ZeroTX

Title says it all. What should I expect to be able to do or not do with a stock 4x4 crew cab short bed FX4 with e-locker 3.55 gears? Stock 20's with Hankooks.

Edit: I'll add some stuff I'd *like* to do at some point
1) drive down on the far end of South Padre Island, which requires mandatory 4x4 vehicle and where a tow truck would cost over $1,000 if needed (do not want to need!!). This is probably my biggest worry, because getting stuck in sand is a BEYOTCH. Air down the tires, buy a tow strap, and go for it??
2) Take the truck wherever I may want to go fishing, including unpaved areas (I really am not worried about this, just figured I'd mention it).
3) Ford through about 18" of water, which is sometimes necessary with Houston floods (okay, at least once annually I'd guess).

Stuff I don't want to do:
1) rock crawling
2) stupid Jeep tricks just to prove capability
3) intentionally go through deep mud holes or water over 18"

Bubbabiker

Personally I don't know how well 20's will work for beach running since the tires need to be aired way down. Rather prefer 17" wheels with 285/70/17's or similar so they can be aired way down for better flotation over loose sand.

At a minimum ****** straps, shovel or E-tool, Maxtrax's, come-a-long, air compressor, etc. A winch would be nice.

Steve83

It can do whatever its driver can do with it.

Trucks (or Jeeps or tanks) can't do anything; on-road or off-. The most-capable vehicle can still be stuck by an inexperienced or unskilled driver. "Going for it" is a recipe for a disaster & a big recovery bill. So the real question is: what can YOU do and not do with that vehicle? Have you ever driven off-road before? Have you read any books about how to drive on various terrains? Do you have friends who off-road in your area? Do you carry recovery gear (shovel, cribbing, sand mats, come-along, earth anchor,...)? Don't plan on driving off-road & never getting stuck - plan on getting stuck AND getting yourself out. I once spent 18hrs in the rain (before cell phones were common or reliable).

No passenger vehicle is designed to ford water deeper than its lowest lug nut. Read the owner's manual & the off-roading supplement - going any deeper (even for a second) requires LOTS of repairs.

ZeroTX

I'll have to measure, but I'd ballpark the lowest lugnut between 14-16 inches? Where does this figure come from? I've definitely gone deeper than 14" in other stock trucks.

ZeroCool

x2 on getting smaller wheels with tires that have more sidewall for sand. You want the tire to flex more.

The locker will make up for a lot when you get crossed up and lose traction (when one front wheel and the rear wheel at the opposite corner are spinning).

Beyond that, the ground clearance might matter depending on the specifics of where you are going. Long trucks get high centered easier than short ones. Though if you're just going on rough roads out to fishing spots and flat beaches, it probably won't be an issue.

Try out the most difficult stretch of beach and the roughest road out to the fishing spot (right after it rains so it's muddy and as difficult as you're likely to see it) and see what gives you trouble. Then adjust to make that not a problem.

Steve83

Wheel seals, catalytic converters, trans/t-case seals, radiator fan, red-hot exhaust components... Only military vehicles & A FEW custom-built vehicles are actually designed to ford above the lug nuts.

Ryan_2020

Basically the first 'potential issue' is water getting through the seals. The general recommendation is if you go above your hubs in water you should change out a bunch of the fluids and seals. (not saying water did get in but that it could have)

kbroderick

Tread pattern and compound matter a whole lot off the pavement, too, and will (in combination with driver skill) be the limiting factor for most people in most situations. The OEM HT tires are optimized to perform well on pavement (and turn in good CAFE numbers), not to find grip on the bottom of a slimy creek crossing or in sand/mud/snow. Smart driving (as well as traction control, the locking diff and 4x4) can mitigate those limitations, but at the end of the day, if you're traction-limited, you can only go so far before you're in a recovery situation.

But with good tires, the answer is usually "a lot farther than many people think, and not nearly as far as your nearest teenaged boy is willing to try."

redranger04g

A stock 4x4 cannot do this...

ZeroTX

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Well, technically it can do that :P