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

My Simplest suggestion is always:

Use 4wd for acceleration, control in turns & hillclimbing; & drive as if you have No Brakes

 

We in Georgian Bay are used to the squalls / lake effect snow. I've had 3 sets of tires between my 2007 4x4 Access cab long bed and now my 2010 DCSB. We get loads and loads of snow to the point where the school buses are cancelled half a dozen times a winter (can you say: lawsuits?)

I've been happy with my Hercules (Korean or Zhinese?) Avalanche dedicated snow tires in 2 WD all of last winter. Hardly needed it to run in 4WD, ever.

Then I sold those for a set of Cooper AT/3's and they are working well so far this winter. My son is getting ownership of this 2007 and my 2010 has a set of Wrangler Duratracs on them right now. It's been a week now with lots of snow and I'm impressed so far with the Duratracs in the snow. At least they are not as noisy as the dealer warned me. Then again, it's cold, the windows are rolled up, and I gotta heater in my truck and I'm off to the.... (you know the rest).

I was watching the news and Weather last night and all of you 'Merican Taco bros are getting walloped with winter weather! Please stay safe out there!

Hope this helps,

Cheers,
Barney

 

Taco can handle it, except ABS trying to kill us, the rest is running perfect.
Stupid ABS...

 

I just today drove to work in the snow for the first time with my '13 and the stock BFG A/T's which everyone got me all nervous about actually aren't that horrible. On my '04 the last tire I had on there was Cooper AT3's and they were great tires.

 

Thanks! I normally do metal or electronica but the Cash was calling me heh.

 

Its my first time with this truck in the snow how many 50 pound sand bags would be good to put in the bed and where is the best place to put them? Right over the rear axle?

Thanks

 

Probably anywhere from the rear axle back. Theoretically if you put all the weight at the tailgate you would be cantilevering more weight over the rear axle. When I used tube sand I would put one right over the axle next to each wheel well, and one at the very rear of the bed.

 

Over the axle

 

I thought the ABS in my '11 turns off in L4 but I checked and apparently that's with diff lock on. So apparently it can be switched.

This is my first rig with ABS and after 2 years I'm still impressed with the truck's ability to stay straight while stuffing the brakes on compact snow. My previous 18+ vehicles required brake feathering and pumping that extend the stopping distance anyway. I'll take the ABS.

That said, review your user manual "Fuse layout and amperage ratings" section. Without fuses "ABS NO. 1" or "ABS NO. 2" you risk that your anti-lock brakes may not operate as designed.

 

ABS bypass mod

 

Don't take out the bigger of the two fuses. Your brakes stop working completely. The ABS pump runs the power brakes, and without it there is enough vacuum to get one or two good test stops in, then nada.

Like Oz-T said, there's a bypass mod somewhere if you search around some. I just unplugged all my wheel speed sensors myself, but I understand Automatic trans tacoma's use the signal for the wheel speed sensor for the Speedometer. Mine has a fifth sensor in the T-case for the speedo.

 

4 bags, one in each corner of the bed.

 

Not gonna lie I thought you guys were full of shit about the ABS being so awful but I drove for the first time in snow yesterday and it locked up coming out of driveway when I was barely moving and I tapped the brakes. I don't want to do the ABS kill mod so I guess I have to drive super careful in slick conditions. I'm glad I found that out coming out of my driveway and not at the highway going 80.

Sure was fun doing donuts up at the mountain before and after snowboarding though.

 

I really think that our wet snow has a lot to do with the ABS being so touchy

 

Probably the snow seems to be perpetual slushy here.

 

Yep

 

Awesome tire! I would say is has to be the tire. I live near Scranton pa and we've had snow for the past few days and haven't had a problem. I drove to Ithaca Saturday and didn't have a problem.