Winter Slop and Slip OTT Question

I have gone through the OTT tune threads and I may have missed it, but TW is like reading the Yellow Pages sometimes to find what you want.

I went from a 2010 6SPD MT to a 2023 TRD OF with an AT. I am one of the people who would love to strike gear hunting off my truck want list. It's not so much a gas mileage or warranty thing, my OME lift and bumper have already dropped me off gas mileage thread and I know my Taco will last forever.

My question is to all and anyone that lives in areas that gets snow/ice/sleet and what ever else that will put you in a ditch while commute driving.

I live in SW Montana and with the stock shift. I have found that while driving up a grade or when a shift happens with mid-3/4 pedal down power in the snow, the back end likes to get loose.

I was wondering if anyone who drives in snow and has the OTT tune, how does that affect drive controllability? I would think it would get even looser and more incontrollable/uncontrolable?.
But I grew up working on cars and loved adding shift kits on AT's. I really want to add the tune, but during this winter it is a serious concern of mine.

This morning we got about 6" of slippery slop and, yes I drive in 4wd when things are bad before it gets brought up, that's why I have a 4wd, MT's, and 200lbs of sand bags in the bed.

Anyone have input/advice on sloppy, icy, snowy conditions and their experience on the OTT.

Sorry for the long question. I will buy you a beer.

 

Most tunes make the truck more predictable. Push the pedal more = more power. Less pedal, less power. It will all come down to your throttle control. I'd rather have a tune than not. Have driven many Tacomas, and the tuned ones drive SO much better.

 

I know I will catch hell, but. I really dislike the shift on the Tacoma. Lack of response, Lack of power when you want it, and I know Toyota had to find the happy middle ground. But I fall in to the "the throttle response and shift blows monkey balls" and I have researched enough to believe the OTT is the way to go. Just want to see how people who live in the snow find.

And the more throttle/Less throttle is what I want, just want more data

 

ECT button. Is your friend.

I've got KDMax 9.0 on my auto, and the biggest thing is shift predictability. I can feel when it's going to shift accurately every time. That and having good tires.

 

KDMax 10 is smooth on the throttle response. But no matter what tune you have, a truck with nothing in the back end can slip even in 4WD going uphill. Also make sure you have really good tires. I rarely slip going up skiing in slushy roads. Toyo AT tires.

 

I'm in Indiana and we haven't had much snow. But the little we have I think the tune did well. As mentioned, the shifting is predictable and smooth (with my 5.29's). The only thing I don't like about the OT Tune is the handling of 1st to 2nd gear. With my gearing, once I get rolling it should shift immediately into 2nd but it doesn't.. and if I'm rolling in first and return to the throttle it's jerky. I've been told there is a recent fix to this, but the guy that tunes my truck hasn't really given me a straight answer on it. In any case, if I'm super easy on the throttle I don't get an initial spin on the ice/snow. But, I have spun when I'm not easy on it, but only from 1st to 2nd. It's much easier to control beyond that. To me, snow or not, the tune is way worth it. No more gear hunting, thank goodness. Also, if you buy the OT Tune, they've got (I think) 4 different tunes from least aggressive to most. I'm on the 2nd level aggressive tune and in ECT mode it bumps it to the 3rd level. Worst comes to worst you can always have the stock tune put back on or change to a different one at no cost once you've bought the initial tune.

 

I live in snow country and I’m getting the OTT tune next time the tune tech is in my area. I use 4Hi as needed in slick conditions. I’ll just relearn how to deal with slick roads as I expect the OTT will make it feel like a new truck.

 

If you're set on OTT the lite throttle setting might be what you're looking for. I had Lite and Mild for a while and the mild took a lot of thought to control when getting started from rest, especially on an incline. I have since switched to KDMaxx and the normal throttle did great during the last snow storm in northern Nevada. No crazy power but nice and smooth acceleration from rest

 

The only time you’ll notice the response too much is in the 5-10 MPH area. If you’re creeping in traffic, it will lurch on you unexpectedly until you get the hang of it. This is with the OTT tune. It’s the initial pedal hit at slow speeds that can be jumpy. I got mine in the summer so I could get used to it before the sketchy roads in winter. Also, I did different tune strengths to get my sweet spot. Talk to your tuner about it. And yes yes yes- good tires

 

I live in Alberta Canada and have the OTT mild/medium tune. I never feel like the rear gets squirrely under throttle with a gear change. I also never have any extra weight in the box.
Only during a fresh snow fall before the plows clear the roads or when it's icy do I throw it 4hi.

 

North/Central Indiana here……I’ve had no issues with the rear walking on shifts. Well, I actually have, but was specifically working for it.

The OTT tune was one of the 1st things I did to the Tacoma…..so worth it

 

I KNOW! And I get better results searching TW via Google than I do through searching via the TW search feature.



But still it is a voluminous amount of data.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/overland-torque-tune-ott-by-overland-tailor.759590/page-51

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/ott-tune.804152/

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/latest-kd-max-tune-vs-latest-ott-tune.809639/page-4

 

It's a mid size truck with no junk in the trunk...of course it's going to get squirrely for a split second if it shifts while going up hill, in slippery stuff. It's a matter of physics, not tuning. When it's icy/slushy Drive in S mode up the hill so it won't upshift unless you allow it.

 

I had the OTT tune on mine. Live in the U.P. lot of snow/ice/slop here. Best thing I did to truck was tune. No drivablity change in dry to slop conditions with tune. Did lite/medium tune. You mentioned you have MT tires this is where your problem lies. They (MT's tires) are are horrible, no good in snow/wet conditions. Little to no sipping. Get yourself all terrain tires with sipping.

 

Im set on Normal and Sport+(ECT) and I whole heartedly agree with your findings on Normal(non WOT driving). I found out from playing like crazy that S+ engages ALSD very VERY well and does a much better job at it than the OEM tune.

Good stuff

 

Why not ask this in the tuning forum? Ski

 

Oh no .... Only the bravest lions go there.....

 

I have the OTT tune, and the same truck as you. We just got 10" of the same type of conditions you are describing last week. I find that I like to take it up another notch, and drive with the ECT Power button on, so that the OTT tune is in "Medium" (I chose Mild/Medium for the settings). This wimpy truck needs all the help it can get when there is 10" of sloppy snow and crap on the roads, and having the throttle response be more sensitive and responsive seems to help a little. Tires make a huge difference too, so if you are running MT's, you might want to consider switching to something that is Severe weather rated. (Three-Peak Mountain snowflake)

 

I know the question was about the OTT and winter driving conditions but what about tire chains? Even though I live in Phoenix and snow here, enough to make it difficult to drive, would require a cataclysmic event (Nuclear Winter anyone?), but I still have chains in the shed. Never used them, but I got'em.

 

What levels of OTT do you have.

I'm leaning toward Medium/Spicy, just because More is better... right? lol