dionysus19

I got the 2011 FX4 ecoboost and I cant complain at all!! Just wondering if anyone with the same or similar truck has tooken it out in the dirt yet?
Just curious about the suspension, engine performance, offroad applications, ELD, whatever?

Want to take it out into the dirt but I want to wait until I get alot more miles.

Hobbes80

Bah... its a truck! I did this to mine with less than 500 miles on my truck:

swiffer

Shall I be so brave to ask how?

Hobbes80

I was going down a trail and there was a crest in the trail that was steeper than I expected. On the way down the trail I thought I could make it, sped up to try to clear it quick, instead of clearing it quick, the suspension fully extended, then compressed as I came down and landed right in the middle of the truck..

It was a stupid thing to do, reminded me slow is better when trail driving. But as they say "you should see the other guy..."

dejong1

Did that hurt anything?

dejong1

Nevermind.

Hobbes80

Scraped the whole bottom of the truck (not too badly). Bent the cross member pretty good which pushed the transmission up by about 1.5"-2", which caused a driveline vibration. Some gouging/scratches on the transfer case. Bent the heat shields where they attach to the cross-member (bent back easily), and stretched the mounting holes for the cross-member (oval now instead of round).

The dealership claims that I also bent my driveshaft when I did this.. but I did a full inspection when I finished the trail that day (including the DS from front to back) and there was no damage to it. I suspect that my wife ran over something to dent the driveshaft... she admitted as much to me when I loaned her the truck, got it back and it was making noise afterwards... she said "well, I remember hearing a clunk when I was driving.."

*sigh* this is why she has her own vehicles.

Lord-of-Ford

Did some light 4x4ing last wkend for the first time in my FX4 and worked great. Mainly rough dirt roads and light mud holes while trying to make it to my fams property. Will test her out much more in the near future and after breaking in the engine to 1K.

dionysus19

So should i take my truck four wheeling. Ive heard some people saying to wait until you get more miles(im at 1000) to loosen everything up slowly instead of jarring it loose causing the horrible squeeks and rattles. Also something about not wanting to put too much pressure on the lower gears. Sounds like alot of BS to me but I want to avoid any damage to it this early if those are the case

Old_Skl_Raptr

yea go ahead and go. itll be alright