Anyone go offroading with a 2WD? | Page 2 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

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Anyone go offroading with a 2WD?

The way to see if you have an LS is to look at your axle code. This should be on a sticker on the driver door. Axle codes and their definitions can be found here: Dead Link Removed

The factory LS does not function as a locker. It will help split torque between the wheels, but will eventually slip enough to give one wheel all the power. The newer Explorers may have an automatic system to use the brakes to help, but I'm not sure.

No posi will function as a true locker all the time. My Eaton posi may partition torque well, and can even send more torque to the tire with traction, but it will eventually slip in very high stress situations (though it has never failed me). I can get by with a posi with my high torque and good driving. If Splat was only an offroad vehicle, I'd have a locker.
 



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My opinion:

Come join us, but check first. Most of the organized runs include several different groups doing several different trails all based on vehicle capability. So a locked 2wd can probably run with the stock or medium built 4x4's.

Of course there are some trail runs where this is not possible, and like Gerrald said, dont go scuba diving with a snorkle.

But get out there! GO off road! IfI had a 2wd truck I would convert it or tradeit in for a 4x4. If I had a 2wd and wanted to go off road without converting it or trading it in I would consider nothing less then a true locking differential. Sure a posi helps, but a locker is just that....locked.

As forthe question about whats the difference between a posi and a locker, use the search feature, you can read all day long until your heart is content.

try traction device, or locker, or limited slip.

Oh and if you are serious about building a @wd for off road, just know your limits and go talk to the Prerunner guys, they do some amazing stuff with their super long travel suspension setups, we can all learn some stuff from them. The only difference between a truck built for rock crawling and a truck built for jumping sand dunes (aside from 2wd and 4wd) is the shock valving and bump stops......I want the best of both worlds. regarless to go off road you need traction, to get traction you need articulation and a good contact patch (wide tires)
Check these guys out...they can help you with everything about 2wd off road....

www.offroadrangers.com
 






Yes you can take a 2wd off-road..

A locker or LS is needed. The biggest problem you will run into is the lack or torque (no low range) and the fact that your front tires aren't trying to pull you "over" but are pushing against the obstable.

You will need to disconnect sway bars or use sway bar disconnects so you can keep your wheels on the ground (needed more if your 2wd)..

climb1.jpg

More pics/video of the 2wd off road van (locked 9" rear end).. @ http://mark.legendz.com/4x3/index.html

You will be amazed at how well your locked 2wd can keep up with open diff 4x4's (can even do better in some cases).

~Mark
 






apples and oranges.

2wd guys are always doing that...amazed, can beat an open diff 4x4, sure it;s true but thats apples to oranges. a locked truck is a locked truck, if a 4x4 guy has a locker in the back then he will find he rarely even needs 4x4, but at least it is there when he needs it!!!

I want a 2wd Ranger. I;m gonna slam it and turbo it.
 






Jame t,
yeah it is pretty dry out here in So Cali. The most fun I ever had " off road" was on a Dry Lake bed called El Mirage doing about 100 across the lake at night and then turning the headlights OFF. Definitely high on the "oh sh*t" meter.
 






That's part of the point I was trying to make. Yes take your 2wd but if you want to do it, put a locker in it and then ask the group you are going with how tough the trail is and how much trouble you may encounter. Like I said, a place like Moab has lots of trails that a 2wd can go on just because of the extreme traction. The east coasters are going on another trip to GWNF in Virginia and most of those are just Forest Service roads that I believe a 2wd can do. There are plenty of places you can go, but there are plenty of places you cannot go.

I have to disagree that a locked 2wd is as good as an open 4wd. Once you get in real 4wd territory, even a locked 2wd won't have the front tires trying to pull you over an obstacle like Mark pointed out, and you won't have a low range either.
 






Originally posted by GJarrett
I have to disagree that a locked 2wd is as good as an open 4wd. Once you get in real 4wd territory, even a locked 2wd won't have the front tires trying to pull you over an obstacle like Mark pointed out, and you won't have a low range either.
my thoughts exactly....
 






