First off-road: impressions and thoughts on 2WD

[jblc]

I went to an offroad location for the first time to explore the (more limited) capabilities of my FX2 2WD. I've been light offroad on fire roads, etc., but not more. I have some questions below

My goal was to understand better the limits of 2WD w/ locking diff ranger. Preview: I didn't find its limits...see item #7 for why.
Obviously 4wd is far more capable; i don't plan to offroad for sport much, so it was for a learning experience.

Here are brief impressions on 2WD with "Beginner" and "Moderate" trails (Hollister Hills SVRA). The trails included rocks, dirt, dust; so mainly terrain undulations and some clusters of rocks (no mud or water, or larger rocks). Overall, the 2wd w/locker Ranger is more capable than I thought, and based on what i observed I'm seeking advice from others, with questions below

My offroad-related changes are
- Bilstein 5100 front/back (set to no-lift, stock height, in front)
- Destination AT2 265/70R17
- skid plates: read diff, fuel tank, steering, and engine
- onboard air compressor
- 9x cameras (not for offroad only, but useful for that).
- recovery gear eg traction boards, snatch strap / shackles, etc.
- canopy / other gear. Not meant for offroad specifically, but it's ~400 lb total in back; so better traction.

Here are the impressions -- again, from a beginner and with 2WD -- while aired down to 20 psi:

1. Plenty of power. Too much power actually, when not having a Low gear. Trying to go in 1st gear (eg locking out anything else) was still too sudden, fast, and jerky. I would have liked some control to move far slower, eg reliably 1-2 mph. This felt like the main limitation of 2wd: no Low gear.

2. Approach/clearance/breakover could handle more than I expected, esp when vehicle was both in sideways tilt and sharper fwd/back angles.
I did find it hard to know, though, when the limit would be reached. How do people when they're about to reach the limits? Or just collide into plates and detect that way? I couldn't tell perspective from the front/underbody/etc cameras.

3. Seemed very stable over terrain. I did not feel any shifting, etc. I don't know how to know its limits though, eg what angle is safe to not roll. What is a good rule of thumb for the Ranger?

4. I never felt near the limit of 2WD, because I intentionally avoided getting in too deep this first time. There were two sketchy (to me ) instances: balancing on two opposite wheels only while going downhill, and going over a (to me) steep and sideways-tilted turn.
The locker 100% helped back out of the two-opposite-wheels situation to re-orient and try again, since one rear wheel was in the air.
The steep and sideways-tilted turn seemed hairy to me (the instrument cluster measured about +12 deg up, +9 deg sideways tilt, and with a large breakover bump), but there was no slippage and plenty of power. I'm guessing I'm not near the limit with my cautious driving, but I have no knowledge of the limit, so it seemed high

5. Deep ruts are deceptively tricky to navigate. I dragged my read diff plate a bit for a meter or two accidentally. I'm still not sure how to drive across ruts, when needing to cross them at an angle: it seems like high forces on the tire, since the wheels were forced into the ruts.

6. The extra 2" from the front 5100's would have been nice. It was set to stock height (for fuel savings). I don't plan on going offroad much, so this is fine for my vehicle's purpose, but I noticed the advantage even an extra 2" would give.

7. I have no idea how to know what mechanical forces the suspension can tolerate.
How slow do I need to go over bumps, dips, etc, to not bend or break any bearings/linkages? I tried to go as slow as possible.

I noticed, though, a very subtle clunk through the steering wheel near the end, when i turned the wheel either direction. I'm certain it has not been there with normal driving this past year.

But I also haven't driven slowly before. So, I can't tell if this is normal -- eg power steering engaging differently when on deflated tires, or just slow speed behavior -- or if I damaged something / loosened something.
Since I wasn't sure, I drove home to ask for advice, instead of trying to do more

Any thoughts on this?

Note: It did not come back on the highway. I rechecked lugnut torque before HW driving back, and needed to add about 10 ft-lb to each front lugnut to get to 100. It would be surprising it that would cause a clunk from a wheel shifting though.

I'm impressed with 2wd to have gone over some of this (admittedly) basic terrain without issue. Hopefully without issue given the clunk question

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[OFC Ranger]

From my understanding off-roading is more about what's behind the driver's skull then the equipment he is using.

