4wd use

Hey,

I'm hoping to get some feedback and advice. I'm looking to purchase my first truck and I'm currently comparing a few different models. I'm not set on mid or full size and historically I've only purchased Toyota and Honda products. Part of why I want a truck is for the crappy Canadian winters and the mid size commutes I have to work, roughly 120km/day. I want a Tacoma, straight up this is my number 1 pick however what's holding me back is the 4wd auto option on the chevy/gmc trucks and after reading more and more it seems 4wd is practically useless unless I'm off roading. As anyone who drives in snow knows, there's usually two clear tracks on the pavement and the rest is snow covered, making 4wd a bad option on any road or highway with turns. 4wd auto which is basically a tweaked awd system seems to be the best solution. Am I right in my thinking about the uses of 4wd or is my information incorrect?

Thanks

 

4WD auto is nothing but sensors that read if there is wheel slip, apply some brake and if needed add some traction. That is nothing like a 4WD locker system. Frankly having previous GM products... I think that is a poor example of a proper 4WD solution. The real deal is what Tacoma's offer and some other solutions like from Subaru, Jeep, and of course Audi.

 

You can use 4WD in mixed pavement/snow/slush conditions on the highway just fine. You only feel drive line binding in sharp turns in the city (even highway onramps are OK).

The Canyon's 4WD Auto mode just switches between 2WD and 4WD automatically with the same basic transfer case design as models without the mode. Imagine rotating the knob manually back and forth several times per minute, except now a computer does it. As expected, the system is quite rough and unreliable.

 

4wd auto is definitely more than just breaks and sensors, it's a completely different transfer case with a clutch that becomes engaged when it detects slippage. What do you mean by "the real deal is what is offered by tacoma"? How is this different than any other 4wd non auto system?

I thought 4wd could get binding issues in even slight turns?

 

There's no two bones about it, part-time 4WD like the taco has is sub-optimal for typical winter roads (patches of snow/ice). Frankly, the best system for on-road winter conditions in a pickup will be the new Ridgeline; AWD with torque vectoring.

If it offered a manual transmission, I'd get the Ridgeline in a heartbeat. Better fuel economy, superior handling, and better ride comfort (based on Pilot data). Yeah, it can't climb boulders, but maybe 0.1% of Taco owners do this anyway. But I'll gladly suffer through lousy fuel economy, poor handling, and a clunky ride to retain the left pedal.

Ridgeline has 425 lbs greater payload capacity than the 4x4 Taco, but gives up 1500 lbs of towing capacity. My utility trailer is 3500# gross, so either could tow it fine. If you're towing any more than that, you should probably be in a fullsize anyway.

 

OP, your worrying way too much about the 4wd binding up. You wont notice it at all in snow and rain. Parking lot maneuvering on dry pavement in 4wd would not be good. Anything else, dont worry about it.

 

Consumer reports predicts the new chevy Silverardos to be 95% below average reliability. No word on the colorado's yet.

Sorry, just checked again only 50% below average. Still no good. A big black dot.

Update, the colorado has been given -153 % below average. YIKES.

Initial reports on tacoma are Red dot, meaning excellent.

 

A good set of winter tires always helps.

 

Re: driveline bind, winter tires actually make the problem worse. I'd be pretty terrified to take a corner on a road with patchy snow/ice while in 4HI; if you have too much traction, you could understeer right off the road.

While running winter tires, I'd stay in 2WD until you got stuck and needed to switch to 4HI, but only long enough to get unstuck.

 

I'm more worried about understeer than drivetrain damage.

 

I've read so many differing opinions on how to use 4wd I don't even know what to believe anymore. If I knew I could use the 4wd system doing 60-80km/h on the highway with some slight turns and driving around town including some 90 degree turns at lights I wouldn't have an issue with it. But half the people say don't turn at all and half say it's fine. My understanding of how the 4wd system works is you're basically causing some variation of binding as soon as you turn your wheel slightly.

 

Ugh I don't like the look and I hate their "everything is touch screen" interior. I want buttons.

On another note, TFLtruck review of the '16 tacoma says using the volume nob will cause you to hit the touch screen preset 6 because it's right above it. Are current owners finding this ?

 

No, I don't use terrestrial/satellite radio. I do however call my parents house from time to time.

 

My 2011 GMC Sierra Denali (pick up) had All Wheel Drive and it was awesome in the sand and snow. It just didn't have the clearance I needed for off-roading/hunting and I didn't want to dump 4k into lifting a $60K "luxury" truck. The one time I took it out Quail hunting in the AZ desert I ended up ripping the front valance off of it.

 

My 2000 Dakota had the Jeep AWD drive-train, and it was great in the snow. Rusted into dust, but the drive-train was still perfect at 125k. I bought it so my wife wouldn't have to worry about all these questions - just get in and drive regardless of conditions. That worked, but it limited other areas of capability. My Tacoma (2013 OR) has lots of manual selections to think about, but I love it in the snow too. I know what everything does and I'm not afraid to use the 4WD. Learn how it works, try the different settings in a safe area, and don't worry about hurting it so much. I have always found that when in 4WD (or driving an AWD car), the best thing to do when in severe under-steer is to hit the gas and let the front wheels pull you around the turn. You have to fight the brake reflex, but it works for me.

The wife problem was solved by buying her a Volvo.

 

I ve been driving 4-wheel drives for the past 22 years, I grew up in Pennsylvania and I now live in Colorado. I ve done my fair share of winter driving. Quit worrying, if you like the Tacoma get it and pair it with a set of winter tires then you will be fine in 4wd, making turns on wet, slushy, or snow covered pavement. I commute 70 miles round trip here in CO and have no problems leaving my truck in 4wd. Even my old jeeps with solid axles and U-joints did fine in those conditions at highway speeds. That being said, the traction control in my Tacoma puts my winter handling and confidence more on par with my Subaru Forester then it was with my CJ's, Wranglers, Cherokees, Samurai, or S10. I feel very safe commuting from my driveway to my work parking spot in my Tacoma.

 

I just got my Tacoma but if it's traction control system is anything like my Frontiers was 2wd may work fine in light snow. With the Frontier I was finding that the traction control cutting engine power was enough to keep the rear end from getting out of line. When the snow got heavier I would use the 4wd system but didn't have to do so very much.

On my previous 05 Wrangler a set of Goodyear Duratracs and the limited slip diff worked great to keep the rear end inline in conditions that were slippery but not slippery enough for 4wd.

Our 2002 Mitsu Montero Sport with AWD and regular 4-hi and 4-lo was a great solution. It worked fantastic on the street and offroad. If they weren't getting so old I'd pick up another.

 

Anyone add a couple bags of sand above the rear axle to increase traction in the rear?

During the last snow fall, driving around in 2WD my Gen 3 Limited had the back breaking loose quite a bit.

Once I set it into 4WH it was fine, but it got me thinking about how nice a set of Blizzaks and 100 pounds of sand would be...

 

That's false. 4WD binding occurs only when the front axle speed is faster than the rear axle speed (right turns at a traffic light, turning into a driveway or parking spot, etc.). Larger-radius turns, including cloverleaf highway onramps, don't exhibit binding. I use 4WD in slushy conditions, even heavy rain with standing water on pavement.

 

You need better tires or to learn how to drive. 4wd is not for rain