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can edge sel AWD run in deep sand?


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Hello everyone,

First of all, I´m glad to find this forum about my newest car.

My name is Alexandre and I´m from Brazil (northeast)

 

I´ve a doubt about edge´s awd capability, can i run for a long range in deep sand surface kind

 

I found a movie (youtube) with a ford explorer test in dunes of debai. Is possible I do that on my edge???

 

 

 

thank you for atention, and sorry for my awful english!

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Hello everyone,

First of all, I´m glad to find this forum about my newest car.

My name is Alexandre and I´m from Brazil (northeast)

 

I´ve a doubt about edge´s awd capability, can i run for a long range in deep sand surface kind

 

I found a movie (youtube) with a ford explorer test in dunes of debai. Is possible I do that on my edge???

 

 

 

thank you for atention, and sorry for my awful english!

 

It's possible but the AWD system in the explorer has much different programming than the one in your Edge. It is specifically designed for sand, snow and mud using the terrain control know on the dash. The Edge doesn't have that even though the hardware is basically the same.

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It's possible but the AWD system in the explorer has much different programming than the one in your Edge. It is specifically designed for sand, snow and mud using the terrain control know on the dash. The Edge doesn't have that even though the hardware is basically the same.

 

 

Thank you for your reply akirby, my fear about use my edge on deep sand is damage AWD system. Here in fortaleza the wether temperature ir around 90 F, so I've read in owner manual that a several use of awd in high temperature must to do a auto-desengage of awd system, like an way to protect it-self. Is it possible? Watching the movie with ford explorer, I guess that temperature in dubai must'n very could... maybe the same here.

 

once more thank you for your attention.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hello,

Am living in Dubai, and own a 2009 SEL Eadge.

I have tried it on deep sands here in Dubai, and it was doing not bad at the beginning on not very deep sand.

However when it reach to a serious sand (not dunes yet) it got stuck like any 2WD car, yet I’ve not tried it on sandy dunes.

I have tried it again on different place at different time of the year, and very much the same (couldn’t do the heavy stuff).

What I’ve notice is that the Edge stuck on the sand not because the 4WD is not working (you can hear the sound of the AWD working) but because the car is low to the ground comparing to other 4WDs so the sand hit the chassis very easily causing a big load on the car so its stuck.

 

Hope this will answer your question.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 years later...

We had our 2008 awd edge on the beach on the outer banks in NC. We had some trouble at first, but someone in a huge pickup stopped us and told us to lower the air pressure in our tires to 10lbs. I was hesitant at first, but since we were already stuck I figured we didn't have much to lose. It worked! We were able to drive over a fairly deep dune and onto firmer ground.

 

Although the Edge did perform ok on the moderately deep sand, I don't think I'd try it again. It is certainly not as capable as a 4x4. It is definitely too low and the stock tires are too narrow for competent deep sand use.

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I'm heading down to the outer banks in a few weeks with my 2008 AWD Edge. We are going 10 miles off the roads in the sand to our destination. Will my Edge handle to sand in this area with my AWD? I'm not looking to push it to extremes just get there and make a few trips back to mainland if I need to. Do you think the Edge can handle the terrain

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I haven't taken my Edge offroad, so I don't have direct experience with it. I did grow-up near the Outer Banks and have spent a lot of time driving on the beaches and dunes there in various offroad vehicles.

 

The sand on the Outer Banks tends to be very deep and loose (not packed). This puts a great deal of load on most vehicles (except really light weight vehicles with balloon tires, like dune buggies). The Edge, being a heavy-ish vehicle with road tires will want to sink into the sand and take a lot of power to keep moving. As Dr Fildo said, you can let air out of the tires to increase floatation on the sand. You may also be able to "plane" on the sand if you can get up enough speed.

 

The Edge has marginal grown clearance for deep sand. Letting air out of the tires will lower the vehicle more. This is my major concern with taking the Edge onto the sand. You'll encounter many locations where other vehicles have traveled. These tire tracks can easily get over a foot deep and will high-center the Edge, leaving you sitting on floor pan and bumpers without the tires even being touching the sand.

 

Personally, I'd be reluctant to take the Edge into the sand. If you can't resist, lower air pressure to 15 lbs, go easy - don't spin your tires, keep up as much speed as safe to do, don't climb hills, and stay out of ruts caused by other vehicles. Good luck!

Edited by egar
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  • 9 months later...

Crazy jump that guy did with the Edge at the end. Did you see the speedometer just before the jump? Just under 120 kph (74 mph) -- that's keeping up some speed on the sand. :-) Does look like he was going that fast at the time he hit the dune, but he did get some good air. I wonder how much damage that did to the front end?

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