Riding down the freeway

[J_C]

Drive at whatever speed you feel safe going. At some point, I'd feel less safe going slower than everyone around me.

That stated, I live near a city with a lot of traffic on interstates, seldom is going 65MPH, going to result in people passing me more than occasionally, except in the fast lane. Middle or right lane, I just keep up with traffic. There's also a highway parallel to the interstate that I take and suffer little if any travel time loss.

At the same time, if you want to drive faster as safely as possible, a 2nd gen explorer is not the right choice for that. It's ancient tech, a brick on wheels, and not intended for 75+ MPH speed. You could mod it for higher stability at speed, but then lose a lot of the utility, suspension articulation, load handling, and ride comfort.

 

[J_C]

If a deer runs out you DON’T do any harsh maneuvers. This goes for any vehicle. You hit the deer, and file a claim.

Deer are a constant here. I slam on the brakes and let ABS do what it can. I veer a little, a half lane worth and that has worked so far but in recent times, it's not just one deer but a pack of them and I avoid the first one but then all the others decide to go across too.

Filing a claim, meh, I no longer have comprehensive on my '98. Fortunately junkyard parts are cheap.

On the other hand, I don't agree about "goes for any vehicle", in most sedans I've driven, I can do all kinds of crazy avoidance maneuvers without concern of a roll over. It's not so much the vehicle damage, rather not rolling or hitting something else more substantial than the deer.

 

[DintDobbs]

@joney Going to say "Both" to this one. Given peace of mind on front-end and suspension components and the vehicle's driving characteristics, I'll take any vehicle to any speed, on the freeways.

The Sport, pre-modification, I've always tried to drive more conservatively on the road due to its shorter wheelbase, which makes it extremely unstable at high speeds. Took it to its top speed once ever, small wheels, topped out right at 98. Since the 33's and 5.13's, I rarely take her on the highways any more (top gear at 35mph), but I feel more secure taking corners at higher speeds AFTER the lift and tires because I had the front end rebuilt to my liking at that time.

The Limited, I rip in that sucker. Took a 400-mile drive in it recently on Primewell Valera H/T's, city, highway, and sand, never thought twice about going 70-80+ as long as road conditions were good. Rain and wind don't bother me much, I use common sense. I trust only my own vehicles and driving skills, though, so it's red alert as soon as any other vehicles show up. Never know whose tires are gonna blow out, whose ball joints will snap, who will jerk the wheel and flip over in front of you...

Fuel economy wise, I don't notice an appreciable difference after 50 MPH in the Limited. 50, 60, 70, always get somewhere right around 20-21 highway. City is what kills that.

This is irrelevant, but I drove my '03 Durango 500 miles with bad ball joints and tie rods, missing a few lug nuts, on BFG A/T's which I disapprove of (no road traction, came with the truck) towing the Sport on a trailer behind it, city, highway, and gravel through hills. Hit 70 MPH on several occasions and held it for almost half an hour once, whee. Never feared that my own actions would potentially risk my or any one else's safety, and yes, I give enough following distance to do a full brake lock and stop in the rain when somebody cuts in front and stops (twice).

Safety over pride, no distracted driving, use the gas when you can and the brake when you have to!

 

[joney]

@joney Going to say "Both" to this one. Given peace of mind on front-end and suspension components and the vehicle's driving characteristics, I'll take any vehicle to any speed, on the freeways.

The Sport, pre-modification, I've always tried to drive more conservatively on the road due to its shorter wheelbase, which makes it extremely unstable at high speeds. Took it to its top speed once ever, small wheels, topped out right at 98. Since the 33's and 5.13's, I rarely take her on the highways any more (top gear at 35mph), but I feel more secure taking corners at higher speeds AFTER the lift and tires because I had the front end rebuilt to my liking at that time.

The Limited, I rip in that sucker. Took a 400-mile drive in it recently on Primewell Valera H/T's, city, highway, and sand, never thought twice about going 70-80+ as long as road conditions were good. Rain and wind don't bother me much, I use common sense. I trust only my own vehicles and driving skills, though, so it's red alert as soon as any other vehicles show up. Never know whose tires are gonna blow out, whose ball joints will snap, who will jerk the wheel and flip over in front of you...

Fuel economy wise, I don't notice an appreciable difference after 50 MPH in the Limited. 50, 60, 70, always get somewhere right around 20-21 highway. City is what kills that.

