southern boy moving to denver...am I gonna be ok?

[busbeepbeep]

moving to denver with 2WD...am I gonna be ok?

I've accepted a work assignment in Denver. I leave in two weeks, gonna be there about 6 months.

I have a 2006 2WD V8 Sport Edition. What's the story with driving up there? I'm a Louisiana boy. Snow is pretty foreign to me.

Can I drive my truck up there? Would I need to get different tires? Will it get messed up from the salt?

Thanks for any help.

 

[blk05runner]

might need snow chains but other then that you should be fine.

 

[NViejeP]

Aren't all V8s 4wd or is that an exception for your year or something?

 

[blk05runner]

Aren't all V8s 4wd or is that an exception for your year or something?

no not all V8's are 4wd but even if you had a 4wd I was told depending on how bad the snow is you still might be told to use chains.

 

[NViejeP]

Really? Wow for some reason I was under the impression that all V8s are AWD. Must've just got confused or something. But ya, from what I learned is that most times if they make a 4WD vehicle put on chains, the roads will probably be closed anyways. And ya you will need chains.

 

[T?@\7]

i too thought all v8 4runners were AWD .

 

[busbeepbeep]

I guess the 2WD V8 is only offered in the south/gulf states region. I never thought I'd be going anywhere that really needed 4WD...had a hard enough time finding this truck with the options I wanted.

 

[boston_kevin]

No. All 4Runners are offered in either 4WD or 2WD drivetrains. Only the V6 has a 2WD mode on the 4WD equipped vehicle.

As far as driving in Denver in the snow... There are lots of people who drive cars, rear-wheel drive cars, in the snow. Get a good set of snow tires and spend some time in an empty parking lot on your first snow storm getting to know how your vehicle will behave when you accelerate and brake quickly in the snow. Also turn the wheel quickly to the right or left to see how VSC will come into play when you slip.

 

[armyguy872007]

I was stationed in CO for 5 yrs and had a Toy 4x4 PU, in some cases if you travel W through the basin they will require chains, if you do not have them you do not continue on no matter if you have 2WD or 4WD. Good luck there it is an awesome experience to be in the Rockies.

 

[RonMAIDEN]

I've lived in Colorado for 24 years and neither I or my famiily has used chains on any 4wd vehicle and even my AWD Eclipse did fine. If you are not venturing too far into the mountains you should be fine in Denver except for a few days here and there.

 

[Koz]

All 4wd V8s are FULL TIME 4wd.

Koz

 

[blk05runner]

All 4wd V8s are FULL TIME 4wd.

Koz

correct

 

[utah1]

I'd

Get a bus pass, though with the VSC and LSD a 2WD 4Runner with GOOD snow tires or studded tires you might just be OK around town. Every once in a while I'll see a 2WD listed in the paper here and they are always 50-60% the price of a 4WD or AWD truck. We are at about 8 feet of new snow in the hills around here in the last week so I'd rather walk than have a 2WD.

 

[Mr. Dabadina]

While visiting my friend in the carolinas they got a dusting of snow. I'm talking like an inch of snow. There were cars that slid off the road all over the place. They eventually shut down all the roads. It was actually pretty funny. I know we don't get that much snow here in Indiana, but they wouldn't of even closed the schools here in Indiana for an inch of snow. This isn't really an opinion but rather my experience of southern drivers, driving in snow.

 

[Uneek]

But ya, from what I learned is that most times if they make a 4WD vehicle put on chains, the roads will probably be closed anyways. And ya you will need chains.

Mainly true in Northern California in the Lake Tahoe area.

I hear in other parts of the country they don't shut highways down because of snow, unless it's a major accident or avalanche, something really huge outside of snow conditions, because people in those regions know how to get through it. In NorCal a lot of folks who are up in the Sierras probably don't see snow conditions regularly; they're not locals and most are driving to and from the Sierras. They see snow because they want to be in it.

 

[keylay31]

You'll be fine. =D It's not all 4WD's here, far from it =D

 

[busbeepbeep]

thanks for the feedback guys.

what about the effects of the salt on my truck?

 

[keylay31]

thanks for the feedback guys.

what about the effects of the salt on my truck?

It's magnesium Chloride, and we have something called Mag-Away you can use at the carwashes. No biggie, I've left it on all winter.

 

[jon9]

Welcome to Denver. I live here, so here is what you need. Intense snow weather in winter comes in fits and starts. Weather will get windy, then a front will move in and dump maybe 8 inches in the city. Or, it will be sunny and in the 40's and no snow. Denver is a pretty sunny place, with 320 days of sun per year. Just make sure you have snow tires, or some good all season. With your T4R you shouldn't have any issues. If you want to go to the mountains, it can get bad up there quick. SO, make sure you have survival and safety supplies in your vehicle. Make sure you have an ice scraper, a small shovel, blanket, spare food and water, tire sealer and inflator...typical safety stuff!

 

[peter78]

All 4wd V8s are FULL TIME 4wd.

Koz

All 2wd V8's are FULL TIME 2wd.:biggrin2: