2wd - Open or LSD for winter use

[Canuckrz]

So I own a 97 2wd that I got for a stupidly good deal, but its pretty useless in the winter for stop and starts. I'm running 265/75R16 non studded dura-trac's on it which are fairly predictable on snow, but are near useless for start and stops on icy pavement around intersections where all the snow and sand have been skidded away from traffic. Also getting hung up on a tiny snowbank is also frustrating :caked:

Now, I also own a mk3 supra and have a pile of parts kicking around, including a spare LSD which will apparently drop into the rear of this. I've driven my mk3 in the winter before and the LSD gave me little to no trouble, but a 4runner with meatier a/t tires is a different story.

Does anyone have experience running a 4runner with an LSD in the winter? Is it going to make a good difference even on a/t's; or is it going to be more of a handful than its worth compared to the situations it could get me out of.

 

[KidVermicious]

It'll make a difference, and you'll notice more traction on the ice than you have now. You'll also notice an increased tendency for the back end to come around if you give it too much gas, but if you've driven your mark 3 in the snow you're already familiar with that.

If you'll pardon me saying, I think a good set of studded winter tires will make more difference. Either way, you'll still probably get hung up on the snow bank - there's no substitute for 4wd in the deep stuff.

 

[jasonoflivingston]

From my experience driving 2wd work trucks in the winter, LSD is going to be a big step up. Counter the tail happiness with some weight in the back. 100lbs makes a difference. 200lbs makes a huge difference. Just make sure it is secured so it doesn't come up to meet you during hard stopping or, God forbid, an accident.

 

[nevada]

different tires would make the most difference.
some good stud less snow tires, and that LSD would work very well.

 

[Canuckrz]

I picked up my duratracs from a friend who was upsizing to 285/70R17's on sequoia rims, a few friends and a ton of reviews said that the tires were great in the winter studded or not. They have a ton of meat left (80%+) but since they've been driven on no one will stud them around here.

If I could find someone local to trade me for some 235/85R16 studded AT's I'd jump at it in a heatbeat. I don't have anywhere to store an extra set of rims and tires at the moment unfortunately, or I'd look into picking up a dedicated winter set.

I already have 40kg of extra weight added in the back, bags of salt so they aren't really going anywhere.

Here are the links to the LSD swaps incase others are interested:

supra lsd install
supra lsd install
4x4Wire - Retrofitting A Supra LSD

 

[OTB]

First off, a good set of tires will make all the difference in the world.
A couple years ago, I had crappy tires on my s10 and couldn't get up my driveway in 4wd when it snowed but my neighbor could get up in 2wd with good tires.

Next, sandbags.
A couple hundred pounds of sandbags in the rear makes a huge difference with traction.

BTW, I live in the mountains so my driveway is steep and it happens to be long too.

 

[the great him]

I picked up my duratracs from a friend who was upsizing to 285/70R17's on sequoia rims, a few friends and a ton of reviews said that the tires were great in the winter studded or not. They have a ton of meat left (80%+) but since they've been driven on no one will stud them around here.

If I could find someone local to trade me for some 235/85R16 studded AT's I'd jump at it in a heatbeat. I don't have anywhere to store an extra set of rims and tires at the moment unfortunately, or I'd look into picking up a dedicated winter set.

I already have 40kg of extra weight added in the back, bags of salt so they aren't really going anywhere.

Here are the links to the LSD swaps incase others are interested:

supra lsd install
supra lsd install
4x4Wire - Retrofitting A Supra LSD

do you have to use the facotry 488 gear sets the first two links used those gears, and i know they are hard to find. the third link made no mention of what gear ratio was picked... i would think it would not matter, as to my understanding all factory ring gears for toyota 8" diffs are all the same thickness, -hens the term "thin gear" or "thin ring" when referring to the factory 488 gears from toyota. do you know any more about this?

 

[Kurtis]

It's may be a little more difficult to make turns in the snow with 2wd and an LSD. The rear end will also want to swing out more often. But overall should provide more traction.

 

[Canuckrz]

Well I swapped in the LSD, was pretty simple other than having to fab up a tool to torque the carrier bearings properly, and trim the rear end housing a bit.

Unfortunately the rear end doesn't like to hookup as well as it did in the supra, bigger heavier rims and tires. In hindsight I should have increased the spring pressure or installed a new clutch kit, but I was low on time. Atleast it will help a little bit on takeoff before it breaks free.

No adverse effects noticed on cornering, but it does need alot more breakaway force for it to act like a proper lsd.

 

[res1eott]

Different experience

I have to disagree with the OP's statement about the Duratracs. I have a 2002 Sport Edition, which is 4x4, but I have Duratracs on and I can drive it in all conditions without engaging 4x4. In 4x2, I have found that in fact the Duratracs do work great in Snow and Ice and wet pavement too. Perhaps you have them aired up too much or perhaps you are giving too much throttle off the line or around corners. With mine, in just 4x2, the tires do slip more and the Limited Slip engages if the tires slip, but I have found if I am easier on the throttle and ensure my tires aren't aired up as high as I normally would run them in dry/summer weather, the tires work awesome. They have siping in them that will and does work. I am not dismissing your experiences, just giving an alternate opinion because I am quite happy with the tires...which by the way have gotten put to great use with the winter we have had in Indiana this year. They have ripped through drifts over the axle and kept going like a tank.

 

[Canuckrz]

My issue with them is primarily on ice. Also the siping is only good until about 60-70% treadwear then the sipes are only partial, which two of my tires are getting into the range of. They were at 32PSI during most of my troubles.

Going around corners particularly offramps/onramps with low speed is still enough to break lateral traction with little to no throttle. Stop and starts if any throttle was applied one tire would always instantly break free on ice and usually even hard packed snow.

Also going up hills on the highway on hard packed snow without sufficient momentum and gingerly applied throttle will cause the ass to wiggle and loss of traction/momentum as a result.

Perhaps its a difference of climate. Here the roads can quickly become sheets of ice, not just a small puddle patch here and there. We also sand the roads and do not salt them, the temperatures here often get too cold for the salt to work which also will have a negative effect on the tire compound as its not designed to be used in very low temperatures.