TE for Mall Crawling & Snow

C

casteld

New member
Am I crazy??? Looking at the TE gen 5. I really don't do any hard core off-roading other than some camping and trips to Vermont in the winter for skiing.
Yes I get caught in blizzards.


I drove the TE and liked the ride more than the limited but from the 20 or so threads I read here the Limited is better suited for snow.

Anyone here use the TE with Stock tires on long highway trips to ski mountains in the winter.

Would you view it as easier to "just" get the limited with the full time 4wd. Price works out pretty close [nav/entune trail vs base limited"]


I know this has been discussed at length but I am just trying to see if there are any road drivers running the TE in snow and happy with it.

Thanks Guys
 
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for my usage the full time would be better suited for the varied snow conditions I have to deal with going to work and around town. with the TE/Base you would have to switch in/out of 4wd to get the same effect in snow conditions and you would have to be mindful of the turns. on the limited you wouldn't have to worry about turns and binding which is the biggest issue I would have on those dry spots in the city.

for the rare jaunts out into the country side, the limited should be able to handle it, not as well as the TE, but it should suffice.

for me the limited fits perfect for the semi isolated fishing spots I hit on the weekends during the non snow season and great for snowy city roads.
 
casteld said:
I drove the TE and liked the ride more than the limited but from the 20 or so threads I read here the Limited is better suited for snow.
Click to expand...
If you prefer the ride of the TE over the Ltd, buy the TE. The part-time 4wd just means you have to throw it into 4Hi when the conditions warrant it rather than having full-time. Proper winter tires will make the biggest difference in the snow.
 
For the last season I lived in Beaver Creek/Arrowhead. My TE would spends weeks in 4HI. The center diff of the LE is good if you can't tell the difference between snow/ice and dry pavement.
 
my sr5 is a beast in the show with the right rubber. TE gadgets are nice, but for me they didn't justify the extra cost, and no leather was the deal breaker not to confuse matters any more or anything :hiding:
 
thanks for the replies.

snow.ice vs dry is easy to tell....normally. So I am not worried about that.

I drove an SR5 and could tell the difference in suspension. So that is why I am narrowed down to TE vs LTD.

Thx again... I'll see what the dealer can do on price. Seems like a wash.
 
My TE cannot do mall crawling worth a hoot, no matter what I shift it in. The best solution would be to just drive right on by those dens of iniquity.
 
Stating which TE vs LE is "better" for snow is subjective, and picking nits.

The discussion between FT and PT 4WD is too. Guys are gonna like what they bought, for the reasons they bought it.

I've been driving a PT 4WD (2 PFs and my 4R) for 15 years without a single issue, ever. I prefer to shift mine when I want to, and I believe that FT 4WD is unnecessary 98% of the time, marginally useful 1%, and really useful 1% (that would be snow/ice). The last 2% served equally well by pulling a little lever.

The right choice for best winter driving, in either vehicle is premium winter tires on spare wheels. Traction and braking, baby.

Edit: I agree with your choices however. Were I to trade, it'd be TE vs LE, likely TE as I liked its handling.
 
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If you think there is any chance you will be changing out the suspension in the future (a Toytec or similar lift) the differences in ride are largely moot. (You might not be thinking about it now, but if you spend any time hanging out on this forum..... ) I spend a lot of time in Summit County, Colorado and I have been having a blast exploring old mining roads. A few extra inches of clearance equals a certain amount of peace of mind.
I have a brand new (5000 miles) XREAS suspension chilling in my garage.
Just another thought. My guess is you'll love which ever you choose.
 
It's all about the tires!

But, other than that, here is my take on it...I lived in the CO mountains this past winter, and having the Limited was very nice because of its open center diff when in full time AWD. Locking the center diff (eg. putting it in 4h), caused mine to handle worse (slip/skid more) in the snow covered roads going around turns, but it is indeed helpful when you need to start off on a steep slippery hill. Of course, the Limited doesn't have the locking REAR diff, which could be extremely useful if you get into a snow drift or a ditch or something...

