How to 4wd in snow?

The irony of his comments and avatar pic.

 

Just Remember one thing...... As with all 4 X 4 drives you can go faster with it in snow but you certainly can't stop quicker.

 

If you've got traction in 2wd, no need for 4wd.

If it's patchy and you're in 4wd, just be aware turning sharply into parking lots if the lot isn't wet or snowy, such in parking garages. you should take it out of 4wd in parking garages.

play around with it. no better way to learn than to mess around with it yourself. try some empty parking lots, purposely breaking the wheels free in 2wd, controlled skids, then try the same in 4wd. you'll learn your vehicles limits and know better what you are capable of handling out on the road.

 

The actual 4 wheel drive doesn’t help with ice. So another that agrees with the above “taking it slow and careful” stuff.

In actual snow, like big, tall, thick snow, 4h/l can can you moving out of it. It won’t help slow you down. Taking traction control off maybe or maybe not be a good option depending on how your roads are because it will stop the vehicles momentum if it detects slippage. Note: traction control is off when you put it in 4L/H.

Basically, all the dangerous stuff of driving on ice and snow isn’t really remedied by a 4x4. You need traction to get going, you need traction to stop. All wheels spinning doesn’t do this.

Get snow tires, get chains, don’t drive like a jackass, and good luck going down steep winding hills.

 

This was the best advice so far,,Take it slow and learn what 4wd can do and cant do. I live in upstate NY and we have hard winters here, generally if I can see blacktop through the snow I'm in 2wd.

 

Whats your take on it Senior Chief?

 

Since your new to it, if the road is white engage 4wd, if its not 2wd. All the other suggestions of going slow should be followed and when driving in snow and ice do everything in slow motion, turning, braking, accelerating etc.

 

I leave my truck in 4wd practically all winter. Been doing this for years. No problems.

 

^^^ Exactly. Use 2wd until you feel your truck slip or see other vehicles slipping or getting stuck, then engage the 4wd. Remember that you’ll feel better traction in 4wd but your brakes will be the same so leave more room. Turn 4wd off when the roads look dry.
Also, be careful using 2wd (or 4wd really) and cruise control on potentially slippery roads; stuff can go sideways when the transmission kicks down a gear or two.

 

Use 4X4 only as needed. There are times where you may need it for long periods of time if the ground is completely covered. But if snow is patchy with sections of pavement it only takes a second to turn the dial on the dash. 4X4 isn't AWD. Even in snow there are situations where 4X4 is more of a handicap than a help. If road conditions are good enough for you to drive over 25-30 mph 4X4 is more handicap than help.

Be especially careful with a locking rear diff. In rare cases it can help get you moving if you are in a situation where one wheel is on ice, and the other wheel on the rear axle has traction. But once underway turn it off. It is a good way to end up in a ditch.

 

The situations I find myself wanting to use 4x4 in the snow usually consist of less than four inches of snow that provides no traction. The theory in these situations are I don't want to lose traction, but I don't foresee a situation where I would get stuck, only lose traction. How and when do you 4WD in those situations.

What if you find yourself in those same weather conditions with 4WD engaged but are in a small space and have to turn the wheel in both directions to full lock to maneuver the truck. You are barely moving, and binding. What's the protocol for 4X4 in that situation?

 

2h if you have it, chains, snow tires, and some luck.
Driving in snow is not rock crawling and the hardest part is not ice skating in 3000lb vehicle.
That’s assuming it’s not just powder but hard packed snow with the assumption of ice under neath or it being cold enough that the tires will pack the powder and make ice.

 

Like several others have said...4wd will keep you moving, but it doesn’t help you stop. Slow and steady wins the winter weather race. Unless you have studs or chains in/on your tires, it doesn’t make much difference on ice.

Having 4wd has saved my arse many many times over the years, and has gotten me home when those without it couldn’t. It’s also gotten me in trouble because of over-confidence.

