2008 Ford Escape XLT - Best bang-for-buck overland mods?

[Grevlin]

My current vehicle is a basically stock 2008 Ford Escape XLT.



I'm thinking about what I could add to get some overland capability, but not "over cook" it. I'll be changing vehicles in a year, maybe year and a half. That one will have overland in mind from the start.

Things I'm thinking about:

• Cross bars and a roof top tent.
• Lift? 2"
• Better tires?
• Bull bar with some led lights

Giggles:

• Black front grill...the shiny has ALWAYS bothered me.
• Plastidip the rims. (See above)

Never really thought about using it for overland type activity. Not even sure what it's capable of.


Suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[Luis Merlo]

Sounds good !...get out on a few trips...and the terrain / conditions will dictate where you need to spend your money...above all, enjoy it !

 

[The Klumps]

I have a bull bar on my FJ, it's basically something to hang lights on that's heavy.
It was on there when I bought it.
If you're really going to switch vehicles I wouldn't add anything that couldn't be carried over to the next vehicle.
Tires are your best bang for buck. Lights are nice and can be carried over, if I'm truly switching in a year I'd doubt I'd mount much else. I'd probably get a good vehicle recovery kit going.

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[boss324]

Lift and AT tires.

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[britz]

I've got a Minnesota 2003 rustwagon Escape that's been "overlanding" more places than either Jeeps in terms of miles and nights slept in. Load bars and a Space Case carry a ton, in fact we packed the hell out of it to evacuate during a wildfire and had the capability to escape via the logging roads east to MT, a great all around vehicle. If it had lockers and low range gears , I'd probably have stayed with just a 2dr Jeep for getting in a out of the cabin in Winter. The factory clear coat is so bad on that year, it's becoming more "camo" by the day. A hitch rack stores tons of fuel and water, though messes with your departure angle, plus hauls an entire pig, deer, etc.

I agree with The Klumps - add lights and take them with you. Mobile comms are easy to remove and I plastidipped my wheels black because I couldn't stand the matched wheels. If anything I would look for 15"rims in lieu of the 16" to get a little more cushion when airing down to suck up rocks and ledges.

 

[Grevlin]

Wow Britz, that Escape has some history. Nice. I know over the Escape forum that folks run their Escapes into some crazy locations.

I need to find some local places within easy drive distance to start getting my Escape dirty. She's been too shiny, for too long.

 

[britz]

Traction boards and a receiver hitch also transfer well, but she doesn't like chains on the rear tires, ripped the abs wiring out. Easy fix, but the rears have little clearance.

 

[RusticMountainAdventures]

We just picked an ‘03 Escape, I’ve been very surprised where it can go, if you know how to pick good lines you can take it a lot of places. We are going to upgrade tires soon, looking to go to 15” rim with some duratracs. Recovery gear is the first upgrade to make to any vehicle, then tires if the ones on it are not good for off road travel, rtt is easy to swap over to your next vehicle.

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