Which is a better wheeling rig for me, Chrokee or B2?

[85_Ranger4x4]

I have to agree with AllanD with the Explorer Sport, you get the 4.0, M5OD, D35, 8.8 all in the same package. There is still a frame present for Will's erector set building, and the eggcrate BII grille is a bolt on if you prefer the BII look. It is also a tad wider and longer than the BII for more stability, and with the high rate of production of 4dr models coupled with death rate of the A4LD, parts are not exactly rare.

I haven't been in a BII for probably 10 years or better, but I have been impressed where even my 109" WB Ranger has gone. That I was pretty much raised in fullsize trucks may have something to do with that too.

 

[Hahnsb2]

Yeah realistically the X sport is a damn good choice but between the B2 and XJ, Ill still take a B2.

 

[AllanD]

Yes, mthe bronco2's 94" wheelbase is "nice" in tight places
but in most situations I doubt you'd notice the difference
between it and the 102" Wheelbase of an Explorer sport.

Hell, when I had a bronco2 I never found a spot where my brother
couldn't follow in his 108" shortbed ranger.

Additionally it's the 94" wheelase of the Bronco2 that makes me feel they are dangerous.

Being honest about it I never noticed how "Twitchy" the Bronco2 was
at highway speeds until AFTER I got my 125"WB supercab.

And remember you usually have to drive TO the trail before you can
drive ON the trail, then you have to drive HOME.

The only real problem areas on the Explorer sport is that they tend
to eat door hinges and the rockers rust out forward of the rear wheel arches.

The hinge rebuild kit is $5.88 at advanced And Bronco2's rust in their
own places. (lower corners inside the hatch and inside the cowl like
all gen1/Gen2 Rangers.)

Oh and BTW, Explorers come with a combo that was never
available in the bronco2... and cannot be MADE available
you can have your rear wiper, rear window defogger AND
the window open!
On a bronco2 you could either have the window open OR have the wiper & defogger.

So again, why get a bronco2 and try to turn it INTO what an Explorer Sport
already IS

And for the record the Explorer sport is EXACTLY the same front trac width
in the front and EXACTLY no wider than a "late" 90 bronco2. will be after
you swap in that Disc brake explorer rear you wanted so badly.

And if you REALLY don't like the TTB front axle an Explorer is no more
difficult to hang an EB Dana44 under than a Bronco2...

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[4x4junkie]

I don't think I can fully agree the Cherokee is the better vehicle stock-to-stock (it's DEFINITELY not next to an Explorer). I've driven a couple Cherokees, and didn't really come away with any great impressions from it.

The Cherokee's D30 front axle is better compared to the BII's tiny D28, but the BII's rear 7.5" would walk all over the Cherokee's rear D35. The 2.9L V6 in the BII is a better engine than the Cherokee's GM-built 2.8 V6, although the Jeep 4.0 I6 would outrun either of them.
The biggest thing going for the Cherokee is the huge aftermarket that's available. You can turn it into a very capable wheeler without really having to think about anything, you just go down to the store and buy something for it, follow an instruction sheet that tells you how to bolt it on (or pay someone to bolt it on for you) and then you go out wheeling (this is mostly why they are as popular as they are).

The smaller amount of aftermarket bolt-ons for the BII (or Explorer) is a non-issue however if you have a welder and a brain with some ability to do a bit of problem-solving, you can just make your own parts for it (and can better match them to your exact needs in the process, too). It'll come out a lot cheaper too (perhaps unless you also factor in the price of your shop equipment, although it could still pay for itself if you use it enough). You'll have the ability to proudly say "I built those parts myself!"


As for BII vs. Explorer, some very good points were made about the Explorer, although I still like the BII. Its smaller & lighter, has better visibility (no split pillar on the side windows), and looks much easier to do a chop-top on.
I haven't found any real need to swap in a 4.0 V6 yet either, although I may be towing a 3000lb. enclosed trailer a ways up north here shortly though, so maybe my opinion on that could change, we'll see. In any case however, if the 2.9L ever does decide to quit, I would most likely replace it with a 4.0 as opposed to rebuilding it.

 

[Mutant Pony]

I cannot believe so many people on the Ranger station said to go with a non-RBV! What is wrong with you people? Hell, lie if you have to!
The only good point that a Cherokee has is the 4.0. An engineering mistake! It was just too good. The auto trans is better than the A4ld as well. Every other aspect is shadowed by the BII!
The exploder sport would be better than the BII imo as well.

 

[Will]

My daily driver has a 165" WB and I don't find my B2 a challenge at all. It just takes a few minutes to get used to a new dancing partner--and away we go. it's the only car I have left with a stick shift so thats more of an adjustment.

To be fair, I would indeed take an Explorer Sport over a B2 for the reasons Allan stated.

 

[JohnnyU]

I cannot believe so many people on the Ranger station said to go with a non-RBV! What is wrong with you people? Hell, lie if you have to!
The only good point that a Cherokee has is the 4.0. An engineering mistake! It was just too good. The auto trans is better than the A4ld as well. Every other aspect is shadowed by the BII!
The exploder sport would be better than the BII imo as well.

Solid axles front and rear and a better low-range come to mind as well.

Why would I lie about which vehicle were better? I'm not into brand loyalty or misinformation.

