Honest review - 2WD w/ Locker Off-Road

StezenW

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When I bought my Ranger - I like others had to decide between the FX4 XLT or the 2WD Lariat as both were around the same cost. Since this truck is my DD, and I live in the South where we rarely get winter weather that necessitates 4WD, I went with the 2WD Lariat with the rear locker. I later added the FX4 front skid plate.

Yesterday I finally got it out to a proper off-road park at 5313 Off-Road in Calhoun GA to see what she can do. In a word, WOW.

Set up: Stock Dueler Tires, 2.5 Level, TSC Off, Rear Locker On
  • First up was a quick dip through the mud trough. The Ranger dove in a chugged away, easily pulling itself through and up the opposite bank.
  • I turned and gently gunned it for a washboard-like dirt trail, where the stock suspension was definitely tested but didn't rattle my teeth out like I feared it may.
  • Then I got into some thick, wet Georgia clay. Anyone who is familiar with this sort of soil knows it's basically the consistency of creamy peanut butter. This is where I thought for sure not having 4WD would be an issue. But I picked my line through the ~50ft mud pit and went for it. Once again, the truck kept plucking along and made it just fine, getting bogged down once but some more input from my right foot got me on my way.
  • Getting a little more confidence at this point, I went for a 45 degree muddy hill with deep ruts along one of the trails. She almost got stuck at the top, comping to a dead stop with the rear tires spinning furiously to find grip. I almost called it and was going to just roll back down hill when the right tire found a bit of grip and with a little more throttle from the mighty EcoBoost pulled the truck out of its own ruts and up over the other side.
  • The rest of the day I spent just doing donuts in the mud and splashing through the ponds. Had the truck in water up to the door sills and it just swam right on. My engine bay needs some detailing tho, as it got a good splashing.

Final thoughts: The 2WD Ranger w/ a locking rear diff proved more than capable for what I threw at it, hills, mud, deep water, everything. With some better tires it would have been anouther notch closer to a 4WD.

Caveat: Obviously successful off-roading without 4WD means you need to be realistic about your limitations, so I didn't tackle any of the real technical trails bc I care about my paint and don't have a winch. A 4WD rig is always going to be able to go a little further, get stuck less and of course comes with more confidence in what you can take on.

But for those wondering how capable your 2WD Ranger is and if you can go off-roading, I am here to say GO FOR IT!


dfs.jpg


This was right after almost getting stuck on the hill, as you can see those stock tires aren't helping too much
dfsd.jpg

dfd.jpg

sdfsadf.jpg

fgd.jpg

trock.jpg
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Glocker

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I think the big limitation for our trucks, 2-wheel or 4-wheel drive, is the stock tires. On the Blue ridge National Forest drive from about a month ago, I found that I was getting rear-wheel slip on some of the up-hill trails, and I didn't find the trials to be that aggressive. Good choice in color, by the way!
 

MannyS

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When I bought my Ranger - I like others had to decide between the FX4 XLT or the 2WD Lariat as both were around the same cost. Since this truck is my DD, and I live in the South where we rarely get winter weather that necessitates 4WD, I went with the 2WD Lariat with the rear locker. I later added the FX4 front skid plate.

Yesterday I finally got it out to a proper off-road park at 5313 Off-Road in Calhoun GA to see what she can do. In a word, WOW.

Set up: Stock Dueler Tires, 2.5 Level, TSC Off, Rear Locker On
  • First up was a quick dip through the mud trough. The Ranger dove in a chugged away, easily pulling itself through and up the opposite bank.
  • I turned and gently gunned it for a washboard-like dirt trail, where the stock suspension was definitely tested but didn't rattle my teeth out like I feared it may.
  • Then I got into some thick, wet Georgia clay. Anyone who is familiar with this sort of soil knows it's basically the consistency of creamy peanut butter. This is where I thought for sure not having 4WD would be an issue. But I picked my line through the ~50ft mud pit and went for it. Once again, the truck kept plucking along and made it just fine, getting bogged down once but some more input from my right foot got me on my way.
  • Getting a little more confidence at this point, I went for a 45 degree muddy hill with deep ruts along one of the trails. She almost got stuck at the top, comping to a dead stop with the rear tires spinning furiously to find grip. I almost called it and was going to just roll back down hill when the right tire found a bit of grip and with a little more throttle from the mighty EcoBoost pulled the truck out of its own ruts and up over the other side.
  • The rest of the day I spent just doing donuts in the mud and splashing through the ponds. Had the truck in water up to the door sills and it just swam right on. My engine bay needs some detailing tho, as it got a good splashing.

