4runner Did Amazing in 20" of snow

[eskimochaos]

Got the first storm of the season and was able to test out the new KO's in the snow. We got around 8" where I live but went to visit my grandparents where they got 20+" The car was actually unstoppable with the center diff locked.

I parked in a parking spot with 3ft snow drifts and pulled in and out w/o issue with the center diff locked. I noted that even though the car did awesome in 4hi w/o the center locked, I could literally drive through anything with it locked. I think that in the snow, the VSC system is just too touchy.

Im going to drive around tomorrow for fun and hopefully take some pics. It was a blast and the new meats performed incredibly. I dunno if the Dunlops could have gotten me where I found myself today; however, I dont have a baseline to go off of.

 

[HotSauceT4r]

First snowfall with my '06 T4R. I got about 23" of snow where I live, and street was still untouched by the plow around 2pm, so I thought Id go for a spin after the driveway was cleared. I was backed into the driveway, so I put it in 4lo and locked the diff, and went forward got 5 feet off my driveway attempted to go left onto the street and got stuck. I dug out the wheels and backed up. I figured it was because I had to make a decent left turn with all the snow to get on the. But after the first incident I opened a lane to the street. So I figured I would try again, this time I got out onto the street went about 35 yards, in 23" of snow, was going well, almost got off my block to the main road and got stuck again. This time it was bad, it took a lot of digging and finally a push from two neighbors to be able to get free, then I backed up in my initial path and parked on my driveway. I was a little disappointed with the performance. Although I did make it a good distance in ALOT of snow, I was kind of bummed I got stuck so bad. My ride is stock in terms of lifts/wheels/ etc, but I thought it was going to do so much better with the 4lo and the diff locked. I hope I didnt ruin anything on the ride underneath being suck in the snow and trying to wiggle around etc. My anti-slip lights kept going on and what ever it engages kept making a noise, I was getting nervous.

 

[eskimochaos]

First snowfall with my '06 T4R. I got about 23" of snow where I live, and street was still untouched by the plow around 2pm, so I thought Id go for a spin after the driveway was cleared. I was backed into the driveway, so I put it in 4lo and locked the diff, and went forward got 5 feet off my driveway attempted to go left onto the street and got stuck. I dug out the wheels and backed up. I figured it was because I had to make a decent left turn with all the snow to get on the. But after the first incident I opened a lane to the street. So I figured I would try again, this time I got out onto the street went about 35 yards, in 23" of snow, was going well, almost got off my block to the main road and got stuck again. This time it was bad, it took a lot of digging and finally a push from two neighbors to be able to get free, then I backed up in my initial path and parked on my driveway. I was a little disappointed with the performance. Although I did make it a good distance in ALOT of snow, I was kind of bummed I got stuck so bad. My ride is stock in terms of lifts/wheels/ etc, but I thought it was going to do so much better with the 4lo and the diff locked. I hope I didnt ruin anything on the ride underneath being suck in the snow and trying to wiggle around etc. My anti-slip lights kept going on and what ever it engages kept making a noise, I was getting nervous.

Trust me you didnt ruin anything. You cant really ruin anything in a situation where there is little to no traction - spinning wheels and beeps/lights wont don anything and dont mean anything bad is happening - they are more to alert you as to whats going on. Were you afraid to give it gas?

Are you sure the CDL successfully locked and you were actually in 4lo?

 

[offshorebear]

I drove a few hundred miles through the storm. 4Runner was great, but that VSC SUCKS. It cuts power too quickly and for way too long. I will be installing a bypass.

 

[eskimochaos]

I drove a few hundred miles through the storm. 4Runner was great, but that VSC SUCKS. It cuts power too quickly and for way too long. I will be installing a bypass.

Yea it really does. I was in some places where I simply didnt have the traction to push the snow out of the way - pressing the gas literally did nothing. Reversed, locked the center, approached again at the same speed, pressed the gas and just plowed through without issue.

 

[4runr30]

Yea it really does. I was in some places where I simply didnt have the traction to push the snow out of the way - pressing the gas literally did nothing. Reversed, locked the center, approached again at the same speed, pressed the gas and just plowed through without issue.

We only got 4-5 inches out of this storm, but it was enough to engage the 4wd on the covered roads. I absolutely hate the VSC!!!

 

[eskimochaos]

We only got 4-5 inches out of this storm, but it was enough to engage the 4wd on the covered roads. I absolutely hate the VSC!!!

It should be variable. There should be a snow setting that re****s its engagement and perhaps only engages it when the yaw sensor senses fish tail etc.

It is however an amazing system. I purposely turned very quickly in a gravel parking lot while accelerating. The back started to tail and the system kicked in - the car pointed itself where the wheel was and literally felt like it was on rails.

I cant tell you how many times it has gotten me into my driveway straight and true after trying to Tokyo drift into it. After it kicks in, the car, as said before feels absolutely glued to the ground.

What the hell, I cant say re4ard?

 

[blaniac22]

What the hell, I cant say re4ard?

:shrug:Just spell it the way they say it down south - retireds!

 

[bste3]

I'm disappointed, here in Ohio we've only seen some dust. I love the snow. I just got my 4runner in October, put on some Destination A/Ts, and installed the VSC kill switch. I want to try this stuff out, but I haven't even been in 4x4 yet other than to test it out!

