Off-roading trucks?

[CDN_Explorer]

Browsing through this forum, every Explorer generation has seen many off-road builds, is anyone planning on turning their 2011+ into a jacked up, beefed up off-road monster?!

Anybody good at photoshop who could create a couple of lifted Ex's with beefy Mud Terrain tires etc.... would be interesting to see.

 

[Rick]

Froader has done a great job of "lifting" peoples trucks in the past. I'll see if I can get him to do a 2011-12.

 

[BigRondo]

That's something I would like to see. Subscribing...................

 

[IZwack]

anyone planning on turning their 2011+ into a jacked up, beefed up off-road monster?!

With what, the 20" wheels? :

 

[FLOffroad]

I did my SAS'd 2011 photoshop in an earlier 2011 thread, but that's a bit of a joke and way out there (I basically dropped an Explorer body atop a JK chassis with 35"s via photoshop).

 

[CDN_Explorer]

With what, the 20" wheels? :

Let's say, we photoshop these mods from one of our fellow forum friends onto our 2011+ Ex

Taken from the "Black Hole"
http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=244912&highlight=black+hole

 

[IZwack]

Let's say, we photoshop these mods from one of our fellow forum friends onto our 2011+ Ex

Yeah but photoShop aside (since on the trail, "looks" takes a backseat to function), there is such a thing as sidewall height and low tire pressure - both of which are pivotal in off-road performance. I guess that's what I was really trying to say in my first post.

 

[FROADER]

Didn't spend much time on it, but here it is.


.

 

[RandyH2]

I do like the look of the high-profile tires. Anyone know how big a tire will fit without a serious lift?

 

[TIO M]

Nice!! I found the tire I am going with next..since I have the 20s which I'm fond of. I'll be giving the Nitto A/T Terra Grapplers a try, I've seen them in person. Just a tire change will give it an aggressive stance/look. Only question is stick with 255 or go up to 265, I'm sure it'll clear with 265 but keep the 50 side wall. I did the math and it would only give overall diameter increase of .031.

Kinda digging that rear cargo tray up top of that black Ex, it would definately add some nice looks to the current Ex.

 

[Joe Dirt]

Colin, you need to throw some manufacturer disguises on it, a manufacturer plate, change the background, and put a watermark on it and send it to an automobile mag saying that Ford is testing an Explorer SVT Triceratops...

 

[unclemeat]

LOL, Joe you kill me.

 

[JDraper]

I need to find me a wrecked Edge and put it on an old BII frame...I think the Edge would be a much better platform to start from because of it's shorter wheelbase.

 

[FLOffroad]

Here's some of my takes at it:
This first one is really just the 2011 fitted to work with CDN's picture:

Then these next two are me thinking more reasonably:
This first one (done as close to scale as possible with photoshop) is a 2011 with 18"s and 255/55R18 Grabber AT2s (695 revs/mil vs ~708 revs/mil for Base model tires with 17s).

Finally, this last one is about 1" lifted and done with 245/70R17 Duratracs (681 revs/mil) on bare steel wheels (again, all done to scale). So, not as easy as the 2nd picture, but not terribly impossible. Oh, and the front lower valence has been chopped off - for appearance's sake.

BTW - Random thought: Do you guys think a 2011 Explorer 4WD with 255/55R18 AT2s or a 2011 Mitsubishi Outlander 4WD V6 with LT215/70R16 BFG ATs (I specified that because I know it has been done) would be better overall offroad (as in which would go further)? Both are 7-seater "SUVs" (if you want to call them that) with AWD systems converted to act like 4WD on FWD based vehicles, and both would have stock sized (+/- 0.5") all terrain tires.

 

[CDN_Explorer]

Didn't spend much time on it, but here it is.


.

I actually really like this! If only the wheels, especially in the back should poke out more. It looks pretty awesome! I like the one you did with the Black Hole mods too, however a more modern rim would probably be better, like a black with a chrome lip....

As far as the other "more realistic" ones go, I like the the Grabbers more. That's pretty much what my car will be in the snow, except I'll still be rocking the 20"s

Thanks for your input, that's exactly what I was hoping to see!!

 

[CDN_Explorer]

Here's some of my takes at it:
This first one is really just the 2011 fitted to work with CDN's picture:

Throw a Bull Bar or Push Bar on this and some Biohazard stickers and this would make a sick ZOMBIE OUTBREAK RESPONSE VEHICLE!

 

[FLOffroad]

Ha - I'll leave that to you or somebody else as I really ought to be using my time better (quite busy this week) - good luck figuring out the mechanics of making something like that work.

 

[TIO M]

Awesome work FL!! I'm diggin pic two with just a tire swap, alot more practical for my needs and desires for looks>>Thanks!!

 

[FLOffroad]

Thanks - be careful using those 20"s offroad though (low sidewalls). Good luck and enjoy your Ex.

 

[TIO M]

Well I'm no hardcore off roader, but I'm sure down the line doing some sight seeing and going down some trails I'll be okay. Once I get on the Nitto's Terra Grappler, I wouldn't worry to much about sidewall. I won't be rock crawling thats for sure.

We'll see what happens in the near future.