Keep in mind most people who offroad for fun are purposely wanting to put their vehicle into situations you would normally otherwise avoid when other paths are available.

I am rear wheel drive only as well but most people who see my truck don't realize that until they look underneath. Mine is purpose-built more or less to what people refer to as a bug out vehicle. Sure I like to have fun off paved road like everyone else but I have zero interest in mud or rock crawling.

Eventually plan to add a front and rear winch system between those two items and my brain they should not be an instance where I get stuck.

 

[THLONE]

In the sand washes in AZ 2wd PU vehicles will get stuck because of no weight on the rear axles. Sometimes you come upon bad spots on the road? and it would be very inconvenient to turn around, then 4X4 is worth its weight. You can get by with 2wd with added weight in the bed and lots of extraction stuff. Always have a strap or a chain so a 4X4 can pull you out. It is true that you can get stuck with a 4X4 and further from the paved road.
My neighbor bought a Jeep Grand Cherokee and thought that he was now a 4 wheeler. He went on a trip with the 4 wheeler club. He came back and said those people are crazy, they seem to enjoy breaking things and going places where there is no road. LOL

 

[Frenchy]

In general yes the Ranger us very capable for OffRoad(4WD especially). Even when all you want to do is touring there are things to do that help the vehicle keep going on the trail. My suggestion if you want to jeep doing OffRoad touring of any sorts simply trade trhe truck in for a 4WD as it will help you get to the nore interesting places.

 

[sandog]

Don't overthink it jblc. If you start adding skid plates, etc. to your 2wd then you are probably going to voluntarily get in situations where you'll need that recovery equipment.
Be aware of what you are heading into and get out and scout ahead if need be.
And remember, momentum is your friend, you won't get stuck if you are still moving.

I see the majority of people these days who spend all day in the backcountry without ever getting out of their side by sides, Jeeps, etc. except to relieve themselves or switch drivers.
If your goal is to reach a mountaintop without ever stepping foot on the ground, a 4x4 with lots of clearance and good tires is a must.
But I like to drive to a trail access and get out and actually walk and get some exercise.

I'm at retirement age (but will still have to work a few more years !) so I'm not so eager to take on super steep, rutted, muddy roads or deep snow.
If I had to commute in snowy and icy country I'd have got a 4wd Ranger for sure.

I live in a lower valley (no snow) but 50 miles in any direction is high country, elk, big pine trees and snow drifts. So within an hour's drive, everything from sandy desert washes to fire roads in the forest.
About 15 minutes from Sedona, so there are lots of dirt roads around.
And during the cool months I go to the Quartzsite area to look for Gold, lots of low hills and washes there.

My 2WD Ranger gets me where I need to go. If I want to go to places that are going to be dicey with the truck, I park and walk from there. Or go back and find an alternate route.
Having recovery equipment along is a great idea, but I'm not all eager to have to use it.

I have a leveling kit and 265/65/18 tires.
The ground clearance is quite good, I can easily slide under the truck to inspect or drain the oil, etc.
Tires are Mastercraft highway thread, when I replace I will probably go a bit more less highway.
Yesterday I went to the base of a mountain to do some .22 shooting. 4 mile road in was deeply rutted in places, and a muddy spot where a pipe feeding a rancher's cattle tank had leaked onto the road.
I just hit the mud with extra throttle through the mud, and had the trailer hitch scrape a few times coming out of ruts.

Last week I went over to Prescott (5200 feet) and what fell as rain where I live was snow there.
Roads were cleared but parking at a business meant 6-8 inches of slush.
I parked on a downhill so I could get some momentum to get thru it without getting stuck.
As OFC Ranger said above, the driver's skill makes more difference than the equipment.

I've added some tube rails below the doors since this pic was taken. That will protect the sills from getting dented, and also keeps people in parking lots from hitting your door with theirs.
I'm not going to go the skid plate, steel bumpers and winch route, that just means I'm trying to go where I shouldn't have gone without a proper off road vehicle.

 

[mtbikernate]

1. Plenty of power. Too much power actually, when not having a Low gear. Trying to go in 1st gear (eg locking out anything else) was still too sudden, fast, and jerky. I would have liked some control to move far slower, eg reliably 1-2 mph. This felt like the main limitation of 2wd: no Low gear.

