Ford Explorer vs Jeep Cherokee

[4.0B2]

To the OP...
A lot depends on the use the vehicle will see. For a patrol type vehicle, I'm assuming a mild build, nothing crazy. IMO, a XJ would be the way to go. 91 or newer to get the H.O. engine and less problematic renix electrics. A 91-94 should also have a high pinion D30, which is stronger than a LP D30 in the newer jeeps. (LP, or low pinion, use a reverse rotation cut on the gears). A mild 3" lift, which you can install in your garage in under 2 hrs with hand tools, clears a 31-32" tire easily and still has really good street manners.The Explorers have a little bit more complicated suspension and are a little more involved install, although I'm sure it can be done in the garage. Explorers do have the manual hub advantage, but again, in a patrol vehicle, in an emergency, the ability to just engage 4wd on the fly, like in a jeep, is the way to go. Jeeps dont use vacum hubs either like some of the earlier fords, so more reliable 4wd that way. The NP242 case is also a great feature with 2wd, full time 4wd, 4hi, N, and 4L...which if you send the case to Terraflex, they will install the 4:1 low range kit, and the 2 low kit, which gives you 2wd, full time, 4hi, N, 4L, and 2 low, all with one lever.
Try to find an XJ with a Chrysler 8.25" rear axle, fairly common, this axle has very similar strength as a D44. An 8.8 w/ disk is an easy swap also, and cheap if you an weld the brackets on. The aftermarket support and popularity of the XJ means you will have readily available parts more or less at any auto parts store. Older Jeeps are often more well cared for and better maintained, at least in my area, than exploders, which are generally all beat to crap and junky. As far as off road and hard to access areas, the Jeep is going to get you in and out with less work and effort than the same year explorer. Especially when you pull the front axle sway bar disconnects. The mechanical aspect of an XJ is just better suited to rough terrain use.
Explores of the same era were not built to be used off road in harsh conditions like an XJ, they had less robust suspension and less travel, and were more based towards daily driving, occasional light off road use.

Ramblings from a Jeep addict....that's my .02c worth.

actually 95-99 XJ would be ideal for the d30 purpose... larger 297 joints and high pinion.

hubs? you could just leave the explorer's manual hubs in the locked position and the t/case in 2wd... same thing as the jeep lack of hubs.

explorers are just as easy to lift. the suspension is not as "simple" but just 2-4 inches and if you use proper steering, you have zero issues.

PLUS with ttb, you have the "go-fast" capabilities in rough terrain with the right coils and shocks.... will ride better than solid axles at higher speeds PROVIDING you get soft coils and good shocks.

I don't see how the cherokee really is that much, if any, greater than a first gen explorer.

but that's just my .02 cents from someone that is in a jeep club and around them enough to like them....yet owns basically an explorer (my 4.0 b2 is almost all explorer drivetrain) plus I have a first gen explorer.

 

[bobbywalter]

actually 95-99 XJ would be ideal for the d30 purpose... larger 297 joints and high pinion.

hubs? you could just leave the explorer's manual hubs in the locked position and the t/case in 2wd... same thing as the jeep lack of hubs.

explorers are just as easy to lift. the suspension is not as "simple" but just 2-4 inches and if you use proper steering, you have zero issues.

PLUS with ttb, you have the "go-fast" capabilities in rough terrain with the right coils and shocks.... will ride better than solid axles at higher speeds PROVIDING you get soft coils and good shocks.

I don't see how the cherokee really is that much, if any, greater than a first gen explorer.

but that's just my .02 cents from someone that is in a jeep club and around them enough to like them....yet owns basically an explorer (my 4.0 b2 is almost all explorer drivetrain) plus I have a first gen explorer.

wow.


i also have extensive experience operating and have also owned all the vehicles you mentioned.

4.0 b2 with a manual trans is an awesome animal and an even better wheeler then the xj. on road its the bottom choice.

i find all the explorer, b2, and xj comparable for sure.



but stock for stock the explorer and b2 i find very different in key areas.

comparable but blatantly different on key points..

off road b2 is king. hell its firmly in wrangler territory.

on road the explorer wins handily.

so i am perplexed by your view....

this is a sploder vs xj comparo of course, and i find in the suggested area of comparison the xj is a much better balanced machine in the general. i have had them back to back head to head on the same course and the xj made most of it very easily and runs on the road excellently to boot.

of course when the heavy mods start the opinion changes.

perspectives are hard to quantify sometimes.

