Is my 98 Expy better offroad than a 2004 Expy?
- Thread starter Bigtop
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rwinch
Full Access Members
DAMN_FORD - I have a Rancho Steering Shock. Easy install on my '98, although I do not know if it is the same on your year.
Also, have you thought about using one of those beer hats? It would solve your issue of lack of cup holders, and keep your hands free to keep your girlfriend, lets say "steady", while she is riding on the console.
Also, have you thought about using one of those beer hats? It would solve your issue of lack of cup holders, and keep your hands free to keep your girlfriend, lets say "steady", while she is riding on the console.
rwinch
Full Access Members
lol !!
exsport
Member
I was only teasing about the beer. I spilled mine all over a couple of days ago. Are there any SUV's out there which come straight from the factory configured the way anyone would really want them for off-road? The Tires are the first object of question... then shocks, springs, ride height etc..
Just for fun, let me point out that my Excursion, which has solid axles, is not a great "off-road" vehicle. It is quite strong and solid... but that is also its shortcoming.. way too heavy for mud or bouldering. The solid axles are not why it sucks, but nor do they compensate for it.
Just for fun, let me point out that my Excursion, which has solid axles, is not a great "off-road" vehicle. It is quite strong and solid... but that is also its shortcoming.. way too heavy for mud or bouldering. The solid axles are not why it sucks, but nor do they compensate for it.
I think you sum it up when you say the vehicle needs to be configured to your off roading needs. So the question is, is the expedition a good platform to start with?
I would say, for trail riding, it would be a great platform.
For rocky, or deep mudding not so sure. It may be expensive to lift that suspension for ground clearance, not sure.
Also, there is a choice between advance trac and limited slip (you can only get one or the other). If you plan to off road, get the limited slip. The advance track is meant for slippery roads despite the marketing. My Ford salesman buddy says it can't hold up in off-road conditions and you can't get the traction as advertised.
exsport
Member
I beleive it is a good platform for all but the most radical off-road enthusiasts. Definitely performs well on trails, washboards, and even in about 12" of mud (it has been raining here a lot, took my favorite shortcut the other day and found myself plowing through the worst gumbo clay mud bog). It was so fun I had to go through it again on my way back home. I had mud all over the windsheid and even splatters on the roof. My truck was caked with mud and my wife said "what the F*@#?! did you do to my 'car' A$$-H@!#?"
The Expedition is an '04 xlt sport 4x4 w/3.73LS and is still completely stock right down to the Continnental Contitrac TR's (we only have about 14,000 miles on the vehicle). I see no need to replace them until they wear out, or maybe a little sooner than that
I would like to get 25,000 out of them. Then I'm getting new wheels (probably Weld: Cheyenne or Velociti), and BF Goodrich AT TA/KO's).
Anyway, the truck did great in the mud. The first time through was in A4WD, and the second time I tried 4HI. Both worked great. There are a few twists and turns... and I found that the truck was perhaps easier to steer (less side-slip) in A4WD, but on the other hand forward pulling traction was maybe slightly better in 4HI. With a lift (maybe 6" or so) and some real all-terrain tires (maybe 35" mud-terrain tires for the muck I encountered) I think this truck should be able to get you through some serious mud and muck. The Expedition is much lighter than my Excursion, and would be able to benefit from tire floatation in the mud and muck... But the Excursion might do well with some giant "cookie-cutter" (tall and skinny with a more vertical sidewall rather than the wide floatation tires with rounded sidewalls) tires to cut down to firm ground under the deep muck.... Two different schools of thought...
Back to your post DF (DAMN FORD)... I have seen a few lift kits for the '03 and + Expeditions, ranging from 2" to 6". The Daystar 2" lift kit seems to be most popular and is quite reasonably priced. This will easily allow for clearance of 33" tires. Might as well put some Bilstein (or the Sach's from the NBX) shocks in there at the same time (maybe a steering stabilizer) and I think this truck would be set up very nicely for both on and off road.
