If anyone was wondering how their ML would do off-road, I found out this past weekend. I went with some buddies to an off-road park in Spring, TX (outside Houston) and it performed very well. My off-road experience is probably a hair below intermediate which is about where the stock ML hits a wall so it was a perfect match.
I was in my 98 ML320 with stock Michelin LTX's and my buddy was in his 99 LR Discovery on 31 BFG's. We also had a YJ Wrangler (stock), Crew Cab 4x4 F150 on 33's BFG's and an 89 K5 Blazer on 36's ( I had an '80 K5 and miss it!) in the mix. I followed the Disco punch for punch. I was really impressed when we crossed a creek (a little less than rocker panel high) and had to go across a small beach with very dry, fine sand. The 4ETS did its job beautifully where the other vehicles were spinning like crazy.
The narrow body of the ML helped alot on the trails. I bottomed out three times all of which were just random, unavoidable mounds of earth, so no rocks or immovable objects hit. I never got hung up on anything, just a light "thump" without the ML skipping a beat. By the way what genius engineer made the gas tank one of the lowest points?
Well, needless to say everyone was impressed, even the ******** out there in their "homemade" rigs and Cherokee's with no doors. I've never heard "Is that a Mercedes out here?" and "Is it four wheel drive?" so many times!
Share your off-road stories! ML related of course.
I was in my 98 ML320 with stock Michelin LTX's and my buddy was in his 99 LR Discovery on 31 BFG's. We also had a YJ Wrangler (stock), Crew Cab 4x4 F150 on 33's BFG's and an 89 K5 Blazer on 36's ( I had an '80 K5 and miss it!) in the mix. I followed the Disco punch for punch. I was really impressed when we crossed a creek (a little less than rocker panel high) and had to go across a small beach with very dry, fine sand. The 4ETS did its job beautifully where the other vehicles were spinning like crazy.
The narrow body of the ML helped alot on the trails. I bottomed out three times all of which were just random, unavoidable mounds of earth, so no rocks or immovable objects hit. I never got hung up on anything, just a light "thump" without the ML skipping a beat. By the way what genius engineer made the gas tank one of the lowest points?
Well, needless to say everyone was impressed, even the ******** out there in their "homemade" rigs and Cherokee's with no doors. I've never heard "Is that a Mercedes out here?" and "Is it four wheel drive?" so many times!
Share your off-road stories! ML related of course.
