New Explorer ST on off-road

krzysiekdev · Jun 15, 2021

Call me crazy, we bought our ST brand new with 1 mile on it, and on the next day, we took off for a 3 weeks trip around Utah! After 4660miles I can't wait for sitting again behind the wheel!

Here's one of the more extreme off-road moments we had and ST did well in place where all Highlanders and Pilots turned around.

I'll post more pictures from the trip when I'll sort out the photos.

mkuluz · Jun 15, 2021

That is pretty ballsy. No bottoming out? How did it perform?

We went on a rock crawling tour in Moab and used a jacked up Toyota LandCruiser. We got into some sketchy stuff. Looks like fun.

UNBROKEN · Jun 15, 2021

We were in Utah today on a road trip…the only off roading I’ve done was ripping across the Bonneville salt flats this afternoon on our way through. lol

TMac · Jun 15, 2021

I went to Moab year before last with several of my cousins. They brought along their quads from Arizona and I was very surprised that we were motoring around scores of jacked up trucks working to get themselves unstuck. There are also those poor souls who brought something they considered off-road who were getting the business for getting themselves stopped at points in the trail where their nerve ran out. Meanwhile, having never driven a quad, I drove around everyone and we did three different trail systems. After that experience, I 'd never buy an off road vehicle and spend thousands to modify it. Spend $10k on a used quad. Also, in Moab with a light package you're street legal!

UNBROKEN · Jun 15, 2021

TMac said:

Freakin Moab was closed at 8:30 this morning because it was “Full”
They just had the Jeep weekend there a month or so ago with probably 100,000 people….we were pissed. That was our big stop today.

krzysiekdev · Jun 15, 2021

mkuluz said:

We didn't bottom out at all! And we've even crossed small river/big creek. We sometimes had to build up ramps with nearby stones to cross safely.

I don't think it can replace a buggy for offtoading or a jeep Wrangler. The point is - it's a family car for a long road trip with kids that can get you through most reasonable off roads in parks.

Dennis · Jun 15, 2021

Would love to hear details! I am used to my 2010 4Runner and worried a bit about clearing the center hump on rutted dirt roads... Our ST therotically only has 0.5" less clearance but it feels a lot lower.

Nice pic!

Dennis.

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

blaster9 · Jun 16, 2021

Bout time somebody posted up some offroad pics! I thought I was the only one who was adventuring off the beaten path in our STs. Glad to see everything went well esp. with those stock rubber bands!

krzysiekdev · Jun 16, 2021

blaster9 said:

Exactly, to be honest I was mostly worried that those tires won't make it. I'd feel more comfortable with some off-road ones. But they did the job. I'll post some locations we did and pics hopefully soon.

Muddydogs · Jun 17, 2021

The ST isn't an off road vehicle, sure you took it down some trails in Moab but obviously they were easy almost anything could make it trails. The real trails out of Moab would eat the ST up. The ST doesn't have the clearance so your going to scrap the bottom and due to its longer wheel base tear up the front and back ends. The tires are just asking for sidewall punctures and don't have enough squish when aired down to do much good.
The ST is a great car with light off road capabilities but that's it. Nothing against the OP's pic but that little bit of rock in the road shouldn't even be note worthy for an off road vehicle.
Don't be thinking the ST is all that and keep in mind that most off highway tow bills start at $1000 and climb from there and no AAA won't cover it.

blaster9 · Jun 17, 2021

Muddydogs said:

Talk about a buzz kill! While it will never be a Rubicon, I find mine does surprisingly well off road despite lack of low range and locking diffs or limited slip. I actually think it does better than my 2010 Wrangler unlimited sahara which also lacked locking diffs & limited slip. Sure it might have articulated better but it didnt even have a brake-lock diff so was truly 2wd (1 in front & 1 in rear) at all times; whereas, i've watched all 4 of my ST tires move in unison...

krzysiekdev · Jun 17, 2021

Muddydogs said:

I completely agree, it's not a dedicated off road car. It's not like it'll do Moab Hells Gate.
But. It is an incredibly versatile family car.
It fits whole family with all the bags.
Its fast.
It has abundance of features for this price in the segment.
It can tow well.
And... It's quite capable on reasonable off-roads. At least as much as Subaru or Grand Cherokees.

Here i just focus on the off-road part. On that you can have some fun time outside main road where must people didn't go with their cars.
Just because ST is slower then Ford Mustang GT500 it doesn't mean it's not sporty ;-)

LTR COLA · Jun 27, 2021

UNBROKEN said:

At the salt flats...do you just pull off the hwy and put it to the wood? Or is there a specific designated spot?

krzysiekdev · Jun 27, 2021

LTR COLA said:

We've been there too. You just pull off the hwy and there's enormous flat ground you can have fun on. We've topped our ST at 144mph. Fun,

LTR COLA · Jun 27, 2021

krzysiekdev said:

Man. Awesome. Thanks for the info

krzysiekdev · Jun 27, 2021

"Me when I've heard there's a new Explorer ST at the dealership"

555race · Jun 28, 2021

LTR COLA said:

Yes Exit 4 off I-80. There's a Sinclair station. Go north on Leppy Pass Rd, and it does a "Y" as the road curves East (right) stay right and drive to the end of the pavement. You'll see the BLM sign for Fastest Place on Earth, Bonneville Salt Flats. Its not really a free for all just pull off and go, the salt is actually very thin in a lot of places and you can break through the crust and get stuck in the grey mud/muck underneath. July/August/Sept/Early Oct are the best times, and you have a lot of salt maintenance going on with Speedweek in early August, and then again Shootout in early September. Reason, salts usually dried and hardened enough from spring run off by then, but before winter weather starts to wet it down again.

The surface you'll find is surprisingly rough unless its been dragged, its not glass flat like I imagined before my first time out there. If you see what that salt does to the underside of your car, you'd never take your car on it. And with how many places the undersides of these have to trap salt. I can't imagine with out 3-4 garden sprinklers to put under it and let run for a few days (exaggeration) to try and dissolves every last chunk that's hidden before it eats it up.

blackdog · Apr 27, 2023

OP,
As has been said it may not be a truck designed for rock climbing, but you took it off road, had some fun with the family, and then got back on the road to complete your trip. I guess old buzz kill above expects all off road to be trails where your track rolls over. Glad you had some fun.

R2D2 · Apr 27, 2023

Nice. Very interested to know about the places you "explorer-d". I have on road trip planned in July to salt lake city. Currently I'm adding POIs to my planner. Added salt flats to the list just now.

I would not venture into any extreme or moderate off-road situation with my ST (unless I have a bigger sidewall AT tires on it). But if it's mild off road, I also think ST will handle easily.

TMac · Apr 27, 2023

I'm sure it will go anywhere a Subaru Outback will go....and look at their commercials! I'd leave places in Moab off the list.

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