First time in the snow with my Taco...Yikes!!!

Driving in a New England coastal winter on stock tires is retarted and dangerous. Get some real snow tires, any kind will do.

 

IMO a decent set of tires is key and use the 4wd. You're not a bad driver, its RWD with a very light bed. It's just the nature of the beast.

I also think you should get used to driving it without weight first though. Learn how it handles with and without. That way, if you're caught off guard without the weight in the snow, then you know what to expect.

I don't use any weight in my bed. But I do carry a shovel in the back. Incase I need to ad some, just throw some snow back there.

 

Had my 2014 TRD AC 4x4 out on slippery roads the last few days. Ice/Snow conditions. When the truck breaks loose a little the anti-locs combined with what seems to be a power decrees is really weird.
Not sure I'm liking this system. 43 veteran of winter driving so I know what I need to do when traction loss occurs. Haven't tried the override switch yet. Does it need to be reset at every start-up? My first Toyota so this safety system is new to me.

 

Yep. If you hit it once it is off until you hit 30mph. If you hold it down for 5 secs IIRC than it shuts it down and will not come back at 30mph. Although it still lurks in the background like a incase it thinks " I really need to help this guy"

 

Welcome to the world of RWD, My daughter's 4runner will 360 faster than you can say "watch out".

 

I live across the lake from you. I get the same weather. I am on my second set of AT/3's. You will be good there if that is the tire you choose. Also, get 4 bags of tube sand for the back and you will be in good shape. Good luck

 

I used to live in NE ohio and did ok with stock tires most of the time with the lake effect snow. I then put on General Grabber AT2's and have been nothing but happy since then. They are snow rated tired but they didnt kill my gas mileage much and arent loud at all for an all-terrain.

Whatever you do replace your tires it will make a big difference. Then like others said take it easy and use 4x4 there is no shame is using whats available to you. Just remember 4x4 wont help you stop.

 

I literally almost died the other day in my Taco
I was driving up a very winding mountain, that has no guard rails, and about 2' off of the shoulder is a sheer-cliff
There's roadside monuments all the way up the mountain - there's no arguement: if you go off... you die

I noticed there was some icy spots here and there, so I put it in 4wd and slowed down to about 15-20mph
That apparently didn't do it: I went around another bend and hit some black ice
My rear end swung out and turned me about 45 degrees to the drivers side and sent me sliding towards the cliff
As I tried to correct it and was still sliding at the same angle, I thought "huh... guess I'm gonna die"
my back tires hit the shoulder, about 2' feet before cliff, and it finally caught and straightened out

I drove about an extra 20 miles just not to go back down the same way

In the trucks defense, I was running some tires (M&S rated) that were at about 6/32" - 8/32"
I've since replaced them with Duratracs

I'm probably gonna put some weight in the bed too; but, I've heard contradictory advise on this, lots of people say it throws off the balance of your truck and makes it even more apt to lose control
All I know is that last year I had about 250lbs of sand in the bed and it never once slid on me, even in 2wd

 

I once saw a lady on a bridge that was iced over in a RWD suv talking on her phone while sitting at a light. I was a couple cars behind. Light turns green, she hits the gas and fishtails like crazy to the left. Instead of letting up, tried to correct and does a 180 and ends up facing the opposite direction in the lane heading that way. So she just drove off going that way. As she past me, was still on the phone and face like "no fucks where givin". I had a good laugh about that for a long time.

I've heard just keep the weight over the rear axle, and you're good.

 

Before I got my cap, I would add 2 to 4 of the quick-crete 60 lb sand tubes to the bed right over the axle. Like someone else said, put them in warm and let them take the shape of the grooves and it will help plant them over the axle. It is amazing how much of a difference the weight makes! And the sand can be used for traction if you find yourself on some bad ice.
The bags kinda break down over the winter. I tried to reuse the first set but found it wasn't worth it. As I recall they are less than $10/bag. Get new ones every year.
I also replaced the Dunlops that came with the last truck with some Goodyear Wrangler RT/S. They were a big improvement, but I did wait the 45,000 miles for the Dunlops to wear out first.

 

The sand can be used for traction... if it doesn't turn into a block of concrete! (completely frozen) haha
Cat liter works good for that purpose

 

^This

 

To the OP: If you were able to do a near 180 with the "nanny lights" lighting up and beeping at you while going around a corner, then you were taking the turn way too quick for the conditions you were in.

I've got a 90 degree turn on an incline I take regularly. In snowy or wet conditions, back when I had my stock duehlers (and I'm 2wd) I could get the back end to swing out on the turn but only if I really gave it too much gas. Even then the VSC beeped and straightened me out.

All of the above comments are sound, but lets not forget the driver makes all the difference. Easy on the skinny pedal man...

Edited to Add: I have since upgraded to Michelin MS2's and have tried to swing the back end out on wet conditions with much less success.

 

There's a reason he's the OZ.

 

i have the 2wd drive prerunner. 4 60lb bags of sand over the axles and a good set of tires. currently running the General Grabbers AT2's. and as most people have said. drive to the conditions and take your time.

 

Use the 4x4 , the new trucks are ok in 4x4 even in light snow .

Weight in the bed helps but I didn't have any last year and had no issues .

 

This is false. I've had my rear end swing around pretty good on just wet roads here in San Antonio and I have brand new Duratracs on my truck. It doesn't take much to break the rear end look on these trucks.

 

I think your definition of sliding around may be fishtailing, where spoonman's definition of sliding around is like the OP stated...almost 180 degree turn around.

 

I understand the difference, I was simply pointing out that in only wet conditions I've gotten pretty sideways so the claim can't be made that it's impossible to spin these trucks completely around in snowy conditions.

 

I'm not doubting you, but not once have I ever had that kind of traction loss in rain.

Like someone else said most of it comes down to driver experience in the vehicle they are driving.