[slartibartfast01]

Did I mention that we stopped at the Farris truck stop in Fawcett, Missouri the other for a BLT with a half pound of bacon?



Well, we did, and it was good!

Was that the Farris Fawcett major truck stop?
I'll get me coat.

[Parallax]

Was that the Farris Fawcett major truck stop?
I'll get me coat.

[lesmore49]

Here's the Explorer through the years up until 2019.

Ford Explorer over the years: How this SUV evolved | Autoblog

It has been a solid vehicle over the years.

[bertwert]

Here's the Explorer through the years up until 2019.

Ford Explorer over the years: How this SUV evolved | Autoblog

We have a first gen Explorer permanently in 4 low that we sometimes use for small tasks around home - well, not permanently in 4 low, but the selection motor thingy doesn't work, so to change to 4 high or 2wd you have to crawl under the car and turn some knob with a pair of pliers...

[bertwert]

I like RWD. If I lived in the mountains I think I would of looked seriously at a 2020 Explorer, because of the RWD, turbo engine options, good looks. High altitude driving, turbos are good for that...not losing power due elevation.

Meh, personally I have found that that FWD is better in mountainous/snowy terrain due to the extra traction (with engine weight over the drive wheels) and not the same risk of slipping out your back end sideways. That's not to say it isn't fun to drive a truck in 2wd with an empty bed for some "skid practice"

[bertwert]

Just one last thing, Bob # 1. The less electronics on a car, particularly the ones that provide about 10 options to choose from...the better for me.

Not quite the same problem, but the less touchscreens the better - physical knobs for climate, sound system, etc etc, are much safer and easier to use. Problem is installing one big touchscreen is cheaper, so we've got all these modern cars using that where you don't have tactile feedback from physical knobs and buttons but rather have to take your eyes off the road and look at the screen!

[lesmore49]

Meh, personally I have found that that FWD is better in mountainous/snowy terrain due to the extra traction (with engine weight over the drive wheels) and not the same risk of slipping out your back end sideways. That's not to say it isn't fun to drive a truck in 2wd with an empty bed for some "skid practice"

What I should of said Bert, is that I prefer RWD...but coupled with an AWD or 4WD system that I can switch to, when needed. I was driving (not mine) a '20 Chevy Silverado 1500 (5.3 liter V8), 4WD truck. We have had quite a snow here in the past few days, so on the open road I was in 2WD (rear) and in snow and ice choked roads, I used 4WD high.

[lesmore49]

Not quite the same problem, but the less touchscreens the better - physical knobs for climate, sound system, etc etc, are much safer and easier to use. Problem is installing one big touchscreen is cheaper, so we've got all these modern cars using that where you don't have tactile feedback from physical knobs and buttons but rather have to take your eyes off the road and look at the screen!

Yep, I'm not a fan of touchscreens. I prefer physical knobs for adjusting different things.

[bertwert]

What I should of said Bert, is that I prefer RWD...but coupled with an AWD or 4WD system that I can switch to, when needed. I was driving (not mine) a '20 Chevy Silverado 1500 (5.3 liter V8), 4WD truck. We have had quite a snow here in the past few days, so on the open road I was in 2WD (rear) and in snow and ice choked roads, I used 4WD high.

Ah yes, that's quite a sensible combo (RWD normally, then 4WD as needed - that's how we use the truck), I was talking if you had 2WD only where FWD is generally better in the ice and snow, as I'm sure you've worked out by now

[lesmore49]

Ah yes, that's quite a sensible combo (RWD normally, then 4WD as needed - that's how we use the truck), I was talking if you had 2WD only where FWD is generally better in the ice and snow, as I'm sure you've worked out by now

Odd thing you mention this. I was driving the '20 Chevy pickup 4WD, with RWD normally yesterday and today. There is no automaic 4WD, I had to manually switch into different modes.

