2017 TRD Sport 2WD - Thoughts on Snow

Thanks guys!

The girlfriend had to get her Mazda serviced today and they said her tires need replacing so we’re gonna take the Taco up!

Going to to load up on some more sand bags and hope she does well. We leave tomorrow morning. Will report back

 

Have a safe trip brother!

 

But there’s more to it than just traction. If all you needed was traction, put 2500# against the tail gate and get it off the front wheels totally, all the weight on the drive tires will definitely maximize traction.

Distributing the weight as I’ve described gives you the optimum balance, ensuring you get rear wheel traction and steering control. If you don’t maintain a proper balance and your front end gets light, it’s going to be a wild ride. Have a look at how commercial trucks distribute the weight of their loads,same theory.

 

Make sure the chains fit, youll be required to chain up currently its r2 condition.

 

Like previously said be careful of too much weight. I made that mistake years ago with my Titan and put too much weight in the bed. Cause the front end to float and slight around when cornering. Took a little bit of messing around to find the right weight. Another tip I came across was using bags of water softener salt. Extremely cheap and useful if you have a water softener. Plus bags don't leak and degrade like burlap sang bags!

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=a7E3GTpgvjs

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=atayHQYqA3g&t=276s

 

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fcCMbfW42Zo&t=303s

 

Caltrans WILL stop you and turn you back around if you do not have snow chains in your vehicle - whether the current level requires you to have them on or not...

Also, read up on the California Chain Requirement levels. With your 2WD truck, you pretty much have to put them on your truck at the lowest level, drive below 25-30mph (roughly). https://dot.ca.gov/travel/winter-driving-tips/chain-controls

Level R3 pretty much never happens. Most of the time they will entirely close the road(s) before they require 4x4 vehicles with good tires to chain up.

So back to chaining up, have you practiced putting them on yet? Are you sure they fit? Do you have a spare set of clothes and gloves for changing into after you roll around in the salty slush to install them at the chain control location?

Well then, I'm too late. I wish you luck.

Yeah, OP is going to have "fun" in these conditions really learning what a RWD pickup can (not) do.

 

You can maintain balance by placing a reasonable amount of weight against the tailgate. The goal is to change the rear/front weight ratio to something more optimal. Adding additional weight to the front is not helping anything. It's just making the truck heavier which then requires more force to accelerate it forward.

 

Let's say:

- the unloaded truck has a front/rear axle load ratio of 80/20
- the optimal ratio that adds enough traction without ruining handling is 50/50
- adding X lbs near the tail gate gets me to 50/50

If I move those X lbs closer to the cab, the ratio is not going to be 50/50 anymore. It will be something like 60/40. To get to back to 50/50 I have to add even more weight. That added weight is not helping my cause.

Make sense?

 

AWD> 4x4 any day of the week in snow also!

 

I don't think you have that right? It would certainly come down the particular systems in each vehicle as there are many different AWD systems. In the most basic setup, AWD can be minimally 1wd and part time 4wd can be minimally 2wd. Add in all the different configs, tires, and systems, the outcome could change wildly.

IMHO, the Taco is a beast on the slick stuff.

 

The advantages of AWD over part-time 4WD I see are:

- it’s always on. Most of the time the roads are a mixture of dry pavement and snow/ice such that part-time 4wd cannot be continually engaged without risk of bind up
- my awd Subaru was better at cornering and drifting than my 4wd taco. For example, I could tap the throttle to swing the rear out and then ease onto the throttle to accelerate out of the corner with my Subaru. My taco tends to understeer and be awkward. This might have more to do with front/rear weight distribution

I’m pretty sure rally cars are AWD instead of part-time 4wd for similar reasons.

This relates to normal road driving. For more extreme conditions, the taco wins

 

I supposed its true with regard to function and purpose. I should clarify: I would take a solid AWD system (Audi, Subaru) for real world everyday driving in snow/rain. The downside of have a locked 4x4 is the dry/wet pavement, having to switch back and forth otherwise you run into a binding issue as we are all aware of. With that said, my last G37s was absolute garbage in the snow because even though it was touted as AWD, it only kicked in once the rear wheels were already spinning. Any amount of traction x 0 is still, 0.

 

That's adding even more factors to the ten word, blanket assertion above. Regardless, a bit of bind is NBD if there is more slickness coming up. Clicking in an out of 4Hi is just a thing.

- my awd Subaru was better at cornering and drifting than my 4wd taco. For example, I could tap the throttle to swing the rear out and then ease onto the throttle to accelerate out of the corner with my Subaru. My taco tends to understeer and be awkward. This might have more to do with front/rear weight distribution

As I said, AWD versus 4wd is a ton of factors. On my Taco, I have no problem with 4wheel drifts on wet highway ramps. Until folks are out, side by side, it is a nebulous statement and certainly no 'every day of the week.'

 

Yep. Our Subaru is stellar in the wet. I don't see a distinct advantage over the Taco as the rear bias in both is extremely important.

Just saying that there are too many factors to judge.



Around here when it snows, the biggest factor that I have come to enjoy with the Taco is simply the larger tires. The plow do not scrape down to pavement, so large ruts develop. The Taco glides over them where cars get hammered.

 

Do you live in an area that sees snow often?

 

I agree, I LOVE driving around in snow with the Taco. We're actually supposed to get hammered with 8-12 inches tomrorow evening into Sunday in the midwest so i'll definitely be out and about!

 

I'm not sure how that matters in this discussion. But, I grew up in PA. My fam never had AWD or 4wd. Just RWD or FWD. It never really stopped us.

Around here, only a time or two per winter in the lowlands. But, I will go up in the passes looking for it.

 

We missed our chance earlier in the week.