2005 Mariner off road capabilities?

Hello,

I'm in the market for a new car and I like the
2005 Mercury Mariner (dressed up Ford Escape).
Most of my driving will be on-road but I would
like to do some light off-roading, mostly driving
on the beach and loose sand covered trails.
No boulder bashing or real rough or steep trails,
I know this truck would never handle that.
The trucks I've had in the past had part time 4WD
and I used to drive on the beach in 4LO.
With automatic, electronic 4WD and no low speed,
I'm not sure what it could handle.
Anyone have any opinions or experiences?

- Vinny -

Vinny wrote:
> Hello,
>
> I'm in the market for a new car and I like the
> 2005 Mercury Mariner (dressed up Ford Escape).
> Most of my driving will be on-road but I would
> like to do some light off-roading, mostly driving
> on the beach and loose sand covered trails.
> No boulder bashing or real rough or steep trails,
> I know this truck would never handle that.
> The trucks I've had in the past had part time 4WD
> and I used to drive on the beach in 4LO.
> With automatic, electronic 4WD and no low speed,
> I'm not sure what it could handle.
> Anyone have any opinions or experiences?
>
> - Vinny -
>
>
Should be fine as long as you air down your tires to about 15 psi. If it
still struggles, air down some more.

--
Rob Munach, PE
Excel Engineering
PO Box 1264
Carrboro, NC 27510

Just keep in mind that sand driving is tough on most vehicles, can
result in a loss of the vehicle if stuck and the tide comes in, result
in fines if the beach (or whereever is closed to vehicles), and can be
a blast if nothing bad happens.

As mentioned, air down. Carry some carpet pieces, say two feet wide by
six long (four of them, one for each wheel) a good jack, a sheet of
plywood (to put the jack on, say 2x2x 3/4", a strap, nice ot have an
air compressor, if not an air tank is vital (finish the sand, you
don't want to drive the highway with 10 psi in the tires!)

Also carry several gallons of water if you can. Amazing what that
fluid is good for.

On Sun, 20 Feb 2005 23:34:57 -0500, "Vinny" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Hello,
>
>I'm in the market for a new car and I like the
>2005 Mercury Mariner (dressed up Ford Escape).
>Most of my driving will be on-road but I would
>like to do some light off-roading, mostly driving
>on the beach and loose sand covered trails.
>No boulder bashing or real rough or steep trails,
>I know this truck would never handle that.
>The trucks I've had in the past had part time 4WD
>and I used to drive on the beach in 4LO.
>With automatic, electronic 4WD and no low speed,
>I'm not sure what it could handle.
>Anyone have any opinions or experiences?
>
> - Vinny -
>

Unfortunately I have first hand experience with doing all the
wrong things on the beach. I buried my 86 trooper up to the
axles because I ran onto the beach without dropping the tire
pressure enough. I was lucky that one of the local service stations
had an off-road tow vehicle and also happened to be honest
and fair. Needless to say, I now know the proper way to
navigate the beach by 4x4 :>).

I am mostly concerned with whether the 4WD system on the 05
Mariner can handle driving on sand. For 05, ford switched from
a mechanical center differential with lock (used on '04 and earlier
escapes) to an all automatic, electronic system.
From what I've managed to dig up, the 05's run in front
wheel drive mode until the computer detects wheel slip.
Then, through an electronically controlled clutch pack, it applies
power to the rear wheels.
My first concern is that the truck will not go into 4WD mode
until some wheel slip occurs. From my experience
wheel slip + loose sand = trouble.
My second concern is that the stress of this kind
of driving will overheat and possibly burn out the clutch
pack.
I know I'm grossly over simplifying how the system works.
If I had a better idea of how it worked, I might not
be so concerned.


- Vinny -

"Peter D. Hipson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Just keep in mind that sand driving is tough on most vehicles, can
> result in a loss of the vehicle if stuck and the tide comes in, result
> in fines if the beach (or whereever is closed to vehicles), and can be
> a blast if nothing bad happens.
>
> As mentioned, air down. Carry some carpet pieces, say two feet wide by
> six long (four of them, one for each wheel) a good jack, a sheet of
> plywood (to put the jack on, say 2x2x 3/4", a strap, nice ot have an
> air compressor, if not an air tank is vital (finish the sand, you
> don't want to drive the highway with 10 psi in the tires!)
>
> Also carry several gallons of water if you can. Amazing what that
> fluid is good for.
>
> On Sun, 20 Feb 2005 23:34:57 -0500, "Vinny" <[email protected]>
> wrote:
>
> >Hello,
> >
> >I'm in the market for a new car and I like the
> >2005 Mercury Mariner (dressed up Ford Escape).
> >Most of my driving will be on-road but I would
> >like to do some light off-roading, mostly driving
> >on the beach and loose sand covered trails.
> >No boulder bashing or real rough or steep trails,
> >I know this truck would never handle that.
> >The trucks I've had in the past had part time 4WD
> >and I used to drive on the beach in 4LO.
> >With automatic, electronic 4WD and no low speed,
> >I'm not sure what it could handle.
> >Anyone have any opinions or experiences?
> >
> > - Vinny -
> >
>

