When off-roading, do you use goat modes or do you manually configure your Bronco?

[gwbigdog]

I'm old school, manual.

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[jzweedyk]

Manual, I don't like that they change throttle response, my foot has a memory and it doesn't like change.

 

[CalvinT]

At Off-Roadeo for a really rocky road the instructor had us go into Rock Crawl then turn off the front locker. It was a quick way to set everything up.

They discouraged the use of front lockers unless we were gettling slippage. They encouraged turning on rear lockers before starting a rough section.

 

[HalfmuleFarmer]

At Off-Roadeo for a really rocky road the instructor had us go into Rock Crawl then turn off the front locker. It was a quick way to set everything up.

They discouraged the use of front lockers unless we were gettling slippage. They encouraged turning on rear lockers before starting a rough section.

Yeah, Off-Roadeo opened my eyes to the usefulness of the tech in specific situations. Before, I too was ‘I’m old school! Manual!’ But after, being put in some conditions you’d ideally avoid, I was like, “Hmmm … interesting.” They’re more than just presets for noobs. They do a bunch of sensor-driven stuff and individual wheel control that isn’t possible to replicate manually. Always necessary? No. Potentially helpful in certain situations? Yes.

 

[Anvilair1973]

Yeah, Off-Roadeo opened my eyes to the usefulness of the tech in specific situations. Before, I too was ‘I’m old school! Manual!’ But after, being put in some conditions you’d ideally avoid, I was like, “Hmmm … interesting.” They’re more than just presets for noobs. They do a bunch of sensor-driven stuff and individual wheel control that isn’t possible to replicate manually. Always necessary? No. Potentially helpful in certain situations? Yes.

This! Totally agree and it’s what they taught us at the Tennessee off rodeo. Bring it in as needed and man did it work!

 

[murphtron]

I typically switch to mud + ruts in my 2022 Bronco for the gearing reconfiguration and camera. The shift points are much nicer for trail driving in my opinion. I turn the rear locker off since it automatically engages in that mode.

Same. Mud/Ruts is exactly what I settled on as a default (and disable rear locker) when I get into tougher terrain. Plus I also disable traction control fully (long press). Then manually engage lockers (mostly rear, occasionally front) and 4L when needed.

Prior to that, on forest service road terrain, I’m usually in 4A until I feel the need to use Mud/Ruts.

Driving in snow on the highway I’m usually in 4A. Once in awhile I may manually shift to 4H.

 

[Callelk]

Depends on what day it is. Off-Rodeo made me realize the usefulness of Goat Modes but I let the terrain dictate Manual/Goat Modes. I don't use the lockers that much especially the front and find myself in Baja Mode a lot just due to the dirt roads where there are some slippery spots. When it comes time to climb steep, loose rocks, I'm typically going manual - L4, Trail Control.

 

[HalfmuleFarmer]

Same. Mud/Ruts is exactly what I settled on as a default (and disable rear locker) when I get into tougher terrain. Plus I also disable traction control fully (long press). Then manually engage lockers (mostly rear, occasionally front) and 4L when needed.

Prior to that, on forest service road terrain, I’m usually in 4A until I feel the need to use Mud/Ruts.

Driving in snow on the highway I’m usually in 4A. Once in awhile I may manually shift to 4H.

Pretty much my exact approach. Also I’m in M, 1st gear on any steep, rocky ascent or decent. Forest service roads = 4A.

 

[Sitruc_btb]

Manual. I've only used a couple goat modes on pavement. Eco and baja (2wd) just to see. Eco with the 7mt feels weird. I don't like it. I'll switch to 4hi or lo, sway bar disco, or a hero switch if needed.

 

[BlueWaffle]

I put it in 4wd and just let er rip, like a man.

 

[HalfmuleFarmer]

Found the voice memo from my Off-Roadeo instructor re: various goat modes, a couple more interesting details …

Wheel speed/traction sensors are taking readings 60x/sec, so in a mode like SAND, it’s closely monitoring wheel speed, traction and throttle to try to prevent you from digging yourself a hole. In BAJA mode there’s (among other things) a ‘dampened’ air-bag response, so you don’t blow your air bag if you catch some air and land hard. In ROCK CRAWL there’s 3-sec automatic braking if you release the throttle, so you don’t roll backward halfway up an obstacle, and it also tightens the steering wheel response. Maybe it’ll save you a tie-rod.

I’m an old school guy too, but I found features like these pretty cool, pretty smart. I don’t use ‘em often, but it’s cool that they’re there. Props Ford engineers.

 

[crzyhawk]

At the offroadeo I attended in TN, he had us control it manually. That's fine by me, since I have a manual and no lockers, I don't think the GOAT modes will anything of value. Even if I did have something fully kitted out I think I'd prefer to control things manually, so I know exactly what is on, because I physically used a control to turn that feature on.

 

[thesocalexplorer]

When I go wheelin', I typically stay in sports mode (used all the time on-road) + advancetrac completely off, since this setup still lets me go in and out of 4H + rear locker as I see necessary.

When I need to drop into 4LO, I switch back into normal mode.

 

[broncobase1]

I switch to mud & ruts about 10 miles before coming into Minneapolis. Can't be too safe these days.

 

[lakesinai]

As the title says, when you’re off-roading do you manually set all the settings for 4x4 or do you use the pre-canned goat modes?

On the beach, I usually first use the "Sand" goat mode, as I leave the pavement, since it sets the rear locker and other beach settings easily. The problem is, when I'm on the beach and decide to move, it won't stay in that Goat mode on restart unless I push "OK" when the pop-up pops up ... which I rarely see. So, for the rest of my day on the beach, I'm usually setting everything manually. I love the front-facing camera that comes in the low-range "Mud & Ruts" goat mode, however, low-range is overkill most of the time on the sand, and the high-range setting that comes with "Sand" works well except for the worst Sand.

Over the years, I've found that Low-Range can dig me in too easily.

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