This is irrelevant, but I drove my '03 Durango 500 miles with bad ball joints and tie rods, missing a few lug nuts, on BFG A/T's which I disapprove of (no road traction, came with the truck) towing the Sport on a trailer behind it, city, highway, and gravel through hills. Hit 70 MPH on several occasions and held it for almost half an hour once, whee. Never feared that my own actions would potentially risk my or any one else's safety, and yes, I give enough following distance to do a full brake lock and stop in the rain when somebody cuts in front and stops (twice).

Safety over pride, no distracted driving, use the gas when you can and the brake when you have to!

Again, thanks for the advice! @JC, Plenty of deer here, especially during hunting season. Used to be very nervous about it driving the 96 Taurus, that hood would scoop them right up into the windshield! Something about the impact going up at the square of the speed increase inclines me to slow down. Although the speed limit is 70 on that interstate, the average age of cars on the road is 12 y/o and getting older, so I do notice a few others taking it easy. If traffic starts backing up behind me, will speed up as flow dictates - or maybe try a parallel road, good suggestion!

@DintDobbs, how short is a Sport? I was surprised my 98 Ex is actually a little shorter than that Taurus I had! If I think of all the sedans (from the 60s to the 90s model years) I really hauled ass in, I'll be really comfortable when every last thing in the vehicle is perfect, but: It's tall and somewhat narrow, therefore my added caution. I do like the 75/235/15s and even thought of going to 75/225s - but both are getting rare!
Will have to go to a JY even to get a spare. I've heard the 'tiny sidewall' larger diameter tires may handle better? But they'd be trashed with the potholes and winter ice ruts around here, I suspect, no room for them anyway. No mods planned, good maintenance will get my $.
Other Drivers IMO are the biggest hazards on the road, so many drive distracted! And this is a state very big on drinking too. Planning on cranking up the tunes and enjoying the ride, with situational awareness.

Love this forum, and 'ask the man who owns one' has been the way to go for me, with my first ever 4X4, now a vintage one. Keeping the shiny side up!

 

[Mbrooks420]

Again, thanks for the advice! @JC, Plenty of deer here, especially during hunting season. Used to be very nervous about it driving the 96 Taurus, that hood would scoop them right up into the windshield! Something about the impact going up at the square of the speed increase inclines me to slow down. Although the speed limit is 70 on that interstate, the average age of cars on the road is 12 y/o and getting older, so I do notice a few others taking it easy. If traffic starts backing up behind me, will speed up as flow dictates - or maybe try a parallel road, good suggestion!

@DintDobbs, how short is a Sport? I was surprised my 98 Ex is actually a little shorter than that Taurus I had! If I think of all the sedans (from the 60s to the 90s model years) I really hauled ass in, I'll be really comfortable when every last thing in the vehicle is perfect, but: It's tall and somewhat narrow, therefore my added caution. I do like the 75/235/15s and even thought of going to 75/225s - but both are getting rare!
Will have to go to a JY even to get a spare. I've heard the 'tiny sidewall' larger diameter tires may handle better? But they'd be trashed with the potholes and winter ice ruts around here, I suspect, no room for them anyway. No mods planned, good maintenance will get my $.
Other Drivers IMO are the biggest hazards on the road, so many drive distracted! And this is a state very big on drinking too. Planning on cranking up the tunes and enjoying the ride, with situational awareness.

Love this forum, and 'ask the man who owns one' has been the way to go for me, with my first ever 4X4, now a vintage one. Keeping the shiny side up!

Still plenty of 235/75/15s available. No need to rely on a junkyard for tires.

 

[Josh P]

Still plenty of 235/75/15s available. No need to rely on a junkyard for tires.

If it was just put on before a crash and ends up in a junk yard, I'll run it.

 

[Mbrooks420]

If it was just put on before a crash and ends up in a junk yard, I'll run it.

Sure. But you have the option of getting them elsewhere.

 

[Josh P]

Sure. But you have the option of getting them elsewhere.

I like options. I'm cheap, I could teach miser to Ebeneezer Scrooge.

 

[CDW6212R]

Again, thanks for the advice! @JC, Plenty of deer here, especially during hunting season. Used to be very nervous about it driving the 96 Taurus, that hood would scoop them right up into the windshield! Something about the impact going up at the square of the speed increase inclines me to slow down. Although the speed limit is 70 on that interstate, the average age of cars on the road is 12 y/o and getting older, so I do notice a few others taking it easy. If traffic starts backing up behind me, will speed up as flow dictates - or maybe try a parallel road, good suggestion!