I agree it might be difficult=expensive to lft this truck any more than 6" due to the fact that the axles travel through (yes, through) the frame rails!! ...and body lifts are worthless... so it might take some creative thinking to get this rig "reeallly" high off the ground. I will again assert that this kind of giant lift is completely unnecessary and will probably do more to compromise vehicle performance in multiple ways. This should be left to redneck monster truckers, high school boys, and the "little men" of the world... UNLESS it is just because you like it that way and you are comfortable with your "stature (=size)" and prowess and don't care if some people think that only a "little man" would need such a thing. (BTW- I am, of course, only joking, and hope not to offend...) LMAO!!
And again I agree with you, DF, on the Limited Slip (LS) vs. Advance-Trac option. The LS works great, but the Advance Trac...
now that is a soccer-mom option, and to honest most of them probably need it! (no offense to any gender) There are just as many geeky little corporate mama's boys out there who would probably call their soccer-mom wife to come change their flat tire rather than get grease on their hands or their nice suit. Advance Trac is for all of those people who do not know how to drive or for whatever reason can not manage to use the accelerator/brakes/steering of the vehicle in a responsible intelligent manner. Many people are bad drivers and this feature does help to keep the rest of us safe from them. My friend has the Advance Trac which really just limits power and is more like a "crazy-smart" ABS system.. Sometimes when he accelerates hard (e.g. entrance ramp to freeway, etc...) the the truck will refuse to downshift and/or accelerate quickly with the Advance Trac turned on... The Advance Trac does NOT allow power to both rear wheels!!! In 4HI you would really be in 3HI 3-wheel drive. this feature should be used on 2 wheel drive cars for incompetent drivers on slippery city streets.
Good Points DF!
The Expedition is an '04 xlt sport 4x4 w/3.73LS and is still completely stock right down to the Continnental Contitrac TR's (we only have about 14,000 miles on the vehicle). I see no need to replace them until they wear out, or maybe a little sooner than that
I would like to get 25,000 out of them. Then I'm getting new wheels (probably Weld: Cheyenne or Velociti), and BF Goodrich AT TA/KO's).Anyway, the truck did great in the mud. The first time through was in A4WD, and the second time I tried 4HI. Both worked great. There are a few twists and turns... and I found that the truck was perhaps easier to steer (less side-slip) in A4WD, but on the other hand forward pulling traction was maybe slightly better in 4HI. With a lift (maybe 6" or so) and some real all-terrain tires (maybe 35" mud-terrain tires for the muck I encountered) I think this truck should be able to get you through some serious mud and muck. The Expedition is much lighter than my Excursion, and would be able to benefit from tire floatation in the mud and muck... But the Excursion might do well with some giant "cookie-cutter" (tall and skinny with a more vertical sidewall rather than the wide floatation tires with rounded sidewalls) tires to cut down to firm ground under the deep muck.... Two different schools of thought...
Back to your post DF (DAMN FORD)... I have seen a few lift kits for the '03 and + Expeditions, ranging from 2" to 6". The Daystar 2" lift kit seems to be most popular and is quite reasonably priced. This will easily allow for clearance of 33" tires. Might as well put some Bilstein (or the Sach's from the NBX) shocks in there at the same time (maybe a steering stabilizer) and I think this truck would be set up very nicely for both on and off road.
I agree it might be difficult=expensive to lft this truck any more than 6" due to the fact that the axles travel through (yes, through) the frame rails!! ...and body lifts are worthless... so it might take some creative thinking to get this rig "reeallly" high off the ground. I will again assert that this kind of giant lift is completely unnecessary and will probably do more to compromise vehicle performance in multiple ways. This should be left to redneck monster truckers, high school boys, and the "little men" of the world... UNLESS it is just because you like it that way and you are comfortable with your "stature (=size)" and prowess and don't care if some people think that only a "little man" would need such a thing. (BTW- I am, of course, only joking, and hope not to offend...) LMAO!!
