Off-Road videos - 2017 Ford Expedition EL @ Hungry Valley 4x4 Training Area (damage photos added)

[shinysideup2]

I spent a couple hours at the Hungry Valley 4x4 Training Area surrounded by about 200 friends in Toyotas (which I love) trying to keep up. #OffRoadAndChill2019 sponsored by RPM Garage in Monrovia, CA. Videos are from a friend's cell phone so not the best quality.

These are the concrete "steps" in the training area.
- A bit of tire spin in a couple places - the Nitto ExoGrapplers aren't the grippiest off-road tires (vs mud tires).
- I hit the 2 frame cross-members going over the top as well as the muffler coming off the concrete slab at the top (not shown). I'll post photos of the minor damage later.

This is the rutted hill track in the training area.
- I took a stupid/bone-headed line up this track to see what the Expedition could do in terrible circumstances.
- All sway bars were connected - disconnecting them would have probably helped while 3-wheeling in such rutted terrain - but I made it up thanks, I believe, to ControlTrac doing its job.
- A couple times I came down hard on my front hitch, which appears to have protected the undercarriage and bumper, possibly the intercooler and radiator.
- If you turn up the volume, you can hear an "audience" of commentators on whom I appear to have inflicted my pain and anguish.

 

[Black]

Nice runs

 

[LRNAD90]

That is a lot of truck off road. 33's look so tiny on that beast. I've seen several quite capable Suburban's off road, but they have all had much bigger meats, 35's in most cases, 37's and even 40's in some others (lots of fender trimming for these).

Seems like Adventure Driven's 2007 is the only real example I can find of a 3rd Gen Expedition seriously built to go off road, think they are running 35's on the standard length Expedition (for sale BTW, if you have some deep pockets, its quite nicely set-up - If nothing else, its an eye opening break down of the cost to build something to this level, as he has the modification costs itemized out)

With that Looong wheelbase, and rear overhang, 33's might be a bit small to be taking an EL through anything serious?

How do you find the twin turbo six for slow going offroad work?

 

[ExplorerTom]

It’s like offroading a school bus.

The rutted section was impressive. 3-wheeling, heck I think you may have been 2-wheeling. But I’m sitting in a tent just outside Moab so the video isn’t super clear.

 

[Munkiebunz3]

Best video quality is 240p. I'm glad he took video but did it have to be from a flip phone?

Awesome work btw

 

[powerboatr]

i said ouch a few times out loud watching

that is a whole lot of BUS to be wheeling in.
a few times it looked like you were going to crush the rear rocker panel.

thanks for posting

 

[shinysideup2]

@ExplorerTom, @powerboatr The EL is definitely a BUS and not great for hard-core off-roading. It's just too long for hard-core off-roading, but I wanted to see what it could do since I was at this event/venue. What's most frustrating with the break-over angle is the 2 cross-members that hang down about 3" below the longitudinal frame rails. The similarly constructed F-150 does not have these. I hit these cross-members and the muffler REALLY hard. Anyways, Off-roading capability is priority #3 for me. Priority #1 is Reliability (hence the mild 1.0-1.5" lift and smallish tires). Priorty #2 is Towing capability (hence the smallish tires). I previously towed & wheeled with a Toyota 4Runner, which was AWESOME off-road, but was not great for towing.

@LRNAD90 - 33" tires are definitely small for off-roading the Expedition, but I started with these Nitto ExoGrappler 275/60R20 because:
- They were cheap @ $240 each. Going even 10mm wider or 5% higher profile increase pricing by $100/tire. And I wanted to stick with a tough, commercial duty, all-purpose tire like these ExoGrapplers or GoodYear Duratracs (which were expensive).
- This is the first full-size SUV I've owned, so didn't want to challenge the drivetrain too much with larger or wider tires, as I was unfamiliar with their strength.
- I'm regularly towing a 4,000 lb Travel Trailer and didn't want to lose torque (nor re-gear) with larger tires.

