ST to the rescue

[David Ponder]

Well, my ST saved the day yesterday.. I live on a dead end stret and to leave our street, its all up hill. Kansas City sometimes will plow the connecting streets around here, but rarely will plow our 2 block long dead end (maybe 5 times in 17 years). Yesterday was no different. There is a young man (early 20's) and his girlfriend that live across the street and down about a half block from my house. He has a late 70's Malibu with a pretty hot 350 in it, 4bbl, flowmasters, etc.. and it's Loud. Well, he just loves to "hot rod" up the hill early in the morning, reving the engine, (he leaves to go pick up his girlfriend for work about 6:30 AM) and since he has only lived here a short while, he obviously doesnt know the do's and dont's that the rest of us know about our hill.



Last night, he was leaving to take his girlfriend to work, and was just gunning the hell out of this car, it was sliding all over everywhere. Well, several of us tried to tell him what he needs to do, and shoveled and sanded, but low and behold, he was driving on almost bald tires. (Perhaps he did a dozen too many burnouts at the top of the hill? HAHA) Soooo.. I got out the ST, pulled around him, and hooked one of the front tow rings to his frame via a brand new 20' tow strap I was wanting to use anyway. (Here is my Ford V6 saving his "BAD" chevy V8, Life is sweet...) We had Ice last weekend, and 4" of snow this weekend so the ST became the family vehicle of choice for the last week. (Not just Dad's chioce) Anyway, my neighbor (a Dodge man) tells me that "That litle Ford wont be able to pull that car up the hill"



Well, I put her in 4X4 Low, and it had absolutly NO problem pulling that Chevy up the hill, as a matter of fact, My neighbors son, (son of the one that told me I couldnt do it) then tells me that he had the parking brake on for the first 20 feet, and I was dragging the back tires. Well, the guy was sure grateful, and it even gave me the chance to tell him that we would appreciate a gentle drive up the hill in the mornings, and he said he was sorry, and would be more gentle on the driving in the neighborhood. I unhooked the ST, and he was on his way.



Well, Just had to share some ST Pride !! Merry Christmas everyone.



Dave

 

[Tom Schindler]

The 2000 Explorer has been running flawlessly. This snow and ice is no threat to it. Runs right through that snow like there isn't any.





Tom

 

[mookie]

Dave,



That's cool and hopefully he'll be a man of his word and take it easy in the morning!

 

[Todd Z]

 

[Aaron Yarbough]

That's cool, and a perfect time to communicate some much needed neighbor etiquette to him.

 

[Matthew W]

(snif ... snif) .... I just luv a good story with a happy ending ....



In all seriousness, gotta say that that is one of the reasons that I got another Trac when my first was totaled ...

 

[Johnny O]

Freezing rain hit us yesterday. I had gone to my dad's to show him my new Trac and take it for a spin, he needed some things at Lowe's, which is like 5 miles away at most. Got there no problem, we leave and the hill going down from the mall is iced up and traffic is at a standstill. We had no problem, in fact he was driving and dad has never owned a 4x4 in his life. Maybe this automatic four wheel drive stuff* is okay after all. Took us about an hour to get home. 5 miles.



* '08's have the regular Explorer transfer case, 4-auto, 4-hi, and 4-lo. No 4x2.

 

[Jason Housman]

I had a similar situation earlier tonight. I live on a one way that's only 2 blocks long that doesn't get cleared unless me and my neighbors clear it with snowblowers and shovels. To get onto our street you have to go up a fairly large hill. They plowed and salted the hill but in doing that they pretty much sealed my street off. A young woman in a Dodge Caravan got stuck trying to come down the street. I was going to try to push her out myself but that wasn't going to happen so I got my truck and yanked her up the street with ease. Just another reason I love my Trac.

Also last winter I was parking my wife's car in the driveway to keep from getting plowed in. Our driveway goes down pretty steep the further towards the back of the house you go. I could never get her car up the driveway onto the street so I had to pull it out 3 times last year. Gotta love the Trac!!

 

[Kevin Lang]

About the normal explorer 4WD system: In Auto, is it still powering all 4 wheels at all times, like all wheel drive, with some sort of center differential, or is it 2WD until the vehicle's computer decides that it needs to engage the system?

 

[Tom Schindler]

In Auto 4x4, it is 2WD until the rear starts to spin. It will then engage the transfer case to put power to the front wheels. As soon as the vehicle starts to moe, it will disengage the transfer case back into 2WD.



It is great if you are on something slick and you step on it and it will just go. It can be annoying feeling it pop in and out. If you are driving in some nasty weather, just put it in 4x4 High and be done with it.





Tom