Vinny wrote:
> Unfortunately I have first hand experience with doing all the
> wrong things on the beach. I buried my 86 trooper up to the
> axles because I ran onto the beach without dropping the tire
> pressure enough. I was lucky that one of the local service stations
> had an off-road tow vehicle and also happened to be honest
> and fair. Needless to say, I now know the proper way to
> navigate the beach by 4x4 :>).
>
> I am mostly concerned with whether the 4WD system on the 05
> Mariner can handle driving on sand. For 05, ford switched from
> a mechanical center differential with lock (used on '04 and earlier
> escapes) to an all automatic, electronic system.
> From what I've managed to dig up, the 05's run in front
> wheel drive mode until the computer detects wheel slip.
> Then, through an electronically controlled clutch pack, it applies
> power to the rear wheels.
> My first concern is that the truck will not go into 4WD mode
> until some wheel slip occurs. From my experience
> wheel slip + loose sand = trouble.
> My second concern is that the stress of this kind
> of driving will overheat and possibly burn out the clutch
> pack.
> I know I'm grossly over simplifying how the system works.
> If I had a better idea of how it worked, I might not
> be so concerned.
>
>
If you air down sufficiently, front wheel drive is all you will need.


--
Rob Munach, PE
Excel Engineering
PO Box 1264
Carrboro, NC 27510

"Vinny" <[email protected]> writes in article <[email protected]> dated Mon, 21 Feb 2005 21:25:43 -0500:
>I am mostly concerned with whether the 4WD system on the 05
>Mariner can handle driving on sand. For 05, ford switched from
>a mechanical center differential with lock (used on '04 and earlier
>escapes) to an all automatic, electronic system.
>From what I've managed to dig up, the 05's run in front
>wheel drive mode until the computer detects wheel slip.
>Then, through an electronically controlled clutch pack, it applies
>power to the rear wheels.
>My first concern is that the truck will not go into 4WD mode
>until some wheel slip occurs. From my experience
>wheel slip + loose sand = trouble.
>My second concern is that the stress of this kind
>of driving will overheat and possibly burn out the clutch
>pack.
>I know I'm grossly over simplifying how the system works.
>If I had a better idea of how it worked, I might not
>be so concerned.

On a non-flat surface like dry sand, you'll probably have wheel slip
detected, even if there is no actual slip. The reason is that the holes
will be different on the 2 sides, and going into a hole and coming back out
is a longer distance than a flat surface. A small amount of slip isn't
anything to worry about; you get that whenever you turn if you're in 4WD.

Anyway, isn't there a manual override?

-- spud_demon -at- thundermaker.net
The above may not (yet) represent the opinions of my employer.

No, there's no manual override.
Everything is completely automatic.
Mercury makes a big fuss over the fact that there's no
button to press to go into 4WD mode.

--
- Vinny -
"Spud Demon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Vinny" <[email protected]> writes in article
<[email protected]> dated Mon, 21 Feb 2005 21:25:43 -0500:
> >I am mostly concerned with whether the 4WD system on the 05
> >Mariner can handle driving on sand. For 05, ford switched from
> >a mechanical center differential with lock (used on '04 and earlier
> >escapes) to an all automatic, electronic system.
> >From what I've managed to dig up, the 05's run in front
> >wheel drive mode until the computer detects wheel slip.
> >Then, through an electronically controlled clutch pack, it applies
> >power to the rear wheels.
> >My first concern is that the truck will not go into 4WD mode
> >until some wheel slip occurs. From my experience
> >wheel slip + loose sand = trouble.
> >My second concern is that the stress of this kind
> >of driving will overheat and possibly burn out the clutch
> >pack.
> >I know I'm grossly over simplifying how the system works.
> >If I had a better idea of how it worked, I might not
> >be so concerned.
>
> On a non-flat surface like dry sand, you'll probably have wheel slip
> detected, even if there is no actual slip. The reason is that the holes
> will be different on the 2 sides, and going into a hole and coming back
out
> is a longer distance than a flat surface. A small amount of slip isn't
> anything to worry about; you get that whenever you turn if you're in 4WD.
>
> Anyway, isn't there a manual override?
>
> -- spud_demon -at- thundermaker.net
> The above may not (yet) represent the opinions of my employer.