 

[4.0B2]

wasn't trying to bring the b2 into the discussion...
guess I should have left that part out.

there are gonna be pros/cons to each vehicle. I think what we have done is just showed the winner comes down to personal preference for a xj vs ex for a patrol type vehicle. Either of which would provide a well worthy patrol vehicle, winner comes down to who is deciding the choice.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

The first generation ford explorers with the solid axles would make a great offroad vehicle, the newer ones with independent suspension should be trashed, I don't know but the whole independent suspension just turned me against it when I bought my Toyota pickup and first washout I hit pulling an ATV trailer knocked the alignment out. I never had a problem like that with solid axles in my jeep, the old explorer I used to drive for work, or my old Dodge Ram.

Yeah, the Explorer really started going downhill when they switched to IFS in '91...

I wouldn't own an Explorer (unless to part out for my Ranger) that wasn't independant all the way around. They are a far, FAR safer and more comfortable rig on the street. I put the borrowed parent's '02 through an emergency manouver two weeks ago that would have rolled the old '94 at least two times. When they were shopping for the '94 they also test drove a new at the time '96 Grand Cherokee, for as bad as the Ex was on the street it made the GC look like a fool.

Jeeps dont use vacum hubs either like some of the earlier fords, so more reliable 4wd that way.

Ford hasn't used vacuum hubs until recently, Explorers have never had it. $9.99 at the local JY will get you a pair of the most stupid simple to operate Warn lockout hubs and all the stuff to convert to them.

Old SUVs of any make are pretty beat down in my area, most older Chryslers sound like diesels whether they are or not...

 

[4.0B2]

Yeah, the Explorer really started going downhill when they switched to IFS in '91...

what??? all explorers are IFS; 91-94 is TTB and after that is true IFS.

 

[scooter]

Yeah, the Explorer really started going downhill when they switched to IFS in '91...

Ummmmm isnt 91 the first year for sploders....?????......

I know that 94 was the last year of the 2nd gen.

 

[littlezell]

I have a 96 exploder.....it doesnt have locking on un locking hubs.... my dad has 98 jeep and i drive both alot and I really dont know which one I like better.. my explorer is a 5 speed 4x4 and has supprised me on where I have been able to go offroad. the jeep well its done just as good.. I think I would go for the power of the 4.0 in the jeep with the body of the explorer... I just like a ford.... but the interior is soo much better in the jeep. but either way it goes both are very goo vehicles in stock form....and you can make both of them very capible rigs with time and money...

 

[Rose2300]

The first generation ford explorers with the solid axles would make a great offroad vehicle, the newer ones with independent suspension should be trashed.

the 1st gen explorer doesnt have a sfa

 

[shane96ranger]

Ummmmm isnt 91 the first year for sploders....?????......

I know that 94 was the last year of the 2nd gen.

Yes. Some places you look at say 1990 because several were actually sold in 1990 - but they are 91's. My uncle ordered one and it took a couple months to get it.

 

[bobbywalter]

i took the solid remark in reference to the rear axle only. because they were always ifs....


the irs explorers stock get stuck in wet grass. but are superior to any other explorer on the pavement. but eat at your wallet with wheel bearing replacements.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

what??? all explorers are IFS; 91-94 is TTB and after that is true IFS.

Agreed but TTB is IFS. There is nothing to tie one wheel to the other wheel, they move completely independantly to each other. I found his comment rather humerous and made an attempt at sarcasm (which I know is dangerous on the internet)

i took the solid remark in reference to the rear axle only. because they were always ifs....

I thought that too, but then he started comparing his Explorer to his independant Toyota pickup for durability (which AFAIK always had a solid rear) it kind of threw a wrench into it.

the irs explorers stock get stuck in wet grass. but are superior to any other explorer on the pavement. but eat at your wallet with wheel bearing replacements.

Stock a TTB Explorer is nothing to brag about offroad either... similar sized street tread tires with next to no suspension flex and negligable ground clearance.

Wheel bearings are a major PITA to install (the engineer had to either have been on something really good or should have been on something really good) and rather pricy, but for a family vehicle (the only reason I would buy an Explorer with the intention of keeping it as a vehicle) there is no way I would go to a TTB Ex after being around the independant one, but then they have had a lot of problems with the '02 so I can't say I am going to stand in a line all that long for one of them either...

 

[littlezell]

I have a 96 exploder and I havent been stuck yet... it has supprised me. I am running 31 10.50s alterriens and I have been very lucky at where I have been... the only thing that I dont like about it, everything is electronic. along with there isnt really hubs on it to where you can make it either auto or manual locking hubs... just has a cv axle poking thru...

 

[4.0B2]

I have a 96 exploder and I havent been stuck yet... it has supprised me. I am running 31 10.50s alterriens and I have been very lucky at where I have been... the only thing that I dont like about it, everything is electronic. along with there isnt really hubs on it to where you can make it either auto or manual locking hubs... just has a cv axle poking thru...

1 reason you should have bought a first gen