Now that I've towed a few thousand miles with the 33's on a mild lift, I'm ready for 35's as there's plenty of torque and braking power (with Hawk LTS pads) to spare. But I'll need to wait until the 33's wear/age out - a couple years at least. I'll have to figure out a fender solution as I expect 35's to rub with the Method wheels (1" less backspacing than stock wheels). I'll likely lift another 1" (spacer in the back + lift the front Bilsteins' lower spring perches another 1").

In terms of 4-wheeling performance in the ruts, the Turbo engine and ControlTrac (vs lockers) are FRUSTRATING to say the least. As you can see in the video, the truck lunges forward while 2/3-wheeling. This was due to both turbo lag (where delicate throttle application would have been more desirable) and having to spin wheels in order for ControlTrac to apply the brake to the slipping wheel(s). If I had my druthers (and money), I'd go for a nice torquey naturally-aspirated V8 + Real lockers at least in the rear. My old 4Runner did this hill with no problems, no drama.

@Munkiebunz3 - The videos were taken from an iPhone, uploaded to Google Photos. I'll try to grab better quality from my buddy at some point.

 

[Black]

The smaller sidewalls of 20” wheels may be hurting you slightly as well.

I can’t recall if you have added a transfer case skid plate or not. For $35 it is silly not to do it.
I just did a write up here.
https://www.expeditionforum.com/thr...d-plate-it-costs-35-including-hardware.39181/

 

[shinysideup2]

@Black - The short sidewalls definitely don't help. I opted for 20's + shorter sidewalls for both appearance and towing stability.
Thanks for the skid plate write-up. i've been looking for a solution for that section of the underbelly. Any ideas on the cross-members? At least somehow creating a ramp for them so they don't get caught up on rocks and ledges...

The smaller sidewalls of 20” wheels may be hurting you slightly as well.

I can’t recall if you have added a transfer case skid plate or not. For $35 it is silly not to do it.
I just did a write up here.
https://www.expeditionforum.com/thr...d-plate-it-costs-35-including-hardware.39181/

 

[shinysideup2]

Here's the damage that was done...

Bent my skidplate on the driver's side... I imagine I would have damaged some important stuff had the skidplate not been there.


Another angle showing the bend in the driver's side (near) of the skidplate, compared to the straighter passenger side (far).


Scraped up both sides of the frame cross-members.



Scraped up the lower right corner of my rear bumper...


Landed on my muffler and rear bumper, denting the muffler and tearing off the mounting tab...



Broke the driver's side bumper tab and roughed up the edge of the bumper while dragging ass through some high departure angle areas...


I think I got away with pretty minor damage, given how hard I came down while 2-wheeling in the rutted sections, and high-centering at the top of the concrete steps. This serves as an indication for the weak points of the underbelly of these super-long EL's while off-roading. I'd like to figure out a good solution to protecting the cross-members first and foremost.

 

[ExplorerTom]

Honestly, I think it’s the wrong tool for the job. I’m not saying that to be a dick either.

I have a 1st gen Expedition and a 2nd gen Explorer. The Explorer started out as a miniature version of the Expedition (same suspension layout) but is now full beast mode with a solid axle in the front, steel bumpers, 35s....... but that’s not the point.

I’ve stopped keeping track, but I’ve done something like 65 unique trails in CO and a dozen or so around Moab. Some of these trails I’ve done multiple times. Some of these trails are easy and some of them have been pretty hard. Most I’ve done in the Explorer, but a few have been done in my Expedition. I’ve bumped and scraped my way through a few trails. But I’ve never got home and had to take stock of the damage. I just empty the cooler and trash and get ready for the next outing. All the scrapes have been on frames, axle tubes and skid plates. All of which can take some abuse. If you have a laundry list of broken and bent things from a single outing...... I seriously think you need to reconsider your choice in vehicles for such activities.

 

[shinysideup2]

Fair enough. I agree that the Expedition (EL, no less) is the wrong tool for hardcore off-roading. My old lifted 4-Runner got around much easier, to more difficult destinations. But my priorities have changed. I need to be able to tow a travel trailer long distances reliably to remote destinations with my family, and explore from there. So outings like the one posted in this thread are simply an exercise in understanding the limits of the vehicle. I do miss my 4Runner...