Final thoughts: The 2WD Ranger w/ a locking rear diff proved more than capable for what I threw at it, hills, mud, deep water, everything. With some better tires it would have been anouther notch closer to a 4WD.

Caveat: Obviously successful off-roading without 4WD means you need to be realistic about your limitations, so I didn't tackle any of the real technical trails bc I care about my paint and don't have a winch. A 4WD rig is always going to be able to go a little further, get stuck less and of course comes with more confidence in what you can take on.

But for those wondering how capable your 2WD Ranger is and if you can go off-roading, I am here to say GO FOR IT!


dfs.jpg


This was right after almost getting stuck on the hill, as you can see those stock tires aren't helping too much
dfsd.jpg

dfd.jpg

sdfsadf.jpg

fgd.jpg

trock.jpg
Where in georgia is this?
 
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OP
StezenW

StezenW

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Where in georgia is this?

5313 Off-Road in Calhoun GA - awesome place, awesome owners too. Plenty of trails for all rig levels, lots of mud and lots of ways to get your truck dirty. They also have a wash station so you can knock the mud and rocks off your truck before you leave.
 

dmeyer302

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4WD was practically unheard of until 30 years ago, now everybody thinks they need it (including me, I'm guilty too). I went a lot of places I had no business going in an old 2WD 1996 Ranger on the farm where I used to work.
 


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StezenW

StezenW

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4WD was practically unheard of until 30 years ago, now everybody thinks they need it (including me, I'm guilty too). I went a lot of places I had no business going in an old 2WD 1996 Ranger on the farm where I used to work.
Very well said - my excursion to the off-road park alleviated alot of doubts I had about my 2WD Ranger's abilities, doubts that were no doubt brought on by that "You gotta have 4WD" sentiment you mentioned.
 

aeroshots

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4WD was practically unheard of until 30 years ago, now everybody thinks they need it (including me, I'm guilty too). I went a lot of places I had no business going in an old 2WD 1996 Ranger on the farm where I used to work.
You know where you stand when after hours of 4x4 tough going and taking a lunch break, a VW bug comes putting by. ?
 

slowmachine

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4WD was practically unheard of until 30 years ago, now everybody thinks they need it (including me, I'm guilty too). I went a lot of places I had no business going in an old 2WD 1996 Ranger on the farm where I used to work.
Guess again. I (yes, me personally) have been driving 4x4 vehicles for longer than 30 years. They have been very popular since the end of World War 2, when Willy’s and Dodge made the CJ-2 and Power Wagon available for commercial sale. I have owned three Jeep CJs, the oldest being a 1957. What HAS changed in the past 30-ish years is the use of pickup trucks (frequently 4x4) as daily-driver vehicles, and the addition of comfort and luxury features to those same trucks. We used to tow our 21-foot ski boat with the family sedan, an Oldsmobile Delta 88. You have to have a truck or SUV to do that now.
 

dmeyer302

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Guess again. I (yes, me personally) have been driving 4x4 vehicles for longer than 30 years. They have been very popular since the end of World War 2, when Willy’s and Dodge made the CJ-2 and Power Wagon available for commercial sale. I have owned three Jeep CJs, the oldest being a 1957. What HAS changed in the past 30-ish years is the use of pickup trucks (frequently 4x4) as daily-driver vehicles, and the addition of comfort and luxury features to those same trucks. We used to tow our 21-foot ski boat with the family sedan, an Oldsmobile Delta 88. You have to have a truck or SUV to do that now.
I wasn’t saying 4WD was invented in 1990, and I think you know that. I stand by my statement as it pertains to widespread adoption in working trucks. My great-grandpa’s 1968 F-100 (still in another branch of my family) did a lot of farming, two turning and 6 burning.
 

Zaph

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4WD was practically unheard of until 30 years ago, now everybody thinks they need it (including me, I'm guilty too). I went a lot of places I had no business going in an old 2WD 1996 Ranger on the farm where I used to work.
Indeed. Back with my '99 ranger, Good tires and a rear locker even got me out of a couple places where a 4x4 buddy with street tires got stuck.

rangerclaw2.jpg
 

P. A. Schilke

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Indeed. Back with my '99 ranger, Good tires and a rear locker even got me out of a couple places where a 4x4 buddy with street tires got stuck.

rangerclaw2.jpg
Hi Z,

Always love the Fiareside!

