4x4 Snow Question

To the OP - I came from an AWD Subaru and didn't really know how 4wd works. I'm almost afraid to use it now that I have my truck, and have only gone in to 4Lo once, in some serious lake mud. Haven't cruised in 4hi yet... but I'm fairly certain that my stock duraflops will cause issues in 2 or 4wd - they turned in to racing slicks on mud.

Once it starts dumping out here, I guess I'll use 4Lo to back out of inclined parking spots and see how regular 2wd does around town, hoping that some weight accumulates in the bed of the truck. Though I live in town, the side streets don't get much attention. To get out of the side streets and on to the slightly better main roads I have to weave through a few blocks, making sharp left and right turns. Kinda nervous.

 

Yes, they are very capable when on 4WD mode.

Try it out on 2WD mode. This is where you'll truly see difference compared to the winter tires. Winter tires will do in 1 rotation when stock tires will need 10 rotations to do the same distance on snowy roads. More important, winter tires need less distance to stop a car than stock tires, around 50% - 70% less distance.

I tried both on 2WD and 4WD, on plowed and unplowed roads, and never I will use stock tires during winter. True winter tires are so much better in all situations. They are costly but security and peace of mind comes first. With stock tire, sometime, I have had a hard time to make stops in timely manner, even if I go slowly. It just doesn't stop and ABS is making things worse.

Anyway, since 2 or 3 years, here, there's a law that forbid us to use stock and all seasons tires during winter times. Too much accidents because of that kind of tires.

To answer OP question, on snow covered highways and/or on snow covered dirt roads, especially when they are hard-packed, I can go up to 50-65mph in 4WD without any issues. This is fairly common on two lane highway that aren't frequently used, so they are mostly covered of hard packed snow.

 

NEVER use 4L on slippery surfaces. The added torque of a super low gear will make you slip.

4H is for 99% of the wheeling your truck will ever see or need.

IMO 4L should never be applied in snow EVER.

 

Good info. All the parking spots around my complex are on-street and slope downward to the curb, I'll give that a shot. My subaru had problems getting out of spots too so I'm curious to see how the truck will do. I hate to be so nervous about using the 4wd system or I'd just do trial and error to find what works. I'd almost rather walk to the liquor store on wild snow days than fudge around with 4wd to get going.

Any tips for people who have a ways to go to get to a main road, encountering several right and left turns? The snowfall out here in CO is different than I'm used to in VA - very dry and powdery, but almost always a slick sheet beneath the powder. After a week or so and plow activity it just turns in to ice

 

slow down.

 

dounts? derp.

 

-

 

I tend to DISAGREE with the people that imply that 4x4 will not help while driving 45MPH. Saved my ASS more than once. Although it will not help on ICE--There is MORE CONTROL when starting to slide--HIT the GAS-NOT the BRAKES. Total loss of control when braking.
Of course there are different situations--4x4-DONT LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT!!!

 

Well, if you'd be better off with 4wd but HAVE to hit all these sharp turns at stop signs (town like a grid), what do you do? Keep it in 2wd and throw some weight in bed? Wasn't really a speed question.

 

X2

 

If you're under 60mph, go ahead and throw it in 4hi. Then feel free to exceed 60mph. If it clears up, throw it back in 2hi.

 

I disagree , but only in one circumstance , I do use 4LO in snow if I need to decend a steep incline , I prefer to be in 4LO and a mid range gear and drive down applying gas

 

If you dont use 4lo in snow, you must not drive offroad much.

 

if it is slippery out, you will not hurt anything turning thru corners. I use it a lot thru the winter and don't worry about cornering when snow is down. 2x4 sucks!

 

even if the road was dry, and you were in 4wd. you can make the turn without hurting anything. thats why we have standard differentials. not super sharp turns of course.

 

VSC on the '09 + Tacomas make slipping on wet roads much less of an issue as it used to be, with an empty bed specially.

I found VSC to be nearly equivalent to 4WD-HI on slippery roads for stability. So, only dial in to H4 if you lost traction.

 

I hate VSC on snow

 

dafuq is a VSC?

 

sorry.

 

Makes me glad I don't have it