Could I make the argument my prerunner is more capable in the snow then a stock 4*4

canadian guys dont buy womens trucks? only good reason i can think of.

 

To go back to the OP opening statement about being required to have snow tires/chains in a 2wd truck:

The states who mandate chains/snow tires on 2wd trucks do not go out and compare one truck to another to see if they are better or not. Otherwise the rule would read something like this: "If you have a 2wd Tacoma prerunner, you are ok, but if you have a 2wd Frontier you will need chains, and if you have a 2wd Dodge you need chains, but the 2wd Chevrolet and Fords are fine without chains, unless you are in an older model Ford Ranger 2wd, however this rule is negated if you can prove you have the driving skills necessary to navigate in the snow....."

Get the general idea? So they simply put out a general rule/law that if you have a 2wd truck that is RWD only, you must have chains/snow tires. It simplifies the laws. Plus, even if you have a very capable Pre-runner, it is still easy in bad weather for a RWD truck to lose control. See below.

FWD is far superior to RWD in inclement weather and poor road conditions. Why? Because history has shown that physics is always right. Your control is based on steering. The rear wheels only control one thing: positive movement. The front wheels control steering, thus is you apply the forward power to the front wheels, you have better control because your vehicle is pulling and controlling, not just simply pushing. If you can't control the direction you are going in, then you are not in control. If you ever watch a good video of a vehicle driving in the snow you will notice that in a FWD or active 4WD vehicle, the snow is being moved away by the power of the tire, but if you watch a RWD truck, when they turn the wheels, the tire simply acts like a snow plow, pushing the snow ahead of it, and not actually turning the vehicle. When you power the front wheels, this allows your tires to push the snow back, and also apply torque to the front wheels, allowing them to move. Simple physics, and also the reason why cars these days are built typically as FWD. It certainly is not cheaper, as RWD vehicles have traditionally been less cheaper to produce when you consider the higher cost of a FWD transaxle, as well as other suspension components.

 

Rally history. Rwd was thought to be the beat ever for quite a while. Big heavy cars, using large engines powering the rear.
1960's starts seeing some changes.
1964 monte Carlo rally has an Austin mini win. And come in second. 1275 cc engine powering the front. It'd win the next two years there, taking multiple podium slots in all years. It did even better in wintertime courses. They made up for the power in handling on worse conditions and a controllable small car.
As the next few years went by more switched to a fwd format.
Audi came out with the first AWD in the group b later. Everyone thought it'd be too heavy to be of any use. The first race they used the Quattro it won by a long shot. AWD or some system like it is now in all cars on the wrc.

 

Fixed that for you.

 

This is about the most idiotic thing said this week.

And no you can not make that argument.

 

Its all about marketing and sales. Toyota chose not to bring the Pre-runner to the Canadian market for a reason. Why you ask? If a canadian truck buyer is given the choice of a hi clearance, two wheel drive pickup truck, and a hi clearance four wheel drive truck, Canadian truck drivers will choose the four wheel drive. Why? - Snow! 4wd with proper winter tires will go farther, safer, through more snow than any 2wd. It means the difference between getting to work in the morning, or not, especially if you live anywhere rural. If you live in northern BC, it is very rare to see a truck that is not 4wd. I suspect Toyota dealers in Alaska or Wyoming or Minnesota, even Michigan sell very few Prerunners.

Chains work excellent as well, especially on ice, but take time to put on, and limit your speed. Typically if you have wet heavy snow, once the snow reaches your bumper level, the drag on the truck is usually greater than the traction available. The first thing you do when stuck in snow, is dig out all the snow under the vehicle causing drag, hopefully before it freezes to the vehicle.

 

various comments in this thread debate the merits of different tires in snow.
1) any traction any vehicle is able to get on any surface is directly related to the contact patch your tires are making.
2) Snow/ice Tires will win out every time over all seasons, or mud tires on slippery, icy surface, regardless of drive type, with the exception of deep loose snow, where a mud tire's ability to clear its tread may have an advantage - but only in the right temperature and snow conditions. Chains are the equalizer in those circumstances.

Its not unusual to see 4wd and SUVs in the ditch, on the way up/down to the ski hill. That is because the driver has simply exceeded the traction afforded by their tires. Drivers will feel more confident in 4wd thinking they can drive the same as on a dry surface, and they get to experience the Oh Shit moment! The other challenge with part time 4wd is the center differential locks the speed of the front wheels to the rear wheels; If you lock up your brakes (without ABS) all your wheels are now locked up and sliding, and you typically will slide straight in the direction your momentum was taking you.

That said it can be a lot of fun to use Rwd and front steering to control / balance the amount of oversteer to guide you around a corner, and you can do that on slippery surfaces easily at much lower speeds. Its a lot of fun to practice, and prepares you for when it happens unexpected at highway speeds.

 

All true, but you can buy a 2wd 5-lug in Canada, and pretty much anywhere in the US, so they will sell 1 form of 2wd that is even less capable than a pre-runner to any Canadian despite snow.

I obviously prefer 5-lug, pre-runner is just for looks.

 

^^^ Yes, toyota does sell the 2wd tacoma, No debate there and I like what they did for the tuner market in the Xrunner - very cool truck, great looking ride. Check out any Toyota lot in Canada and see how many of the 2wd they order in to sell, compared to the 4wd. My estimate is it would one 2wd for every twenty 4wd. I imagine that is similar in the US as well.

 

- off to go snowmobiling, trailering two sleds up the hill onto the compact snow forestry roads with the 4wd.

 

Yeah, I figured as much, but I was asking Prerunner11 if there was a better reason other than snow like OZ-T pointed out, because he does not agree it seems.

 

B I N G O
B I N G O
B I N G O

and BINGO was his name-o

 

Depends on where in the US

 

/thread

 

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To the OP: No.

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Whatever drive's toyota's marketing and sale dept. If they didn't sell a non prerunner 2wd then I could see OZ-T's argument. However Canada does sell 2wd trucks.

Just because it isn't offered doesn't mean it wouldn't sell either.

 

Prerunners wouldn't sell in Canada

 

Can you push snow up to your headlights? If not, than no, you are not more capable.