4x4 Snow Question

Sounds like you never encountered black ice, I'm even wondering if you really know what is it. This is virtually transparent, you can't spot it. You are driving on a asphalt and in all of a sudden, you are on black ice without knowing it and you lose all control.

Wait t'ill you hit one. You'll kiss your stability control if you have one, believe me

I'm not saying that we 'REALLY' needs electronics, but they have some features that even the most skilled driver can't have it. Stability Control is like having 4 brakes pedals on the floor, which is needed when hitting black ice especially. That and also avoiding obstacles that you didn't see on time.

I ran on black ice two times in all of my driving experience and they are so dangerous but my previous car did have stability control and it saved my ass. Those are the only times that stability control "chimed" in.

For example:

One time, during winter, I was cornering on exit highway on a sunny day and on dry asphalt until I ran on black ice. Then, wathever I did to the steering wheel and brake or accel pedals, car wasn't responding, it just went straight away until stability control kicked in with some "chimes" and got the car cornering by applying brakes independently on four wheels.

I also agree with you that there are some adverse effects, some people doesn't understand that they were never meant to replace driving skills, but to help us.

 

Did it for 6 winters and never had a problem works great.

You are coming up with some pretty far fetched paranoid safety issues. I would really like to see how a bag of sand could jump up 18 to 24 inches and sail 8 feet through the shell window and cab window and hit me in the back of the head.

And to boot if anything it will get the truck to a more 50/50 weight distribution.

 

X2.
I have to agree with you on that one. Every vehicle I have owned with ABS sucks at stopping quickly in snow/ice. Makes your heart come up in your throat daily. I know people who pull the ABS fuse when winter hits because of this.

 

I'm glad it's been working out for you, it still doesn't mean I'm wrong and I'm far from paranoid. I've just seen a lot of people on the road to very stupid things so if someone can take something away from this forum to help them out, great.

As far as something in the bed of the truck getting ejected, pull an evasive maneuver or get into an accident and it's not far fetched at all (why do you think DOT requires loads to be tied down)... It might not necessarily come through the back window and hit you, but it could end up in the window of oncoming traffic or somewhere else it shouldn't be. It's always good practice to secure any load in an open bed.

My point about where to place the added weight was that you don't want a 50/50 weight distribution and you certainly don't want to unweight the front end (especially if you have a 4 banger). Your front end is where your steering and braking occurs. Your rear accelerates you. Which is more important, turning and stopping or accelerating?

 

You are probably right, but when the car in front of you suddenly stops or something jumps out in front of you and you need to stop, it is hard to back off on the brake. My instincts tell me to put the brake pedal through the floor.

 

Sweet another 10K post know it all.

Yes you are paranoid.

I would bet money you do not secure every load you have in your bed?

Loosen up and don't be such a granny.

Having a few bags of sand that is not tied down in the bed is not a big deal. Get over it.

 

Dog is my copilot, he keeps me safe.

 

Sweet, another person to put on the ignore list


For the record, you'd lose that bet...

 

Just another a**hole using "post count" as a negative... they are a dime a dozen these days. Anyway what real force would a 50# sand bag have if you got hit in a head on collision with both trucks doing 50mph

The senior members here know you have contributed much more then he or any other derp claiming high post count is a negative ever has.

 

No damage, the 50MPH trucks are equal and oppositte forces so the 50# sand bag would remain in a neutral position and not move an inch

And I'm not a senior member, I'm a Plasti-Dip Free Tacoma!

 

I've driven on plenty of black ice, freezing rain, and even freezing fog. I rarely ever even touch the brakes on that stuff. I use the brakes mainly for a final stop. Mostly I rely on compression braking and I maintain distances to allow it. I learned to drive on the stuff 20 years before any such electronic devices were available though. I love the implication that not wanting electronic intervention means that I couldn't possibly know what I'm talking about .

 

I drove a subaru (more room than the taco) last winter on a day where the first 6 miles of road (down from the ski hill) was a sheet of black ice. It was getting dusk and was almost impossible to tell where the bad ice parches were. I hit a patch of ice as i was slowing down to take a right hand turn and just started to slide instantly. That was the first and inly time thus far I am thankful the car had an ABS system, because before I even realized what was happening the abs kicked in and prevented me from plowing into the barrier about 25 ft from me on the outside of the turn. I had a sinking feeling that had I been in that same slide with my truck i would have either tapped the barrier or gone full on into the other lane, because there simply wasn't enough time to react. Now that is the only thing I actually liked about that subaru over my truck. Good for all of you subaru lovers praising the awd system they have, but hands down I would take my truck for the gnarliest winter driving I could get myself into, I trust my truck in any weather condition.

I frequently use engine braking as well, because it does do a very good job at slowing down without stopping the tires. There was however a day comming down from the ski hill where even downshifting one gear caused my truck to start sliding just as bad as tapping the brakes did. In that case a good working abs system would help.



also I want to add that snow driving threads usually suck because case and point, they always blow up when everyone and their brother come in assuming they are winter driving experts and that their word is law and there is always an argument over something and it just sails off topic.

 

I have a feeling it's about to get worse....

 

Well, good for you! It seems that you never encountered a situation when cornering on black ice and car was going directly to the traffic barrier because you weren't able to steer, can't stop, can't go, can't do anything, it just slowly slides at 10 mph... Been there, done that. I truly hope that you won't face it, it's not a pleasant experience

 

This thread brings many pleasures and smiling faces..almost just as much as any ATRAC topic

 

People around here are known to throw firewood in the back for weight , I have seen that go through the cab window when the truck has gone in the ditch .

Why are you suck a miserable prick lately ? or maybe I just didn't notice it before .

 

I understand what you're saying, Tim. That might, just might (aka I don't necessarily agree - the front end weight difference isn't all that significant), be true if other factors are not also considered. For example, the difference in the tires between a typical 2wd drive (street tires) and typical 4wd (off-road tires with more aggressive tread) would go a great distance towards offsetting any weight differences causing the vehicle to spin around. The design of the vehicle is far more of a factor.

Again, the primary reason you see so many 4x4's in the ditch (or worse) during foul weather is many forget 4x4 helps you go, not stop, and tires with aggressive tread don't help all that much on ice or seriously compacted snow (nearly ice). Those 4x4 owners need to slow down just like everyone else, but a great many fail to do so (false sense of security, driving too fast for conditions).

 

Has anyone considered that the "statistic" that there are more 4xs in the ditch during bad weather situations could have something to do with the fact that there is a much greater percentage of 4xs on the road then regular cars?


Not saying that cockiness has nothing to do with it, but I think people who say "I see soooo many more 4x4s in the ditch" as a negative against 4wd are dumb

 

When you drive in a ditch all bets are off. Even a secure load can come loose.

You must have just had some blinders on. I am thinking I am and have always been the same.

 

All I know is when ever it snows and I have to be out driving in it it always seems to me that the jackasses on the road are in big ole ford/chevy pickup/suv with wide tires screaming down the highway slinging slush in everybodys windsheilds.