I bought a used 2002 2wd down south and now live in NJ where there will be some snow this year. I've read a lot of your discussions about how this truck will perform, yet I still am not sure. I also looked and found that I have a TRAC OFF button (lower left dash) which I keep ON but have slipped cornering in the rain and an alarm sounds. Will I need 4WD in a suburban area w/ very few inclines in the snow? I have big Bridgestone tires which should help but as you can tell, I am not a 4Runner expert...yet.
2002 SR5 2WD in the snow?
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Thai
Elite Member
Your '02 4runner has VSC (stability control). TRAC is traction control over your rear axle.
When you corner and slip, it is VSC that is alarming and controlling your spin. TRAC mostly works when you accelerate in a straight line.
The reason why your have TRAC OFF button is because in some situation, you want to spin your tires to get out (aka waking up in morning and finding your 4runner burried in snow). TRAC brakes the spinning wheel...so, in these rare situations, you won't have enough wheel spin to get out.
It's too late for you to decide if your 4runner is adequate in your new location. With VSC, your 4runner should be fine. Remember, there are plenty of 2wd cars in your state and they don't all jump into a ditch at the first sign of snow.
Just drive sensibly and your 4runner should be fine in all weather conditions.
When you corner and slip, it is VSC that is alarming and controlling your spin. TRAC mostly works when you accelerate in a straight line.
The reason why your have TRAC OFF button is because in some situation, you want to spin your tires to get out (aka waking up in morning and finding your 4runner burried in snow). TRAC brakes the spinning wheel...so, in these rare situations, you won't have enough wheel spin to get out.
It's too late for you to decide if your 4runner is adequate in your new location. With VSC, your 4runner should be fine. Remember, there are plenty of 2wd cars in your state and they don't all jump into a ditch at the first sign of snow.
Just drive sensibly and your 4runner should be fine in all weather conditions.
Thai
Elite Member
Here is an article on VSC
Vehicle Stability Control Systems
by Jim Kerr
First, there was anti-lock braking. Then came traction control systems. Stability control is the third step in electronic systems that help us control our vehicles. Almost all automobile manufacturers offer a stability control system on select models. Most of them are on cars, although trucks are quickly adding stability control to the option list.
While all systems are similar in concept, one system has important market significance. AdvanceTrac, the stability control option on the 2001 Ford Focus is the first system offered on an economy car, and it brings vehicle stability controls within the financial grasp of the majority of the buying public. AdvanceTrac is available on two of the Focus models, the economical and sporty ZX3 three-door, and the top of the line ZTS four-door sedan.
AdvanceTrac came from Ford's involvement with Formula One racing. Although active vehicle controls like AdvanceTrac are no longer used in F1 racing, their benefits are very real in everyday driving. Ford first offered AdvanceTrac in the Lincoln LS. This system, on the Focus, brings a new level of safety to small cars.
Stability control systems are especially beneficial on wet, snowy, or icy conditions, although they do offer handling benefits during emergency maneuvers on dry pavement. The design intent of stability control is to keep the vehicle going in the direction the driver is steering the car. To do this, the brakes are applied on one wheel to help steer the car in the correct direction. For example, if poor traction causes the front end of the car to slip sideways when you are going around a corner, the computer will apply the wheel brake on the inside of the corner causing the car to turn and slow down. If the back end of the car slips sideways, the brake on the outside of the corner is applied to bring the car back into line. The system works when the car starts to slide on a straight road the same as it does when turning corners.
Not all stability control systems feel the same. The difference is mainly in the computer programming. I find systems on Mercedes and Lexus cars react aggressively by reducing engine power and vehicle speed at the first instance of vehicle instability. Their emphasis is on always keeping the car in total control. Other systems, such as the Subaru Outback Vehicle Dynamic Control system, allow the vehicle to move around a bit for a more sporty feel, but as soon as the movement is too much, control is smoothly engaged. The Subaru system operation is my personal favourite. Most systems, including AdvanceTrac, fall somewhere between these two. Control is smooth and seamless.
Several inputs are required for stability control operation. The wheel speed sensors for the anti-lock brakes are used to detect wheel spin. A steering wheel position sensor is used to determine where the driver is wishing the car to go. A yaw rate sensor measures the speed at which the car is rotating around its centre, while a lateral acceleration sensor measures sideways force on the car. The AdvanceTrac computer monitors these sensors 150 times per second and can react within milliseconds to briefly apply individual brakes, retard ignition timing, and cut back on fuel delivery to keep the vehicle under control.
Stability control systems are a fantastic safety system. According to Johnny Unser, race car driver and performance driving consultant, "the yaw control is phenomenal in avoiding an accident by keeping the car pointing in the right direction, instead of getting out of control."
There is one caution about stability control. It can't overcome the laws of physics. Trying to corner at excessive speeds or driving beyond the limits of tire traction can cause the car to lose control. The stability system will help, but there is only so much it can do.
I have enjoyed driving many cars in the $35,000 and up price range that were equipped with stability control. The systems work even better than they sound. Now that stability control is available on a Ford Focus at under $22,000, I look forward to the safety benefits on even more cars.
Vehicle Stability Control Systems
by Jim Kerr
First, there was anti-lock braking. Then came traction control systems. Stability control is the third step in electronic systems that help us control our vehicles. Almost all automobile manufacturers offer a stability control system on select models. Most of them are on cars, although trucks are quickly adding stability control to the option list.
