New to off-roading, which Explorer to buy?

[alpo447]

Hi all,

I'm brand-new to off-roading but very much looking forward to getting involved in it. I live in the inland area of Southern California and there are lots of mountains and trails for off-roading which I'm looking forward to experiencing!

The first thing I need to do, of course, is to buy a 4WD Explorer. Due to financial constraints I feel I should be looking at older models, such as pre-2001.

Are there any years I should avoid? On the other hand, are there any years in which the Explorers of those years have an especially good reputation? (Reliability is the #1 thing I'm looking for.)

Incidentally, how do Explorers stack up against Expeditions and Navigators?

Thanks for any help you can offer regarding the above questions!

 

[obie]

'98 through '01 would be your best bet for a second gen. I don't have experience with the first gens. 98 and above have the better transmission components and better rear axle setup. If you are willing to go with the AWD, or even swap a manual transfer case in, I'd look at getting a 5.0 Ex. For what its worth, my stock AWD wheeled some tough trails and never once got stuck, even before I started tinkering with it. I'm kinda biased towards the 98 year though, haha.

Expeditions are pretty big for wheeling. Not saying you can't do it, but the Explorer is easier to navigate in tighter trails.

 

[koda2000]

according to carcomplaints.com the '01 x had the fewest complaints, but i don't know why the '01 would be any different that the 98-00 models.

AWD is great for street use and okay off-road, but 4WD gives you 100% power at all 4 wheels when engaged, where the AWD is a 40/60 split. I'd go with 4WD V8 and put manual hubs on the front for on-road use. the V6's tend to have a lot of problems with timing chains and intake o-rings. also, their automatic transmissions aren't as strong as the V8's auto trans.

whatever you do, stay away from the '02 models. they have super weak transmissions and lots of other problems. carcomplains.com rates the '02 x "the worst of the worst".

 

[CodePoet]

For offroad i go with a 1st gen. They're cheap, reliable engines, the suspension is very upgradable for either desert go fast or low speed trails, and if you want to do an SAS they're pretty easy. The biggest down side is that the tranny's don't have a very good track record. All depends on what you want to do. Best bet is to do some thinking and searching around here then decide. Good luck

I'm not bias at all though :

 

[obie]

according to carcomplaints.com the '01 x had the fewest complaints, but i don't know why the '01 would be any different that the 98-00 models.

AWD is great for street use and okay off-road, but 4WD gives you 100% power at all 4 wheels when engaged, where the AWD is a 40/60 split. I'd go with 4WD V8 and put manual hubs on the front for on-road use. the V6's tend to have a lot of problems with timing chains and intake o-rings. also, their automatic transmissions aren't as strong as the V8's auto trans.

whatever you do, stay away from the '02 models. they have super weak transmissions and lots of other problems. carcomplains.com rates the '02 x "the worst of the worst".

The 5.0 only came with AWD and 2WD drive though. I'd still say get the V8, because it's a lot easier to switch to a manual BW4406 transfer case than transform a 2WD into a 4WD.

For full time use, the AWD transfer case is split 35/65, until it detects slip and the viscous clutch splits it 50/50, just like regular 4x4. The biggest loss with the AWD transfer case is the absence of 4LO, and its' 2.48:1 gear reduction at that range. Though, viscous clutches will eventually go out and are about 350, just for that part. They are not rebuildable, the VC assembly has to be replaced.

I agree with Koda about 02 and up, ignore those if you're going off road. Independent Front Suspension and Independent Rear Suspension are really only useful for the street. An IFS is great for prerunners, and can be upgraded to be beefy for rock crawling, mudding, and other trails. But I will never, ever give up a straight rear axle.

Also, something else to make note of. If you want to put a locker in the rear, you'll want to find one that has an open diff. The limited slip diff carriers are different, and not able to accept as many "lunchbox" lockers. I don't know if they even accept any, actually. You'll want to find one that has axle code 42 for 4.10 open diff, or 46 for 3.73 open diff. If you don't mind limited slip (which is outstanding for street and snow use) then you'll want axle codes D2 for 4.10LS and D4 for 3.73LS (and maybe L73 for 3.73LS, I'm not sure what years use that code though).

 

[alpo447]

Thanks to those who have already offered their comments!
So let me get this right: the 1996-2001-era (Gen 2?) V8 Explorers (the kind I'm interested in buying) actually didn't come "stock" in 4WD but instead were AWD? For some reason I thought they were 4WD, which is what I really want. Oh well. I have no plan to do any big modifications to the Explorer I buy so I guess it's AWD or nothing.

