Jeep Grand Cherokee vs Ford Explorer | 1990's Affordable Off-Road Shootout!
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What's the best affordable off-roader? A Jeep Grand Cherokee or a Ford Explorer? Let's Find Out!
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If you're going to keep bumping the back end of the ZJ off the ground, I'd recommend going to the dealer and having your recall trailer hitch installed. Free of charge because it's a recall. It'll save you from crushing your gas tank.
Unless, like Ford, they claim the recall is expired or the bolts for the recall are "obsolete". 🙄
Are they doing this for the WJ's too? I remember hearing about it but never took my 2004 in.
@@JasnoGT yea they did for our WJ 6 years ago
As a proud owner of a 1992 ford explorer they make damn great offroaders for the trails highly recommand the 1st gen explorers
I love the 90’s SUVs. I guess that’s why I have a 1995 ZJ Grand Cherokee V8 and a 1995 Nissan Pathfinder 4WD with a manual transmission. Both are driven every day
Literally two of the COOLEST SUV's ever made, lucky!!!!! miss riding in a two-door Pathfinder as a kid. Love the theatre seating and those little triangular windows that pop out.
Keep pumping out these classics vids! This channel fills a much needed void in the car market! Great job as usual TFL!
Thanks! Will do!
@@TFLclassics - Thank you!! It’s surprising how much video time these two cheap vehicles have gotten vs some very expensive and interesting brand new models!! The ZR2 Silverado for example, you did get rid of it at the right time for the channel, but it showed up at a bad time when you had the TRX and the Bronco, which almost overshadowed the ZR2. People are really disappointed it wasn’t supercharged though and that trickled down to even yourselves. At the same time they complained about the price, just like the Raptor R now. Fully loaded very capable, to extremely capable STOCK off-road pickups have to be expensive merely for the drivetrains alone,,,,,.
Sorry, tangent, has nothing to do with the original comment!! 😂😂😂
I am definitely liking the current trend on classics.
For next show and shine season, it would be nice to see some of the trucks that show up at the different events!! There are open events, C10 events, Dent side events, Mopar events (the Mopar pickups are pretty rare, for a reason, but rare nonetheless), not sure if mini-trucks are popular there or not. Then feature a viewer’s ride at each event. I’m a truck guy, but it can be cars or vans. If the subject wants to explain the work, trials and errors during the builds, that would be fascinating. Of course if it doesn’t fit your format or get views, it couldn’t stay, but it might be worth it as a filler like your doing now!
Stay safe fellas!!
Ive had 2 first gen manual explores. One was a 2 door sport and the other a 4 door loaded eddie Bauer edition. Favorite trucks ive ever had
I don't think the Explorer struggled more on those rocks at all, he just didn't give it constant throttle like Tommy did. The twin traction beam is meant to simulate the durability of a solid axle but improve ride quality on road. The pivot points are past the vehicle centerline which provides a lot more articulation and travel compared to a standard control arms setup.
Yeah, it's difficult to judge the capability of different vehicles with different drivers. Tommy clearly has more off road experience and it would have been interesting to see him drive both for a more even comparison.
It’s hard to crawl with a manual transmission without ridiculously low gearing.
Totally agree! Tommy needs to drive from now on!
@@HoosierDaddy_ - Brendan has to learn. He has admitted he doesn’t have a lot of experience. With Tommy teaching him, he will learn how to do things right. Tommy was pretty bad off-road at one time as well, he had some big throttle issues himself. A few comments, and his will to get better and he did so. A few trips with Nathan helped a bit I think as well. Nathan is a funny guy, but actually may be the best off-road, if not a little too assertive with the loaner vehicles. He and Tommy specifically did a trip for the TrailHawk versions of the Cherokee and the Renegade and there was a noticeable difference in Tommy’s skills after that trip. Tommy may have been working on it otherwise, only he knows, but his throttle control really started improving then. It took time behind the wheel to get better. The same as Brendan needs now. Fortunately for Brendan, he is learning from Tommy vs the initial period where Tommy learned from Roman and Andrey. Both of them have annoying habits, especially Andrey of over modulating the the throttle. Roman has improved though.
It all takes experience and that gained behind the wheel and not watching someone else. Good on Brendan for trying!!
@@kevindavis5966 both guys are sissy s and couldn't change a flat tire .terrible drivers also.