My regular ride is a '20 Chevy Traverse SUV, which is a fair size. I think 204 or so inches in length, 121.9 inch wheelbase, 4550 lbs. and a payload of 1612 pounds. It has FWD (2WD) normally. But if I want AWD. or something something they call off road AWD (certainly will never take this off road) which someone told me can engage a locking type system in the rear wheels, and keeps the engine in gears longer....and then a final switch which is tow and haul, AWD...which again holds the engine in it's power peak through the gears, when towing. But there is no automatic AWD, I always have to manually switch from 2WD to one of the three AWD systems. AWD is not on all the time, nor does it automatically switch into AWD, when traction demands. It is always a driver decision and then a manual switch of the control knob into the selected mode.

Anyway I have a gravel driveway, a bit steep, which over the past couple of days had a couple of 2 foot + snow drifts that I drive into, turn around backwards to then reverse into our garage.

The pickup truck had difficulty....bit of axle hop both front and rear axle trying to get traction in the snowdrifts, wheel spin, while the Traverse in AWD just cruised into the deeper snow and backed out with little drama, no axle hop, hardly any wheel spin, just smooth traction in and out.

Both have half decent ground clearance. But the tires are different, although both are light truck tires. It maybe the important factor.

The pickup had 255/70-17, the SUV has 255/65-18 and the SUV wheels are 7.5 inches wide X 18. Don't know the width of the pickup's wheels, probably similar. Both sets of tires were all season, but I have been impressed with the SUV's tires...so far they seem to brake well on hardened ice and deeper snow without the ABS cutting in very much at all, if at all (-25-30), accelerate and corner reasonably well with little slippage in winter conditions. So I think the deciding factor may be which tire has the better grip, also the fact that the SUV with all that sheet metal (body) has more weight over the rear drive axle than an empty pickup box.

I just found it interesting as to how, both all drive power...worked in the same conditions, same snow depth, etc.

BTW, I'm a believer in having winter approved (Mountain snowflake deal) snow or all year (not all season) tires. We had Goodyear Assurance All Weather tires...with the winter approval symbol on our previous FWD sedan and they were excellent in winter. They replaced the standard factory all season hi po tires, that were lousy in winter conditions.

But these SUV all season tires surprised me with their winter grip, even at extreme temps. So much so, that I haven't determined the need to replace them. Remember though this is prairie, flatland driving not mountain driving which is a different kettle of fish.

Tire technology seems to be increasing quickly.

[savoche]

First carp sighting of the new posting marathon.
The prizes are always nice, but not worth the effort for me.

What's this querulous carping about, eh

[savoche]

Meh, personally I have found that that FWD is better in mountainous/snowy terrain due to the extra traction (with engine weight over the drive wheels) and not the same risk of slipping out your back end sideways. That's not to say it isn't fun to drive a truck in 2wd with an empty bed for some "skid practice"

It sometimes also helps to be able to turn the drive wheels if you're stuck.

And when driving in deep sand - wahtever you do, don't stop. The same goes for deep snow, I suppose, but I've never actually driven in deep snow

[savoche]

You're the kind of historian I admire...you cut down to the nub(s) of the matter !

Oh, I'm no historian. At least around here I'd need a master's degree to call me that, and I'm 2 years short of an MA..

But I'm good at cutting corners

[savoche]

all season tires

I'm not a fan. I find they're neither too sharp on snow nor on dry roads. I suppose it's a bit like using a super-zoom rather than primes, and.... Ooops, wrong thread. Sorry

But then I haven't tried any in quite a number of years. They might be better now. Not that it matters. Rental cars always have suitable tyres for the season anyway

[Racer X 69]

If it's the dual dry clutch auto then it's like a manual gearbox with no need for oil changes, no oil use and no dipsticks.

Every manual transmission I have ever worked on had a drain plug and a fill plug. The fill plug is on the side, gear lube (not oil, it is graphite based, like grease) is poured in until it just begins to spill out, then the plug inserted and tightened.