Driving on snow..TRd OR/TRd Sport

I drove a 2wd Ranger for many years, never got stuck. It's not the vehicle, it's the driver!

 

I use my 4x4 in the rain quite often. For one reason only- to give the transfer case a work out. I don't go off road or even need 4x4 that often in the summer, so I try to make sure I use it from time to time.

Any 4wd vehicle is going to go good in the snow. Point it where you want to go and it will go there. The trouble is coming to a stop. That is why you see all these 4x4's in the ditch or causing a pile up when the snow flies. People get a 4wd and it goes like a bastard in any conditions, but it still isn't going to stop much better than anything out there.

 

I see lots of Sports, Off Roads, and SR5s in Vermont
Prerunners not so much if at all..... never even seen one on a dealers lot.

 

"I dont want to get sick and buy wrong truck"


...



wut?

 

Recommended to drive at least 10 miles per month in 4wd to keep the front business lubricated.

Sometimes, I don't get off road in a given month, and you should never run in 4wd on dry pavement.

Ergo, I will run it in 4hi on blacktop when it rains and I don't think I'll be on gravel/dirt/snow that month.

OP: as stated...4wd will do. OR with locking diff is handy for boat ramps, and being severely stuck.

 

Still too much traction on wet asphalt to safely run 4 wheel drive.

 

I put mine in 4WD on " GASP " dry pavement , in a straight line of course

 

Me too.

 

Tires are everything in the snow, for any vehicle, and especially in the Tacoma with its feather weight composite bed. Pretty soon in about a month or two, someone will start up a new "my ABS is sh*t and defective in the snow" thread, which will be debated all through the winter because someone's Tacoma slid through a 4 way stop sign intersection upon depressing the brake pedal for an expected stop...while most of the blame should be attributed to the driver driving too fast for the condition, but also on the tires and their condition connecting the truck to the road, er packed snow. I argue that this issue goes away, mostly, when the tires are upgraded for the condition.

Anyway, most of the electronic drive aid's, such as A-TRAC (which independently and randomly locks each wheel via ABS brake based on slippage), requires the truck to be in 4x4 low, which isn't the 4x4 mode to use for snow driving unless your doing some true off roading in snow conditions.

The rear locker on the TRD Off Road when engaged makes wheels in the rear turn simultanously (think of a locked rear axel like a solid beam), and could be useful if you were flat out stuck in deep deep snow and wanted to attempt to waggle the truck forwards or backwards. (In normal conditions, all wheels spin indepentantly against the road).

Having driven this truck for 2 years now, in my opinion, most of the electronic aids can be ignored if your main driving condition concern is snow driving on the highway. The most important feature is the user having control to engage a true 4x4 drivetrain that can handle reasonable speeds. This probably applies to the full suite of Toyota Trucks and SUVs .

 

Do the ABS bypass mod

ABS sucks on snow , unless you want to increase your stopping distances of course

 

In a big downpour and heavy rain I use 4x4 on the highway to combat that potential momentary hydroplaning. I don't do it often but I DO use 4x4 in the rain. I just don't take any tight turns or anything.

 

That's horseshit, I've been doing it for more than a quarter million miles.

 

TIRES!!!! Had Yokohama Geolander winter tires they were ok now I have Nokian Nordman tires absolutely love them. Tires make all the difference

 

It's your truck, do what you want. I just wouldn't advise people to do it. We don't have all wheel drive. It's 4WD. Big difference.

 

Do you want a cookie?

 

actually you would be better off on the road WITHOUT the locker.

sport, sr5, off road any of them with 4x4 will treat you good

 

Some mud tires REALLY suck on wet pavement. Not saying I use 4x4 on wet pavement but I could see how some people might

 

cause wesla wong says the rain pulls oils up out of the asphalt and can be very slippery

 

i was being sarcastic

 

If you're hydroplaning then 4x4 isn't going to be helping you at all. You should just let off the gas and go through the puddle, do not hit your brakes or speed through it. The water between your tires and the road isn't going to give you any traction, 4x4 isn't going to give you more traction in a puddle.

This is true. You have to watch the groves in which tires from vehicles goes. Also it can be bad at intersections, stop and yield signs. It's pretty much like driving on ice. It's more to happen just after it rains.