Author Topic: Modifying an Escape... (Read 5110 times)

wannabe4x4ing · « **on:** March 22, 2006, 05:14:24 pm »

After a very long and very expensive game of buying and selling POS vehicles, I finally gave in and took on the burden of buying an almost new vehicle about 2 months ago.

I bought an '03 Ford Escape XLS 4x4. And I love it, so far! Everything works great likes its supposed to and the fuel economy is excellent.

Here's the issue:
I love off-roading. And this thing just doesn't cut it as is. I got myself stuck in snow, for Pete's sake! And 4x4 didn't help at all. There's not enough clearance, and not enough power. The all-season tires don't help either.

Because I have no experience in dealing with new(er) vehicles and modifications (I'm an older Chev/GMC kinda girl...) I'm wondering if anyone could give me some insight.

I want to do this right, but I cannot afford to do it all at once, so I'd like a plan I can work at bit by bit to get where I want to be within a year and still use it for everyday use in the mean time.

I did a search already of the site and didn't find anything helpful yet. I did see a Sportage that someone had beefed up (cannot remember who...) a while back and figured if a Sporty can do it, so can my Escape. Pics would be cool, too, if anyone has any links. Google failed me, this time.

Thanks, all! I'm looking forward to getting back out there!

Shnak · « **Reply #1 on:** March 22, 2006, 05:22:03 pm »

Quote from: wannabe4x4ing on March 22, 2006, 05:14:24 pm

Here's the issue:
I love off-roading. And this thing just doesn't cut it as is. I got myself stuck in snow, for Pete's sake! And 4x4 didn't help at all. There's not enough clearance, and not enough power. The all-season tires don't help either.

wannabe4x4ing · « **Reply #2 on:** March 22, 2006, 05:27:25 pm »

I get it, I get it!

Those babies have already been replaced: BFGoodrich All-Terrain Tires, but I got stuck last night in my parent's ditch trying to pull their quad off a stump. My Dad had to run for his big truck....so they haven't helped that much.

mdxtasy · « **Reply #3 on:** March 22, 2006, 05:54:34 pm »

bob has the modified Kia.

Snowman · « **Reply #4 on:** March 22, 2006, 06:36:49 pm »

Wana, off-roading and daily commuting is a hard combination; I have tried many ties and failed. The required ground clearance, suspension mods, and wheels/tires for going off-road just don’t make for economic daily commuting. Besides you will twist the Escape like a pretzel as the unibody construction will not handle the terrain and mods required.

I would suggest a used Pathfinder or Fourrunner.

stodge · « **Reply #5 on:** March 22, 2006, 08:09:45 pm »

"Everything works great likes its supposed to and the fuel economy is excellent."

What engine and transmission do you have and what economy figures do you get?

mrthompson · « **Reply #6 on:** March 23, 2006, 08:04:35 am »

Further to what Snowman said; the Escape is primarily a car-based SUV. AFAIK, it has independent suspension front and rear. This will be a huge PITA to modify. If I were you, I would do the following: If you like the Escape, keep it. For offroad, pick up an old 4x4 pickup, old Jeep CJ, or whatever. Buy it cheap, build it up cheap.....used tires, etc. Keep your Escape for commuting/traveling etc. and use the old 4x4 exclusively for offroading.

wannabe4x4ing · « **Reply #7 on:** March 23, 2006, 03:20:10 pm »

I didn't even consider the unibody twisting...oh well. I guess that's why I asked. I'll keep an eye out for an older 4x4 but up here no one looks after anything and so there's nothing old and cheap. It's old-beat-to-crap-and-not-worth-saving or new and crazy expensive.

I have the 3.0L Duratec and I haven't figured out my exact fuel economy but it costs me $50.00 (at 93.9 cents/litre) to fill the tank and I get around 400km per tank in town depending on how I drive. It greatly depends on how I drive. If I'm pedal to the metal everywhere, with quick accelerating and speeding up, brake, speed up, brake type driving I only get around 300km per tank. Also, when its really cold I lose about 60 km per tank.

Maybe I'll put this idea in the back of my mind for awhile and wait to see if something cheap and durable pops up.

gta_driver · « **Reply #8 on:** March 23, 2006, 03:50:13 pm »

Curious......Does the Escape come equipped with low gearing for offroading?

wannabe4x4ing · « **Reply #9 on:** March 23, 2006, 04:03:55 pm »

No, sir, it does not.

You have the 2 wheel drive option, the auto option and the 4x4 option. I wasn't planning on doing any hard core rock climbing or anything, so I wasn't overly concerned.

Trainman · « **Reply #10 on:** March 23, 2006, 04:52:57 pm »

Quote from: wannabe4x4ing on March 22, 2006, 05:14:24 pm

I bought an '03 Ford Escape XLS 4x4. And I love it, so far! Everything works great likes its supposed to and the fuel economy is excellent.

Here's the issue:
I love off-roading. And this thing just doesn't cut it as is. I got myself stuck in snow, for Pete's sake! And 4x4 didn't help at all. There's not enough clearance, and not enough power. The all-season tires don't help either.

I want to do this right, but I cannot afford to do it all at once, so I'd like a plan I can work at bit by bit to get where I want to be within a year and still use it for everyday use in the mean time.

Thanks, all! I'm looking forward to getting back out there!

You have done a good job on summarizing your requirements and expectations. I went through a similar exercise a while back when I needed a 4wd for my work.