 

[colintrax]

Nothing wrong with the 4.0 OHV, it's slow but I've driven slower cars. Comes with a true 4wd transfer case, so you get 4 low.
Honestly though, if this is just a wheeler get a 5 speed 1st gen. Only problems with the 91-94 is the transmission, so get the 5 speed and call it good.

 

[FIND]

Get a first gen, they are cheaper and more durable. Locking hubs and a 5 speed and they last forever, but 5 speeds can sometimes be a pain in the ass for off-roading.

Otherwise, if you get a second gen, get the latest year V8 you can, and do a BW4406 swap. If you do decide to go this route, getting a 98+ makes this swap much easier, since they moved the VSS. The tranny in the V8 Explorer is very good, and will generally outlast 2 or 3 auto trannies on a V6 explorer. If you did get a V6 explorer, the OHV engine is a lot more reliable than the SOHC, but the OHV doesn't have near the power of the SOHC.

A 4406 swap isn't as big of a modification as it sounds like, and if you are smart about it, and can find all the parts in the pick and pull, it is a REALLY cheap swap, well under a couple hundred bucks. The increase in fuel economy will pay for the swap in around a year.

ALTHOUGH, if you are really just looking for an off-road rig, you should go looking for sports. 2 doors have a shorter wheel-base, unfortunately, they only come with V6s. But, first gen sports are cheap, and easy to find with a 5 speed.

 

[OneofMany]

if you are looking to go Off-road you need a 4x4 not AWD. AWD is good for the suburbs where you might get on a steep drive with slippery leaves, not for rough terrain and mud.

Like others suggested- get a 1st gen, it has an actual front axle not some mickey mouse cv axle ****. just take a close look at the trans.

 

[colintrax]

1st gen 4x4 5 speed. Sport if you don't plan on camping or going on long trips.

 

[Lonnie-S]

Be Flexible, I Say

About 18 months ago I posed pretty much the same question. You've already gotten some good information about model years and their positives/negatives, so I won't throw more technical stuff at you. However, having just gone through the process you're starting and being in SoCal myself, I'll give you some info that might be helpful.

If you're mostly going to be on established trails and backroads here in SoCal, ANY of the Sport, First Gen or Second Gen trucks will be workable PROVIDED you pick one with the right driveline. Automatics are workable in this context, IMHO.

If I were picking one for real rock crawling kinds of challenges, I would get a Sport or !st Gen. They are simpler, very durable and easier/cheaper to modify.

You will want a 4Lo capability, so be prepared to do serious mechanical work to change transfer cases and other modifications if you get an AWD model. There are some good examples of conversions to 4WD, which have been documented here in these forums. There is one Mercury/V8/AWD thread that is particularly good (cool truck too), so search for that one and see if you're up to the mechanical challenges.

A lot of the 1st Gen trucks and Sports here in SoCal are pretty trashed. The Sport drives very differently due to it's short wheel base, but they are quite capable off road and cheap. Go to some used car dealers and actually drive a Sport or 2 or 3 and see if you like them. Make sure you do the same with a full size Explorer, so you know the difference in the way they drive/handle.

I bought a 2nd Gen with SOHC V6, 4WD and auto trans because it was in such good shape and the original owner and has well-documented service history. I'm more interested in an expedition type vehicle and I'm happy with its capabilities. I took it through the off road school at Borrego Springs in the company of Jeep Rubicons, Land Cruisers, FJ Cruisers and similar vehicles and it did great. There were only 2 parts of the course I had to decline strictly because of ground clearance (it's bone stock with small tires, plastic lower rocker panels, etc.). With 2 more inches of ground clearance I could have done everything. Two inches of clearance isn't that hard to get.

Any of the engines (3.8L OHV, 4.0L SOHC and OHV V8) can be made to work. The 3.8l V6 and V8 are easier/cheaper to work on. The SOHC is a nice engine, but more complicated to repair, especially for the home mechanic. The 3.8L feels best in the Sport, IMHO, and most of the ones you'll find in SoCal will have that engine.

Know the product line and which configurations of each will work for you. Be prepared and be flexible. You just don't know when and where you'll find that truck that is just right for you. When you find it, be prepared to act. The good ones go fast.

Good luck with your search.

Cheers,