While all systems are similar in concept, one system has important market significance. AdvanceTrac, the stability control option on the 2001 Ford Focus is the first system offered on an economy car, and it brings vehicle stability controls within the financial grasp of the majority of the buying public. AdvanceTrac is available on two of the Focus models, the economical and sporty ZX3 three-door, and the top of the line ZTS four-door sedan.
AdvanceTrac came from Ford's involvement with Formula One racing. Although active vehicle controls like AdvanceTrac are no longer used in F1 racing, their benefits are very real in everyday driving. Ford first offered AdvanceTrac in the Lincoln LS. This system, on the Focus, brings a new level of safety to small cars.
Stability control systems are especially beneficial on wet, snowy, or icy conditions, although they do offer handling benefits during emergency maneuvers on dry pavement. The design intent of stability control is to keep the vehicle going in the direction the driver is steering the car. To do this, the brakes are applied on one wheel to help steer the car in the correct direction. For example, if poor traction causes the front end of the car to slip sideways when you are going around a corner, the computer will apply the wheel brake on the inside of the corner causing the car to turn and slow down. If the back end of the car slips sideways, the brake on the outside of the corner is applied to bring the car back into line. The system works when the car starts to slide on a straight road the same as it does when turning corners.
Not all stability control systems feel the same. The difference is mainly in the computer programming. I find systems on Mercedes and Lexus cars react aggressively by reducing engine power and vehicle speed at the first instance of vehicle instability. Their emphasis is on always keeping the car in total control. Other systems, such as the Subaru Outback Vehicle Dynamic Control system, allow the vehicle to move around a bit for a more sporty feel, but as soon as the movement is too much, control is smoothly engaged. The Subaru system operation is my personal favourite. Most systems, including AdvanceTrac, fall somewhere between these two. Control is smooth and seamless.
Several inputs are required for stability control operation. The wheel speed sensors for the anti-lock brakes are used to detect wheel spin. A steering wheel position sensor is used to determine where the driver is wishing the car to go. A yaw rate sensor measures the speed at which the car is rotating around its centre, while a lateral acceleration sensor measures sideways force on the car. The AdvanceTrac computer monitors these sensors 150 times per second and can react within milliseconds to briefly apply individual brakes, retard ignition timing, and cut back on fuel delivery to keep the vehicle under control.
Stability control systems are a fantastic safety system. According to Johnny Unser, race car driver and performance driving consultant, "the yaw control is phenomenal in avoiding an accident by keeping the car pointing in the right direction, instead of getting out of control."
There is one caution about stability control. It can't overcome the laws of physics. Trying to corner at excessive speeds or driving beyond the limits of tire traction can cause the car to lose control. The stability system will help, but there is only so much it can do.
I have enjoyed driving many cars in the $35,000 and up price range that were equipped with stability control. The systems work even better than they sound. Now that stability control is available on a Ford Focus at under $22,000, I look forward to the safety benefits on even more cars.
Tires!
Tires are (if you will) your first line of defense between you and the road (conditions).
I've heard that a 2wd vehicle with a good set of snow tires will out drive a 4wd vehicle with run-of-the-mill all season tires...in the snow.
Don't get me wrong...ATRAC/VSC/ABS all help. But even with all that, I know of one 4th gen 4runner that got stuck in the snow, while 'lesser' vehicle made it just fine...it all came down to tires.
Do you need dedicated snow tires...no sure, but you can get all-seaon/all-terrain tires that have very good (at least rated to be so) snow traction. These tires have the 'mountain-snowflake' symbol on them as they have been rated by the RMA.
See this link...
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?threadid=21210
good luck.
Tires are (if you will) your first line of defense between you and the road (conditions).
I've heard that a 2wd vehicle with a good set of snow tires will out drive a 4wd vehicle with run-of-the-mill all season tires...in the snow.
Don't get me wrong...ATRAC/VSC/ABS all help. But even with all that, I know of one 4th gen 4runner that got stuck in the snow, while 'lesser' vehicle made it just fine...it all came down to tires.
Do you need dedicated snow tires...no sure, but you can get all-seaon/all-terrain tires that have very good (at least rated to be so) snow traction. These tires have the 'mountain-snowflake' symbol on them as they have been rated by the RMA.
See this link...
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?threadid=21210
good luck.
Tires
Thanks guys!
I went and got the specs on my tires...
Can someone tell me if these are good? for snow/light off road I mean.
Firestone Wilderness LE
TPC SPEC 1155
P265/70R16 III M/S
Treadwear 480
Traction A
Temp B
That was everything on my tire. They were new about 10,000miles ago.
Thanks guys!
I went and got the specs on my tires...
Can someone tell me if these are good? for snow/light off road I mean.
Firestone Wilderness LE
TPC SPEC 1155
P265/70R16 III M/S
Treadwear 480
Traction A
Temp B
That was everything on my tire. They were new about 10,000miles ago.
Please take any 'rating' you see with a grain of salt...everybody's situation is a little different...
But from tirerack.com...your firestones appear to be about 'average' I would say...maybe a tick above the stock dunlops that come on 4th gen Sport models.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Firestone&tireModel=Wilderness+LE
But compare that to some like this (not pushing any particular brand...just using as an example...):
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Goodyear&tireModel=Fortera+TripleTred
But from tirerack.com...your firestones appear to be about 'average' I would say...maybe a tick above the stock dunlops that come on 4th gen Sport models.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Firestone&tireModel=Wilderness+LE
But compare that to some like this (not pushing any particular brand...just using as an example...):
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Goodyear&tireModel=Fortera+TripleTred
Or...a dedicated snow tire...
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Blizzak+REVO+1
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Bridgestone&tireModel=Blizzak+REVO+1