And again I agree with you, DF, on the Limited Slip (LS) vs. Advance-Trac option. The LS works great, but the Advance Trac...
now that is a soccer-mom option, and to honest most of them probably need it! (no offense to any gender) There are just as many geeky little corporate mama's boys out there who would probably call their soccer-mom wife to come change their flat tire rather than get grease on their hands or their nice suit. Advance Trac is for all of those people who do not know how to drive or for whatever reason can not manage to use the accelerator/brakes/steering of the vehicle in a responsible intelligent manner. Many people are bad drivers and this feature does help to keep the rest of us safe from them. My friend has the Advance Trac which really just limits power and is more like a "crazy-smart" ABS system.. Sometimes when he accelerates hard (e.g. entrance ramp to freeway, etc...) the the truck will refuse to downshift and/or accelerate quickly with the Advance Trac turned on... The Advance Trac does NOT allow power to both rear wheels!!! In 4HI you would really be in 3HI 3-wheel drive. this feature should be used on 2 wheel drive cars for incompetent drivers on slippery city streets.
Good Points DF!
I concur with your book....mostly.
However, I did not like the performance of my truck on the washboard. The steering wheel danced around like a little school girl at tap dance class. My 03 had obnoxious rattleing doors. The 05 is OK there. A steering shock would solve this problem probably.
I do like it in sand and mud. We pull a 8K # toy hauler in the sand. It does good until the wheels start to dig, then it's all over.
We're sitting on the fancy a-arms.
I have pulled out a 30 ft moter home stuck in the sand. I have also pulled out a stuck F350 super crew 4WD stuck in the mud. Backed right up to it.
It does good in the traction department...no doubt.
However, I did not like the performance of my truck on the washboard. The steering wheel danced around like a little school girl at tap dance class. My 03 had obnoxious rattleing doors. The 05 is OK there. A steering shock would solve this problem probably.
I do like it in sand and mud. We pull a 8K # toy hauler in the sand. It does good until the wheels start to dig, then it's all over.
We're sitting on the fancy a-arms.
I have pulled out a 30 ft moter home stuck in the sand. I have also pulled out a stuck F350 super crew 4WD stuck in the mud. Backed right up to it.
It does good in the traction department...no doubt.
exsport
Member
a nice set of all-terrain tires would also help.... they go a long way toward absorbing all those bumps!!
Question: If your truck had solid axles, would it help you in any way with the sinking in the sand or would you perhaps find yourself balancing on your differential(s) and/or axle(s) instead?
Question: If your truck had solid axles, would it help you in any way with the sinking in the sand or would you perhaps find yourself balancing on your differential(s) and/or axle(s) instead?
I think the a-arms have more surface area and therefore tries to anchor the vehcile. The differential pumpkin can drag thru the sand a ways before it really anchors you.
I pulled the same trailer in the sand with the Suburban before we bought the Ford. Suburban would dig and spin and wheel hop and all that stuff, but you could power thru it, most of the time.
You have to stop the Ford right away when it starts to dig and back up or call your buddy over with a strap. Otherwise, its a boat anchor.
But, I think the Ford can pull it better in the sand without digging in the first place. We don't seem to have as much trouble as we did with the Burb. That's probably because of a better 4WD system. All 4 wheels seem to pull evenly.
I pulled the same trailer in the sand with the Suburban before we bought the Ford. Suburban would dig and spin and wheel hop and all that stuff, but you could power thru it, most of the time.
You have to stop the Ford right away when it starts to dig and back up or call your buddy over with a strap. Otherwise, its a boat anchor.
But, I think the Ford can pull it better in the sand without digging in the first place. We don't seem to have as much trouble as we did with the Burb. That's probably because of a better 4WD system. All 4 wheels seem to pull evenly.
rwinch
Full Access Members
Just go to the Rancho website:
http://www.gorancho.com/products/literature.stm
This will give you the literature. Then do a google and find out where to buy. I got mine from Summit Racing.
Easy to install.
While you are at it, change the corner shocks to the RS9000X's, and totally improve your ride!
http://www.gorancho.com/products/literature.stm
This will give you the literature. Then do a google and find out where to buy. I got mine from Summit Racing.
Easy to install.
While you are at it, change the corner shocks to the RS9000X's, and totally improve your ride!
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