Have you used Trail Control?

[SDPark]

I used it while off road in Colorado on 3 different rides… coming down Corkscrew Gulch, Yankee Boy and Brown Mountain in the San Juans. It worked great! However, I was concerned coming down Brown Mountain… I could smell brakes, and that was concerning since the descent was shorter than the other rides. My husband and I discussed the need for lower gears so the descent isn’t just controlled by the brakes. (It appears that when trying to use manual to get a lower gear, it doesn’t stay in that gear…. Need to learn more about that.)
I’m not sure if we were doing something incorrectly with Trail Control or not.

Sponsored

 

[NMhunter]

I've used it, and like it. You're right, it isn't a granny gear, but it works better than using the brakes yourself because it applies the brakes on each wheel as needed to keep them from sliding.

Not in the Bronco, but I've experienced braking while going down steep hills and having the vehicle starts to slide sideways. The Bronco doesn't do that.

The way you get better at driving on bad roads is to drive bad roads.

 

[DurangoSianne]

I've used it on long downhill decents in NM and CO. I just use manual gearing if I can, but there are times it's too rough and steep for M1 to make you go slow enough. Since it involves the brakes, I'm concerned about a lot of long-term use, but works well. Not as good as a low range, though. If the BL had a couple of inches more clearance and a low range I'd have the confidence to tackle almost anything. For the time being, I keep my BL's limitations in mind.

My experience is that the manual shifting doesn’t work in rock crawl mode. My first use of trail control was very rocky and steep such that I set it to 3mph and the noise was so annoying that I hated it even though it worked well. My latest use was on a much easier descent that I set to about 10mph and it worked great keeping me at speed and no noise.

 

[Bronclahoma]

I seldom use the goat modes. Didn't have mine in one when I have used trail control. I didn't notice excessive noise. Maybe there is some relationship between the goat modes and the noise.

I have owned 4wds for forty years and think i have an understanding of what I need from looking ahead. I don't want to wait until I stall and have to make adjustments to my drive train. My general protocol with the BL when off road is to turn off traction control. Most of the time that is enough, if the front wheels spin, rear wheels will engage. If I see a section ahead that looks like a problem, I engage 4X4. If that isn't enough I hit the lock button. In descents gravity is on our side, so not so much of a problem with traction and from my perspective, not much need for goat modes.

 

[AmazingSieve]

I seldom use the goat modes. Didn't have mine in one when I have used trail control. I didn't notice excessive noise. Maybe there is some relationship between the goat modes and the noise.

I have owned 4wds for forty years and think i have an understanding of what I need from looking ahead. I don't want to wait until I stall and have to make adjustments to my drive train. My general protocol with the BL when off road is to turn off traction control. Most of the time that is enough, if the front wheels spin, rear wheels will engage. If I see a section ahead that looks like a problem, I engage 4X4. If that isn't enough I hit the lock button. In descents gravity is on our side, so not so much of a problem with traction and from my perspective, not much need for goat modes.

I found the goat modes unnecessary as well. What I found more annoying was I wanted to drive in normal mode and keep the front camera on. In like sand mode it turns off at a much higher speed than normal so if I wanted to use it I had to pick one of these optional modes.

 

[tRex]

I've use trail control on dirt/gravel roads and camp roads -- works great. Even more popular campgrounds where the limit is 5 or 10 MPH, an easy way to crawl your way through. But yes, slow climbs or descents on dirt/gravel, it's pretty neat. Pretty sure the noise your hearing is braking (perhaps the anti-lock system is used for this?).

 

[DurangoSianne]

I seldom use the goat modes. Didn't have mine in one when I have used trail control. I didn't notice excessive noise. Maybe there is some relationship between the goat modes and the noise.

I have owned 4wds for forty years and think i have an understanding of what I need from looking ahead. I don't want to wait until I stall and have to make adjustments to my drive train. My general protocol with the BL when off road is to turn off traction control. Most of the time that is enough, if the front wheels spin, rear wheels will engage. If I see a section ahead that looks like a problem, I engage 4X4. If that isn't enough I hit the lock button. In descents gravity is on our side, so not so much of a problem with traction and from my perspective, not much need for goat modes.

I see! Next time I will simply try 4WD and then m1 and brake as needed. Going from a normal 4WD vehicle to this one I have been trying to use the Ford technology. Glad I complained ?

Sponsored