just got the wife a 2010 xlt 4x4 and we love the truck. plenty of room for my 3 kids and fuel economy is great for a 4x4 with room for 7. when the weather is good, i can leave my 01 F350 at home and use the explorer for some great savings in fuel. now i want my own ex to drive daily, what year would you guys buy? it will be my DD and eventually my off road trail rig for moderate trail runs with the fam. so what i've narrowed down to is either a 1994 with the TTB or a 1995 to 2001 with IFS, both have the solid axle rear which is a must.

thanks to all that provide some input.

 

Avoid the first few (5?) years of the SOHC 4.0 and 5 speed automatic.

Other than that, they're all about the same in the catagory you are talking about.

Note V8s do not have low range 4wd.

 

96-01 V8 AWD 5.0. rock solid reliable, you can swap in a f-150 t-case and have a awsome trail rig.

we've had a few of them, mine i had over the summer i avg'd 14.5mpg with it with a heavy foot.

 

thanks guys

what are your feelings on the 1994 with 4.0 and TTB (twin traction beam)?

or should i just hold out for a 2001 4.0 4x4 with 5spd auto?

thanks for the heads up on the V8, but i really want the 4.0, so i am guessing that the first years of the 4.0 had some issues huh?

 

the V6 trannys are crap. notorious to blow, i've been through 3 in my '96 i finally have a heavy duty build and it seems to be holding. the 91-94 a4ld is even worse when it comes to holding up. so if you go with a V6 keep a extra $1500 in budget for a rebuild of the tranny.

the MPG is pretty much the same between the 4.0 and 5.0.

stay away from the early SOHC 4.0 they have timing chain issues. the OHV is pretty rock solid i like mine for what it is.

i would have to try and sway you for the 5.0 as they are very,very reliable.

i've owned a 91,92,94,95,96,97,01 explorers all 4x4 and AWD after years of working with and driving them i just try to pass along what i've learned from them.

 

wife has a 2002 with indep rear suspension, 4 L motor and 5 speed auto.. Runs great. I have taken it off road around the farm, up and down grassy roads. Never tried rock climbing or anything like that. What i have done is by far as much as wife wants to do setting in the passenger seat. Great truck as far as i am concerned.

 

i would go with the 94 thru 97 explorer or go all out and get a trac sport

 

hey thanks for the post, i guess i will have to wait a bit longer till i find a 5.0 that i can afford. these $2,400 94 and 96 im looking are damn tempting though.

 

98-2001 V8 AWD

 

Anybody know anything about the newer Explorers? I'm looking at 2006 -2010. I need a 4X4 for mountain and snow conditions. Is the AWD any good. I'm kinda old school and like to be able to sift in and out of 4wd myself. I currently have a '95 Suburban with 217,000 miles and the tranny need a rebuild. the wife wants to down size. I'm skeptical. I'm a Ford guy but the size of the 'burban is tough to beat. I would love an Expedition or Excursion, but that's not really down sizing, now is it. The wife uses the 'burban for her daily driver as well as our long trips and monthly trips to the montains. I've heard the newer Explorers are a unibody type frame. Anybody know for sure? I think I want to stick with a truck frame. Any help is appreciated. Thanks

 

My 2 cents... go with the '96 Explorer 4.0l. Mine has 195,000 miles on it, I tow our 3500 lb. popup camper up and down mountain roads and have never had a problem with the trans.

 

'06-'10 avoids for the most part the early 4.0 SOHC timing chain issues. The 4.6 V8 is good too.

Again, afaik, the 4.0 gets the 2 speed TC, but with automatic 4x4 being the "normal" setting. (then 4 hi, 4 lo) The V8 is full time AWD. For snowy and icy roads, either one works fine with good tires.

My '98 has the "Auto/4hi/4lo", and the one time I did get into ice with a bit of snow, it was fine. You could feel it ever so slightly go into 4x4 when it started to slip, but it was smooth and quick enough to keep the vehicle straight and moving. AWD is smoother still.

The '11 and up Explorers went to unibody, so '10 and back are body on frame.

A standard length Expedition is a bit down from a Sub, the Excursion is UP from a Sub.

Drive a bunch of these things. The Exploder 4.0 is a noisy motor, you might not like that. As stated earlier, the V8s get about the same mpg, but lack the two speed TC. You might like the V8 better--how many times have you used 4 low anyway?

