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

I live in northern NY State and tonight we are getting our first real snowfall of the year. I play in a men's pickup hockey league and drove down to the rink fine around 9pm. Leaving the rink was a different story however. Leaving the parking lot in 2wd (I have a 2012 DCSD TRD Sport 4x4) I took my first turn at about 15mph and my back end slide right around (almost a 180), I straightened her out gave a little gas then began to fishtail.

I didn't want to put her in 4wd because there was just a little covering of snow on the roadways, maybe 3/4''-1''. I hit the highway and was traveling around 45-50mph when I drifted in my lane slightly and my back end began to slide out again, I then switched to 4wd the rest of the way home.

Not such a confidence inspiring ride. Rethinking purchasing new tires now. Currently have stock Bridgestone Dueller H/t's. Thinking about getting some Hankook Dynapro ATM's or Cooper A/T 3's.

Thoughts??

 

Buy some good tires. Tires are the one thing I would never cheap out on. Duratracs maybe? Better yet, dedicated snow tires.

 

I always have the same results with 2wd because there is no weight in the bed. I always feel like I'm giving up when I just go with 4wd and there is just a dusting of snow on the grund but I've spun so many times to not learn my lesson!!

 

Yeah you'll have that. These trucks don't weigh a lot. I used to have the cooper AT3's and I loved em. I only got stuck with them once and I was in 2 feet of fresh snow on top of a foot of compacted snow, anyone would have gotten stuck. They have a pretty decent amount of siping and they wear really well.
I have Goodyear Duratracs now and they are incredible. They have as much or more siping than the AT3's

 

Yep, duellers aren't the best.. At anything

 

Tires , weight in the bed. , use 4x4

 

I used to drive my Scion tC 50mph in the snow; But I had snow tires on, plus front wheel drive. This is my first vehicle with rear wheel drive. I know the Duratracs are highly praised here, but I don't plan on doing much offroading, maybe just some trails for camping/hunting/fishing trips. I just want a good all purpose A/T tire that will be good in the snow as well.

 

Michelin LTX MS2.

Great highway and snow tire that can do mild all terrain work. I also liked Goodyear silent armor's for highway and snow.

I don't recommend the Hankooks, they get loud after a year or 2. Great traction though.

 

Yeah, i'm gonna put some weight in the bed tomorrow and I am seriously thinking new tires, I've heard mixed reviews about the Duellers and think I may go with the Hankook Dynapro Atm's or Cooper A/t 3's.

I just feel kinda bad getting rid of the Duellers after only about 27,000 miles, they are showing some wear though.

 

^So run the Duellers in the summer. Get a set of aftermarket wheels you like and mount AT tires for half the year.

Notice how the fishtailing disappeared after you flipped the switch to 4WD? Don't be afraid to use 4WD when the road is wet.

I too had a FWD car before the Taco. IMO a Taco in RWD mode is more risky than a FWD sedan when the road is slippery, because the pickup's drive wheels don't have weight over them.

 

Yeah the Michelin's are nice but kinda pricey and I want something that looks a little aggressive as well.

 

All of these things. I pulled a Scion uphill in snow with no wheelspin with my Subaru Forester XT w/snow tires.

 

Yeah, my ride felt much more stable in 4wd, but I also slowed down a bit too

 

I don't think I really want to mess with two set of tires.

 

Uhh...put it in 4wd....

That was the perfect situation for 4wd. Also, there's no way your ree end slid right around unless: 1. You were on 100% ice. In which case you wouldn't have been able to turn. 2. Your rear tires are 100% bald.

The trac in the 2014 applies brakes or throttle to keep you straight. I can't get the truck sideways unless I turn it off.

Oh and 4wd, use it.

 

Burn the Dunlops in a fire , seriously

 

Yeah get some winter tires too.

Or aggressive tires that work in snow. Such as Kelly safari tsr.

 

I have the Bridgestone Duellers, not the Dunlops. And yes my dashboard lit up with the trac control light and my abs kicked in big time. No ice just wet snow. I made the turn but only after sliding a bit first, almost coming to a full stop then touch the gas a little bit and began to fishtail until I let up on the gas again.

 

Your Tacoma in 2 wheel drive is no more effective at driving in the snow than a Camaro or a Mustang in the snow. The ass end of these things has no more weight on the rear tires than a sports car (maybe even less). Yes, tires will help you but at the end of the day you still have a little light truck - but its 4x4 - You have to use it. The only truck I ever had that I only had to use 4x4 if it was "really bad" and felt comfortable without 4x4 was my Chevy Avalanche. But it weighed at least 2k lbs more than my Tacoma. You could improve things with weight in the bed, better tires etc., or do what I do and accept the truck for what it is/is not and put it in and out of 4x4 when needed.

 

Remember, if it's snowing and you need weight in the bed, there's plenty of snow.