| cbrose |
| OK, the Subject line is sort of a goof, but has anyone tricked out their MDX to take it off road on moderate trails? I'm thinking about my stock Cherokee and all the 'interesting' places I've had it and wonder if an MDX could (or would want to) follow... Or is this question so far removed from what most people do with their cars that I should commit myself... |
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| G. COLTON |
Nothing I would do with a vehicle less than 10 years old.
G |
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| screbr |
From what I've seen, most folks spend time enhancing their X's on-road performance, but very little off-road.
I've had mine on some mining roads up in the Rockies west of Denver, but didn't feel very comfortable with it there and in fact bottomed out on a small boulder. In it's stock state, there is not enough ground clearance or protection for the undercarriage to make it suitable for anything more than grated dirt roads.
Now if you are up for the challenge, I'd be very interested in seeing your results.:4: |
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| vicpai |
quote:
Originally posted by cbrose
OK, the Subject line is sort of a goof, but has anyone tricked out their MDX to take it off road on moderate trails? I'm thinking about my stock Cherokee and all the 'interesting' places I've had it and wonder if an MDX could (or would want to) follow... Or is this question so far removed from what most people do with their cars that I should commit myself...
.....that the MDX is a MEDIUM-DUTY off road vehicle, I totally disagree with the claim. I would call it a LIGHT-DUTY off road vehicle, or more specifically an "all-weather" vehicle or maybe even an "off-pavement" vehicle rather than an "off-road" vehicle.
The 4-wheel-drive system of the MDX has excellent TRACTION capabilities IMO, and very likely EXCEEDS the "medium duty" claim, but where it SERIOUSLY lacks (like screbr has stated above) is it's GROUND CLEARANCE (or lack thereof). Honda seems to have done a very half-hearted job in this respect. vulnerable parts such as the rear differential and the engine oil pan are placed "reasonably" high enough, but other components such as the exhaust plumbing sits unbelievably low to the ground!! To add to all of this there is absolutely no protection of any kind (in the form of skidplates) under there, leaving many components, including suspension arms etc. vulnerable.
Some people will come on here and say "I've taken my MDX through this and that, and it did absolutely fine". Just because they made it through does not mean that the MDX can be safely driven in serious (or even moderate) off-road conditions where decent ground clearance is a must. Like I've said above the MDX would probably "make it" through these areas due to it's excellent traction capabilites, but there is a VERY SERIOUS risk of damaging it's underbody components. If any of the people claim to have successfully gone through moderately difficult off-road areas without a hitch, it's just that they lucked out the undercarriage was not scraped or damaged.
As screbr put it nicely above: I would not take the MDX on anything other than moderately uneven dirt roads!!.....besides this, the suspension just doesn't seem to be HEAVY-DUTY enough to handle bad terrain. I'm talking from experience trying my MDX out in some "off-road type" areas near Frazier Park, CA. OTOH, my experience taking my MDX through an abandoned gas station packed with snow, up in Big Bear, was simply amazing (ground clearance did not matter in this case, and thereby my assessment of it's fabulous 4WD system!!) |
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| shootist |
Several people have taken their X out in the rocky boonies. Several regretted it. One guy parked his early X in a place where only three wheels were on the ground, and he couldn't close the rear hatch afterwards. (The rear opening had distorted into a parallelagram. Acura reinforced that in later years)
I don't mind driving my X on a cleared trail that I know, but I'm really hesitant to drive it into a place I don't know.
Bottom line- you're driving on the same tires that will be driven later at 75 mph. Do you want to bruise them on rocks? You polish the pee out of your car- do you want to scratch it in the brush? |
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| kflint |
As others have said, the MDX simply does not have the clearance or underside protection for even moderate offroading. I have had no problem on graded roads (even with significant washboarding). I have eased through some large potholes. But, as soon as I got to rocks, washouts, etc., I have had to turn back. While the all-wheel-drive system is quite capable (absent a need for compound low when creeping down hill), there is simply not enough clearance or protection for key underside components. I've been lucky so far, but I won't push the limit again.
Kelly |
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| Jin_Chris |
Clearly, I wouldn't suggest any off roading with MDX.
I owns 4Runner and MDX both, comparing them each other, MDX is no way close to 4runner in off road capabiliyt.
However, of course, 4Runner is no way close to MDX in on-road handling/driving.
If anyone wants to do off-roading, get other vehicle than MDX such as 4Runner etc.. maybe, even better to consider those rugged Chevy or Ford... |
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| dennisuello |
MDX is a road vehicle with AWD capability for poor weather performance, nothing more. Keep MDX on the road, where it belongs.
I did take our MDX on to some dirt trail to see AWD perform when one tire is off the ground. It did fine, but I wouldn't do it often. MDX sits low and has low ground clearance for serious off-road use. |
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| vicpai |
quote:
Originally posted by screbr
............Now if you are up for the challenge, I'd be very interested in seeing your results.:4:
..... ROADRUNNER, took his MDX through some very interesting places. Every time I think of the MDX and off-road these pics come to mind....see link below:
http://www.musc.edu/cando/mdx/west/index_8.htm
....if I remember correctly, he had even more adventures, but since it was such a long time back, I can't seem to remember where to find them!! |
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