WCVanHorne
New member
That vid is The only thing usefull that came out of this thread
Sure, make fun of me poor 4x4 noob me. :nerd:
In all seriousness thanks for all the anecdotes, info, and support! :hatsoff:
New 5th gen... Big Mistake?
- Thread starter WCVanHorne
- Start date
Sure, make fun of me poor 4x4 noob me. :nerd:
In all seriousness thanks for all the anecdotes, info, and support! :hatsoff:
WCVanHorne
New member
Tried them too. Poor back seat space, only OK ground clearance in deeper snow/ruts, and wanted something a little bigger for towing small trailers.
You would be surprised how hard it is to find a vehicle for 4 tall people + decent cargo that isn't a minivan or full sized SUV. The 4Runner was pretty much the only one that came in under Sequoia class and fit the bill. Particularly once we left minivan consideration for some clearance and towing (the former at least partly not to bottom out the hitch on slope inflection points).
Ideal might have been a lift kit on an AWD Sienna! :biggrin2:
westwind77
New member
How does 4HI help you stop?!?! :moon: Sorry, could not resist.
Based on the OP's comments I would try my best to back of of the deal, be honest with the dealership about why. I'm sure they would let you do it as long as you were willing to buy a LE from them.
1engineer
Moderator
I have read this thread and I don't understand what the point of it is. You apparently have not even bought a 4Runner yet and are crying the blues of something you have not even used. You have two choices:
1. Get out of the deal
2. Drive like you have some sense and learn how to use a part time 4WD system.
It snows a lot where I live, and the part time 4WD is perfect. The lever, or now apparently a switch, is easy to use and believe it or not the 4Runner goes very well in 2WD on snow covered roads with some good tires. The VSA is a very good system and keeps you on track. At 65mph VSA and ABS, not AWD, is going to be the only thing that could save your butt if you start to slide out. Good luck and pay more attention next time you buy a vehicle.
1. Get out of the deal
2. Drive like you have some sense and learn how to use a part time 4WD system.
It snows a lot where I live, and the part time 4WD is perfect. The lever, or now apparently a switch, is easy to use and believe it or not the 4Runner goes very well in 2WD on snow covered roads with some good tires. The VSA is a very good system and keeps you on track. At 65mph VSA and ABS, not AWD, is going to be the only thing that could save your butt if you start to slide out. Good luck and pay more attention next time you buy a vehicle.
homeyclaus
New member
Correct answer.
However, you clearly have not driven in Alberta in the winter.
Full-time 4WD vehicles don't have automatic disconnecting differentials. They don't need them.
It's possible that the Canadian SR5's came with the electric transfer case like the one in the Tacoma, but they certainly are not full-time 4WD.
I have done the Banff run in a 1988 Chevrolet Caprice (an old ex-RCMP one with the 5.7L and the 3.55 rear diff no less) more than a few times from both the Calgary-side and the Vancouver-side, and if you're not an idiot, and not running with bald or summer tires, it'll be just fine.
Hakka's are great, but if you don't need studded, and want to keep the tires on all year the Nokian WR2's are a close second. My dad in Red Deer ran them, and I ran them year around in Vancouver (which wasn't smart. I could stop just fine, the doofus behind us plowed into us doing 80 km/h).
If I may be direct, you're starting to sound like someone who should have bought a Subaru. Just sayin'
rjmckay99
New member
Intruder
New member
Like others have said, if you adjust your driving to the conditions and run winter tires you won't need 4HI often at all. Last winter the only time I used it was when Calgary had that -40 snap and all the heavily used commuter roads were sheets of ice. I did use it on the highway to Cochrane one morning after a heavy snowfall that put a lot of people in the ditch. I kept the speed down to 70 instead of trying to do 100. I watched as one guy pulled out to pass me, started breaking loose, then dropped back behind me again.
The vast majority of people on the roads (even in Alberta) drive either front or rear wheel drive cars and get around just fine in the winter. My old TSX running Michelin X-Ices left plenty of Audis and Subies with all seasons behind at the lights.
The vast majority of people on the roads (even in Alberta) drive either front or rear wheel drive cars and get around just fine in the winter. My old TSX running Michelin X-Ices left plenty of Audis and Subies with all seasons behind at the lights.
453030
New member
Think so?
Reading back I probably came across as somewhat melodramatic and overwrought but I am bit OCD and I'd only had 4h sleep last night after reading though half this forum! :sleepy:
I think I might be reaching the point of acceptance (having gone through anger, denial, etc.) and probably should skip bargaining. If I can start obsessing about new shocks, a stubby antenna, and new tires I probably have it made.:
Probably why I answered as I did. It just seemed given your parameters you might be doing a lot of settling w/ the 4Runner's system.
I much rather encourage you to keep it, learn the system, and really develop the best way to use it for you. Many of us prefer the part time 4WD and old school lever. I got my Trail 2 years ago and can recall one single instance when I used 4WD on the highway to work as a result of wheel slippage. Traffic had stopped to bypass an accident and we were on a slight uphill. When it was my turn to go I was spinning like crazy on black ice; quick pull of that lever and I was off.
Welcome to the T4R club :cheers:
Jono.ful
New member
Edmonton weather
I live in Sherwood Park and regularly drive to Banff, as well as to Vancouver and Kelowna in winter. Part time 4wd is more than sufficient for our weather. In fact, good winter rubber (I'll be wearing nokian Hakkapeliitta 7 suv this winter), and due care and attention should see you through just fine.