My first time taking my 4x4 Ranger out to "play" on a fairly nasty USFS road (I don't think your 2wd would have made it), I definitely noticed this about 2H and 4H. A bit too much power with a light touch on the gas. I ended up using 4L when I didn't really need it simply to smooth out the power delivery. It made a pretty big difference in the smoothness, even over the rocks and ruts I was dealing with.

2. Approach/clearance/breakover could handle more than I expected, esp when vehicle was both in sideways tilt and sharper fwd/back angles.
I did find it hard to know, though, when the limit would be reached. How do people when they're about to reach the limits? Or just collide into plates and detect that way? I couldn't tell perspective from the front/underbody/etc cameras.

I also didn't encounter any issues with approach, clearance, or breakover angles on my drive. I don't have the cameras, so I had even less idea. I had to get out and look when I was curious. But I never hit anything, and I even still have the factory air dam up front.

3. Seemed very stable over terrain. I did not feel any shifting, etc. I don't know how to know its limits though, eg what angle is safe to not roll. What is a good rule of thumb for the Ranger?

IIRC, the manual has some numbers in it. I haven't enabled the offroad angles screen (yet), so they don't necessarily translate easily. But that should get you started.

4. I never felt near the limit of 2WD, because I intentionally avoided getting in too deep this first time. There were two sketchy (to me ) instances: balancing on two opposite wheels only while going downhill, and going over a (to me) steep and sideways-tilted turn.
The locker 100% helped back out of the two-opposite-wheels situation to re-orient and try again, since one rear wheel was in the air.
The steep and sideways-tilted turn seemed hairy to me (the instrument cluster measured about +12 deg up, +9 deg sideways tilt, and with a large breakover bump), but there was no slippage and plenty of power. I'm guessing I'm not near the limit with my cautious driving, but I have no knowledge of the limit, so it seemed high

Shoot, I've had a passenger sedan on 2 wheels like you describe crossing a wash in the desert. Where I live, 4wd turns out to be pretty handy simply because it's so wet here so often. So the terrain doesn't have to be especially "nasty". It just needs to be damp, and with how slippery the clay can get, the extra driving traction can make a big difference.

5. Deep ruts are deceptively tricky to navigate. I dragged my read diff plate a bit for a meter or two accidentally. I'm still not sure how to drive across ruts, when needing to cross them at an angle: it seems like high forces on the tire, since the wheels were forced into the ruts.

Every rut is a little different. I'm always looking and evaluating to decide what to do. Most of my experience with them comes from mountain biking, so addressing them on 2 wheels has different considerations than 4 wheels. But there are some similarities. With the Ranger, I've got 2 main things in mind - ground clearance and traction. I want to try to only have 1 wheel in the rut at a time if possible, and I want to try to cross it where I think I'm going to have the best traction in the process.

6. The extra 2" from the front 5100's would have been nice. It was set to stock height (for fuel savings). I don't plan on going offroad much, so this is fine for my vehicle's purpose, but I noticed the advantage even an extra 2" would give.

I have my suspension at stock height, too. Largely for fuel savings. Could totally see the benefit of an adjustable suspension system that I could toggle with a switch for highway driving vs. offroad. Not sure I'd want to pay for that, though. Haha.

7. I have no idea how to know what mechanical forces the suspension can tolerate.
How slow do I need to go over bumps, dips, etc, to not bend or break any bearings/linkages? I tried to go as slow as possible.

Sounds like your approach is similar to mine. I'm not out to break junk, so I'm going to drive carefully. You'll probably get a feel for what remains within your comfort zone the more you do it.

I noticed, though, a very subtle clunk through the steering wheel near the end, when i turned the wheel either direction. I'm certain it has not been there with normal driving this past year.

But I also haven't driven slowly before. So, I can't tell if this is normal -- eg power steering engaging differently when on deflated tires, or just slow speed behavior -- or if I damaged something / loosened something.
Since I wasn't sure, I drove home to ask for advice, instead of trying to do more

Any thoughts on this?

Note: It did not come back on the highway. I rechecked lugnut torque before HW driving back, and needed to add about 10 ft-lb to each front lugnut to get to 100. It would be surprising it that would cause a clunk from a wheel shifting though.

