Best generation for offroading?

[Am3ricanInfid3L]

Alright... First things first. I'm sure there is already a thread somewhere in these forums comparing the offroad capabilities in each generation. Please forgive me for not finding it lol.
Anyways; I've been looking at newer and newer generations of expy's (I have a first gen). I've been tempted to get one, but don't know if they will perform better or worse off road.. I know the second Gens were the first to have all independent suspension. Call me old fashioned if you want; but I enjoy the simplicity of a rear straight Axel.
Can anyone give me a good comparison between the first gens and the newer ones?

 

[BIG GREEN FORD]

You will lose limited slip , only lifts are 3.5 or 8in for 4000$,
Im always competing with my dads 04 navigator and his has advance track witch is good but in the sugar sand or soft sand it sucks.

 

[BIG GREEN FORD]

All expy are good don't get me wrong but if you want something you can beat on stay with a first gen

 

[Am3ricanInfid3L]

All expy are good don't get me wrong but if you want something you can beat on stay with a first gen

Awesome. I figure new expy's do have their perks. Sometimes I wish mine had some of them. I swear the 1st gens are bullet proof though. Plus, there is too much plastic on the new ones...

 

[DetroitDarin]

You will lose limited slip , only lifts are 3.5 or 8in for 4000$,
Im always competing with my dads 04 navigator and his has advance track witch is good but in the sugar sand or soft sand it sucks.

why would he lose Limited Slip? My 06 came with LSD, factory, and I can get TrueTrac and even ARB and E-lockers front and rear.

The last part is the biggest advantage of the 1st Gen - lifts are readily available. That $4000 lift you mention? I hear it's no longer made.

I'm looking at a body lift - couple with the spacers already on the truck - which will allow 35s pretty easily (heck, already using 34.4x12.5) but that's about the limit of newer rigs.

Now - IRS/IFS has benefits to be sure! Unfortunately, I'd rather have solid rear axle. What swung me towards a newer rig was the shape, interior, and factory DVD and all that

 

[BIG GREEN FORD]

why would he lose Limited Slip? My 06 came with LSD, factory, and I can get TrueTrac and even ARB and E-lockers front and rear.

The last part is the biggest advantage of the 1st Gen - lifts are readily available. That $4000 lift you mention? I hear it's no longer made.

I'm looking at a body lift - couple with the spacers already on the truck - which will allow 35s pretty easily (heck, already using 34.4x12.5) but that's about the limit of newer rigs.

Now - IRS/IFS has benefits to be sure! Unfortunately, I'd rather have solid rear axle. What swung me towards a newer rig was the shape, interior, and factory DVD and all that

So yours is not advancetrack?

 

[DetroitDarin]

I have 'awd', 2H, 4H and 4L. Front is a open ford 8.8", rear is a LSD 9.75 34 spline

 

[Am3ricanInfid3L]

I have 'awd', 2H, 4H and 4L. Front is a open ford 8.8", rear is a LSD 9.75 34 spline

I wish mine had the "2wd" feature like my older EB edition did, so I can save gas while on the interstate. Mines permanent A4WD (which I still love) but the ability to have so many options would definitely be nice.
I'm just afraid that the newer models were built more on plush "Soccer Mom" design lol.

 

[BIG GREEN FORD]

I wish mine had the "2wd" feature like my older EB edition did, so I can save gas while on the interstate. Mines permanent A4WD (which I still love) but the ability to have so many options would definitely be nice.
I'm just afraid that the newer models were built more on plush "Soccer Mom" design lol.

I have the brown wire mod with a switch .. (2wd) it will not make a ddifference in mpg but its fun smoking the 35in tires iI have on

 

[BIG GREEN FORD]

By the way The way the a4wd work is its always 2wd until the rear lose traction sending a msg through the abs system witch makes a magnet gear in the trasfercase come in and will make it go in 4wd.

 

[BIG GREEN FORD]

Witch I hated. But I turn the switch on when its raining really hard and with the boat behind

 

[DetroitDarin]

Mine worked in awd until things went nuts - then would go into 4wd temporarily - then back to awd - unless i misunderstood what was happening

 

[BIG GREEN FORD]

Mine worked in awd until things went nuts - then would go into 4wd temporarily - then back to awd - unless i misunderstood what was happening

My dads 04 navi with advance track worked like this : in awd it would only send power to the wheel that had the most traction so it wouldn't really be in 4wd it would be all over lol. But when he puts it in 4low its all 4 tires no matter if the front tire was in the air and the back one was also, it would still get you out. But in 2wd advance track can't compare to LSD 2wd we tryed it.

 

[Am3ricanInfid3L]

By the way The way the a4wd work is its always 2wd until the rear lose traction sending a msg through the abs system witch makes a magnet gear in the trasfercase come in and will make it go in 4wd.

Wait... I knew how A4wd worked, but it really goes through the ABS system?
You might call me an idot for this... But I pull my ABS fuse during the winter time to shut it off, and then turn my abs back on for summer. Not having ABS drastically shortens my stop time in snow and ice. If I pull my ABS fuse and shut if off, does that mean my A4WD doesn't work?

 

[BIG GREEN FORD]

Fuse 104. But then you will not have 4 wheel drive

 

[DetroitDarin]

So the abs fuse also controls the thing that controls the center dif? Lame

 

[BIG GREEN FORD]

So the abs fuse also controls the thing that controls the center dif? Lame

Yes only the a4wd does but 4hi and 4low is manual

 

[Am3ricanInfid3L]

Yes only the a4wd does but 4hi and 4low is manual

Damn... So I'm stuck now deciding on either keeping my ABS on, or pulling the fuse again this winter. Not having ABS last winter totally saved my ass when I had to stop in a hurry on icy roads. But the A4WD has come in handy multiple times during snow storms...

 

[DetroitDarin]

...just get good tires. Blizzaks - or the cheaper General Artimaxx - drove those on an 02 F150 SCrew. LOVED them. Stopping? check. Turning? Check. Going? Check.

 

[Bedrck47]

Damn... So I'm stuck now deciding on either keeping my ABS on, or pulling the fuse again this winter. Not having ABS last winter totally saved my ass when I had to stop in a hurry on icy roads. But the A4WD has come in handy multiple times during snow storms...

have you ever looked at the wiring diagrams for the abs system and the all wheel drive system to see if the two systems are related in any way.

I think you will be surprised to see if or if not, they work together or are separate.