I very quickly found out that the car based SUV's like the Escape, Tribute, Forester, CRV, Rav4, etc just do not have the abilities I was looking for. Of all the car based ones, the XTrail seems to have the best off-road manners. It has reasonable ground clearance and the transfer case can be locked in 4wd (high only, no low range). The XTrail is the only car based SUV that I am aware of that has that ability. Being able to lock power to both axles rather than rely on a computer to do it is one of the keys to good off-road ability.

I know this does not help, sorry. You have replaced the tires already, I do not think with the Escape that there is much more that can be done. And do not let the people who say "uni bodies make bad 4wd's" sway you, my Pathfinder (which is what I ended up buying) is uni body and is a very capable off-road vehicle. The Jeep Liberty is also uni body, no one complains about its abilities!

I think your choices are simple but hard:
Keep the Escape and get the beater as suggested.
Sell/trade the Escape for a Pathfinder, 4Runner, Liberty or maybe a XTrail. There are some other choices as well, these are just my favorites. Apparently the Australians are doing amazing things with the XTrail as far as off-road stuff goes so it may be the best option for you.

Tough call, good luck.

If you want more info on the Pathfinder, let me know.

AVToller · « **Reply #11 on:** March 23, 2006, 05:05:52 pm »

Quote from: wannabe4x4ing on March 23, 2006, 03:20:10 pm

I have the 3.0L Duratec and I haven't figured out my exact fuel economy but it costs me $50.00 (at 93.9 cents/litre) to fill the tank and I get around 400km per tank in town depending on how I drive. It greatly depends on how I drive. If I'm pedal to the metal everywhere, with quick accelerating and speeding up, brake, speed up, brake type driving I only get around 300km per tank. Also, when its really cold I lose about 60 km per tank.

To me, that really isn't very impressive mileage for a cute ute. Your figures work out to approximately:

400 km/$50 = 13.3 L/100km or 21 mpg Imp or 17 mpg US

300 km/$50 = 17.5 L/100km or 16 mpg Imp or 13.5 mpg US

Ouch!

Trainman · « **Reply #12 on:** March 23, 2006, 07:08:40 pm »

Quote from: AVToller on March 23, 2006, 05:05:52 pm

To me, that really isn't very impressive mileage for a cute ute. Your figures work out to approximately:

400 km/$50 = 13.3 L/100km or 21 mpg Imp or 17 mpg US

300 km/$50 = 17.5 L/100km or 16 mpg Imp or 13.5 mpg US

Ouch!

Worse than my Pathfinder

X-Traction · « **Reply #13 on:** March 24, 2006, 01:00:10 am »

There's no easy/cheap way to make the Escape a capable off-roader.

Besides Trainman's excellent suggestions, some or all the 2005 and previous Suzuki Grand Vitaras, Suzuki XL-7's and Chevrolet Trackers have low ranges and quite good clearance. There are plenty of aftermarket kits to make them even better offroad. The 4x4 systems are old fashioned, but are rugged and do the job. The vehicles are durable but a little smaller than the Escape. They are reasonably economical as city runabouts, but not as civilized as the Escape.

If you have more money, the '06 Grand Vitara can be bought with locking high and low ranges. However, there are not yet any kits out to improve its off-road ability, and the mileage is nothing to write home about. Other than that, it's superior to the Escape in every way. So far, I have been unable to get the new GV stuck in snow.

If I were you, I think I'd allow the Escape to make a getaway, replace it with a 2003 XL-7, then tinker with it. Just beware that not all the Suzukis have the low range.

AVToller · « **Reply #14 on:** March 24, 2006, 01:57:13 am »

Here in Port Alberni, you can hardly spit without hitting an older Tracker or Sidekick. There are even a few Samurai lurking around. They are almost the perfect vehicle for pounding along abandoned logging roads. I was seriously thinking of one before I became able to buy the Yaris. Crude but strong like bull.

mrthompson · « **Reply #15 on:** March 24, 2006, 08:15:43 am »

The Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee are/were unibody construction....and both are better offroad than the Liberty, BTW.

What type of offroad driving to you intend to do? If you intend to do any mudbogging or trail riding on difficult trials where damage might occur, I would stick with my suggestion of an old beater.

wannabe4x4ing · « **Reply #16 on:** March 24, 2006, 04:09:59 pm »

I love hard core offroading. But now with baby (or little boy, I guess) in tow, I don't want to have to haul him out of the bush on foot if it comes down to it. I've been in that boat before, and it was hard enough by myself. So I just want to do a little bit of...hmmm...I guess more rally car type off-roading. You guys have been so helpful. I'm going to Vancouver this summer to see the mother-in-law so maybe I'll make it a shopping adventure too. See if I can't find something more suitable.

As for gas mileage...why is it so bad? I thought the Escapes were supposed to be better than that!

mrthompson · « **Reply #17 on:** March 24, 2006, 04:17:23 pm »

Why the poor fuel economy? It's a Ford...they usually aren't foremost in their class for fuel economy. AFAIK, the 3.0L V6 is a pushrod design....also the Escape is not a light vehicle.

wannabe4x4ing · « **Reply #18 on:** March 24, 2006, 04:36:21 pm »

What can I do to improve it? I'm already driving like a Grandma (and believe me...it takes a lot of effort not to let my foot drop the way it wants to!)

Trainman · « **Reply #19 on:** March 24, 2006, 05:17:33 pm »

Quote from: wannabe4x4ing on March 24, 2006, 04:09:59 pm

I'm going to Vancouver this summer to see the mother-in-law so maybe I'll make it a shopping adventure too. See if I can't find something more suitable.

Be prepared for BC's higher used vehicle prices

Author Topic: Modifying an Escape... (Read 5110 times)

mdxtasy