Date: Fri, 16 May 97 08:54:30 -0700 From: bks-at-co.intel.com Subject: Re: buicks owned by FSJ types... John wrote: > BTW, anybody out there have any experience with a Ford Explorer? > How do they compare with an FSJ? Any good off -road? > > ttyl, > john Well, here is what I think I know about the Exploder, er, I mean Explorer. They use the Ford 8.8 rear end with c-clips. The older ones before Ford switched to their latest A-arm independent front end used the TTB setup with a model 35 Dana. They were available with both manual and automatic hubs. Both 2 and 4 door version available. Don't know the wheelbases offhand, but the 4-door is pretty long (two door is shorter, but still longer than the Bronco II. Bronco II has about a 96" wheelbase). Uses a Borg-Wanner part-time t-case (at least the older ones did). Use a 4liter 60 degree V6. Rear springs are under the axels. The manual transmission is probably the weak link in vehicles equiped with such. Its is basically the same manual they used in lots of Bronco IIs and Rangers. It was a problem then, and it still is a problem. Don't know anything about the auto. As for comparing them with a FSJ, the FSJ has a stronger running gear