I'm impressed with 2wd to have gone over some of this (admittedly) basic terrain without issue. Hopefully without issue given the clunk question

Yeah, I've got no idea here. Maybe it's something you need to address. Maybe not.

 

[jblc]

My suggestion if you want to jeep doing OffRoad touring of any sorts simply trade trhe truck in for a 4WD as it will help you get to the nore interesting places.

Thanks; yeah, agreed, and I would have -- but Ii've done irreversible modifications to my vehicle. I think I did make a mistake in getting 2wd, but, that's what i have for now

 

[Frenchy]

Thanks; yeah, agreed, and I would have -- but Ii've done irreversible modifications to my vehicle. I think I did make a mistake in getting 2wd, but, that's what i have for now

Give it some time. In the current market you might get a fair amount of money for your Ranger versus what you've already paid for it where it would benefit to get a four-wheel drive. You will not know until you go see what the dealer has to offer.

 

[jblc]

Don't overthink it jblc. If you start adding skid plates, etc. to your 2wd then you are probably going to voluntarily get in situations where you'll need that recovery equipment.
Be aware of what you are heading into and get out and scout ahead if need be.
And remember, momentum is your friend, you won't get stuck if you are still moving.

Thanks for the thoughts I'm asking these two questions purely out of lack of knowledge...my question #7 relates to this momentum:
"7. I have no idea how to know what mechanical forces the suspension can tolerate. How slow do I need to go over bumps, dips, etc, to not bend or break any bearings/linkages? I tried to go as slow as possible."
How do I gauge how much momentum I can build? I don't have any inkling about how strong control arms, bearings, etc are.
Are all these components same toughness for 2WD as 4WD?

Regarding skid plates: Hmm, it seems they're useful, even if I'm not planning on getting "into trouble" The rear diff plate already seemed useful; I wasn't anywhere near terrain where recovery gear would have been needed. I'm viewing plates less as needed protection for extreme behavior, and more to prevent any damage through user error.

 

[sandog]

As far as pushing your suspension to the limit, I'm talking going pretty slow over rougher terrain.
My truck isn't a rental I got and I'm not trading it in anytime soon, so I want it to stay unbroken.
Worst case scenario on deep parallel ruts is you come down off of the crests with your tires and get high centered.

When I said momentum is your friend, that's provided you think you have clearance and you're not going to drive over a hidden obstacle.

 

[awd.nv]

About 2 weeks ago now I tried some sand dune at Pirates Cove in Needles, CA and left it in 2wd. I was at 20PSI but still surprised me I was able to climb that dune. There was deeper/softer sand areas I did not try in 2wd but after that, I wish I tried in 2wd in more places there.

Usually when on a trail I keep it on 2wd unless I think I might need it. Just depends what kind of trails you will be on. YouTube helps make the research part a lot easier.

 

[Frenchy]

About 2 weeks ago now I tried some sand dune at Pirates Cove in Needles, CA and left it in 2wd. I was at 20PSI but still surprised me I was able to climb that dune. There was deeper/softer sand areas I did not try in 2wd but after that, I wish I tried in 2wd in more places there.

Usually when on a trail I keep it on 2wd unless I think I might need it. Just depends what kind of trails you will be on. YouTube helps make the research part a lot easier.

As much as you may think its ok to stay in 2wd its still best to go into 4wd when OffRoad(yes even a simple dirt road as needed).

 

[9zero1790]

your body is a good indicator of how hard to go at something. if you flop around, hit head or knees, or feel like you need a better seat belt you need to back off the go pedal lol.

 

[AdamHarris]

I'm looking to lower my FX4 4x4 12" in the rear and 10" in the front. How do I stuff my 33s up inside the fenders? Stupid Ford Pretengineers didn't design the wheel wells for my 33s to stuff up in there!!! What were they thinking!! They should all be fired!!! ALSO I hit my dic fingered hands on the wiper stalk once when turning!!! Stupid design!!! Would lowering my truck fix this? Can I still run Moab in the snow while lowered? If not I'm selling this POS!!!!!

 

[mrthins191]

Pro tip... do no enter washes in AZ with a 2wd truck. Getting pulled out of a mess by your buddy with a 4wd Tacoma is more than embarrassing.

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