@DintDobbs, how short is a Sport? I was surprised my 98 Ex is actually a little shorter than that Taurus I had! If I think of all the sedans (from the 60s to the 90s model years) I really hauled ass in, I'll be really comfortable when every last thing in the vehicle is perfect, but: It's tall and somewhat narrow, therefore my added caution. I do like the 75/235/15s and even thought of going to 75/225s - but both are getting rare!
Will have to go to a JY even to get a spare. I've heard the 'tiny sidewall' larger diameter tires may handle better? But they'd be trashed with the potholes and winter ice ruts around here, I suspect, no room for them anyway. No mods planned, good maintenance will get my $.
Other Drivers IMO are the biggest hazards on the road, so many drive distracted! And this is a state very big on drinking too. Planning on cranking up the tunes and enjoying the ride, with situational awareness.

Love this forum, and 'ask the man who owns one' has been the way to go for me, with my first ever 4X4, now a vintage one. Keeping the shiny side up!

For tire sizes, you might consider changing the wheels to 16", the shorter sidewall on the 1" larger wheel improves handling and safety. The 255/70/16" size is stock for the stock 16" wheels, which are 16x7" wide. The 15's are also 7" wide, thus for the 15" sizes, the 255/70/15 is the same diameter as the stock 236/75/15. I used that size for the last set I bought, they felt better(handling) then the 235/75's, but I didn't like that particular tire model(Hancook Kinergy(the tread was too shallow(9/32" when new))).

 

[DintDobbs]

@joney The Sport has a 102" wheelbase, down from the 112" on the 4-doors.

Even the 112" WB is a lot shorter than many sedans, and the steering angle on these 2nd-gens is unrivaled. Always got to respect the narrow track and high center of gravity, that's just good sense.

Tire-wise, if you don't insist on A/T's (some of us are picky!) then I would quite recommend the Primewell Valera H/T's, they kick water out like I've never seen from a road tire. Can't speak for tread life though.

For better control on-road, I'd recommend going to 17x8 with a back spacing of 3.75" if you aren't going to run spacers. 30" or 29" tires should still have plenty of meat on them for pot holes and stuff.

 

[joney]

For tire sizes, you might consider changing the wheels to 16", the shorter sidewall on the 1" larger wheel improves handling and safety. The 255/70/16" size is stock for the stock 16" wheels, which are 16x7" wide. The 15's are also 7" wide, thus for the 15" sizes, the 255/70/15 is the same diameter as the stock 236/75/15. I used that size for the last set I bought, they felt better(handling) then the 235/75's, but I didn't like that particular tire model(Hancook Kinergy(the tread was too shallow(9/32" when new))).

@joney The Sport has a 102" wheelbase, down from the 112" on the 4-doors.

Even the 112" WB is a lot shorter than many sedans, and the steering angle on these 2nd-gens is unrivaled. Always got to respect the narrow track and high center of gravity, that's just good sense.

Tire-wise, if you don't insist on A/T's (some of us are picky!) then I would quite recommend the Primewell Valera H/T's, they kick water out like I've never seen from a road tire. Can't speak for tread life though.

For better control on-road, I'd recommend going to 17x8 with a back spacing of 3.75" if you aren't going to run spacers. 30" or 29" tires should still have plenty of meat on them for pot holes and stuff.

Options! Always good, at some point my 2018 tires will be too old even if tread still good.

@CDW6212R: As we can and sometimes do have snow on the ground 8 mos. of the year, I insist on having at least M+S tires. And the gnarly potholes are all around my immediate neighborhood, that won't change. That said, the stock XLT body 'looks like' it could handle another inch of diameter w/o rubbing. Back when everyone was running 75s, the Camaro for one always had 70s and handled badly in the snow, LOL, that's my only acquaintance with those. I like the chunky tread on my BFGs, but again have read they 'may' hydroplane, so that's a consideration also. So an option, must be other tires with plenty of tread!

@DintDobbs: Wow, the Sport is short! Must be some sort of advantage to that, or wouldn't be available? 17X8 sounds like I'd need new wheels too! Would it rub on the stock wheel wells/suspension? Other than the (Lower?) control arms, I have no proof my suspension parts aren't all 1998 (I can look but can't tell the difference) Back spacing and spacers? Dunno what that would entail but read here, spacers would put a load on the suspension-if I understood correctly. And what it would cost. Seems like a trade off between handling at speed on the dry (or wet) highway vs. snow/ice/potholes in the winter. And I realize tires are the #1 consideration for handling any time. That, and I do like the current height, but again, a trade off! I guess now, time to find out about "steering angle"! Not familiar at all with that. Thanks for the info guys!

​

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Options! Always good, at some point my 2018 tires will be too old even if tread still good.

