Wifes new ride

[Ramcharger90]

So I went down to West Virginia to get the wife a new to us SUV...

1997 Explorer 5.0 AWD

Just under 100k miles for $1200,
Since everyone in PA wants 2-3k for a 96-01 with 200k+ on the clock I figured it would make sense to jump on this. It was filthy, it needs work but it runs and drives strong.
Also isn't rotten in all the normal places.

Pressure washed it like 3 times, then scrubbed it down at the car wash.

Wire wheeled the frame and hit it with that rust converter from duplicolor (worked on the Ranger) then I painted it flat black

I'm doing everything I could do to in terms of tune up and fluids, and I ordered a flowmaster 40 series and did the secondary cat delete. So it should sound like this....

Needs a bumper up front and grill no big deal though... If I cant find a driver seat that all the switches work on I will get this one fixed grey leather.

 

[dvdswan]

Nice score. Does the wife understand that the 5.0 is going in the Ranger in a year or 2? LOL

 

[19Walt93]

I like the 95-01 Explorers best, they got rid of the failure prone auto hubs and replaced the twin I beams with SLA. They got even better in 96 when the V8 appeared. Same mileage as a4.0, more power and smoother. One that clean underneath hasn't been seen in New England in over a decade. I assume the oily stuff on the hood blew out of the Sheep(Ram) truck?

 

[scotts90ranger]

I like the two I have that run, got the second one for $400 just because and the wife's been driving it for over 2 years without much issue other than it burns a bunch of oil (valve stem seals and valve cover gaskets). The third was $200 and just for parts...

They sure are spunky for being 5000lb... I like my white one best since I put in the 4406 manual transfer case and two expedition drivelines... after I shimmed up the LS it drives sideways nice and predictable

And Walt, I wish they still had TTB... my white one is getting TTB once I get settled into the shop... although it will have coil overs and a combo D44 and D50 TTB with a 10.25" out back... and hopefully at some point a 347 up front...

They make great drivers, I put 40k on mine in two years, 16mpg average with 31" tires, mine and hers both have around 250k miles on them...

 

[Ramcharger90]

New TYC mirror seems to be good quality.

Ordered new michelins for the front to match the back.

 

[09fx4guy]

That's a nice clean truck. I wish I could find stuff like that in NJ.

 

[Ranger850]

Those are some groovy rotors man, far out.

 

[Ramcharger90]

Nice score. Does the wife understand that the 5.0 is going in the Ranger in a year or 2? LOL

Old pic but there is one in there already

 

[Ramcharger90]

I like the two I have that run, got the second one for $400 just because and the wife's been driving it for over 2 years without much issue other than it burns a bunch of oil (valve stem seals and valve cover gaskets). The third was $200 and just for parts...

They sure are spunky for being 5000lb... I like my white one best since I put in the 4406 manual transfer case and two expedition drivelines... after I shimmed up the LS it drives sideways nice and predictable

And Walt, I wish they still had TTB... my white one is getting TTB once I get settled into the shop... although it will have coil overs and a combo D44 and D50 TTB with a 10.25" out back... and hopefully at some point a 347 up front...

They make great drivers, I put 40k on mine in two years, 16mpg average with 31" tires, mine and hers both have around 250k miles on them...

That was part of the issue everyone wanted 2-3k for a mid 90's with 220k+ on it in PA, NJ and MD. I know what I can do with this to carry the chassis into 500k+ with most 5.0's and 5 speed swap.

 

[Ramcharger90]

I like the 95-01 Explorers best, they got rid of the failure prone auto hubs and replaced the twin I beams with SLA. They got even better in 96 when the V8 appeared. Same mileage as a4.0, more power and smoother. One that clean underneath hasn't been seen in New England in over a decade. I assume the oily stuff on the hood blew out of the Sheep(Ram) truck?

No that was from the people that owned it. I dont think they ever washed the truck. Or cleaned the inside.

 

[Ramcharger90]

New to me bumper, also found a not broken peice for under the radiator.

 

[adsm08]

I like the 95-01 Explorers best, they got rid of the failure prone auto hubs and replaced the twin I beams with SLA.

Wait, why would replacing twin I-beam with SLA be an improvement? Not significantly different in strength or ride quality and the parts costs to service the basic wear items of the SLA (bearings, ball joints, etc) doubles or triples with no improvements to durability.

I can replace all four front wheel bearings and the grease seals on my Ranger with high quality parts and have money left over before I have bought one cheap front bearing for the Explorer.

 

[Dirtman]

Wait, why would replacing twin I-beam with SLA be an improvement? Not significantly different in strength or ride quality and the parts costs to service the basic wear items of the SLA (bearings, ball joints, etc) doubles or triples with no improvements to durability.

I can replace all four front wheel bearings and the grease seals on my Ranger with high quality parts and have money left over before I have bought one cheap front bearing for the Explorer.

Yea but the problem is you're wrong.

 

[adsm08]

Yea but the problem is you're wrong.

I'm really not.

My 87 has roughly the same FAWR as a 98, and doesn't really ride any better than my 04 Explorer which is 4-wheel independent suspension.

 

[Dirtman]