You can use it without fear of damage anytime the wheels are on a slippery surface. It really is a good idea to find a parking lot that’s covered and just go play with it. Just be careful and use common sense.

 

This is my general decision making for when to use 4x4 as well. Excellent point about the cruise control as well.

 

Ok, i’m from Alaska so i feel like i’ve got the most experience with this —- 4x4 /absolutely/ helps with snow & /ice/ - helps you get going, as it /adds/ traction, helps keep you going straight on the black ice highway rather than the tail end kicking out and sending you into a 70mph drift — and actually, in a very primitive way, acts as a sort of mechanical abs.

All wheels spinning won’t necessarily get you going—- but sometimes it absolutely will - and 4 wheels spinning is far better than 2 - more likely one can find grip. And i assure you 4x4 is far safer than 2wd up there, especially on the highway. Far more likely to be able to crawl out of the ditch if you went a bit too far too

Physics is still a thing though, we can agree on that. It’s going to be difficult to stop on slick ice - a good set of tires is your best bet, though i found the stock kevlars to perform commendably last spring — was having difficulty getting it to break loose actually.

The general rule of thumb is to do one thing at a time - brake, accelerate, corner - and do everything gently

Insofar as when to use the 4x4 - if it’s slick! You’ll feel it bind up if it’s too dry to be using it - especially tight parking lot maneuvers. Wish these had auto-4x4 like the chevy twins, very nice in inclement weather.

 

Da fuq? In Michigan, even when "plowed", our roads have at least an inch of sloppy crap on them and with most days the snow accumulating behind the damned plow trucks. My road is a 5th priority road, so it *never* gets plowed. Add to it the end of the road where it meets the primary - that's a right bitch to get through. Even with a lifted 4x4 and KO2 I have had to get out and shovel the street so it's less than bumper height. What to do when you get to work and a sudden lake effect storm dumps a foot on us? Stay at the office until the city gets around to plowing it all? Oh hell no. You go drive home. It's what those of us who live in the snowy areas call "normal". When we got our asses handed to us in February the roads were actually emptyish, but we got almost 3 feet of crap dumped in a single day. Nobody goes out in that. Well, except those who have to drive in to drive the snow plows. And the utility workers repairing downed lines. And doctors. And nurses. And law enforcement. And firefighters. And EMS. Gosh, it's almost like a whole shit load of people have zero options about driving in the snow, and a good reliable 4x4 like the Tacoma is an asset. Learning how to properly and safely drive it in the snow is a great thing to be asking here. So bully for you that you get to stay home and pretend the roads are not bad, but the rest of us are calling it "a day" and driving in. Sometimes very, very slowly in 4HI with yellow fogs a-blazing to cut through the drift, and oftentimes getting out of our nice warm trucks to help the hapless fool from California who thought it was fine since he saw others on the road. Clear the roads quickly, my ass. It snows, they clear it, it stays snowing, they clear it, the cars compact it to ice, it warms enough for melt to work and it turns to three inches of slush that's worse than snow, it freezes into ruts, they plow, it get's polished to a nice sheen, it snows, and through it all you play a game we all like to call "where the fuck is the yellow lane divider?" and turn two lane roads into one lane roads for a while.

 

I saw a video a guy made of his truck in 2WD ABS on, ABS off on showy road comparing stop distance. He then repeated in 4HI ABS on and ABS off. 4HI ABS off was shorter distance than 2WD ABS on. With the 4HI ABS on it was a lot less distance. You & I both leverage it all the time when driving in snow - that 4HI drag slows you down a few feet quicker. That said, we are also not brainless twits and we slow it down in the snow and ice, increase follow distances, and on a rare occasion in a parking lot throw it in 2WD trac off and do some donuts

 

^ hahaha i feel this in my soul. To be fair to that guy though, his tag implies he’s from Arizona. Rare for it to snow there, and it causes and absolute panic when it does - in Phoenix anyway

 

Hey most of this was doable in 2wd

 

Three words is all you need - Don't be stupid!