@CDW6212R: As we can and sometimes do have snow on the ground 8 mos. of the year, I insist on having at least M+S tires. And the gnarly potholes are all around my immediate neighborhood, that won't change. That said, the stock XLT body 'looks like' it could handle another inch of diameter w/o rubbing. Back when everyone was running 75s, the Camaro for one always had 70s and handled badly in the snow, LOL, that's my only acquaintance with those. I like the chunky tread on my BFGs, but again have read they 'may' hydroplane, so that's a consideration also. So an option, must be other tires with plenty of tread!

@DintDobbs: Wow, the Sport is short! Must be some sort of advantage to that, or wouldn't be available? 17X8 sounds like I'd need new wheels too! Would it rub on the stock wheel wells/suspension? Other than the (Lower?) control arms, I have no proof my suspension parts aren't all 1998 (I can look but can't tell the difference) Back spacing and spacers? Dunno what that would entail but read here, spacers would put a load on the suspension-if I understood correctly. And what it would cost. Seems like a trade off between handling at speed on the dry (or wet) highway vs. snow/ice/potholes in the winter. And I realize tires are the #1 consideration for handling any time. That, and I do like the current height, but again, a trade off! I guess now, time to find out about "steering angle"! Not familiar at all with that. Thanks for the info guys!

i think the reason for the sport is just that it is shorter, so it can still fit some people, and be able to park in urban areas with ease. also to keep costs down for those who want a suv but don't need it to be that large? not too sure. some 17x8s will rub, all depends on the backspacing etc. yes spacers add load to the bearings/hubs similiarly to holding a gallon jug at your side vs a few inches out, gets the point across. but even a rim with different offset and backspacing will do the same thing, the only difference is offset/backspcing is built into the wheel, vs spacers add another link to the connection. make sure the lugs are tight and you use the good bolt on spacers not the shim style, and imo it should be ok.

 

[J_C]

I don't find my 235/75/15 tire size to be the limitation, far more so the high center of gravity and suspension design, the latter which could have been mitigated more by thicker sway bars.

Sport is shorter because it simply doesn't need to be as long, when there isn't going to be doors for rear passengers. That's how prior SUVs used to be, were all 2 door then with 4 door they got longer.

 

[CDW6212R]

The stock 15" Explorer models have 29" tires, the late 90's 16" tires were 30" tall. The 30" size is the most accurate for the speedometer, 29's make it read too fast.

I had 17x8" Ford wheels on my Mountaineer right after I bought it, I put them on with the EE X-Spec suspension kit. The 255/60/17" tires were 29", total wheel tire weight was 58.5lbs, and it handled much better than stock. So it all matters, better suspension, ride height, and tires.

 

[DintDobbs]

@joney I DM'd a rather lengthy explanation of those topics, so as not to go off-topic here.

Personally, I'm planning on getting 1 or 1.5" integrated-lug (as @Fix4Dirt described, bolt-on, NOT the "CD's") spacers plus 2" keys up front and 2" shackles out back on the Limited. Hopefully getting some A/T's sooner or later, gonna ride the H/T's until I have a reason to change 'em, but I'm not going to change my driving habits!

 

[donalds]

Polyurethane bushings make a big difference I put them everywhere
According to the ford service manual it's 124 miles an hour for the speed Governor
II wish I I wish I could get thicker sway bars but I can't so I went the other way and just made the bushings harder
Along with all the other bushings and the suspension all of them

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Polyurethane bushings make a big difference I put them everywhere
According to the ford service manual it's 124 miles an hour for the speed Governor
II wish I I wish I could get thicker sway bars but I can't so I went the other way and just made the bushings harder
Along with all the other bushings and the suspension all of them

^^went this way too. EE bar/addco etc too restricting for offroad flex, so compromise w/poly bushings ES is good stuff

 

[MikeHTally]

I’d much rather have a blowout on the front, than on the rear. I had a sidewall completely blow out and go from 35psi to zero in about a second. There was zero panic or danger. I signaled and simply pulled over.

Same here. I've had one of each. The front was at 80 on the interstate - not much drama. I would NOT recommend grabbing a tire with your bare hands that has been at 80 mph for a while. The rear blow out was at about 30 mph (glad that one wasn't at 80 - the rear stepped sideways pretty strong).

 

[cober]

I say like this to other drivers who tailgate me - Wanna go faster - try jump or fly! And I will be riding at my own cruising speed.

 

[MikeHTally]

I say like this to other drivers who tailgate me - Wanna go faster - try jump or fly! And I will be riding at my own cruising speed.

As long as you stay in the right lane, more power to ya!