On the getting stuck topic, that has to be the tires or maybe it never engaged... We got a 24" storm two Marches ago. I could take my AWD sedan through it. Granted the only unplowed 24" stuff I drove through was down the alley to the street then to the main/plowed roads but I was fine pushing through it in a LOW sedan (Volvo S60R), but I did have snow tires.

 

[HotSauceT4r]

Yea it really does. I was in some places where I simply didnt have the traction to push the snow out of the way - pressing the gas literally did nothing. Reversed, locked the center, approached again at the same speed, pressed the gas and just plowed through without issue.

Yea, it was in 4lo and the diff lock was on and VSC indicator light said off. I couldn't get traction to reverse it and try to forge forward. After I did get it free, I just backed up to the driveway for fear of getting stuck again. It was fun while I was moving, but getting stuck sucked.

 

[Mtn.Rush]

I have an 08 and even with that VSC button pushed, center locked and in low gear if you start spinning the tires that VSC still kicks in and all the beeps, clicks and clacks begin playing.....very annoying.

 

[eskimochaos]

I have an 08 and even with that VSC button pushed, center locked and in low gear if you start spinning the tires that VSC still kicks in and all the beeps, clicks and clacks begin playing.....very annoying.

Thats ATRAC

 

[Mtn.Rush]

Thats ATRAC

That sucks! Works well enough just dont like the sound of the ABS going nuts stopping the wheel with the less traction. Couldnt get her stuck today though....almost but she got out.

 

[smackitsakic]

I hear you all! VSC is certainly annoying.

Up in Saskatchewan we've got about 6 inches of snow in the last month, which is a good amount for going out into some empty parking lots/offroading.

I went out with a buddy who has a 2000 Nissan Pathfinder and followed him in my 07 T4R. It is a bit of a neusance having to stop and, as I like to say, 'turn off the technology' (shift into 4HI, shift to neutral, lock the diff, and back into 'Drive'), but is fun once everything is engaged and ready. I have to admit that I was envious of his ease in shifting to 4HI and not having to worry about any diff. locking or VSC dis-engaging.

Anyway, with the diff. locked we had a good time rolling through the snow-covered fields. My T4R did a fairly solid job for being entirely stock with tires that are 10,000 miles away from needing a replacement.

The VSC in the city works extremely well. I would say that it is much too sensitive in snow and ice, but my wife loves loves loves it. I often share my frustration in not being able to disengage the VSC, to which she responds 'why would you ever want to do that? it's safe!' Valid point I supposed, but boys just want to have fun! I have taken our T4R into some parking lots at various times to show friends how effective the VSC is and how nearly impossible it is to fishtail the truck with the VSC technology.

One question I have...when off-roading in the snow covered field, which was completely flat, we were having some fun doing doughnuts and fish-tails at 30km/h+. My question - when doing some of these maneuvers and having the diff. locked, there was a bit of a grinding sound when the vehicle was coming out of its fish-tail and straightening out.

I believe that this is just the tires rotating, even though there wasn't great traction...can any damage be caused by doing this? I know I asked on here a while ago if there is any danger in off-roading with the diff. locked, but if anyone can elaborate on limitations and things to be cautious of when off-roading with the diff. locked, that would be great!

We've had out T4R for around 3 months now. It is a V6 with just over 40,000 miles. To date we have been fairly satisfied with it. Lots of neat little perks, and a few annoying components, but on the grand scale we are very happy with our purchase when comparing it to some of the other SUV's that we test drove. I already talk about our next T4R and how excited I am for another one, with a few more bells and whistles, but we'll see how ours stands the test of time (HA! I'm sure it will do that without so much as a whimper).

 

[charlier180]

Here in Eastern Pennsylvania we got 8-10 inches of snow.
The plows were not out until early Sunday morning which meant there was plenty of fun Saturday afternoon and evening.
I climbed some pretty steep, snow covered hills on my travels with EASE. No tire slippage going up or down these hills.
Had to wait a few times for other vehicles that were trying to climb these hills to give up and get out of the way.
Was tailed gated by a moron in a Ford F150 sporting 2WD and all season tires who was in a BIG hurry to get into his next accident.

If the weather forecasters are right about this year, I get the feeling that this weekend is just the start of more fun times to come.

 

[JB.]

It is a bit of a neusance having to stop and, as I like to say, 'turn off the technology' (shift into 4HI, shift to neutral, lock the diff, and back into 'Drive').....

Good news. You don't have to stop or go to neutral to do either of those. Only for going to low range.

 

[JB.]

First snowfall with my '06 T4R. I got about 23" of snow....stuck....I was a little disappointed with the performance.

The condition of the snow makes a huge difference. Wet, heavy snow, and you can get stuck in not much more than half that much.

 

[Will_4R]

:worthless

 

[Prime]

...who was in a BIG hurry to get into his next accident.

That made me laugh. Out loud.

 

[Nuke]

Get rid of the stock Dunlop GrandCrap AT20's if you have them but want to have as much assurance of getting out of a bad situation. I keep going back and forth and I know I'll regret keeping them. When I bought the truck, these tires were ranked #65 out of 67 tires in their class. Pitiful... All my other 4R's had Michelin LTX's, Bridgestone REVO's or Firestone Destination AT's.