Problems with Urban Runner

[rockwall]

I have a wierd situation to report. One of my clients has a 2008 Urban Runner 4WD V6. He says that he gets terrible traction in the snow. He recently changed his stock Dunlop crap tires to Michelin All Terrains, but still slides horribly in snow. I was shocked to hear this. I have a 2003 Limited V8, with full time 4WD, and my truck is awesome in snow.

My client says that if there is even 2" of snow, he has to drive his wife's car, which is a Lexus RX Hybrid. I can't figure out what the problem is, unless he A. just doesn't know how to drive in snow or B. has some wierd situation on his Urban Runner suspension. He is at the point of trading his Runner in for a Jeep or a Ford. I cringe at the thought.

What do you all think?

 

[BlackWorksInc]

How is he driving in the Snow?

 

[Toy4R4Me]

I assume he realizes that he doesn't have full-time 4wd like the v8's and thus has to manually switch the dash knob to get all four wheels turning?

obvious, but that's all I could see being the problem. Well, that and maybe his 4wd just isn't engaging. Sometime that happens when people only engage it once in a blue moon.

 

[gptoy96]

I assume he realizes that he doesn't have full-time 4wd like the v8's and thus has to manually switch the dash knob to get all four wheels turning?

^^ That's my guess...

 

[Krazynative]

Next time it snows... Put it in 4H and lock the center diff and have him punch it very briefly to see if the front wheels are engaging. If all tires spin, he doesn't know how to drive in snow.

When mine was bone stock and 20k on the Dunlops, I went to Mammoth. There was ice on the way up and powder on all the roads. I had to really push it to loose traction, and then the traction control kicked in.

 

[gm350reratliff]

Also, you may want to verify how much pressure is in the tires for your client. Too much air and your client won't have good traction.

 

[bigwebb83]

Also, you may want to verify how much pressure is in the tires for your client. Too much air and your client won't have good traction.

this is my recommendation as well. Even if he is at a recommended level I usually air down to like 25 psi in the snow. Also he can lock the center diff and he should make sure he doesn't have a seized caliper that could be throwing things out of wack.