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OK I know someone has done it in their 60K Dollar truck…now kiss and tell
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No joke how do these big heavy and powerful trucks do off road?
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I’ve got a CC SB FX4 with stock Michelin (18’s), I’ve not done anything to warrant even calling it 4 wheeling, just kind wondering. I’ve gone up a few gravel roads and driven over a few grassy hills and had to use 4 high. All the torque and power the rear tires break loose quick. LOL
The features Ford puts in these trucks are pretty cool, the “hill descent” and the grade/wheel info available in the info center are nice.

 

I wouldn't classify my mild and very brief excursion as offroading but I recently dropped off a tree (10ft Mexican Fan Palm removed at my house with my truck) at the local dump along with some other yard debris. Once empty and finding myself alone I couldn't resist... 4x4 engaged, I started gallivanting around some trails and up and down some pretty good dirt grades.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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But my truck wasn’t 60k like most of the fancy trucks here either.

-Bit

 

I'd take mine out for a good 4x4 trip is someone will come clean it after LOL

 

I have... and it did quite well. Ran it on Kelly Flats trail in northern Colorado last month, including taking it up "Heart Attack Hill" (you can look 'em up online). There are some very steep and very rocky sections on this trail, and the articulation from both solid axles along with the rear locker 'really' helped.

My only gripe is the plastic air dam under the front bumper -- snagged in a few times but didnt do any damage to it.

I've run the trail several times in Jeeps, and also in an '05 Excursion that I used to have, so I was pretty sure the Super Duty would do it with no issues.

The rear locker, the ability to much more easily control tranny gearing, and the hill descent control all proved to really make the drive more fun and much easier than previous trips with other vehicles.

Here are a few pictures towards the west end of the trail (which is the less severe portion). Its difficult to tell how steep the road really is in the pictures, but trust me its steep! And yes, I spent a LOT of time on three wheels.

 

Nebmike - How much creaking and twisting sounds did your truck make while doing those trails?

 

Mike you win my "hardcore" award....going like that and still has the TEMP TAG in the back glass. Thanks for sharing those pics!

 

EpicCowlick posted an offroad video a day or two ago showing the hill descent control in action:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...l#post10674742

I go offroad every time I go to the shop or to the family farm, but I've only had to use 4x4 high a few times, and have only put it in 4x4 low just to see if it would engage...

I wish we still had the ranch where we used to hunt so I could give the hill descent control a good test, including some so steep that stopping was virtually impossible in any vehicle not so equipped.

The only things I'd worry about are the air dam, as nebmike mentioned, and I wonder about the running boards too. This is the first truck where I've left the stock running boards on. On previous trucks when I was doing more serious off road use, I've always replaced them with small steps, but my old legs and bad knee are really liking the full running board.


Joe

 

I took cover under a bridge in a thunderstorm (trying to dodge hail) - happened to be one of my fly fishing holes, which I haven't visited for over a year. The drop off the road to the river valley is REALLY steep. I kicked on the hill descent control on my way down but was going sideways so that was a bit scary. I got to my usual parking spot and turned the truck around. I didn't have much room with the long wheel base and was either going to put the rear end in the river or the front end in a mud hole. After all, it was storming and raining a bunch - nice and wet down there! With all the weight up front it sank in the mud hole a bit. My locking differential wasn't enough so I put it in 2hi and got out. On the way back out I put it back in 4hi and locked the axle for the climb back out. I had some wheel slip but got out in 2wd.

Since the roads were still soaked I got the tires cleaned out fairly well before I got home. I am sure the folks behind me were cursing the mud but it was fun

I drove along the opposite side of the river the other day and its quite obvious why I was sideways going down the hill - that particular trail is at about a 30deg angle from the perpendicular of the valley = NOT straight down.

 

I did some beach 4wheeling last weekend, nothing too major, but just enough to get through the thick spots. She did pretty well!

 

I can't help but to bring up the GM video for Mike's last picture.
I sure don't see any tailgate damage.

Anyways, that's four-wheeling!
I've been "off the road" on rough dirt roads and have needed 4x4 but only because the ContiTracs are not very useful without pavement.

 

Zero.

If a guy were to take off the air dam, the running boards and put better tires on (although the stock Mich's did great), this truck would satisfy all but the most hard core of off-roaders (you know, the ones running clunker Cherokee's with 37's and an 8" lift, dual lockers and a winch on both ends).

Kelly Flats trail isnt the harshest I've been on, but it is not for the faint of heart and there was never a time where I questioned the trucks ability to keep going forward. Just put it in 4 low and creeped my way over everything.

 

Nope... Tailgate (and everything else, as a matter of fact) is in perfect condition in spite of being on three wheels multiple times during the ride.

 

Poor Mike. If you had a Chevy with its superior boxed frame, you wouldn't have all that frame flex! LOL

 

The way I see it, the added flex only goes to aid in articulation and help keep the tires on the ground where they need to be to provide traction.

 

Been Off road a lot already.

Hunting in south east Texas,Dove Hunting in west Texas, up into Colorado and New Mexico.

Had a small problem with the 4x4. One of the connector pins got pushed out. So I had it replaced. Otherwise, AWESOME!!

Does ice and snow count?

Here are some pics...No extremes, but I love Pictures.....

First week I got it.....Dove Hunting,








Wish I had the pics of mud up to the doors.....but when your that deep, you don't think...oh wait..."Photo Op!!!"

LOL


Shane