My first 2 loves, Jeep Cherokee & the OG Explorer. In case you can't tell (hint hint, profile pic), the XJ was/is my favorite vehicle of all time! Nice vid!
On the 42RE in the grand cherokee, if you are losing 2nd gear, go under the transmission and do a intermediate band adjustment. It's what give you second gear, it's a brake band that stops the direct, or 3rd gear clutch from rotating, that stops the sun gear from rotating and it gives you second gear,
and it's easy to do. Plenty of vids on it. That said, the 42RE transmission is a light/moderate duty unit that is maintenance sensitive. Clean fluid, clean filter, no "technical" offroad stuff, and it'll last 250+ miles. Beat it, neglect it, it'll break.
I had a 96 Cherokee with the inline 6. Also one of my favorite engines. After 8 years of ownership that engine gave me zero issues. The body was falling apart, but the engine started up every time.
The 4.0 inline v6 is one of the most reliable engines of all time
Same! I had mine for 12 years, and it never let me down once. It always started, always got me where I wanted to go. 165k on it when got rid of it, and the only reason I got rid of it was because the body was falling apart. Motor and tranny were perfect.
I had both a 91 Explorer and 91 Ranger with the 4.0 and manual transmission. Loved them both and fun to drive!!!
Brendan is an excellent addition to the team! Loving TFL classic series- Great job guys!
Had a 96 ZJ back in the day with the 5.2 V8. It was 220 hp, 300 torque. You could really feel that torque. Big numbers back then.
how many miles did you get out of it?
Bought a brand new 1998 Grand Cherokee Limited TSI with the 5.9, Quada -Trac, Black with tan leather interior, that Jeep was a Rocket on the streets, No problems, Ice colds air in the summer had it til Feb 2005, some lady yacking on a cell phone, blew thru a stop sign and T-boned me and totaled my baby ,78K miles, miss my GC !!
@@Dankcatvacs I think it was around 120-140k or so
@@Dankcatvacs - had a few 318's (5.2) 1970 Coronet with over 400,000 miles on it. 1971 Satellite Sebring Plus with a 318 and drove it from CO through IA doing triple digits, no problem. I could've done a cannonball run with that car. Also had a 318 in a '74 Duster. And a 318 in a 1974 Dodge factory custom van. and a 1999 Dodge Durango
@@d.s7741 I love the 318 (5.2), Amazing motor and unstoppable if fluids are maintained. I have a 97 Dakota with it.
Love these classic off road videos. Keep them coming!
Just bought a 94 Explorer XLT to use as an everyday and to put some money into. Absolutely love driving and being in this thing! The nostalgia is real! Great to see a channel still having fun in them.
I have a 93 Ford ranger with that 5 sp that has 499,000 miles on it. Original engine transmission and rear differential! Preventative maintenance goes along way....... It's 2wd with the 2.3l
TFLClassics is my most favorite aspect of TFL... So much fun and great content...
My high school car back in the late 00's was a 1993 Ford Explorer Sport with the manual. Loved the heck out of that rig. Now to scour Facebook marketplace for another 1st gen!
How much do they go for nowadays? Bought a 99 Exploder for 800 bucks. Drove it for 2 years then sold it for 2k. 😅
@@angelgjr1999 That's a good return on Investment! I think $2000 gets you a pretty decent 1st gen. Mint examples in my area (when you can find them) top out at $5k
Looks like same 96' model Jeep I prep washed for a customer when new...I worked at Valley Jeep Eagle after high School.. great video!!
Love these vintage vehicle videos...So entertaining!! Keep up coming guys!
Vintage?! I'm old. 🤔
Motivates me to finish wiring my 91 Explorer 5.0 V8 conversion with 4wheel drive. Love Jeep and Explorer.
What a great mash up of some iconic 1st gen 90s rigs. Great video!
I have a 94 explorer that's built on a budget. It's very capable and reliable. Aftermarket parts are still available but few to choose from.
Those early Explorers also came in a two-door version (the Explorer Sport with the red stripe down the side). I had a 92 Explorer Sport w/manual transmission that got me all through college with zero trouble and it was not treated kindly. Same interior as your 4-door too! That said, I LOVE those first gen Grand Cherokees!
Excellent video, thanks for the nostalgia, I saw alot of these growing up in the mid 90's. I never saw a Cherokee with the 4.0 I6, I never knew they came with it, all I remember seeing were the 5.9 V8s
The 5.9 was only offered in 98 and not many were made
@@account4info That's what I remember, thanks for the confirmation.