Whenever I do go off-road in my 2WD, I first check and scan the area on foot a little ways first and determine how deep the mud is and if I really want to risk it if I'm by myself. Most of the offroading I do though is child's play compared to what most of you hardcore 4x4 guys do, but if I have fun and be safe while doing it, then I'm satisified.
 






Originally posted by Alec
Whenever I go on a run I talk with the group on whether I should take my truck or not.

:rolleyes:

Originally posted by GJarrett
Because they can do that because we won't say a thing because we are the best extreme sport participants on the earth and we will do it no questions asked.

I think you missed his point. What Gerald is trying to say is that people are too nice to tell a 2wd not to come. Whether you ask if you can or not has no real bearing, it is still a burden on those with 4x4.

Originally posted by Alec
I do some pretty hardcore stuff in mine

What have you done that is considered hardcore?

Originally posted by Alec
350 lb-ft of torque from my supercharger.

A 350 torque rating is all well and good, but it is still only put to the ground via a 1:1 drive ratio.
Your 350 torque ratio, multiplied by your first gear ratio of 2.72 and your rear axle gear ratio of 3.73, and your final torque rating comes out to 3550.96.
My stock motor, which puts out 220 torque, multplied times 2.72 first gear ratio and a axle gear ratio of 4.88 equals 2920.192, which is a little lower than yours. But wait! Factor in my transfer case low range, which you can't, and all of a sudden it jumps to 7242.07616, more than twice what you can bring. Even after factoring in that half of my power is split to the front axle and I am still left with 3621.03808, still higher than yours, and that's only comparing rear axle torque. I still have the additional advantage of having a front axle helping to pull over obstacles.

So, if we assume that your eaton posi can distribute power evenly to both wheels :rolleyes: , then we see that at each wheel you are producing a 1775.48 torque rating at each of 2 wheels, lower than my 1810.51904 to each of 4 wheels, which can actually happen because I have a full locker front and rear.
 






I hate you Randall :shoot:

I'm not saying I have the most capable vehicle in the world, but that I've built it up reasonably and do pretty well for a 2wd.
 












Originally posted by smashboxed
A locked 2x can out perform a stock 4x in most situations because once you get a wheel off the ground that axle is dead. Look into a locker for your truck. I believe Lockrite has reasonable lockers. As mentioned before a 2x can be alot of fun. Remember; off road doesn't always have to a 4x road...just get off road.

You are right about a locked 2x outperforming a stock 4x. I was able to get my 4x2 '97 Mountaineer with a LS up a wet hill that a 4x4 Nissan pickup couldn't get up, although I did end up digging some nice ruts and had a cool rooster tail from spinning the tires so fast.
 






JJue, you don't have a locker you have Limited slip, which is nothing at all like a locker. Why then do people buy 4x4's. People often make the mistake of judging a vehicles capability by the driver in the truck. Ok he got stuck, I didn't my truck must be better. Maybe the Nissan driver just sucked. The best thing you can add to any vehicle is a skilled driver. If a factory l/s could make it up a hill than the Nissan 4x4 should have been able. Maybe his tires sucked. Something cause it and it wasn't the fact that he had a 4wd.
 






Yes, I am aware that I don't have a locker. I know perfectly well what the differences between a LS and a locker are. The Nissan had two open differentials and the same tires that I had at the time (GY Wrangler AT/S). I'm pretty sure that and the weight of the vehicle were the problem since the F-150 4x4 was also fully open with GY RT/S tires, and it didn't even slip up the hill. I've been offroading with the guy that had the Nissan after he got rid of it and got his dad's company's Z-71, and I don't think that he was the problem.

In any normal circumstance where the axles aren't peg-legged, any 4x4 should have made it up a hill that a 4x2 that isn't peg-legged made up.
 






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