Wife’s 2015 Ford Explorer sport she wants it built for off road.

[Fix4Dirt]

You need to come out and meet everyone. The great thing about Truckhaven is there are bypasses to nearly everything.

@Stic-o took the JP mobile on some fairly serious trails with just a torsion lift, and huge huevos before it was the JP mobile.

I think my 35' RV has a better breakover angle than a 2015 Sport. It definitely has more ground clearance.

yeah, been following the thread. schoolwork etc has other plans, however too bad theres no summer meet, but we'd cook there though. vets weekend is not a 3day weekend for me.

 

[peterk9]

I think he meant that for someone wanting marginal off road capability the 4th gens can meet that need and do it with some decent creature comforts in place.

Depending on the definition of "marginal", I think the 5th gen is somewhat underrated in certain abilities to go off-road.
Off Road Experience With 5th Gen Explorer ! It's true it wasn't actually built for the same kind of off-roading as previous generations but then it wasn't meant to be.

Peter

 

[94Eddie]

Depending on the definition of "marginal", I think the 5th gen is somewhat underrated in certain abilities to go off-road.
Off Road Experience With 5th Gen Explorer ! It's true it wasn't actually built for the same kind of off-roading as previous generations but then it wasn't meant to be.

It did fairly well for its limitations. The two things I think are its Achilles's Heals is front approach angle and lack of any skid plates. One wrong move and the damage done to the drive train would be catastrophic. The exhaust is very vulnerable too. Also, lack of low range will be a big problem in many situations. IMO, taking a 5th gen off road should be the rare exception rather than the rule or it will be inevitable that it will suffer some severe damage to the undercarriage.

 

[2Nglenn]

Ok, been like 50 years since I played with cars, hot rods etc. never an off road car just dirt bikes. The wife has a 2015 Ford Explorer sport and wants me to get it set up for some off reading. She’s not riding the quads anymore. The razor is not her style either. So where do I start on her car ?

Just throw money at it

 

[Josh P]

I think my 35' RV has a better breakover angle than a 2015 Sport. It definitely has more ground clearance.

Try the 2015 offroad, if it fails, send in the 35' RV which means recovery vehicle.

 

[Mbrooks420]

I’d rather be in a 90hp Suzuki on 30s.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Just throw money at it

lol, the toys just get bigger and bigger

 

[harleybidness]

Ok, been like 50 years since I played with cars, hot rods etc. never an off road car just dirt bikes. The wife has a 2015 Ford Explorer sport and wants me to get it set up for some off reading. She’s not riding the quads anymore. The razor is not her style either. So where do I start on her car ?

Neighbor ... 4" lift kit including shocks, Wheels no bigger than 17" as wide as you want, Larger tires but too large will make drive ratio too high, Volo engine tuner, K&N air filter, Sonnax shift kit if automatic transmission.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Neighbor ... 4" lift kit including shocks, Wheels no bigger than 17" as wide as you want, Larger tires but too large will make drive ratio too high, Volo engine tuner, K&N air filter, Sonnax shift kit if automatic transmission.

Link to a 4” lift kit for a ‘15?

 

[Josh P]

Neighbor ... 4" lift kit including shocks, Wheels no bigger than 17" as wide as you want, Larger tires but too large will make drive ratio too high, Volo engine tuner, K&N air filter, Sonnax shift kit if automatic transmission.

Pictures or it didn't happen...

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Neighbor ... 4" lift kit including shocks, Wheels no bigger than 17" as wide as you want, Larger tires but too large will make drive ratio too high, Volo engine tuner, K&N air filter, Sonnax shift kit if automatic transmission.

this is as close to offroadish as ive seen in a 5g. 2012 Ford Explorer that is outfitted for storm chasing

must see pics of this one biggest i seen was like less than 3 more than 2 iirc

 

[BKennedy]

I think most of the disagreements with the abilities of certain vehicles arises is a complete difference of opinion about what "Off Road" actually means. For some, off roading is driving down a maintained gravel or dirt forest road, maybe a side road that most cross overs and trucks could easily pass. While for others like myself, that is not off roading. Its off road, yes, but not off roading. For us, we have purpose built vehicles that can take us way off the beaten paths. A 2015 Explorer Sport can never be built up enough to follow someone like me around in my Explorer, even if I kept it in two-wheel-drive. I just can't picture a car like that ever being capable of crawling up a 4' tall rock ledge or going through the tight canyons of Truckhaven.

 

[Karcrazy]

Ok, been like 50 years since I played with cars, hot rods etc. never an off road car just dirt bikes. The wife has a 2015 Ford Explorer sport and wants me to get it set up for some off reading. She’s not riding the quads anymore. The razor is not her style either. So where do I start on her car ?

I have a complete 2' suspension lift for it with new control arms. Came with a 2011 I bought so it's never been installed.

 

[Fix4Dirt]

I think most of the disagreements with the abilities of certain vehicles arises is a complete difference of opinion about what "Off Road" actually means. For some, off roading is driving down a maintained gravel or dirt forest road, maybe a side road that most cross overs and trucks could easily pass. While for others like myself, that is not off roading. Its off road, yes, but not off roading. For us, we have purpose built vehicles that can take us way off the beaten paths. A 2015 Explorer Sport can never be built up enough to follow someone like me around in my Explorer, even if I kept it in two-wheel-drive. I just can't picture a car like that ever being capable of crawling up a 4' tall rock ledge or going through the tight canyons of Truckhaven.

^^^this this this!!! im somewhat in between the two cant do the crawling yours can though.

 

[BKennedy]

^^^this this this!!! im somewhat in between the two cant do the crawling yours can though.

Yeah, but you get the difference.

 

[BKennedy]

I have a complete 2' suspension lift for it with new control arms. Came with a 2011 I bought so it's never been installed.

If your selling this, you would need a Elite membership to do so here.

 

[traveler]

Wasn't there a 3rd gen that went to Moab recently? I remember seeing pics of it at top of the world (did I get that name right?)

 

[Fix4Dirt]

Wasn't there a 3rd gen that went to Moab recently? I remember seeing pics of it at top of the world (did I get that name right?)

old thread but was it this Project "You want to take what to Moab!?" Winch, Bumpers, Sliders and more

 

[p38fln]

We've taken our 2015 Explorer XLT down some absolutely gnarly "roads" in Northern Minnesota...they're legal for street vehicle use but using the term road is being extremely generous. They're 4x4 trails for use by ATVs and snowmobiles and logging trucks. The Explorer is an absolute blast in the loose sand portions of the road as long as you remember to put it in sand mode which seems to be the only way to truly engage 4x4 on these things. I use sand mode in deep snow too, just have to be VERY gentle on the throttle since sand mode really ramps up the throttle response. The water/mud sections I just drive all the way off to one side since they sit so low to the ground I'm afraid of ingesting water. They're certainly more capable offroad than say a Ford Focus but my old Ranger FX4 could have ripped down those trails without a care in the world while the Explorer has to be driven rather carefully

 

[donalds]

You all got me want to do some more mods
should take my gen 2 to a cars and coffee first see If I embarrass myself lol