Trail 4x4-HI driving?
- Thread starter ar15kittykat
- Start date
nevada
Senior Member
we had a customer bring his late 90's chevy truck in, for a cv axle, it was broken.
somehow his actuator failed, and engaged the front end. the result was a broken axle, and when the axle broke, it also damaged the front diff.
yes to both. but unless that is something you have to practice doing, its not something you should rely on for NORMAL use.
it works even better with a manual transmission.
Intruder
New member
What's an mph???
As a point of reference in really bad conditions like we had here last week most people were driving around 30km/h...It can help but it can also hurt. I was driving down a hill with a stop sign at the bottom last winter and used compression to slow down while in 4Hi. Apparently the front tires had more traction than the rear because next thing I knew the rear was starting to break loose like in an oversteer situation only the steering wheel was straight. I had to quickly bump the gear back up, straighten out, then use the brakes to stop. I find that in very slippery conditions you're better off leaving a buttload of space in front of you then coasting and braking lightly works best.
That would be true if you have enough traction, but if you got into a low speed skid on ice you probably don't. I think that muddy trails are a different kind of slippery than icy roads but I can't describe how exactly. Don't get me wrong, there are times in the winter around here that I leave it in 4Hi all day until I get into a parking lot. But I also drove front-wheel drive cars (Integra, Jetta, TSX) for years before getting the 4Runner. Those cars with proper winter tires handled far better than an AWD with all season radials. But as you also alluded to, driving to the conditions is also paramount. I feel that if you get into a low speed skid then you aren't driving appropriately for the conditions.
Canazes9
New member
What's an mph???
It can help but it can also hurt. I was driving down a hill with a stop sign at the bottom last winter and used compression to slow down while in 4Hi. Apparently the front tires had more traction than the rear because next thing I knew the rear was starting to break loose like in an oversteer situation only the steering wheel was straight. I had to quickly bump the gear back up, straighten out, then use the brakes to stop. I find that in very slippery conditions you're better off leaving a buttload of space in front of you then coasting and braking lightly works best.
That would be true if you have enough traction, but if you got into a low speed skid on ice you probably don't. I think that muddy trails are a different kind of slippery than icy roads but I can't describe how exactly. Don't get me wrong, there are times in the winter around here that I leave it in 4Hi all day until I get into a parking lot. But I also drove front-wheel drive cars (Integra, Jetta, TSX) for years before getting the 4Runner. Those cars with proper winter tires handled far better than an AWD with all season radials. But as you also alluded to, driving to the conditions is also paramount. I feel that if you get into a low speed skid then you aren't driving appropriately for the conditions.
Thanks for the response! I think maybe I'm confusing driving in snow covered roads w/ driving on roads that are completely frozen w/ ice and then covered w/ snow!
Like I said, I have very limited winter driving experience and none driving on roads that have been iced over for months at a time. Its starting to make sense now...
David
Jeremy556
New member
I would think U joints would be failing before a CV. Maybe the CV wasn't 100% to begin with?
1engineer
Moderator
[MENTION=66300]Intruder[/MENTION] is quite right in his above answer. In theory having it in 4WD would provide extra resistance when going down a hill but in practice the snow and slush does a good job of that too. If it is packed snow and ice the front can grab and then it gets messy. If I have it in 4WD going down a long slick grade (and in low gear) I am ready to bump the accelerator if it starts to slide.
Your other scenario of having it pull around corners is a good one but only if you have VSC off. If you have it on and it starts to slide, the throttle r e t a r d s and braking is applied to get you back on course. So either way, front wheels pulling and rear wheels pushing or just 2WD and VSC will get you around the corner safely.
In the slick stuff the absolute only time I turn off VSC (other than to slide on purpose lol) is one condition: Stopped going up a slick snow covered hill. If you leave VSC on in that condition you might not get going again. You will apply the accelerator, start to spin, VSC cuts in and kills the throttle and applies brakes ad you are where you started! Push the button beforehand so you can get max traction and a little wheelspin to get you started.
LandCruiser
New member
I live in the mountains, I'm really considering studded Duratracs for the winter months. My subdivision has hilly roads of pure ice on snow on ice that never get plowed or salted. And the road to the Springs can have mile long stretches of ice.
Snow covered roads are nothing. I'll take those over rain and ice.
1engineer
Moderator
Yes. I have been in some parts of Colorado and Wyoming where we had studs and had to run chains too. PITA.
Canazes9
New member
I wasn't even thinking about VSC - I always have it off when I'm off-road.
Good point....
David
1engineer
Moderator
Yes off road versus snow and ice are two different animals and require two different driving styles. We have had snow for the last three days here. It was so slick a few days ago my wife called me and swore her CR-V AWD had broken. It was fine but that is how slick it was lol.
Intruder
New member
And off road in the snow requires a third driving style. Most counterintuitive thing we do is when sliding in the snow while going downhill hit the gas instead of the brakes. It causes your tires to dig in and that slows you down.
It depends on whether you hit a patch of ice or there's no grip anywhere to be had.
If everything is icy 4x4 won't help you and may even hurt as the front wheels with torque applied will be more prone to going into a spin.
However if it's just a patch of ice and the front wheels are on something a bit more grippy, yes, 4x4 will help you.
lowrange44
New member
[MENTION=66316]1engineer[/MENTION]: In the extremely slippery stuff, have you ever tried Multi-Terrain Mud/Sand mode in 4HI instead of fully disabling VSC? I was surprised how well it worked.
Multi-Terrain Mud/Sand mode allows for a lot more wheel spin and allows traction control to function without cutting throttle(much). It would give you the ability to get going on a steep incline in slippery stuff. Around slippery corners, it will let the back end of the truck step out quite a bit as well. VSC will only step in when the truck really gets out of shape.
Thanks Lowrange44- last night I went to Blue mountain ski area in the Poconos, and the snow, road conditions were hazardous. I was in 4WH most of the way and was wondering about switching to multi-sand/mud mode. Highway speed was about 30mph to 45 depending on conditions. I wasn’t sure if I could increase my speed (when warranted) while I was in multi terrain mode so I kept it in 4WH. As an alternative I started using 4WL going up and down the mountain. But this only allows for a much slower pace. I also stated to use the paddle shifter in a lower gear for the desired engine braking. All in all, this vehicle was more than capable of managing the 88-mile trek in the snow/ice. (New set of Michelin LTX M/S 2 didn’t hurt). Thanks for the heads up.
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