Hey y'all, I found it - on another site. If I'm allowed to post it, here it is:
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Where_is_the_turn_signal_flasher_in_a_97_Ford_Explorer
This had the
exact answer I needed. Found the thing, was pretty well plugged in but finally got it out, and replaced with an EP-27 from the auto parts store. Yes, the original flasher (yellow by the way, and longer) had an extra (6th) prong, that is smaller than the others, but the female end (at the end of a bundle of wires that I managed to drop down from behind the OBD 2 diagnostics connector) did not have a live connector for that 6th prong. Someone in another post explained that might be for the factory-built heavy duty trailer package, and I bet that is right. We had to get our trailer package done after the fact. Anyway, my turn signals and emergency flasher are all working now!! Yay! I hope this helps someone else frustrated with not being able to find that thing in their '97 Explorer (it is NOT where the Hanes manual or most other guides said it is). I took some photos by the way - if I can figure out how to post them I will.