Stuck in 7 inches of snow. For real.

[ToolmanJohn]

So I was screwing around at my parents house yesterday and fully backed out into their back yard (field) off the driveway. I had done this after the last big snowstorm a wekk ago and because the snow was very light , it was like it wasn't there.

But this time, the snow had crusted over (I could walk on it without breaking through) and the snow underneath was like granular sugar, ice crystals. I was in standard 4WD at the time too.

Well, when I stopped to drive forward, that was it. No motion. The wheels just spun. Couldn't even rock the truck. It was like having wheel chocks in front and behind each wheel. I tried locking the center diff, and going 4lo, but no effect I was stuck good. Total lock down in 7 inches of snow, with the front of the truck about 6 feet from their driveway and freedom. SHEESH :headslap:

I had to grab a shovel and dig in front and behind each tire (5 minutes) then drove right out pretty easily. If I had my camera I would have taken a picture of the spot where the tires had been. The snow had been crushed and spun to ice.

Also I should mention my tires are the stock Bridgestone Dueler H/T 840's. They have the M+S marking , but they are really a on-road tire. I don't believe a winter tire or studs or off-road tire would have fared any better the way the ice had built up.

It was funny in 4LO, just engaging drive allowed all 4 wheels to spin with no throttle input. Funny to watch. :arrow:

 

[T?@\7]

what if you encountered that out in the boonies..... :awais:

 

[ToolmanJohn]

Exactly

what if you encountered that out in the boonies..... :awais:

Better to find the limitations of traction in my parent's back yard.

 

[Mark86]

Sounds all to familiar!! Same thing happened to me during the blizzard. I got stuck in around a foot of snow in my parents driveway with my Dunflops. My dad had to help me rock it out but it wasn't easy. I had it in 4LO and the center dif locked. That is why this past Friday, I had Revos put on my truck. I didn't want to have anymore embarassing moment. Unfortuntately, there were pictures taken of my incident! I thought the stock Bridgestones were supposed to be better than the Dunlops in the snow. BTW, how many miles do you have on the Bridgestones?

 

[Steve Lss]

I'm glad to see others have had the same problem. It is weird standing on the running board, watching the wheels spinning, and all the dash lights blinking, PLUS the tech wizardry trying to do its stuff... and nothing happening. Then your neighbor, in a Corolla, goes around you. You know he feels some sorrow for you, but he's happy he's going on the ice & snow and spent $15,000 less, not to mention the fuel savings. But I still love my 4R!

 

[Hitman]

I thought the stock Bridgestones were supposed to be better than the Dunlops in the snow.

I'm sure the same thing would have happened regardless of which tires were on his 4Runner.... unless maybe he had some studded snow tires.

 

[EDGE]

That happened to me once, except I was on a highway off ramp and in a blind spot and all I was thinking was someones gonna hit me, thanks to the plow guy for leaving a 4 foot bank in the middle of the road, did not even see it, it just slowly got bigger and bigger and I came to a stop in it

So Im sitting their going oh shit, locked the center diff and just stood on it, drive to reverse, drive to reverse again and again, so after I had tracks of maybe 5-10 feet I put it back into drive and gunned it, truck was going nuts and smoking but the thing got traction with the dunlops but I made it out of their, so after I made it out I realized I just drove through hard packed snow that was 6-12 inches above the bumpers, funny how it looked.

After that I pulled over and this Jeep guy who loked like he had a Grand Cherokee with a lift and some kind of AT tires, who did not even make it out onto the road who told me I would never get out had to wait for the plow to come move the snow for him, then 5 minutes later a Rav4 comes down the road and right into my tracks and stops, glad I was not their

 

[Hitman]

...truck was going nuts and smoking but the thing got traction with the dunlops but I made it out of their, so after I made it out I realized I just drove through hard packed snow that was 6-12 inches above the bumpers, funny how it looked.

Hmmm... sounds like an endorsement for the Dunlops!!

You got out of packed snow that was about a foot above the bumpers?? The Dunlops can't be that bad then:

 

[Kanab]

Ice is Ice, can't go on ice unless you have chains or studs.

 

[Northof49]

I'm glad to see others have had the same problem. It is weird standing on the running board, watching the wheels spinning, and all the dash lights blinking, PLUS the tech wizardry trying to do its stuff... and nothing happening. Then your neighbor, in a Corolla, goes around you. You know he feels some sorrow for you, but he's happy he's going on the ice & snow and spent $15,000 less, not to mention the fuel savings. But I still love my 4R!

Sorry, but if you own a 4wd 4Runner and are getting stuck before Corollas, you're doing something wrong......even with eff'n racing slicks for tires.

 

[ToolmanJohn]

BTW, how many miles do you have on the Bridgestones?

Almost 20K on th tires (same as the truck).

Also, there is no way studs would have helped. Chains would have made the difference, sure, but the roads are perfectly clear and free of snow. It doesn't make sense to use chains when there's no snow on the road. I'm glad to find a limitation for the stock setup in a safe setting.

As someone has said, ice is ice, and no traction is no traction, period. The temperature was in the high 30's and the snow was easy to compact and turn into ice I guess. If it had been powder, it wouldn't have mattered at all.

 

[EDGE]

Hmmm... sounds like an endorsement for the Dunlops!!

You got out of packed snow that was about a foot above the bumpers?? The Dunlops can't be that bad then:

Rocking it back and forth got me out of their, but the Dunlops did fine I did watch several others get stuck and start to dig out with their hands when the Rav4 girl was digging around the tires a guy in an F-150 almost hit them, he got stuck and had a plow on it but he was able to back out and then he dropped the plow and helped the girl, then the big plow showed up, cleared it all up in 2 seconds

 

[EDGE]

Come to think of it the Dunlops did great, they found traction and pulled through the snow, thank gosh I was not in bumblefuck, I'd stil be their:

 

[Steve Lss]

Sorry, but if you own a 4wd 4Runner and are getting stuck before Corollas, you're doing something wrong......even with eff'n racing slicks for tires.

Northof49....I'm very familiar with my 4R and how to lock the differential, when to use it, when not to, the VSC (anti-lock),
4-L and Full Time AWD on the V-8, hey even the firing order.
Driving a 4R isn't , as you may think, similiar to launching the space shuttle. The Corollla came from my neighbors driveway and was able to go around the icy spot which the snow plow created right in front of my driveway. Two feet one way or the other and there was a clearing. It just so happened the wheels, (Yes I know there are 4) were on ice and it wouldn't move. I was able to free it by rocking the truck. The Dunlops probably didn't help the situation. Oh yes, I know they make chains. My post was an agreement with the original poster and was not meant as an attack on the 4-Runners ability.

 

[Northof49]

See, I knew there was more to the story

No need to get defensive, I just like being a smartass whenever possible :cheers:

 

[ToyotaDoodz]

See, I knew there was more to the story

No need to get defensive, I just like being a smartass whenever possible :cheers:

And we appreciate it!!

 

[EDGE]

Moral of the story, the little guy will always laugh in the face of defeat when the big guy goes down:bash: