Benzlova

Hey guys im kinda new to using offroading on the ML320. The other day I drove my ML320 through a Area for 4X4 trucks on a beach, I put the car in low range and drove through it but was nervous my truck would get stuck in the sand. I drove through it pretty much but engine works alot offroad through heavy sand, is that normal? I saw a Nissan Xterra drive through it like nothing, is the ML the same way if I wasn't so cautious? Sorry if I sound silly but its my first time and I don't want to do anything stupid with my truck, but wanted to get a taste of its features. Any tips and info on a safe and proper way to offroad?


PS: When off road I hear squeeks when using force to plow through heavy sand, is that normal (on low range) and what is Low range for anyway? I never got a manual for my car when I bought it used.

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2002 Mercedes ML320, with stock tires and rims.

///AMG55

Low range is made for off-roading. So that was good you put it on. Otherwise you should never put it on if you drive on normal roads. It can over-strain/drive the engine and tranny and cause some serious problems. I'm not sure to what speed you can drive in low range but I think that max speed is 30 or 40 mph. Oh and did you turn off the ESP? That and low range or just turning off your traction control will make any off roading experience that much more fun!

AndrewAZ

A lot depends on the tires... I am guessing you have the dunlop sport 5000 tires on the car... If so you might want to change to a more off road tire such as Michelin cross terrain. I would say the biggest factor for the way all cars drive on/off the road is the type of tire and quality of the tire.

Also for driving in really lose sand they suggest letting some air out of your tires. What you are trying to do is increase the contact surface of the tire. But you will have to refill before driving on a freeway, if you do beach driving a lot you might want to consider a portable tire pump that uses the cigarette charger in the car.

Also next time try driving without low range, I have found in certain conditions that just normal drive works better than low range.

But again decide on a new set of tires, I have had MCT on 2 MLs and find they are the best balance of on and off road tire. It will be a night and day difference if you change from dunlop to MCT.

About your noise... Does it sound like the car is making it? Most sand if you shuffle your feet in it will squeak so your tires will act like shuffling feet.

ML500 5.0L V-8

I also off road, and use the Dunlop tire because every around where I live has to order the Mic Cross Terrain from God knows where. Like Andrew said, you don't always have to use low range, but I have always found it helpful if you turn off ESP while you off road.

Around here, there are huge mountains with terrible dirt roads made by abbandoned or new coal mines. The road mainly consists of very loose rocks, mud holes deep enough for an entire tire to be covered. Only rough surfaces like the rocks, I turn off ESP because the brakes get in the way of letting the tire slip a little to gain traction. Most of the times you use low range going up a steep hill with no traction and going down a steep grade.

I have never driven on sand, but I hope to soon.

vraa

Don't be like the Xterra guy and drive like it was no big deal. The biggest thing in off roading is taking things slow and being careful.

Also invest in some decent tires if you're going to be offroading often as Andrew suggested.

I have an X5 and I take it off road often and tires have made the biggest difference. I have a set of 200$ boggers on some super cheap rims. I use them perhaps for a few hours a day when we get into the swamps. Only way I can keep up with my friends in their modded like hell trucks.

AsianML

If your in sand isn't it best to keep Low-Range off?

AndrewAZ

I am kind of lost on low range now days. I swear my old 2000 ML say only use it for crossing water... Now in my 2002 ML it says for any off road excursions turn on low range. Best bet is to try and find what works best but like I have said in low traction like mud and gravel I have found low range off works the best, but for creeping up bigger rocks and steep inclines low range helps a lot. I suspect that with low range you get a lot more TQ to the wheels and in low traction environments such as sand it will just cause the tires to spin.

But about MCT I live in Arizona and still have to order them it usually takes 1-2 days to get a tire in. So if you are really into off roading I suggest picking up an extra rim and getting a MCT fitted to that rim so you have a full sized spare when you are off roading. Trust me its not fun to get a flat in the middle of the desert and have to drive a few mins then stop and pump the tire back up. (Just another reason to get a tire pump incase you get a flat in an area where your spare tire can not help you out, but getting an extra rim and tire would fix that but I still suggest getting a portable air pump.)

AsianML

Huh, I figured that since in sand what you want is speed and momentum, Low-Range limits that to a point.

drmiller100

if you leave it in high range, and really give it gas going really slow, you can tear up the tranny.

Low range gives you better control. Low range is MUCH easier on the transmission when creeping through nasty spots. Low range is MUCH better in sand.

So you have a mountain bike. When you get to nasty rocks, do you shift into high gear, or low gear? You shift into low gear cuz it makes it easier to peddle. Low range is LOW gear.

I like the esp climbing steep stuff in nasty moving rocks, It really is pretty impressive.