Replacing stock 225/70r15s with more common stock 235/75r15s. 2WD. Need advice!

[SqueakyWheels]

Okay, so I bought this 1995 4 door 4.0 auto Explorer in 2013 from its original owner.
It was very well cared for and professionally serviced all its life.
It's been a great truck! My only complaint with it has been its surprisingly harsh ride. I've ridden in so many 4 door Explorers, 4 liters and 5.0s, 2WDs and 4WDs, and none of them ever felt so harsh on its suspension.
I've concluded, with my limited knowledge, that it could be due to this particular Explorer coming from the factory with 225/75r15s. The lower profile of the tires ARE visibly noticeable. All those others I've ridden in had the more common 235/75r15s, which is the size I've had on every full size pickup and work van I've ever owned.
Besides, I've always thought Explorers of the generations with 15s always looked better with the 235s anyway.
So I experimented with a set of mounted 235/75s from a Jeep Cherokee of similar year, and the ride was noticeably nicer.
I've read where the Explorers that came with 235/75s came with 7.5" wide rims, whereas the ones with the 225/70s came with 7.0" wide rims.
So I have two questions :
Is the difference in stability worth hunting down 7.5" rims for the new 235s I'll be getting? The Jeep rims are ugly, and I really like the stock alloys, so I'll be trying to find 7.5s of the same style if at all.
And 2: WHAT gear ratio do I need to change to in order to retain the proper power curves and speedo registration?
Can I just swap out the gear set in the existing rearend, or should I look to swap the entire axle from a salvage yard donor?
I know this seems like a lot of trouble for a minor issue, but I can't be the first person to do this... yet I've been unsuccessful in finding any details on this particular changeover.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
Jack

 

[RangerX]

Here's my two cents: mount the new tires on your current rims. 7" is totally appropriate for that tire size. I don't think there was any 7.5" stock rim on 2nd gens, but I could be wrong.

After you mount the new tires, drive for a while and see if you need or want a gear change. It's a very slight change in tire size, and not deserving of a gear change, IMO.

What is your current ratio, btw?

PS Welcome to the forum!

 

[toypaseo]

What tires are on there now?

When I switched from dismal Goodyear Wrangler RT/S to Michelin LTX M/S, my ride improved a lot. Firestone Destination LE2 were after that. The ride was comparable to the Michelins. The newer Michelin LTX M/S2 have even better ratings on TireRack...

 

[jimmyznutz]

^^^I second this. The size will make a small difference but I believe the choice of which tire you use will have the biggest impact on comfort and performance. Like Toy I also switched from the stock goodyears to the Michelin LTX MS/2 and the difference is night and day. Choose a good tire with good reviews and you will have better results than just playing with sizes

 

[SqueakyWheels]

I bought the Exploder wearing Michelins, in the stock 225/70r15 configuration.
Probably only 10% treadwear, if that.... so barely used. However, they had a little dry rot.
3 years later, the dry rot is much more pronounced, and as much as it has classically been against my religion to chunk tires that still had plenty of tread life on them, she needs new shoes.
And yes... I mentioned having tried out 235/75s on wheels I'd taken off a Jeep Cherokee, since the lugs lined up. I could feel the difference in personality. While the ride was nicer, bumps were taken more gracefully, and the profile looks better... I can feel the increased sluggishness in acceleration, and more time spent hunting in and out of overdrive at cruising speeds.
The last thing I want to do is create more work or stress for the tranny at almost 200k.
I don't know how to find out which gear ratio it comes with I can only find that it specifies "41"for able designation on the door plate.
How do I go about figuring this out?
Thanks for all your replies so far, and also for the nice welcome to the forum!
Jack

 

[koda2000]

You should be fine with the 235/70/15's. The later gen 2's came stock with this size 15" tire on (I believe) a 7" wheel.

I like the Michelin LTX MS/2's. WWWAAAYYY better ride and handling over the Goodyear's. They do tend to crack with age, but I've never had a failure due to this.

BTW: My local tire dealer recently told be that the 235/70/15 size will be discontinued in the future, as all the newer trucks come with larger wheels.