Escape Off-Roading?

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

Jun 28, 2009 | 12:16 PM

#31

Jonas1022

Elder User

Joined: Feb 2007

Posts: 629

Likes: 2

From: DFW Metromess, TX.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Smokin' & Strokin'

I live in upper michigan and take my escape off road all the time. Mine is all stock, 3.0 v6, and 4x4.....I use mine for serious mud and offraod trails, havent broken anything yet and have nevergotten stuck. All you need is a good set of winter tires for mud and you're fine. Deepest I've gone through is a 2 foot deep mud hole and didnt get stuck...that's no exaguration.

I'd never do anything wet in an Escape or any of it's sibblings. The alternater is mounted down low, and is the first on the scene to get wet if you do any mudding. It well fail prematurely if you keep this up.

Escape is designed as a mommy wagon and soft roader at the very most. Anyone doing anything more than that is asking for trouble.

Jun 28, 2009 | 05:00 PM

#32

Smokin' & Strokin'

Junior User

Joined: May 2009

Posts: 51

Likes: 0

Don't worry, I've only gone through a deep one like that once....almost didn't make it out. Otherwise its mainly just climbing muddy hills and bumpy roads, not too many deep puddles.

Jun 28, 2009 | 06:43 PM

#33

wptski

Posting Guru

Joined: Feb 2002

Posts: 1,534

Likes: 2

From: Warren, MI

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jonas1022

After what I've learned about the so-called 4WD system on my '09 Escape, I'm not sure why they call it 4WD! It should be tagged like on the Edge or Fusion, AWD! Your FourWheeling everytime you leave a stop. Don't need any wheel slippage either!

Feb 9, 2016 | 06:10 PM

#34

Jim Popik

New User

Joined: Feb 2016

Posts: 3

Likes: 0

Quote:

Originally Posted by wendell borror

As has been mentioned, two limiting factors for the escape, are low ground clearence and tires. Get the 2" lift a good set of BFG's would be a good start. A great help would be if quafie or torson would make a lsd for the escape. I have a liberty and it's nice to have low range, it really isn't used all that much, but at times, it can be a God send. I use to take my 01 4x4 escape wheeling in the mountains of W,Va, mostly old logging roads and the such, it did better than I thought it would. I pushed to the point of abuse at times, but it never left me walking. It does have it's limitations, once you learn them, they can be alot of fun offroad. The unibody isn't that much of a factor unless your boulder climbing or something. The new jeep patriot will be on a plateform similar to the escape, it will have a sudo low range in the auto tranny as an option, I bet people will lift it and wheel it. I wouldn't be surprised to see the compass show up on the trails and it's worse than the escape, but because it say's jeep, you know it's gonna happen. If the escape had a lift, some good tires, a lsd and say lets say, a set of 4:10 gears, I think it would be pretty capable offroad, it wouldn't be no liberty, but it would hold it's own for what it is. I don't think it would have to take a back seat to the compass or patriot. I had a lot of fun with mine in stock trim.

im looking for an add-on upgrade conversion aftermarket selector switch....
i have an 06 mariner/ escape awd with the 6cyl and its automatic ... my transmission is automatic and so is the 4x4 system i hate it i don't know if its working properly or not catching up as fast as i would like it always seems behind the 8 ball and i have yet to see the 4x4 light come on... is there any aftermarket up grade to add a switch to engaged the 4x4 system from automatic to manually engaged full time 4x4 like the 01 - 05s had?. i haven't seen a post yet of an aftermarket kit or a switch added with a description of how it was done. am i looking for what you call a lsd? does any one make a quick plug and play electric switch conversion that you have found?

Feb 12, 2016 | 11:46 AM

#35

got2bjoester

More Turbo

Joined: Dec 2013

Posts: 522

Likes: 13

From: Upstate NY

I'll just share my favorite experience with a completely stock Escape on ice with Goodyeare Assurance Fuel Saver tires.... No offroad, but on ice.....

While coming home from shopping we approached the final hill that leads up to our road.
NOTE: While shopping, a freezing rain had come down and there was about 1/4 inch of solid ice on EVERYTHING.
We approached the hill in Normal mode (no 4X4) and I stopped at the bottom to watch one of our local police vehicles (Chevy Suburban) bounce his way up the curb at maybe 0.5MPH. Since I had not slipped a wheel up to this point, I decided to see how we would do. I went around several vehicles that had stopped in front of us, and porceeded up the hill at maybe 10MPH without slipping a wheel. I got a really nasty look from the policeman as I went by him with me, my wife, and 2 kids smiling and waving to him.
Got home with absolutley no issue and I was being very careful because I knew traction was really poor.
About 15 minutes after getting home, the very same policeman was outside looking at my tires so I went outside.
He was amazed at how easily I passed him when he couldn't manage traction and told me he intended to get an Escape for his personal vehicle.

Also worth noting is that the following year there wasn't a single Chevy in the police force vehicle line up.

My point in that is to re-enforce what was previously mentioned - That Ford had designed the Escape for a specific purpose and that they did a splendid job doing it - Light offroad and slippery road conditions. That does NOT mean it can't do more...