 

I have had a bunch of 5.0 liter engines in my mustangs & they are a very solid engine that will take lots of abuse. I personally do not like the pre 02 body style for the explorer so that kinda tossed that out the window. I tried to do my research before I purchased a used explorer. I picked up an excellent condition 2004 4.0 SOHC 4x4 auto. Everything that I have read says the timing chain tensioner issues were addressed by early 2003. Mine had a build date of 5/2004 so hopefully all is good.

Mine has 94k on it and runs,drives very well. I like the suspension as it's not soft & mushy but is actually fairly firm.

All vehicles seem to have issues these days, I would use google & do your homework before you buy. The way a vehicle was treated by the P/O makes a huge difference as well.

 

This is kind of strange. I have 2004 explorer limited with a 4.6 V8. It has auto 4x4 with the following push button selections:
4x4 auto/4x4 high/4x4 low
Auto to/from high can be selected at any speed and 4x4 low has to be selected while stopped and in neutral.

Is this unusual for a V8?
This is a great vehicle. I just hope the electronics never fail.
Bob

 

I have an '87 Aerostar XLT with the AL4ld transmission, and also a 2000 Ford Explorer SPORT (4.0 V6) . I have had zip, zilch, nada issues with the transsmission. I change the Auto Trans Fluid and transmission filter at or around 35,000 miles as routine maintenance. A Ford tech once told me to always replace the transmission mount pads at least every 60,000 miles. Why? They are an neglected item, over time they become worn and cause the transmission to move a bit which actually is the cause of problems with many Ford transmissions, there is some 'slop' between the engine and trans. When the transmission is anchored correctly with strong ATF mounts, there is no vibration ect. that can eventually cause transmission problems.

Like it or not, the main cause of many Ford transmission "issues" is neglect which leads to overheating, high heat condtions, which is a trans' worse enemy. Use a quality synthetic ATF. RED LINE, Royal Purple and Mobil 1 make stout, quality ATFs. I recommend those because I have used them, or are using them now. Any towing should have a proper ATF cooler as well. Like I said, I never have a transmission problem. My Aerostar right now, 180,000+ miles, original transmisssion from the factory, you can get in it, head out onto the freeway entrance ramp, run the the gears and into overdrive and cruise effortlessly at 70 - 75+ MPH; the 3.o V6 purring like a well fed 'fat cat' for hours and miles...

Lastly, always check your ATF levels. Too much fluid in the pan is just as bad as not enough ATF in the pan. Follow the correct procedure in your Ford owner's manual, usually engine fully warm at operating temperature, heater on, vehicle on level asphalt. Never check ATF with your vehicle on a hill or incline, either front to back, or side-to-side.

Lastly, and a key component for ALL of us Ford owners / enthusiasts that gather here. Make sure your Ford transmissions have a common drain plug. This is very important. With a drain plug, you can always have clean, fresh, ATF fluid running through the veins, knooks and crannies of your respective transmission. You don't even have to change the filter, but being able to drain the old ATF and refill it with an equal amount of new, fresh, clean ATF with it's proper additives is so important in keeping the internals of ANY automatic transmission clean.

Not only that, having a drain plug in the transmission pan, makes doing a ATF and filter change much easier, because you can drop the pan, empty, without having it full of old transmission fluid. You and I both know, that is a messy job, splashing ect. Then you can drain the torque converter, and remove the remaining ATF out of the system, when disconnecting a trans return line at the radiator with the engine running ect.

DRIVE YOUR FORD PRODUCTS SAFELY, MY FRIENDS WITH THE BLUE OVAL 'Ford' LOGO ON THE FRONT GRILLE AREAS...!

File this under the "For What It's Worth" (Stephen Stills) category!

Ed (Fan of Stephen Stills' first two solo albums from 1970 and 1971. The first one, with the song "Love The One You're With" (Atlantic Records #SD-7202) featured a guest musician in the studio with S. Stills. Some guitar player named Jimi Hendrix. Shortly over a month later from that recording session, Jimi Hendrix was dead, shocking the world. Stephen Stills 2, the follow-up album from 1971 (Atlantic Records #SD-7206) is excellent. Opens with a classic Stills number, "Change Partners". Good music to change our ATF and trans filter to! ! ).