First time doing FX4-ish things

[GregBC]

Finally did FX4-like off road things, haha! Drive out to Bamfield from Victoria: approx 200km with ~90km on logging roads. Some were smooth…ish, most were washboard or potholey. Partway thru, my wife’s like “so this is why we got a truck, I guess!” Yea , the minivan would have been nuts and bolts within 10km (unless I was crawling).
I did get an appreciation for why folks get Tremors or Raptors, but my humble XLT with OEM tires seemed to handle everything well!

Keeha beach was our destination and it was heart achingly beautiful. 1-2km long or so and just one other group there (we only stayed one night). The drive back seemed better: we passed a grader on the way out and they were scraping rocks to the side and smoothing some sections out, presumably for the logging trucks to return Monday.

bonus: 10.5L/100km for a 400+km trip (22.4mpg over 250mi).
Also saw our first elk on the island after we reached paved roads again.
non-bonus: dust got ALL inside the bed, must have been the gap between the tailgate and bed.

Sponsored

 

[Popplemer]

Finally did FX4-like off road things, haha! Drive out to Bamfield from Victoria: approx 200km with ~90km on logging roads. Some were smooth…ish, most were washboard or potholey. Partway thru, my wife’s like “so this is why we got a truck, I guess!” Yea , the minivan would have been nuts and bolts within 10km (unless I was crawling).
I did get an appreciation for why folks get Tremors or Raptors, but my humble XLT with OEM tires seemed to handle everything well!

Keeha beach was our destination and it was heart achingly beautiful. 1-2km long or so and just one other group there (we only stayed one night). The drive back seemed better: we passed a grader on the way out and they were scraping rocks to the side and smoothing some sections out, presumably for the logging trucks to return Monday.

bonus: 10.5L/100km for a 400+km trip (22.4mpg over 250mi).
Also saw our first elk on the island after we reached paved roads again.
non-bonus: dust got ALL inside the bed, must have been the gap between the tailgate and bed.

That is gorgeous!!! In my 20s i stayed on Vancouver island for 6 months. Such an amazing place. I'm jealous!

 

[Kanuck]

Great trip....

FYI..... you quoted 10.5 l/100 km or 22.4 mpg..that is US gallon...Cdn gallon is 26.9 mpg...much better.

 

[780]

Nice trip!
Ford does make a weatherstrip kit to keep dust out of the box.
It kinda sorta works. The adhesive on mine seems to come apart after the first winter.
Maybe they aren't rated for Alberta -40 winters....

 

[GregBC]

Nice trip!
Ford does make a weatherstrip kit to keep dust out of the box.
It kinda sorta works. The adhesive on mine seems to come apart after the first winter.
Maybe they aren't rated for Alberta -40 winters....

Thanks for that! It’s not a big deal, especially since the backpacks and boots were already pretty dirty, haha

 

[travisN000]

If you find yourself doing a lot of those types of trips, consider Bilstein shocks.. ford performance offers a rebranded Bilstein 6112/5160 kit, or even just the basic 5100 rears will give you better handling on the washboard roads.

I have the non-ford Bilstein 5160/6112 kit and also added Roadmaster Active Suspension (RAS) springs to the rear. ..both made a noticeable improvement in on and off pavement handling

 

[GregBC]

If you find yourself doing a lot of those types of trips, consider Bilstein shocks.. ford performance offers a rebranded Bilstein 6112/5160 kit, or even just the basic 5100 rears will give you better handling on the washboard roads.

I have the non-ford Bilstein 5160/6112 kit and also added Roadmaster Active Suspension (RAS) springs to the rear. ..both made a noticeable improvement in on and off pavement handling

Thanks! Definitely have a few more planned, like to Carmanah and probably to some of the small northern towns but probably not a weekly or monthly thing.

Took a quick look and looks like they’re about $1200US, so I’ll have to pass for awhile I think . (All the racks and other attachments set us back a bit this year). Also not interested in a lift and it looks like these result in 2” lift, is that correct?

but yeah I can definitely see how better shocks and larger tires will smooth those washboards and potholes out without breaking a sweat! Glad we didn’t have our paddleboards on.

 

[travisN000]

the fronts have adjustable height, up to 2.5 inches, but can be set to stock; the rear allow for up to 2 in of lift, but don't add any lift.

I would bet the RAS would probably help without the the newer shocks, but I did shocks first.

Sponsored