Winter Driving w/ My 4x4 Taco

It's flat in Iowa. No comparision to driving in the mountains.

 

A stick is much better to drive on snow and ice covered roads, you can control it better, with auto trans I would always throw it into nuetral to quickly stop or slow down on ice, but with a stick all I have to do is push the clutch in.

 

I have a 150 lbs pet rock secured in the bed over the rear axle. Find it helps. I switch between 2WD and 4WD as necessary. If you're not driving on snow and ice daily, it's not really necessary in my opinion. I'm in Alaska and commute 42 miles each way to work. I also run separate winter and summer tires. For my first 8 years up here I ran studded snow tires (mainly Hankook), this year I changed to Bridgestone Blizzak studless winter tires on both my Taco and my wife's Escape; they beat any winter tire I've ever run. Just my 2 cents.

There's a thread with a poll on here if you're interested.
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/21515-do-you-put-weight-back-your-truck.html

 

Used to have an old 2wd Nissan pick-up. 80-160lbs in the bed made a huge difference. I still put it in the Taco. In the spring I aways need some topsoil anyhow so I use that.

I figure it might not be as important now with 4wd, but it probably helps keep more weight on the rear tires.

The risk - as has been mentioned - is that weight in back can help the rear end swing to the side if it gets moving. That's why most recommend that you don't put the extra weight rear of the axle.

Granted - I'm currently in flat, usually snowless (though frequently iced) OK. But I have lived in New Mexico, and last year my Tacoma handled what was possibly OKs snowiest season ever.

 

So, I'd add a couple tubes of sand because it will help, though help may not be required. It is also handy to spread on ice if you find yourself in a position where all four tires are on black ice and will spin at idle.

Now for a question for a California guy. Your GF has an xterra that you used on occassion, but now you want to use the Tacoma to visit the in-laws. What in-laws, whose in-laws. Kind of cool to visit in-laws with the GF, must be a CA thing.

 

What exactly are you accrediting that to? Did the '05 not have ABS?

 

All 3 of my Tacomas have/ had ABS (is there any other option?)... Only the 2005 was terrible on wet pavement and dirt roads... Now it did exactly what the book and dealer said it would... not lock the tires... But my '01 and '10 brake fine without the mashing to the floor panic of the truck not slowing down or that grawling noise the '05 did when I would mash the brake (after gentle/ gradual braking did no good).

If any tech can explain the difference in what my '05 did to what was changed for the '10 in ABS braking... then great.

 

I have never found a need to put anything in the bed of my 2010 Taco... The rear end doesn't seem to be wild at all during the snow... The key is to drive with common sense... Remember that 4x4 doesn't help you slow down.... Other than that, everything on the truck is stock... I drive 68 miles one way to work, and drive from the moutains of West Virgina into Maryland... Hope this helps!

 

awesome, thanks guys!

dude, that video made me laugh, it's like a dream, sloowwww moving and you can't stop...scary tho, i'd be freaked if that was me.

and that HUGE truck behind the taco coming down the hill..thought it was gonna slam into him!

 

Canada ehh!!

i put 50lbs sand in my truck in two sand tubes. it does help but mainly b/c i drive in 2wd most the time in snow. ATRAC works great and i just got duratracs so i tend to have no problems. I noticed weight helps you out on take off from stops. less tire spin. helps keep the rear tires from sliding out on tight corners.

4wd is always a switch away and the sand can be used for traction if i get stuck (another big plus)

 

yeah thats what everyone thinks. have you been to Iowa? not just driving through on the interstate. maybe you r thinking Nebraska or Kansas

i drive up and down steep hills all day. im not saying its the rockies but i think you would be surprised as how not flat most of iowa is.

 

cool eh! ;p

Yeah, i have the atrac and all that good stuff so the consensus seems to be it's all good.