Some pros of the Limited:
--Open Torsen center diff is great for snow covered roads, and roads where it is intermittently dry and wet/slippery
--Smart key is awesome when your keys are stuffed into your ski gear
--Leather works well in wet situations
--XREAS is great at reducing body roll and making for a good on-road ride
--Dual zone climate control
--Puddle lights (love these, especially in the snow at night)
--You can put 17" TE or SR5 rims on there and it will ride a bit smoother with a C-rated 265/70/17 tire

Some pros of the TE:
--It looks awesome!
--You already will have 17" rims, which gives you a lot more good winter tire options
--Rear diff lock
--KDSS (optional) is great for on and off road
--TE's are a better off road for many reasons
--Easy to put sliders on without rock panel modification
--You can upgrade suspension without removing KDSS

Assuming you not really into off-roading, my recommendation would be to buy a Limited, and try to negotiate with the dealer to put TE or SR5 rims on there with 265/70/17 or 275/70/17 snow-rated tires. Even if you can't convince the dealer to swap rims, you can still do it yourself. When I did mine, it left me with spare cash to put towards tires, because I bought my TE rims for only $400, but sold my LTD rims for around $800.
 
Don't buy the TE for mall crawling!
I was at the mall yesterday and went to cross a curb. I put it in 4Lo, engaged the rear locker and all hell broke loose. Using ATRAC, I finally got to the top of the curb where there was a flat piece of sidewalk. Must have been, oh, a good 6-8" climb from the flat parking area. I got to the top and did what any good 4Wheeler would do and that is engaged the DAC in preparation for dropping off the other side. After several moments of trepidation, with both hands white knuckled on either side of the steering wheel I began my decent, while anxiously looking out towards my spotter (wife with her bag of purchases) to make sure my line was correct. I finally made it to the bottom of that extreme ledge, went to turn the wheel and promptly put the differentials in a bind. Not knowing what to do, the adrenalin flowing, I panicked and floored the accelerator! That thing started hopping and bobbing and skidding all over the madacam! I think I passed out for a moment from all the rapid movement the 4Runner made. When I came to my spotter was impatiently tapping the window wanting help loading packages. I disengaged everything and calmly drove to the stoplight, already thinking what my next conquest would be.

The moral of the story is "Unless you are going to be extreme mall crawling, a Highlander is in your future."
 
It doesn't cost much to put 17" FJ rims and snow/mud tires on a Limited.

At that point it's within 95% of a TE AND has better on-road traction with its full time 4WD.

It just won't have that cool GT-R/Stormtrooper look, but the seats are cushier.
 
I know that story can not be true because any real off roader would have had his gopro recording the whole thing. :thumb3:
 
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1engineer said:
Don't buy the TE for mall crawling!
I was at the mall yesterday and went to cross a curb. I put it in 4Lo, engaged the rear locker and all hell broke loose. Using ATRAC, I finally got to the top of the curb where there was a flat piece of sidewalk. Must have been, oh, a good 6-8" climb from the flat parking area. I got to the top and did what any good 4Wheeler would do and that is engaged the DAC in preparation for dropping off the other side. After several moments of trepidation, with both hands white knuckled on either side of the steering wheel I began my decent, while anxiously looking out towards my spotter (wife with her bag of purchases) to make sure my line was correct. I finally made it to the bottom of that extreme ledge, went to turn the wheel and promptly put the differentials in a bind. Not knowing what to do, the adrenalin flowing, I panicked and floored the accelerator! That thing started hopping and bobbing and skidding all over the madacam! I think I passed out for a moment from all the rapid movement the 4Runner made. When I came to my spotter was impatiently tapping the window wanting help loading packages. I disengaged everything and calmly drove to the stoplight, already thinking what my next conquest would be.

The moral of the story is "Unless you are going to be extreme mall crawling, a Highlander is in your future."
Click to expand...

See, the problem is you only used ATRAC instead of engaging the locker. Must not have been equipped with KDSS because I hear it'll give you mad flex to get over any curb or parking block.
 
In the winter i use my rear diff lock for mall crawlin' goodness. I can park ontop of the snow banks. Though i usually have to let the GF out before parking so she can get out... LOL...
 
Intruder said:
See, the problem is you only used ATRAC instead of engaging the locker. Must not have been equipped with KDSS because I hear it'll give you mad flex to get over any curb or parking block.
Click to expand...

I have KDSS just must have forgotten to push the "KDSS ACTIVATE" button. Really though it would have performed better if I had a 6" lift kit and ICON Stage XXIV suspension.
 
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