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Nov 21, 2005 | 11:19 PM

threefiftyone

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From: Oregon

02- present

So yall with 02-present Explorers happy with them? Are they decent off-road like they used to be?

Nov 22, 2005 | 05:08 PM

JerrySimm

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From: Pauline, South Carolina

I haven't had my '03 in anything really heavy, but it does very well in mud, snow and in the field and woods. I like the independent rear suspension that first came out in '03.

Nov 24, 2005 | 02:27 AM

threefiftyone

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From: Oregon

I haven't looked into them much yet, but that's what I wanted to know. I guess I thought the IRS started in '02. Regardless, is the transfer case switchable on/off, or full time?

Nov 24, 2005 | 07:50 AM

bcjim

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IRS was introduced in 02. TC is full time, transfers power as needed, can also be locked 50/50 in either 4wd hi or 4wd lo. I have only been in sand and snow, it does ok.

Nov 24, 2005 | 08:33 AM

JerrySimm

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From: Pauline, South Carolina

The transfer case on a 4WD is not full time, but it can't exactly be switched off (unless you disconnect some wires). It will automatically engage if the rear wheels slip, so you never have true 2WD. As stated earlier by bcjim, it can be engaged full time in 4WD Hi or Lo.

Nov 25, 2005 | 02:38 AM

threefiftyone

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From: Oregon

Now I'm really confused! (whenever it gets electronic, it gets confusing) What bcjim stated makes the most sense to me. You have F/T 4wd, and can select 4LO/4HI- Locked. If that's the case, there must be a center differential, right? What JerrySimm is saying sounds more like a limited slip in the rear end more than F/T 4wd. Now we just have to determine who is correct!

Nov 25, 2005 | 06:53 AM

bcjim

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Its just a semantic issue really, I think I read somewhere that 96% power goes to rear, 4% to front under normal conditions. If slip is detected, more is transferred to front. So its not an AWD system, but on some level, the TC is full time since you cannot turn it off. As I understand it, there is a center diff that can be locked by engaging 4wd hi. There may or may not be a LS rear for 02-04. I think it was unavailable in 05 (maybe 04 also).

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Nov 25, 2005 | 09:02 AM

JerrySimm

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From: Pauline, South Carolina

I believe that when it's not in 4wd that all of the power goes to the rear wheels. However, if the speed sensors indicate a slippage of the rear wheels, as indicated by a speed difference between the rear wheels and front wheels, the transfer case will engage. This is controlled by a module behind the glove box. What I meant by not having a true 2wd is that the transfer case will automatically engage and the only way to disable the automatic engagement is to take extraordinary steps to interupt the electical signal to the transfer case. Once the transfer case is engaged, the front drive shaft and the rear drive shaft are locked and will turn at the same RPM. I do not believe that there is any "Open Differential" capability in the 4wd transfer case. However, the AWD transfer case is a different situation.