Took me back to my childhood with that explore. Funny how it seems so small now from when I was growing up. New SUV and even just cars are so big!
We had a 92 white xlt 2wd from 96 till 2000 when I was little and I couldn't believe how small it is compared to my moms 2010 buick enclave. I would love to have a first gen in white with a coyote or godzilla swap
My first vehicle that I actually put some miles on was a 1993 explorer Eddie Bauer manual (pristine). It was such a good vehicle, mine had terrible gears so it had no power at all lol, but only 60k original miles (bought it in 2017-18)
There’s channels on TH-cam that supercharge the 4.0 and 5.0 explorers. Pretty neat stuff.
My 1993 ford Aerostar had those seats with the 4.0 liter, loved those!
These are the match ups we want! Hopefully you guys find an old Bronco to go against the Jeep. Or may a r50 pathfinder.
Ill always enjoy the explorer, I remember my dad had a 93 and had borla exhaust on it, sounded awesome. Unfortunate here i Chicago it rusted out eventually. This is great content guys, thanks!
i always loved the 90s grand cherokees the leather seats were so comfy
Still are
The manual Ford Explorer! It's a unicorn, a little busted up, but a unicorn none the less. Love it
Both those 4.0L engines are bombproof. Great video!
i like both vehicles. i had a 97 explorer, 4l , 5 speed and put over 250k miles on it before i sold it. Great truck and the Mazda trans is bulletproof unlike the jeeps. Have a 2000 ranger with the same set up with over 365k miles it now.
What are you smoking the those 4r’s gave tons of problems it’s hard to even find some one who wants to rebuild them
I Currently have a 91 ranger 4.0, manual with a manual transfer case from an explorer. Fun little truck.
The explorer is just such a good looking machine. Definitely would like to have one in the future.
Be Careful not to roll it over
@@jakey20022 Good tires and wheel spacers would help a lot. Used to have a RWD 99 Exploder, loved to drift it around the school parking lot. I Miss it.
ive been looking for this video as I own a bronco ii (not running) and a 98 Grand cherokee, explorer has similar underpinnings as my bronco, so im excited to see how this goes
Love these guys so much
Solid content as always
Love the channel guys!! I’ve had explorer’s on and off through the years but the first generation has and will always be my favorite.keep up the great job with the video’s.
Really appreciate the 90’s soundtrack. Love it! I would love to see you test out those old Bronco 2.
Had a 1997 Grand Cherokee Limited 5.2L back in 2004 with super low miles when I got it. Had like 30k miles fully loaded
I don't know when sucking gear went out on my 4.0 jeep it was very noticeable.. but agreed very good motors pretty easy to work on .let's not talk about the crank positioning sensor
I really want a P38a Rover but I was on BaT and the Explorer and ZJ seem more affordable long term and just as capable but not where near as posh. I’m glad you have this comparison because I was looking at Gen 1 explorer and Gen 1 ZJ. My dad had a ZJ and it was cool.
I used to off road with friends who had those exact vehicles. The explorers suffered because the electronic transfer case motors got soaked and died. The grand Cherokee's transfer case broke open like an egg for no reason just driving down the highway. I was driving a '90 Bronco whose 5.0 engine eventually died due to prior owner neglect. I replaced the bronco with a Scout that beat everything, but succumbed to rust.
Those tires on the explorers look DANGEROUS!
My Pops had an ol' grand cherokee he bought new in 1995 and it was white with gold lettering, and it was a limited trim with the 5.9l v8 in it. It was sweet
It was probably the 5.2L V8 as the 5.9L was only available in 1998. The 5.9 also only came in three colors (black, white, and grey) with chrome badging and silver wheels. I also had a white with gold '93 GC Limited, but it had the 4.0L...it was pretty sweet too.
@@aaronw8606 Ah, your right then it was the 5.2L. yea if it would have been my choice I would have gotten the 4 liter over the v8.
I have both down in my garage right now and I love them
I use to drive my dad`s 91 4 dr Explorer, 91 Jeep Cherokee XJ and a 95 Jeep Grand Cherokee ZJ...very nice cars here in Chile, enjoy them very much on Atacama desert trough Chile to Austral Road...Anyway, later on i met Toyota and Mitsubishi...so much reliable well thought and put together! But family time in a car makes you enjoy them so much more...even if it´s not the perfect car!
