assuming a new ST will be good light off-roading

[oldschool muscle]

Hi potential new owner here. I plan to order a new Explorer ST in a few months and the power and all the features of a new ST sound great. Just a few questions. Wife and I like to drive to and explore ghost town all over the Western states and assuming a new ST with the Street Package (because I like the larger brakes) will work for dirt, gravel, logging roads, and the like? Perhaps will be driving icy or snow covered roads too.

I am coming from a Mazda AWD CX9 and before that a Chevy 4X4 pickup so have done light off-roading a few years ago. Will I be able to downsize later to 18" wheels and perhaps AT tires with the ST's larger brakes? Oh, I also enjoy driving twisty roads and like a bit of power as I have a few muscle cars now and have owned many older muscle cars from decades ago as that is why I am attracted to a new ST. Great forum here with lots of good info.

 

[2020FordRaptor]

I would say the ST could handle some trails, nothing too serious, but unpacked roads would be fine to conquer with these cars. Good luck and welcome to the forum!

 

[I Bleed Ford Blue]

When you attend the SUV experience in Asheville, they take for a little off roading at the end of the day on your way back to the Biltmore. So I would say yes they can handle it.
You can even beef it up a little with the timberline skid plate and they make a small lift for the 20+ explorers so you can put on bigger tires.

 

[2020FordRaptor]

When you attend the SUV experience in Asheville, they take for a little off roading at the end of the day on your way back to the Biltmore. So I would say yes they can handle it.
You can even beef it up a little with the timberline skid plate and they make a small lift for the 20+ explorers so you can put on bigger tires.

Yeah they do the same in Park City. Fun stuff and definitely showed some off road capability. Traxda is the one that makes the lift.

 

[Scalarrthu]

Yeah they do the same in Park City.

Except for when I was there . They had some serious storms come through the week before and some of the trails got flooded/washed out. Thought for sure that was enough get them to let me come back, but I was wrong. LOL

 

[hbalek]

Except for when I was there . They had some serious storms come through the week before and some of the trails got flooded/washed out. Thought for sure that was enough get them to let me come back, but I was wrong. LOL

I've had so many drivetrain problems over the past 3.5 years that I'm not pushing my luck and taking it off pavement or towing anything!

 

[2020FordRaptor]

Except for when I was there . They had some serious storms come through the week before and some of the trails got flooded/washed out. Thought for sure that was enough get them to let me come back, but I was wrong. LOL

Dang that sucks. I was dreading that we would have bad weather the day I went but thankfully it was good.

 

[Scalarrthu]

Dang that sucks. I was dreading that we would have bad weather the day I went but thankfully it was good.

Me too, but we got lucky the day of. It was a beautiful day until it started sprinkling at the end of the day during the autocross...then poured the whole way back to the hotel and all the way down the hill on my way to the airport.

 

[RockyMtnST]

We take our off road all the time. Headed to Moab later this year for some mild slick rock. Added the Traxada lift about 2 years ago. Has held up wonderfully. No wobble, no extra road noise. The only bitch is the finish on the lift hardware has rusted a bit with the salt from winters. Paired the lift with 18” black rhinos and 275/65/18s, ~31” Falken Widpeak AT3Ws. I love it! The ride is so much smoother than the stock 21”s and can actually handle Salt Lake winters. Big red calipers fit snug, but fit, just don’t stay as clean. Hope this helps