Is Sport the best snow mode?

[Davexxxx]

Also depends on where you are driving and in what conditions. I know typically MO has quite a bit less snow than Western NY, quite a few days those Scorpions would leave me stranded

I suppose that is possible. The day I'm speaking of, was 5" of powder, on top of 2" of ice / sleet / snow mix. I was very pleased with the performance.

We'll have another test tomorrow. Possibility of 6" by tomorrow morn and we have something we must do then so ....

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[Escape2Bronco]

I suppose that is possible. The day I'm speaking of, was 5" of powder, on top of 2" of ice / sleet / snow mix. I was very pleased with the performance.

We'll have another test tomorrow. Possibility of 6" by tomorrow morn and we have something we must do then so ....

Hopefully you’ll get yours. Ours last weekend was a flop. Maybe an inch or two at most.

 

[Davexxxx]

Hopefully you’ll get yours. Ours last weekend was a flop. Maybe an inch or two at most.

Oh, I'm way past hoping for snow.

I've driven in plenty, in my time.

If we can keep the salt / sand / cinder crud off the vehicles, so much the better.

 

[hwildey]

All I can say is that at Off-Rodeo we used Sport mode almost exclusively for all challenges. With selective use of the 4x4, rear-diff, traction control, turned on and off, etc.

Interesting, I have wondered this. I have Big Bend, so don't have a rear-diff....but thought that Sport with traction control off was basically like a "Low Sand Mode"-a term I just made up. Sand is the only GOAT mode that turns off traction control automatically, which I am not sure helps with obstacles. I have not really needed slippery mode yet, and based on the description I would think it is there to help you accelerate slowly out of a stop and that is about it, if you were struggling up a slippery hill it would be useless. But maybe that is an oversimplification. I have almost come to the conclusion that just leaving it in normal is best like 99% of the time, but that doesn't seem as much fun. I paid for 5 GOAT modes, dang it, I am gonna use them.

 

[Escape2Bronco]

Oh, I'm way past hoping for snow.

I've driven in plenty, in my time.

If we can keep the salt / sand / cinder crud off the vehicles, so much the better.

I really meant for testing for the forum and not so much for the experience of driving in the snow.

like I said before, I see no problems just using normal mode but there seems to be a good discussion going about the different modes. I tried slippery several years ago and didn’t like the lack of throttle response. Some mentioned Sport as being better which I haven’t tried in the snow but was going to test it on Saturday. But, our 6-8 inch snow never materialized. I did try Sport mode but in the small amount of snow and using the intelligent 4WD screen, the rear wheels never engaged.

As far as salt, I’m with you 100%. We have switched now to pre treatment with a brine solution that you can hear eating the metal while it’s parked in the garage. My 2 door sits for the winter and the Sport is the main transportation during salt seasoning!

 

[Davexxxx]

I really meant for testing for the forum and not so much for the experience of driving in the snow.

like I said before, I see no problems just using normal mode but there seems to be a good discussion going about the different modes. I tried slippery several years ago and didn’t like the lack of throttle response. Some mentioned Sport as being better which I haven’t tried in the snow but was going to test it on Saturday. But, our 6-8 inch snow never materialized. I did try Sport mode but in the small amount of snow and using the intelligent 4WD screen, the rear wheels never engaged.

As far as salt, I’m with you 100%. We have switched now to pre treatment with a brine solution that you can hear eating the metal while it’s parked in the garage. My 2 door sits for the winter and the Sport is the main transportation.

As was suggested earlier in the thread, reading the owner's manual about the various modes, might help people make decisions.

https://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/vdirsnet/OwnerManual/Home/Content?

According to the manual, there is no mention of Sport mode enhancing traction. It does on some vehicles, like my truck but no mention of it doing so for BS.

Same for slippery but it does warn of using slippery on dry pavement so ... ???

 

[Mrmike]

All this talk about getting stuck is well and good. To me the biggest advantage of good Snow tires is better handling and braking with them in the snow. If you get stuck, you can always get pulled out. If you lose control or can't stop the results could be far worse. I have 4 conventional tires for summer, and four different wheels with snow tires for winter. The cost is absorbed by much increased tire life with the reduced mileage used every year.

 

[BLUEOVALRACER]

I guess it depends on what your stock tires are?

Ours came with the Scorpions and they're fine.

I drove off road, every day for my job, for more than 2 decades but I was at the same time, driving 150-300 miles per day so, fuel economy and noise, mattered. I've tried all kinds of tires.

I'm not saying we'd never go with something more aggressive than the Scorpions but there would have to be cause and I haven't seen it yet. As mentioned in another post, we intentionally eased along side a long snow plow pile. The kind that could suck other cars in. The BS stayed straight, even in Normal mode. Did it again in slippery. Barely discernable improvement.

Factory Continental Tires are on my BS BB.

 

[BLUEOVALRACER]

Interesting, I have wondered this. I have Big Bend, so don't have a rear-diff....but thought that Sport with traction control off was basically like a "Low Sand Mode"-a term I just made up. Sand is the only GOAT mode that turns off traction control automatically, which I am not sure helps with obstacles. I have not really needed slippery mode yet, and based on the description I would think it is there to help you accelerate slowly out of a stop and that is about it, if you were struggling up a slippery hill it would be useless. But maybe that is an oversimplification. I have almost come to the conclusion that just leaving it in normal is best like 99% of the time, but that doesn't seem as much fun. I paid for 5 GOAT modes, dang it, I am gonna use them.

How do you not have a Rear Differential your Big Bend is 4WD or AWD whichever you want to call it?

 

[Escape2Bronco]

How do you not have a Rear Differential your Big Bend is 4WD or AWD whichever you want to call it?

It has a rear differential, it just doesn’t have the dual clutches like the Badland trim has.

 

[wiyeti]

As far as salt, I’m with you 100%. We have switched now to pre treatment with a brine solution that you can hear eating the metal while it’s parked in the garage. My 2 door sits for the winter and the Sport is the main transportation during salt seasoning!

Brine, destroying cars at a rapid pace. Guy I know just spent 16 hours welding a rebuild kit to the frame on his 2008 truck. Frame totally rusted through, disintegrated. The brine mist is horrible.

 

[Escape2Bronco]

Brine, destroying cars at a rapid pace. Guy I know just spent 16 hours welding a rebuild kit to the frame on his 2008 truck. Frame totally rusted through, disintegrated. The brine mist is horrible.

It’s terrible. My 2005 Escape went downhill fast after our county started using it. We’ll see how long the Sport lasts with this environment.

 

[Davexxxx]

All this talk about getting stuck is well and good. To me the biggest advantage of good Snow tires is better handling and braking with them in the snow. If you get stuck, you can always get pulled out. If you lose control or can't stop the results could be far worse. I have 4 conventional tires for summer, and four different wheels with snow tires for winter. The cost is absorbed by much increased tire life with the reduced mileage used every year.

In your situation, I may do the same.

According to the 30 yr avg. you get more per month, in 4 of your months, than we get all year and I'm sure it stays longer as well.

We have 4 to 5" of fresh on the ground, but if the forecast holds, it will be gone by Mon at the latest and gone from the roads by Sat. (+-).

 

[BLUEOVALRACER]

It has a rear differential, it just doesn’t have the dual clutches like the Badland trim has.

I know it has a Rear Differential he made it sound like it didn't.

 

[Escape2Bronco]

I know it has a Rear Differential he made it sound like it didn't.

I think they are just confused over the nomenclature.

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