Nice. Like the concept. Propose that a Sidekick/Geo would no doubt win the overall affordable 90’s off-road shootout championship bracket.
No doubt. TFL needs to acquire one and impress us all.
stock for stock a sidekick isn’t winning anything off-road. Toyota or a Nissan is king and their twice as expensive as a 90s Jeep
That would be cool!
@@TFLclassics yes, please! A wagon and a 2 door, please!
My brother has the same type of Explorer same year and he loves it he uses it for towing
Glad to see my comment on the last video made it to use!! See? Went into 4 low no prob 😉
4.0 is great in a TJ but the Grands are just to heavy plus once you start modifying them the V8 is so much better. I’m a big ZJ fan, currently own three 5.9ers all set up different.
Quick question boss
Been trying to figure out my evap problem and I see almost every Jeep zj withe the tube disconnected and capped on the intake manifold
The ccv tube from the manifold to the can under the headlight
Why is that and what does it improve?
Very good comparations !!!!👍👍👍👏👏👏👏👏
i have a 2nd gen explorer every has been good besides the engine the backfire blew a hole in the manifold and i got a loud rodknock
Very fun video!
Awesome vídeo. Can we try this trail with a WK 3.7 grand cherokee??
The transmission in my ladys cherokee went out 225000 miles. I was told it had the mail Carrier package. Good vehicles
That particular Jeep transmission is also great because it has a neutral position which allows for towing behind a motorhome.
However, not every Grand cherokee had that transmission.
Now it is time to upgrade them and make a real series of it. Continue the budget theme and use used parts from marketplace, junkyard etc.
Great video
Jeep: 2nd Gear has left the chat
I remember our 1999 jgc limited with the 4.7l v8 with Quadra-Drive had a 4 speed trans but it had two different seconds gears when downshifting or something
@@tdub25 That's right, I remember those. It was a 5 speed auto, but operated as a 4 speed under normal operation. Had a second 2nd gear ratio just for highway passing that it would kick down to when you punched it.
@@tdub25
@@tdub25 thats what made them so quick
The V8 option on the GCs were beast. I have a 98 5.9 thats as virgin as they come....all thats fixing to change though.
I had one of those ford , the room was amazing, every summer I had to moved to wildfire cabin at dispatch so I was able to put full size bed microwave dishes etc
love these!! 🙏
In the lot do you guys by chance have a 2008 silver chevy express 9 passenger van.
Love them explorer's but then again I love the Cherokee/Grand Cherokees also so I am just happy to be here...
Love my Jeep ZJ , prices have a gone up now for a running ZJ .
Gotta see a build series of these two. Maybe do a "budget" overland vehicle.
Great video..... lets see the drags race
The issue wasnt because of the second gen explorer, it was the Firestone tire model they used for that year, and also there was some that say that the recommended tire pressure was wrong on the VIN tag. Other than that, the explorer no matter what year was a good rig
@Sidney Sanders it’s not that “some say”, and the tire pressure isn’t on the VIN tag. The door stickers absolutely said 26 psi. It’s not a rumor, it’s fact. This was 100% intentional by Ford, and not recommended by Firestone.
Also, there are many years of the Explorer that are trash.
I love the explorer, I had a 98 that was amazing. In high school in the late 90s the rich kids had those Jeep's fully loaded when they were brand new. I thought they were like luxury off roaders compared to the Explorer.
The grand Cherokee is still fairly luxury for American brand
i own a 1993 ford explorer, and it seems like traction wise the explorers tend to lose traction quite a bit on both dirt and snow, not so bad in rain but the back definitely likes to kick out, and the door handles do tend to not like to work, luckily all of mine do but mines been taken very good care of since me and my cousin got our hands on it 😂
Doesn't the Explorer also have a solid front axle? From the footage, it looks like it has a pumpkin up front also.
The first gen explorer has the ttb front axle borrowed from the ranger. Often don't get the off road respect they deserve. 90-94 with the 4.0 came with a Dana 35 center and Dana 44 1/2 shafts. The u joints are the same size as the 1/2 ton trucks/broncos. Pretty strong stock setup for an suv.
that ford explorer has the “auto” locking hubs… for the love of god please throw on some mile marker manual locking hubs i could tell one of those hubs is on its way out when the rear was starting to slide out on the rocks… takes a lot to break a mile marker as well 🤙🏽
I love this content with older cheaper vehicles
Solid front axle wins over IFS for rock climbing every day of the week.
