The picture below is from our shakedown cruise in Roher Flats the weekend after buying our Element. We had to find out what our little four wheel drive Element is capable of. So far I'm pleased. The four wheel drive works great but the suspension articulation isn't at all impressive. Considering the comfortable ride its a worthwhile trade off.

You can fly a wheel by putting a front tire into a ten inch rut. Since the differentals are open front and rear you've got to keep traction on at least three wheels to keep moving. But a small amount of momentum can carry you through the ruts without any harsh jolts. We made it past a few very muddy, rutted, and steep sections withou too much drama. I would have taken more pictures but that clay type of mud is impossible to shake off your shoes.

After reaching a washed out dead end, we discovered that the reverse gearing isn't quite tall enough. It doesn't like backing up steep hills where both the front and rear slip a bit, there is just not enough power in reverse.

Our off-road adventures unfortunately did not leave bricky unscathed. About midway through our trip it developed a nasty sounding clunk. Every time we went over a bump, however small, it made a big clunk. We were not driving fast at all over any of the trails so I was more then a bit disapointed at the lack of reliability. I made a service appointment for later in the week. But the clunking was just too irritating so I took a look at it. Thankfully it was something very simple. The nuts that hold the front swaybar in place had simply come loose. The drivers side actually almost came off.

All fixed now and I didn't even have to sit through a service appointment.

The wheels do come up very easy in the E. I posted these a while back:

http://www.elementownersclub.com/forums/showthread.php?t=10079

I never had the sway bar problem though. That would have not been good if it came off. I have been preaching that the gears are just a little too tall for any off road use for some time now. Dirt roads are ok, but you really ahve to ride the clutch in a ditch or washout.

http://www2.freepichosting.com/Images/421529122/9.jpg

Cool pictures.

Did you notice body flex when parked for the pics? I had to pull my camera out of the back and when I closed the hatch it hit because it wasn't aligned. The passenger door also was a bit difficult to close.

I didn't notice any body flex thought I'm sure there was plenty. I volunteered the girlfriend to take the pictures while I drove through various sections. It works much better that way.

Unibody frames are not known for their supreme rigidity. As long as it flexes back, I bet we'll be ok!

On the automatic transmission, reverse gear isn't quite as low as 1st, with 2.0 v 2.68 ratio. On the manual, they are about the same, 3.5.

Though if lack of traction is part of the problem, you don't necessarily want to use the lowest gear. Putting the automatic into '2' is a good way of getting going with less wheel spin. Combine a slope with slippery conditions and you are faced with the tough choice between low torque to reduce spin, and higher torque to work against gravity.

paulj

Putting the automatic into '2' is a good way of getting going with less wheel spin. Combine a slope with slippery conditions and you are faced with the tough choice between low torque to reduce spin, and higher torque to work against gravity.

paulj

Thats good advice for snow. I really couldn't imagine a lack of traction situation in dirt or mud which you would need to do that with the E. It is geared tall enough and has sufficiently little power where that does not become a problem.

Yeah, the problem wasn't lack of traction but lack of gearing. All four tires were comfortably on the dirt and I couldn't have spun them if I wanted to. It was a relatively steep grade backing out and with the automatic transmission I couldn't get the revs up in the power range. I was afraid it would just lug stuck but after wheezing a bit it did get rolling.

Hey Bigdog, Why does it say you have a 2wd Cargo Kahki? Am I missing something? :roll: Just wondering :)

Last fall I drove along the east side of the California Sierras. I crossed over Sorora Pass, Ca 108. There was sign at the BASE of 108, warning of 26% UPGRADES. My Element was happy to pull these in 1st gear (AT) at 5000 rpm and 30 mph. I've done some dirt and gravel of similar steepness, but mostly downhill (Long Canyon in Utah, High Bar in British Columbia). I haven't driven in 'offroad park', so haven't had a chance to try a hill that is too steep.

paulj

Hey Bigdog, Why does it say you have a 2wd Cargo Kahki? Am I missing something? :roll: Just wondering :)

No your not missing something, I am. I guess those just element options just default when you don't set anything up. But I think its fixed now.

LMAO!!!
Ooooof, very funny. I am a three-time Jeep owner and (no offense) I just had to laugh. My Wrangler was a blast off-road, I certainly will not expect much from my E in that category. After looking at all of the bare-naked crushables underneath I fear to navigate anywhere with rocks bigger than a baseball. . . The E does better than I thought on seasonal roads though. I owned a CIVIC (w/snow tires) years ago and remember passing stuck pickup trucks here in the lake-effect snow zone. I can't wait to test the AWD realtime in the white stuff!

The only underside damage that I've incurred is a dent in one the exhaust chambers (right middle). Well, there are also some scratches on the gas tank 'roll cage', but those were from a 'civilized' roadside boundary stone.

Seems to me that if you want to safely take the Element over anything rough, you have to get a feel for how clearance changes as the independent suspension moves over bumps. It's got to be different from the motion of a solid axle Jeep. For example, if I put one front wheel up on the curb, the whole body tilts as the sway rods try to keep both front wheels in line. There is actually greater articulation in the opposite rear wheel.

If there is a ridge and dip across the road (such as a waterbar), I have learned to take it at angle, trying to put diagonally opposite wheels on the high ground. This keeps the center of the car off the ridge. However if I take it at the wrong angle, the tailpipe can drag.

In some rutted cases I have successfully straddled the ruts, staying on high ground. In one case though, I kept the front drive wheels on high ground, while the rear ones tracked along in the ruts. Didn't hit anything though.

Some CRVs have had problems with the gas fumes canister (between fuel tank and rear axle), or its shield catching on the ground, but no one has reported that problem with the Element, possibly because its orientation is slightly different.

paulj