I live in Sherwood Park and regularly drive to Banff, as well as to Vancouver and Kelowna in winter. Part time 4wd is more than sufficient for our weather. In fact, good winter rubber (I'll be wearing nokian Hakkapeliitta 7 suv this winter), and due care and attention should see you through just fine.
Gerdo
New member
It does link the 4 wheels so the brakes are less prone to lock up.
I know, you have ABS but a vehicle will stop better if the ABS doesn't come on. ABS can actually increase stopping distances (unless the wheels are locked up and completely sliding).
westwind77
New member
Ummm......:snacker:
It was a 'joke' as 4HI does nothing to help you stop. As for ABS not helping in snow, that is BS as the last vehicle I had only had rear ABS. The minute you touched the brakes in the snow the fronts would lock and slide, the rears would not lock, but it took forever to stop. Once I knew the little one was on the way I dumped it and got the 4R. Same places and the 4R stops in 1/4 the distance my last SUV did with snow on the road. Maybe you should let all the companies know they are wasting their money on ABS as it is pointless, along with VSC and airbags. I'm not saying there is not a 1 in a 1,000,000 situation where a non-abs vehicle may stop faster but the overwhelming majority of times it is better with abs. Besides, the whole point of abs is to prevent the wheel from locking up, exactly what happens w/o abs when you hit them hard or on slick surfaces, just like you stated above.
WCVanHorne
New member
The point was to get over my fears that the part-time 4WD might have issues at either higher speeds and/or in highly variable traction situations. Most of the posters have allayed my fears and confirmed its suitability.
Well I've basically bought it unless I negotiate out/up certainly at some small loss. Also as I've alluded to a few times the 4Runner was one of the only vehicles in our price range that met some fairly specific space requirement for passengers and cargo.
Anyhow, as mentioned, the community here has convinced me that the center differential is not crucial if you are attentive and the drive-train is resilient. And I assure you over 25 years of mountain, winter, and gravel/forestry road experience has given me quite a bit of "sense". Including several years of taking a 1980 Prelude up logging roads/passes to trailheads and such. Now that was careful driving. Although I do think I set a "sports car" record over the Gray Creek Pass.
The only thing I lacked was 4WD experience off a utility/farm situation. I have driven but never owned them and not used them in town etc.This is good feedback on the quality of the 2WD and VSA etc. at highway speed. The only thing I'd add is that even in a some pretty good traction situations I've had a front wheel get off the good stuff and FWD save my bacon pulling the front end back on the road. It's one of the scenarios that I was worried about.
I probably deserve that shot
but I assure you this is extraordinarily rare for me which is why I was aghast I somehow overlooked it. Aside from this dumb oversight I typically pay a great deal of attention and have been shopping around weighing probably 10 or so major criteria.I'm now certain I will be fine, as will the wife with a bit of training, with 4WD. I'm just a little disappointed the flexibility of the pre 2010 Torsen multimode system is gone. Sort of what put it on my radar years ago (that's how long I've been looking around).
WCVanHorne
New member
Exact ones I was going to get. Where did you pick them up? Kaltire?
WCVanHorne
New member
Been running winter tires (usually studded) for 20+ years and wouldn't go anywhere without them. When you can often see your clawmarks in the ice I think you need studded. I am the guy on the road! :biggrin2: I've found it interesting that they have come back over the last several years.
[/QUOTE]If I may be direct, you're starting to sound like someone who should have bought a Subaru. Just sayin'[/QUOTE]
Fair enough but Subarus were tried and too small. Cargo and people wise. Plus I don't want to tow with an undersized vehicle. That's an accident waiting to happen I see all too often.
WCVanHorne
New member
Quite true. One of the main adjustments for me is going from FWD to RWD. As I've mentioned I'm quite used to driving around AWD vehicles with the wrong tires in my current FWD Yaris and minivan.
Jono.ful
New member
I haven't picked them up yet, however my father-in-law is a tire monkey in BC. Hello wholesale
arty:
Gerdo
New member
ABS has come a long way since the first generation. I also have a early Ford pickup that had, because i disabled it, on the rear axle. It would come on way too easy. I can stop the vehicle way shorter than with the ABS.
ABS will not eliminate the brakes from locking but will pulses the brakes on and off so you can still steer while they are locking. This pulsing allows the tires to regain traction for a moment so the vehicle doesn't slide as much and the steering wheels can provide direction.
Obviously the more slick the roads, the more the ABS will help. If you are on a wet road and do a panic stop, slamming on the brakes, the ABS will stop the vehicle and you will have some control. If you take the same vehicle w/o ABS and skillfully firmly apply the brakes, to the point before they lockup, this vehicle will stop in a shorter distance.
All of the newer electronic mumbo jumbo allows anyone with very little skill to control the vehicle in the worst conditions.
How can I make these statements? I drive for a living. I have driven almost every production vehicle, sometimes years before it is released. I have also drive them in the worst conditions and been able to bring them back in one piece.
A few years back, F1 racing eliminated ABS to put the skill back in the drivers hands.
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Center diff locked 4wd does help a lot with braking in snow in my experience for said reason. I'm with Gerdo on this one.