I've been wheeling with SEVERAL different types of rigs, including many BII's and XJ's. stock v. stock the XJ wins. Same driver, same obstacle, same 30" A/T's. You can argue it until you are blue in the face, but that's what my experience tells me.

 

[Hahnsb2]

Solid axles front and rear and a better low-range come to mind as well.

Why would I lie about which vehicle were better? I'm not into brand loyalty or misinformation.

I've wheeling with SEVERAL different types of rigs, including many BII's and XJ's. stock v. stock the XJ wins. Same driver, same obstacle, same 30" A/T's. You can argue it until you are blue in the face, but that's what my experience tells me.

Johnny, think of it this way. Cummins and Powerstroke have both developed new engines, the powerstroke is more powerful and probably will dominate in towing/racing challenges but I know I would rather have the cummins and you probably would too. Just like Junkie said, I enjoy building my rig rather than just buying everything out of a catalog and bolting it on.

 

[Mutant Pony]

The simple fact is that, Without much lift to ttb is far better off road that a straight axle.
There was never a Cherokee Built that could survive a day following my TTb RbV!
I do agree that the Cherokee is a good vehicle. I would recomend one as a mail/paper carrier. I wouldn't waste my time trying to wheel one though. Everything is made out of sheetmetal. Suspension components made out of sheetmetal wouldn't support me. They should be outlawed for offroad use-They could kill people.
I work on cars everyday. 365 Days a year. I do know the difference.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Well stock for stock I know my D28 is pretty pathetic in the flex department. 100% stock with the sway bars intact it might go 2-3" above/below center and then relies on the rear to take up the rest. They also hang really low and make a great mud/snow plow, really unless you do something to them I don't think they are all that great.

 

[Hahnsb2]

Well stock for stock I know my D28 is pretty pathetic in the flex department. 100% stock with the sway bars intact it might go 2-3" above/below center and then relies on the rear to take up the rest. They also hang really low and make a great mud/snow plow, really unless you do something to them I don't think they are all that great.

Mt b2's suspension out flexes my buddy's XJ when it was stock, now that it has a 3" lift it only flexes slightly more than my rig with both of our swaybars off. Doesn't matter though, with my locker I walk all over that rig.

 

[JohnnyU]

Johnny, think of it this way. Cummins and Powerstroke have both developed new engines, the powerstroke is more powerful and probably will dominate in towing/racing challenges but I know I would rather have the cummins and you probably would too. Just like Junkie said, I enjoy building my rig rather than just buying everything out of a catalog and bolting it on.

You're missing my point. I'm not talking about making ANY kind of modifications, hense "STOCK v. STOCK".

The TTB needs at least 3" of lift to make proper use of extended radius arms, which are needed to get decent movement out of the TTB front ends, so saying that stock-height TTB is "far better" is incorrect.

Remember, he is asking about STOCK, not modified set-ups here.

 

[blackbronc]

I had 2 V6 Cherokees 1 stick 1 auto. They had more droop flex than my BII and wheeled better with the stock soft suspension and lower t-case ratio. The Chevy V6 is a piece of crap compared to Fords 2.8,2.9 or 3.0. You can put a Chevy 3.1 or 3.4 from a Camaro/Firebird which makes a world of difference. With 4.0 the Jeep is better but only because the head doesn't crack like the fords do. The thing I disliked most with the jeeps was the cost of suspension mods. Anything over 2" costs a fortune and is hard to find used while I have lifted BII's 6" with junkyard parts. The jeep is disposable while the BII is rebuildable. I agree the best option is an Ex Sport since you can get all the good stuff original. I liked my Jeeps but love my BII.

 

[blackbronc]

If you weld the spiders it's not stock anymore. So this stock Vs stock comparison may be irrelevant. Any RBV will double the front travel with only 2"leveling springs and longer front shocks. Many Cherokees have vacumn t-case and front axle engagement. The plastic vacumn lines crack easily and then you are 2wd. Anything over 31" tires will require wider wheels which will snowball into needing an expensive lift kit and removing the faux fender flares and cutting sheet metal. My BII is running 33"s with no fender cutting, try doing that with a Cherokee. The hot tip for a Jeep is to use an Exploder 8.8 rearend to replace the D35. Stock vs stock Cherokee, anything modified even considered BII. Maybe that's why all the Jeeps in the junkyards are dead stock while I find modded RBVs all the time. I wheel with jeeps all the time and amaze them that a cheap old Bronco can do the things they do.

 

[Flat]

I liked the B2 because it had a short wheelbase like a Jeep Wrangler and was way cheaper. I liked the Cherokee because it was small, had straight axles and was way cheap. I would get an explorer sport If I could find a good one cheap. I find alot more B2s and Cherokees than 91-94 Explorer Sports. The explorer sport looked like a lowered and lengthened B2 to me. If I found an explorer sport with the right setup I would take it over a B2 for similar price. I would get a samurai or toyota pickup with a SA but they are rare and expensive around here.

I am really looking for something that will be cheap easy and fun. I will most likely be trailoring it If i have to go a long distance. I believe I should stick with an auto tranny.
Right now I am leaning towards the cherokee and explorer sport. I would probably have to get a cherokee since explorer sports are hard to find cheap.I don't see anything wrong with the B2 other than the A4LD and the dana 28 front end.