SoCalMonty
Explorer
I wonder how they compare to a Ford 9" or Dana 60 which the 3.5 rear diff sits comfortably between in terms of the actual r&p size.
I'm not sure...but it naturally depends on the application (tire size, among other things). Car & Driver did an SUV shootout around 1995; it's still on their site and you can find it via Google. Anyway, in the spec chart, out of the 5-6 SUV's they tested, the Montero SR had the least amount of ground clearance. Though, as you mentioned, I'm sure the r&p size has something to do with it (most of the others, if not all, were smaller I'd bet).
IMHO, that's one good reason for 35's...but our 3rd member is ultra strong, I've literally crushed rocks with it. lol.