! The moral of this story, if there is one, is that with a little creativity and a LOT of hard work you can actually create a solid off-road performer with these Explorers. Ford got a lot of things right with this platform and while the older (non-electronic) Explorers are honestly a better off-road platform to build on you can make a Second Gen perform almost as well with some minor limitations. Mine is living proof of that. Lately though, I lost the trans to a burned up input shaft bearing, rebuilt the trans but re-assembled the 5th gear wrong so it pops out of 5th and won't hold in gear. My fault, I'm sure. I had a blast in this little SUV but have since acquired a VERY RARE 92 Jeep Cherokee XJ 2 door with a High Output 4.0 and T5 5 speed manual and have built on that platform. So my little Explorer has been retired from the trail and sits sadly on the side of my shop for the time being until I decide what to do with it. I literally beat the crap out of that truck and he just kept going and rarely ever let me down. Part of me wants to get him back on the road, another part of me feels this guy has been beat up enough and has earned a long rest .

I had that spec jeep in maroon, in 1993, iirc, bought from an auto auction. I bagged the oilpan on a cinder block that someone threw into a mud hole that I unfortunately tried to cross, and she went to heaven...sold it to some dude for a song with seized motor. Was snotty as all heck. I thought my trans was an ax-5, or that weird peugeot trans that they were using for years but it could have been a t-5, I didn't have it for too long and didn't spend much time underneath it.

 

[Dlojack]

Curious if anyone still running a 2nd gen explorer set up? I’ve seen a ton roll out of the garages since we got dumped on with snow up here in the north.
if you’re still running a 2nd gen, any trouble or recent issues?

Nope mine is my daily driver love it in the snow and mountains and in co.

 

[spinnn]

Hell yeah man excellent story I'm partial to the 1st and 2nd generation Sports. Perfect size for me since I'm single with no kids. I've probably had 6 of them over the years and just got another one. She's definitely staying with me even with the SOHC engine....

Thanks! I want to get my hands on a first gen myself, it's the old school boxy look that gets me. Also want to fool around with a TTB...never had one of those before and would like to see what the deal is.
I've made it a point to avoid the SOHC, but the people that I know that had them didn't ever get the death rattle. My curiosity might get the better of me one day if I happen across one for a good deal, just to see what the difference in power is like.
When my 95 gets out of the trans shop I am gonna step up to 4.88 gears with lockers--right now it's 3.23 (UGH!!!) and then I want to get a hold of that guy in Canada that does the hi-po heads and get a set of them and a set of 1.7:1 roller rockers. That plus a few other mods should get me within spitting distance of SOHC power. Any which way, it'll be fun as heck to build!

 

[Poohdaddy]

Thanks! I want to get my hands on a first gen myself, it's the old school boxy look that gets me. Also want to fool around with a TTB...never had one of those before and would like to see what the deal is.
I've made it a point to avoid the SOHC, but the people that I know that had them didn't ever get the death rattle. My curiosity might get the better of me one day if I happen across one for a good deal, just to see what the difference in power is like.
When my 95 gets out of the trans shop I am gonna step up to 4.88 gears with lockers--right now it's 3.23 (UGH!!!) and then I want to get a hold of that guy in Canada that does the hi-po heads and get a set of them and a set of 1.7:1 roller rockers. That plus a few other mods should get me within spitting distance of SOHC power. Any which way, it'll be fun as heck to build!

Save for the timing issue I love the SOHC myself. I've had two of the 1st gen Sports one auto one 5 speed. They were both gems that I regrettably sold. I have a pic of the 5speed I'll attach if I can find it. The ttb is rock solid with the only quirk being built in alignment sensitivity. Tough other than that

 

[spinnn]

Save for the timing issue I love the SOHC myself. I've had two of the 1st gen Sports one auto one 5 speed. They were both gems that I regrettably sold. I have a pic of the 5speed I'll attach if I can find it. The ttb is rock solid with the only quirk being built in alignment sensitivity. Tough other than that

View attachment 328008

View attachment 328009

Sharp! I dig the paint. I was knocking around doing some sort of pattern similar to that myself, or maybe pic related, tho I'll will probably just wind up doing olive drab green in the interest of time.

 

[spinnn]

How do you like those window cover things? Any added noise?

Love those vent shades. No real added noise on mine, but it keeps me from going thru automatic car washes because they are prone to being snagged by the rotating brushes and I don't think they are available anymore

 

[spinnn]

Fuel pump over heating due to old age

Imo

Could be. Also I've noticed my IAC valve gets funny in hot weather...something to look at

 

[Poohdaddy]

Sharp! I dig the paint. I was knocking around doing some sort of pattern similar to that myself, or maybe pic related, tho I'll will probably just wind up doing olive drab green in the interest of time.

View attachment 328010

Yep the guy I got it from rattlecanned it himself. He had a new Wrangler and needed the space. He said he'd rather keep the sport but was too $ deep into the heep

 

[spinnn]

These trucks just keep going.... maintenance is required. Just drive them til the wheels fall off, then put the wheels back on and keep driving.

Fun and practical.

549k. Unreal.
Should get a high-mileage thread going sometime. You may be the winner of that!

 

[Kidd7]

Mine is a DD; originally out of Florida, has some rust spots, but nothing like I'm used to from northern Ohio. I plan on giving it to my daughter as her first car in 2 years. She runs great and only ever needed minor repairs/ maintainance.