• Welcome Visitor! Please take a few seconds and Register for our forum. Even if you don't want to post, you can still 'Like' and react to posts.

BII vs. pre '95 Explorer Sport


kxbronco

Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2008
Messages
8
Transmission
Automatic
I've been looking around for a BII for a little while and reading about all the swaps (engine, diffs/axles, etc.) that people do from explorers into BIIs. My question is why not just get a pre '95 Explorer Sport? You get the seemingly stronger drive train. I know the Explorer is a little bigger (length/width). It's my understanding that the frames are both TTB.

Putting preferences aside, why not the Explorer Sport (4x4 of course)?

Thanks,

Chris
 
If you can find one in good shape go for it. I was actually looking at Explorers before I bought my B2. With the $5000 average asking price they all had too much rust on them. I was looking at mostly 4 doors as it was to be a family type vehicle.

I gave up and found a B2 for under $500
 
i had a sport before the B2. I would rather have my old sport then my B2. but thats just me
 
Having a 4.0, D35, 8.8 and M5OD, more interior room, better seats etc. makes the Sport a better choice, but, it's just not the same as having a BII!
 
You can get Bronco II's cheaper than the Explorer Sport and most of the Explorer Sport interior will swap into the Bronco II with little mods.
 
in my opinion the sport has a better frame, i like the rear leafs below the frame rail vs next to the frame rail, wheel base is better on the sport. And the sport starts out with everything drivetrain related that would eventually find itself in a B2.

I like my B2, but if i got my hands on a decent sport the b2 would find itself dissassmebled. But i agree with the above statement, the 1st gen front end just looks better in my opinion.
 
Thanks for the post so far.

BlackBII, Thank you for the link. I will check it out in detail tonight.

I personally like the look of the BII better, but putting all preferences and price aside, from what little I know and have read, the Sport sounds like the best way to go from a drivetrain perspective. It is a little bigger (could be good or bad), has a longer wheel base (again, could be good or bad), and I assume a little heavier. I assume reliability is comparable between the two. Other than price, why wouldn't you go with the Sport?

My experience with all is that I drove an '87 Ranger ext cab for 11 yrs and 130k miles, my brother had an '84 BII that I drove a fair amount, and I had a '91 and '96 Explorer 4 dr 2WD that I put over 100k on both. I liked them all.
 
It's true the sport has all the parts the Bronco II guys want. On the bad side it weighs 500 - 1000 lbs more and bronco II's don't have the serious rocker panel and fuel hatch rust issues that the sports have.

Even the mighty 4.0 can feel a little overwhelmed by the sports mass.

So it's basically a question of are you willing to accept the serious rust issues and extra weight for the benefit of not having to swap drivetrains.
 
I have a b2 and and explorer (4dr). for off-roading the b2 is just way more fun, in my opinion. They're light and small and can get down most atv trails, and won't high center like a longer vehicle even if it has 6in taller tires.

I also like that parts are usually cheap and easy to come by. Plenty of rangers and b2s out there. I just bought a complete running parts vehicle for $350!!

I will admit, however, that if it will also be your daily-driver, and explorer may be much more comfortable. But for off-roading, the b2 is my preference. That's my humble opinion.
 
After raping my sport parts rig for it's 4.0 and working on it, ect, I just prefer my B2. I don't like the gas tank location on the sport at all, and it just seems bigger and bulkier and lower sitting to the ground. I'd rather put the sport goodies in my B2 than have the sport.
 
Thanks for the input guys. I'm keeping my eye out for either a BII or an Explorer Sport. Hopefully, a good BII will come along first. If not, I will go with the Explorer Sport and let the fun begin.
 
Sevensecondsuv said:
It's true the sport has all the parts the Bronco II guys want. On the bad side it weighs 500 - 1000 lbs more and bronco II's don't have the serious rocker panel and fuel hatch rust issues that the sports have.

Even the mighty 4.0 can feel a little overwhelmed by the sports mass.

So it's basically a question of are you willing to accept the serious rust issues and extra weight for the benefit of not having to swap drivetrains.
Click to expand...

Ok time for the truth police to step in... where do you get "500-1000lbs"?

At WORST an explorer sport weighs 300lbs more than a Bronco2
and most of that is the heavier axles (which anyone with a brain
swaps into their B2) and the heavier 4.0 engine (If you don't have
one you want one... admit it!) and mabey 45lbs for the A/C system
(if you are comparing to a Non-A/C Bronco2)

The wheelbase difference is 8" a Bronco2 is 94" an Explorer sport is 102"

102 - 94 = 8

How much do you really think an 8" slice of body shell weighs?

Rust? there is no real difference, they just rust in different places.
On the Bronco2 it's simply less visible.

To be honest the only thing that would make me get another bronco2
(I've had three in the past) is if I actually found a set of those "unicorn" removeable side windows.

AD
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad

TRS Events

Member & Vendor Upgrades

For a small yearly donation, you can support this forum and receive a 'Supporting Member' banner, or become a 'Supporting Vendor' and promote your products here. Click the banner to find out how.

Latest posts

Recently Featured

Want to see your truck here? Share your photos and details in the forum.

Ranger Adventure Video

TRS Merchandise

Follow TRS On Instagram

Latest Album Photos

20250606_193025.jpg
20250717_161404.jpg
2f30d2e5-a0b6-4419-bb34-5c120604fb82.jpg
IMG_0673.jpeg
IMG_0675.jpeg
IMG_0671.jpeg
85 ranger
85 Ford Ranger
PXL_20250409_152004355.jpg
IMG_9440.jpeg
IMG_4799.jpeg
20240803_195331.jpg

TRS Sponsors


Sponsored Ad


Sponsored Ad


Amazon Deals

Sponsored Ad

Back
Top