First winter storm test in 4WD

[crunchcity]

Finally got a proper winter storm in WNY to engage the part time 4WD and put the truck through the paces.

Very similar to my '03 Tacoma, which is great. :cheers:

After my Tacoma I had gone crossover for awhile, first a V6 RAV4 and then a Highlander.

The RAV4 did well in snow, never had a chance to test out the Highlander (no snow last year) but I assumed it would be good since the AWD was engaged all the time and had a center differential.

I missed the old school throwing the lever Tacoma days, I realize most people don't want to think about it these days but I enjoyed it stock tires and all it got me through.

 

[jemel]

Mine is also a very similar story. I also came from a RAV4 V6 and it did well enough though it had some difficulty with the massive amounts of ice we had in CT in the 2010-2011 season.

My Runner had a tiny amount of slippage when I took off from a light so I put her into 4Hi and she didn't slip at all after, all the way home, including some steep grade hills I have to go up. I felt bad for the poor people stuck on that hill as I went up as if it was dry pavement. After seeing some of those clips of well-meaning people trying to pull someone out of the snow only to rip the entire stuck car's rear end apart, I decided not to chance it :nono:

Anyway, very impressed by the truck and I'm loving it more and more every day!

 

[pobando]

Finally got a proper winter storm in WNY to engage the part time 4WD and put the truck through the paces.

:worthless:

 

[Reino]

Do you guys have snows or all-seasons? I just put snows on through two storms and I am amazed at how much it grips in 2H. I've only needed 4H once or twice for very short distance.

 

[reds10]

The traction control really is impressive in the 4r and helps control sliding and spinning in 2wd and 4wd hi. I was quickly pleased as i intentionally tried to lose control in an open lot and all the gadgets did their job to make sure i stayed planted on the ground with traction as well as possible.

I was very impressed getting my first taste of 8" of snow and ice this week. It did wonderful.

4lo exceeded my expectations by a mile, but i wish it would have went a little faster than 20mph (~2,000 rpm). Does it only shift up to 4th gear in 4lo? Either way, the stock tires did better than I expected (although i did air down and add some wait to the rear).

 

[crunchcity]

:worthless:

The roads are clear now but the snow was flying and the roads weren't clear when I was driving in it...

 

[Greg_Canada]

4lo exceeded my expectations by a mile, but i wish it would have went a little faster than 20mph (~2,000 rpm). Does it only shift up to 4th gear in 4lo? Either way, the stock tires did better than I expected (although i did air down and add some wait to the rear).

You should only USE 4 Low when you need it... like pulling someone out of a ditch or offroading.

 

[Biggcrisp]

Mine is also a very similar story. I also came from a RAV4 V6 and it did well enough though it had some difficulty with the massive amounts of ice we had in CT in the 2010-2011 season.



Anyway, very impressed by the truck and I'm loving it more and more every day!

Similar story as well: RAV4 (destroyed by hit & run before it's first winter) FJ (wife hated the back doors) Highlander sport (no fun in snow:roadkill

 

[BobsTrail]

Snow

Living is Southern Cal I don't have much chance to drive in the snow and these posts are driving me crazy. I want to try my TE in some snow, I guess I'm envious of your snow. Maybe I would get over it after living it it for a few months, but now I feel like I'm missing out.

 

[DannyLlama]

Living is Southern Cal I don't have much chance to drive in the snow and these posts are driving me crazy. I want to try my TE in some snow, I guess I'm envious of your snow. Maybe I would get over it after living it it for a few months, but now I feel like I'm missing out.

Big bear isn't that far.

 

[pobando]

The roads are clear now but the snow was flying and the roads weren't clear when I was driving in it...

Nice shots of your rig in the snow. :trophy: Glad it performed well for you.

 

[jemel]

Do you guys have snows or all-seasons? I just put snows on through two storms and I am amazed at how much it grips in 2H. I've only needed 4H once or twice for very short distance.

My tires are the stock Dunflops. I've been considering upgrading but I feel they are good enough for now, especially after this little snow squall. I'll probably wait until they are run down pretty good then switch over.

 

[white toy taco]

i love throwing my lever into/out of 4WD. i feel like im :driving: a race car or something

 

[Bay33saw]

Living is Southern Cal I don't have much chance to drive in the snow and these posts are driving me crazy. I want to try my TE in some snow, I guess I'm envious of your snow. Maybe I would get over it after living it it for a few months, but now I feel like I'm missing out.

Hello Big Bear.....is maybe an hour or two from you......Sorry Danny I was a bit late to notice your post, great minds think alike

 

[Batang.Gapo]

Finally got a chance to test my winter tire Nokian Hakka SUV R on unplowed snow. One word to describe it "AWESOME".

 

[diverscale]

We have already got lots of snow here, as you can see in those pictures:

The 4Runner has been very good in this kind of climate. The only thing that bothers me is the over-reactive traction control, where the computer sometimes kills the throttle to alleviate spinning the tires. But most of the times, starting is no problem even in deep snow and ice.

Though, when needed, the over-reactive trac can be overriden by using 4LO with A-TRAC.

 

[1engineer]

Just turn VSA off.

 

[diverscale]

Just turn VSA off.

The thing is that when it's off, the truck lose its ability to transfer the torque from the spinning wheel to the wheel that has traction. You end up having full control over the throttle but with 2 wheel spinning and 2 other doing nothing.

Just did some more testing, in 4HI LOCK, you still get the traction control without the throttle management. As you do in 4LO.

 

[Gerdo]

The traction control really is impressive in the 4r

4lo exceeded my expectations by a mile, but i wish it would have went a little faster than 20mph (~2,000 rpm). Does it only shift up to 4th gear in 4lo? Either way, the stock tires did better than I expected (although i did air down and add some wait to the rear).

When the traction control starts making noise, let it because it is doing it's job. Some will let off the gas because they don't like the clattering sounds. All of this is normal.

4Lo does not give you more traction, just more torque. In 12 years of my 4runner, I used 4Lo a few times and that was to pull someone back on the road where I needed the extra torque. (I do use 4Lo all the time when off road)

 

[Jayhawk5G]

Big bear isn't that far.

I was going to say the same thing!