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired
 

Deleted member 1634

I think the big limitation for our trucks, 2-wheel or 4-wheel drive, is the stock tires. On the Blue ridge National Forest drive from about a month ago, I found that I was getting rear-wheel slip on some of the up-hill trails, and I didn't find the trials to be that aggressive. Good choice in color, by the way!
Tires are a big thing, but it very much doesn't help that there's relatively little weight over the rear tires in 99% of situations. Thus reducing traction. I too often find the rear wheel(s) breaking loose on bumpy or gravel inclines with my Hankooks (FX4). But once I put it in 4WD none of the wheels slip. You could argue that's because there's more wheels moving the vehicle forward, which is true, but the front tires definitely have more grip than the rear given the nominal weight distribution. So I'm pretty sure that if this were a front wheel drive biased vehicle there'd be a lot less slippage with the same tires on the same incline. Just because of how much weight is over the front tires.

I don't want to turn this into an argument about RWD, FWD, AWD, or 4WD and which is best, I'm just saying down force is important too. And trucks, by design, don't have that over the main drive wheels.
 

Pkv126

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When I bought my Ranger - I like others had to decide between the FX4 XLT or the 2WD Lariat as both were around the same cost. Since this truck is my DD, and I live in the South where we rarely get winter weather that necessitates 4WD, I went with the 2WD Lariat with the rear locker. I later added the FX4 front skid plate.

Yesterday I finally got it out to a proper off-road park at 5313 Off-Road in Calhoun GA to see what she can do. In a word, WOW.

Set up: Stock Dueler Tires, 2.5 Level, TSC Off, Rear Locker On
  • First up was a quick dip through the mud trough. The Ranger dove in a chugged away, easily pulling itself through and up the opposite bank.
  • I turned and gently gunned it for a washboard-like dirt trail, where the stock suspension was definitely tested but didn't rattle my teeth out like I feared it may.
  • Then I got into some thick, wet Georgia clay. Anyone who is familiar with this sort of soil knows it's basically the consistency of creamy peanut butter. This is where I thought for sure not having 4WD would be an issue. But I picked my line through the ~50ft mud pit and went for it. Once again, the truck kept plucking along and made it just fine, getting bogged down once but some more input from my right foot got me on my way.
  • Getting a little more confidence at this point, I went for a 45 degree muddy hill with deep ruts along one of the trails. She almost got stuck at the top, comping to a dead stop with the rear tires spinning furiously to find grip. I almost called it and was going to just roll back down hill when the right tire found a bit of grip and with a little more throttle from the mighty EcoBoost pulled the truck out of its own ruts and up over the other side.
  • The rest of the day I spent just doing donuts in the mud and splashing through the ponds. Had the truck in water up to the door sills and it just swam right on. My engine bay needs some detailing tho, as it got a good splashing.

Final thoughts: The 2WD Ranger w/ a locking rear diff proved more than capable for what I threw at it, hills, mud, deep water, everything. With some better tires it would have been anouther notch closer to a 4WD.

Caveat: Obviously successful off-roading without 4WD means you need to be realistic about your limitations, so I didn't tackle any of the real technical trails bc I care about my paint and don't have a winch. A 4WD rig is always going to be able to go a little further, get stuck less and of course comes with more confidence in what you can take on.

But for those wondering how capable your 2WD Ranger is and if you can go off-roading, I am here to say GO FOR IT!


dfs.jpg


This was right after almost getting stuck on the hill, as you can see those stock tires aren't helping too much
dfsd.jpg

dfd.jpg

sdfsadf.jpg

fgd.jpg

trock.jpg
Great post about the 2WD capabilities! I have a 2WD as well but I didn't get the E-locker option and instead had a ARB air locker put on. It goes many places aided by the A/T tires I have on.
 

MannyS

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5313 Off-Road in Calhoun GA - awesome place, awesome owners too. Plenty of trails for all rig levels, lots of mud and lots of ways to get your truck dirty. They also have a wash station so you can knock the mud and rocks off your truck before you leave.
Will definitely be going here. Didn't know it existed. Heard about the one in around Social Circle, but not this one.
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