What kind on mileage our you getting be for your linings need to be replaced?

 

I have the 08, which is all disc brakes. I have heard you can expect the pads to last up to 200K miles, since the regenerative braking takes much of the wear off of them during normal driving.

For myself, I do some off-roading where I go down steep, long trails and have to ride the brakes. So my pads will wear out much faster than normal.

 

Where to you go off road?

 

I use my FEH to carry hang gliders and pilots (including myself) up to launch. The trail I use most often is near my house in a county park, about 2 miles long and requires 4WD with a vertical drop of about 1800 feet. A hardcore off-roader type guy wouldn't think much of it but it isn't the kind of road for sedan. And I do have to ride the brakes down the hill for much of it, whereas the conventional SUV/trucks just use the low range of the transfer case.

My bigger concern than the brakes is that the FEH doesn't carry a full size spare.

 

Well the reason I am asking is I live in the Los Angeles area and have only had mine for 1 month. I would like to go driving in some off-road areas to get some idea of what I can drive on, up and down. preferable with someone who has had one off road before.

I used to go jeeping in the desert outside of Lander, Ca. BUT this is not a JEEP and I know that. I would just like to get a better idea of how it drives.

Mark

 

The verdict is that the FEH handles off-road quite well, with the following caveats:

1. It can go up nearly anything, but not fast. The electric motors can give all the torque you need while the ICE is spinning at 4500. It feels odd but you get there. Don't expect to compete in the Baja.

2. No full-size spare. Sucks.

3. No compression braking that is effective below 25MPH -- too fast for dangerous trails. You have to ride the brakes after the battery is all charged up. The tradeoff is wear on the pads/linings versus wear on the gearbox.

4. The stock Continental eco-plus-whatever tires aren't really good for anything serious. Don't expect much traction in mud or slippery dirt.

Have fun.

 

I got near 100k on the rear pads on our '06 and at 130k I haven't yet changed the fronts, though I suspect that isn't too far into the future. I will grant you that the mrs. does tend to drive in binary: all go/all stop.

 

My truck is an 09 I will have to go look at the brakes and see what I have.

I did replace my spare with one from a 07 hybrid wheel and tire.
I bought it and cleaned it up and it installed right in the wheelwell perfectly.
PS i Test fit it on the truck first also.

Mark