I was just wondering if anyone has any experience with an '08 Mariner/Escape on the OBX drive on beaches, I'll be headed there in the summer and I was curious how it would do with ground clearance and the intelligent 4wd. Is it safe or should I ride with someone else? Anyone with personal experience? I drive a 4wd 2008 Mercury Mariner premier v6
What AusEscape said. Drop your tire pressure (remember to drive accordingly, no quick turns!) and keep your momentum up. I drove my 2002 4x4 v6 through the carcross desert in the Yukon Territory towing a 1,000 pound trailer and had no issues in the sand. Tire pressures were 20/20 and the trailer was 20.
I've been on Pismo Beach and Oceano dunes with my 2005.
I was doing better than most of the decked out jeeps. The light weight of the Escape works in your favor on sand.
Flotation (lower tire pressure) and momentum are your friends. I kept it in 1st or 2nd gear most of the time to keep the rpm's in the power band. If I needed extra power, it was ready to go.
Take the pressure down to 20psi and see how you do. If you need more flotation, go lower.
I have run down to 16psi with success.
It's best if you go with more than one vehicle, and have a snatch strap (not a tow strap). If you go alone, bring a shovel, some kind of sand board/ladder, and watch a few youtube videos on getting out of sand. Use your head when you drive and you should be fine.
Bring a portable air compressor or hit a gas station near the sand to air back up before getting back on the highway.
I drove my escape (08, 4wd, 6 cyl) on the beaches of Fenwick Island in Delaware a couple of times, getting to the beach, around the beach and back into the road it was fun.
I drove my escape (08, 4wd, 6 cyl) on the beaches of Fenwick Island in Delaware a couple of times, getting to the beach, around the beach and back into the road it was fun.
For anyone wondering the Mariner/Escape does amazing on the sand. For anyone considering driving in sand, do it. Just air down to 20 and keep it in low gear, only trouble had is deep ruts but with a little gas, she got thru. still got another day of fun down in OBX too.
It's a Trail Fx Grille Guard, I also retrofitted a screen behind the grill to protect the A/C from debris.
Sent from my SM-N920V using Tapatalk
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Ford Escape Automobiles Forum
440.5K posts
32.4K members
Since 2008
A forum community dedicated to Ford Escape owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, modifications, classifieds, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!