I feel lame asking, but literally i've never driven in the snow, well once, a long time ago, but it wasn't snowing lol

 

Agreed!
Yes, people (some) think Iowa is a flat pool table with corn but not so.
Part of the state was scoured by the glaciers but not NE Iowa.
I live in Dubuque (very hilly) and everything here and north is hilly.
The NE section of Iowa was not touched by the glaciers so all the hills remain.
Darn hilly!
They don't refer to NE Iowa as "Little Switzerland" for no reason at all.

Our yearly bicycle ride RAGBRAI (Registers Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa) surprises riders as they pass through NE Iowa.
"Where did these hills come from???"

We're used to them. When we do "Ride The Rockies" in Colorado, the montains aren't a big deal.

 

Thats what i was thinking! Part of my family lives there. But go west of iowa city and it starts to flatten out

 

I keep about 250 lbs in the back of my '07 Taco and find that it helps keep the rear drive wheels planted when it gets sloppy on the roads. I notice the difference in both 2WD and 4WD. I use bags of sand and salt, I've seen it called "pickled sand" in some places, so that I can throw it down should I need it if I get caught on ice.

 

I really think the antilock brakes only work well on dry pavement and you have something jump out in front of you and slam on the brakes way to hard because you were not ready for it.They are horrible on ice, mud and even agressive driving around hairpin turns on dry pavement they will kick in and keep you from slowing down as fast as you can.

 

Having never driven in the snow and wanting advice from others makes your predicament honorable.

Putting aside the weight in the bed for now, the most simple advice you should heed is to take it slow and focus on safety. The signs all around Tahoe say "Ice and Snow - take it slow." It is great advice to follow.

If you drive slower on snow/ice, you have a greater chance of stopping/steering should the moment present itself. Keep it slow and always be aware of your control of the vehicle. Never assume that you have traction or have full control of the vehicle - in fact drive as if you have little to no traction and control of the vehicle. If you follow those steps, you should have no problems of your own cause to deal with (hint: avoid stopping on hills and downshift (even in an auto) going downhill or when you want more control - higher RPM = greater control).

A story: I was driving my Taco over the Highway 50 pass going into Tahoe with 2 passengers. It was R-2 conditions (all vehicles must use chains except 4x4 with snow tires). I had control of my Taco as we were driving through the plowed highway going rather slowly and maintaining a safe distance between myself and the next vehicle. The car behind me, an early 2000s Honda sedan (sans AWD and chains) liked being right on my rear-end. Unfortunately I had to stop rapidly, which meant Mr. Honda did too... Except he struggled, lost control, fishtailed and narrowly avoided hitting me. We're talking inches at most away from hitting me (imagine seeing the driver rather clearly in rearview being in a DCLB). After that, he gave me much more room and there were no problems... After chain control I lost sight of him completely. Fast forward to the downhill segment of the pass. He suddenly appears out of nowhere and clearly has a deathwish as he is traveling at a high rate of speed. I indicate for him to proceed pass me (because trying to stay in front would be an assured collision), which he does promptly. Here's where I realize the 'type' of people in that vehicle. Young, reckless guys. I'm right behind him as he tries to stop on the flat part of 50 right before the border crossing... He stomps his break and goes perpendicular to the car in front of him to avoid a collision.

Moral of the story: you may be a good driver, but don't expect anyone else to be

 

True story.. wtf.. I grew up in the snow belt of upstate ny. Everyone grew up there, believe me, no one was "new to the area", and every winter you'd see the same idiots toolin around like morons. Blasting by in their 4x4s thinking that their straight line traction somehow would keep them out of the trees.. Man... But in general, most people were smart in the snow or stayed at home.

Back to weight in the back.. what's 50 lbs to your truck anyway. Just something to slide around is all.

I am (was), if I may say so, and excellent snow driver. I think I owe it to copious intensive winter playing at the ball park next to my house and empty parking lots. I drove sideways everywhere. I thought I was Stig frickin Blomqvist. Knew where the limits were on any color, temperature and depth of snow. drove like an idiot everywhere.. when it came to being serious in really bad conditions, I always got home without issue; and I drove rear wheel drive celicas until I left that area. Take some foolin around time to find the edges when you first hit snow.