i have a 1985 ford ranger with a 2.8 v6 with headers, high flow cat and a complete custom exhaust. Its a 5 speed with locking hubs, 31's and lifted 6 inchs. My friend down the street is a jeep lover, he has a 1994 jeep cheerokee, 4.0 liter stock except for a k&n. He talks very highly of this jeep, with his meek 4 inch lift. I think my rangers better, he of course does not agree, what do you guys think.

 

My friends XJ is a nice rig.. I

 

Your Ranger IS better

As for his.. well, it's a Jeep and most Jeep owners I've known like to think theirs is the hottest 4x4 vehicle around, but that is a discussion for another time. My best friend's '99 Wrangler is a fast little buggy from a stop, and it beats me with my truck's 351W. I think his edge is the 5 speed and 1200+ lb. weight advantage! But those 4.0L engines are peppy, even in the Cherokee models. Haven't personally driven a vehicle like yours but it sounds like you two would make for a close race. Off-roading you would probably be close in capabilities especially with that lift and the oversize tires. Just my thoughts. Let us know how bad you whup him on the trail when you get around to it!

 

In a race he will beat you hands down. That 4.0 makes good power at all rpm's. I had a 94 Cherokee 4.0 and it would smoke my ranger 4.0. I no longer have the jeep but a friend has a 94 as well and every time he lets me drive it I remember how fast mine was. As far as off-road goes my ranger is much better. I had oversized tires on both, but my ranger holds much bigger tires. 32's compared to 235's. I don't think however that the 85 fits nearly as big of tires as a 93. I'm talking stock of course. With the right geraing though, I think your ranger would outdo his cherokee on the trail. The other cherokee advantage is turn radius. Those turn almost as well as a Bronco II. Now that's a good vehicle to compare a cherokee to.

 

but the 4.0L engine in the jeeps is a very good one. It has been around for a very long time in one form or another. As for offroading, If the jeep has large tires as well, I would see it being able to out do the ranger. While the TTb front suspension is decent for 4 wheeling, the solid axles on the jeep offer much better travel, and articulation possibilities, plus the are stronget to boot.

 

rangers and bronco IIs( even better 5.0 D44 front axle) are better jeeps any day.

 

Those Cherokee XJs are pretty stout for what they are. My younger brother has an 86 Cherokee with the 2.5 liter 4 banger/automatic/ with the Command Trac transfer case. It's slow as hell but the darn thing is nearly unstoppable! Before I gave it to my brother. I bought it for 35 bucks off a friend of mine. All it needed was a good tune up, oil change, water pump, radiator flush, a battery, and a thermostat. And it was good to go, and man did I use it! I beat the hell out of that thing! I drove it through snow banks, bumper deep mud, sand dunes, heck I even took it out on an ATV track and jumped it a couple times! I pounded on that thing hard core! I finally spun a rod bearing in the motor after getting the Jeep stuck in some rocker panel deep mud, I had ever revved it trying to get it out. And actually it still ran decent after I put some 20w50 weight oil in it! Since then we (bro and I) have completely rebuilt the motor (swapping a 4.0 six would have required a lot of modification)redone the body and painted it, carpet inside, stereo, and the list goes on! We have a 3 inch suspension lift ready to go on this winter. I have spent a lot of time driving and working on this little pack mule. They're great on gas, very comfortable to drive, go almost anywhere, but a pain - - - - to work on! How do I compare it to a Ranger or BroncoII? Well the XJ has a unibody construction, and the Ranger/BII has a full frame; for that the Ford is better. However the Jeep's 4.0 liter engine is much better than the 2.8 V6, as far as usable power goes. Suspension...I think it's equal the Ford's TTB is more durable than the Jeep, the Jeep has maybe a little more travel than the Ford. So I think it pretty much balances out. In your case you are dealing with vehicles that have been modified, so that changes everything. You might be pretty equal on motors depending how may miles his Jeep has. Suspension you got him hands down, I guess it boils down to driving ability and what you guys are doing. In a race he will probably take you, but off road the Ford will take a lot more punishment.

 

i think im gonna switch to 4.56 gears or 5.38s. And if i switch to 5.38's im gonna put 35's on it.

 

That'll be cool!

 

Off Road the ford will take alot more punishment?
A few years ago, when I was working for a coal broker in WV , alot of the coal comapnies we owned had a variety of vehicles. Explorers, Blazers, full size suburbans and cherokees, etc..
When It came time to do field work, we would always grab the more comfy Explorers. After about 3 months this changed to Grabbing the Cherokees. We destroyed 2 front ends and a tranny on 2 explorers in a 3 month period. We were admittedly VERY hard on them, redlining the engines to get up muddy hills, bouncing through ditches so we didnt have to walk. etc..
The Cherokees took all this abuse with much minimal damage and NONE of it was ever drivetrain. This was the reason a few years Ago I purchased a cherokee as a daily driver and with 150,000 miles on it, was running it bumper deep in mud and water and log skidding with it for my house. It never wimpered, I put an alternator on it, a water pump and Brakes. The motor is fabulous in these things, that 4.0 Inline just runs and runs.

Ron
00 Excursion Limited 4x4 V-10

 

No, it won't.

Jeep drivetrains are know for being stout. The TTB ranger front end is not. Having solid axles front and rear helps with that. Jeeps are very solid machines mechanically.

 

I'm a Jeep owner, so of course I'm going to say that I'd take a Jeep over any vehicle. A Ford Ranger is absoultely no comparison to a Jeep, lift or no lift. They are two totally different types of vehicles. My brother owns a ranger and I personally am not very impressed with it, fairly low ride height, independent suspension, low payload. I think Jeeps are mechanically stronger, the 4.0 and 318 will pull for 200K+ as will the transmissions. Solid axles are easier to fix, allow for much more flex, and are stronger. The Ranger definately has its' strengths, like space, hauling stuff, etc..., but it's not an off-road rig. Just my $0.02

 

I prefer the Jeep with the 4.0 and solid front axle.
Just personal preference though, I have zero, zip, nada experience with the Ranger/BII.

 

well dude,

As a past owner of both vehicles, i'd have to definatley go with your buddies jeep. Your ranger unfortunatly is one of the worst vehicles to be developed by ford. Small front (dana 28) and rear (7.5) axles are not good, and that 2.8 is an absolute turd. Poor power, fuel economy, and is that a lifter i hear??? The jeep cherokee from 91-94 are one of the best jeeps built. The 4.0 just get better with age, and the aw4 auto trannys are absolutely bulletproof. They hold a mild lift well and the smallish axles survive ok with 32" tires. Now, If you had a 93-97 ranger with the 4.0, the larger dana 35 front, and 8.8 rear, i'd give the props to you. With a long radius arm kit, and the right quality lift, its narrow body and longer weelbase make it a great trail rig. You'd be lost in the turns, but he wouldn't touch you in the sloppy stuff. Have fun flaming each other, it is what being a 4x4 fan is all about.
dube

 

I have a 85 ranger long box with 21/2 sus lift and 3" body with 35" tires. i personally havent had any problems gettin in or out of the holes my uncle takes his cj. I beleive its more about the driver then it is what he is drivin. a good gearing for these rngr are the 4.10's i run a 2.8 with 4.o heads,headers,with posi 4.10's frnt+rr seams to work great for me