As someone who owns both Ford and Jeep I belieave I can confidently say they are both Awesome.
Iv always liked those Jurassic park Explorer 👍... i had a first gen toy grand Cherokee in yellow color when i was a kid in the '90s jajaja
The 4.0 is your favorite Tommy?!?! Have you ever replace a TDC sensor??? In the Cherokee I still remember the scary movie. 😨
Didnt show locking in the hubs on the explorer dont have too on cherokee my 94 explorer has 220 000 still on trucking lol i got an explorer because i gave $500 bucks put $200 in parts at 190000 miles ready roll does great in the trails
Factory ZJ with the AX15 😎
Amazing that these are selling for $2-3k now when they were both worth basically scrap value before everyone that wanted to buy a car completely lost their minds. They’re still worth scrap, but people are desperate to buy literally anything right now and willing to pay multiple times more than things are worth.
Agreed. Just because people are willing to buy it doesn't mean anything. Most of these late 80s to early 90s cars are CHEAP brittle metals and even back then didn't sell for much.
My 2nd gen explorer 4.0 is a capable rig I’ve been through everything in it and always gets through
TFL classics rule. Great video. This is officially my favorite channel. Everyone subscribe to this channel so we can make it huge. Thanks guys
You should also use the 2023 Toyota 4Runner 5th generation. All 90’s technology!!!
I went to high school with a guy who had a Mazda Navajo. It was blue.
Those are still one of my favorite SUVs.
My grandma bought a 1992 Ford Explorer. Hers had a third row seat. Only really OK for child-size passengers.
1:34 if I'm not mistaken I do believe that's false the Grand Cherokees were not full unibody it was just the Cherokees that were unibody.
I wanna see a excursion vs Yukon off road battle
I torn about getting a 1999-2004 JGC WJ - hopefully getting a better transmission than the ZJ. They seem to be awsome, cheap off roaders. Unfortunately I have a 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer with 234k miles that almost serves the same purpose. It has been a great, reliable and powerful rig but the Chevy has 2" less ground clearance than I would like (and it is hard to lift) and open differentials. With the Jeeps, they are easy to lift and you can get Quadratrac or Quadradrive systems.
The transmissions are exactly the same as the Zj as they are in the WJ. Unless your getting a WJ 4.7
The WJ also had a Selec Trac transfer case option which had 2wd, 4wd part time, 4wd full time, and 4wd low range. Usually found in the 6 cylinder rigs but it was an option in v8s. The 4.0 got the not great trans, and the Dana 35 rear end that is not good either and 3.55 gears. V8s have 3.73 gears, a better transmission, and a strong but also failure prone Dana 44a/D44HD rear axle. I've owned three WJs and lifted two of them. I really like them but you have to realize their weaknesses and use them accordingly.
@@turbolq4 I’m not sure about the WJ But you can get 3.73s with the 4.0 if you got the tow package. My 93 Zj has 3.73’s from the factory.
@@waterloo123100 I learned to never doubt Chrysler and their desire to change everything on a whim. It's probably an option, just one I haven't personally seen.
Do explorer vs bronco sport
Holy crap! Let the adults drive! I seem to have no problems driving the 1st gen explorer off road. I still like this stuff!
All struggles base on auto vs manual
Our 91 ranger has a 4 cylinder. Yet still Is great
People need to stop saying the the transmission is weak in the zj. 25y and over 200k miles proves you wrong. How many 90s Toyota trucks are on their original trannies? Or gm? Ford?
I've said it before and I will keep saying it, I love the video comparing vehicles head to head BUT the driver has got to stay consistent. You can't change drivers between vehicles...
OK I'm done bitching 😆
Love y'all and thanks for the content!💚
I want that Explorer!
As much as folks claim they want manuals this video shows why they actually buy automatics. The Explorer’s manual makes it harder to deliver power smoothly at low speeds like the rock crawling segment.
Off-road and racing applications, the auto is almost always better, but the manual provides more user input and enjoyment. Apples to oranges I say
@@bldontmatter5319 the manual used to be more fun because a car with a manual was always faster than the automatic version. Not any more. Computer controls have allowed the automatic to shift faster than any human can and downshift and up shift at just the right time if programmed well. Most importantly your left leg never gets tired in traffic in everyday driving.