Wow, White out conditions in Jersey

[sesegal99]

Driving home from a buddies house Sat night in S. Jersey, started out no prob...roads weren't even snow covered, got about half way home and ended up in the worst driving conditions I've ever been in. Hard snow, 50 mph wind gusts and no plows or salt trucks on the road anywhere. I think DOT got caught sleeping on this one. I was on interstate 295N doing about 10-15 mph, you could not see any evidence of a road what so ever, it was so windy and snowing so hard the tracks from previous cars were totally gone. Could only see about 30 feet in front of you. Looked like you were driving in a field of snow with no dilineation....I thought it was pretty neat but the wife wasn't thrilled at all! The t4r did fine as far as traction, though, it did get blown around a little from the wind. Anyone else been in similar conditions? Good to know you don't have to worry about getting stuck in crap like that. I threw it into 4 wheel high, should I have been in 4 wheel low instead or is that for more extreme conditions?

 

[Scrappy125]

Was in the same conditions down here on Saturday night. Unreal, out of nowhere with barely any warning we got about 4" of blizzard snow. 50 mph winds, plus a little snow made it seem like Antartica down here for a little bit.

I think 4 hi was good for what you were doing, especially on 295. I'm not sure, maybe somebody else can chime in, but I believe 4 low is used for heavy snow, deep mud, or otherwise conditions when 4hi isn't effective. Also check the manual, there may be a speed restriction on 4 low.

 

[sesegal99]

I've been hoping for snow since we got the t4r last month but that was rediculous. I saw about three cops but the were just pulled over with their lights flashing. Would like more info on the 4wd modes though if others could chime in.... for instance when to lock out the rear diff.

 

[sharp4runr]

4LO would NOT have been a good idea and neither would have locking the center differential. When in 4LO the maximimum speed you can attain is 35MPH because you are in low gear. Driving at speed for an extended period in 4LO would have put a lot of strain on your drivetrain. Also locking the center differential disables VSC and the conditions you described would probably warrant VSC.

I think keeping it on 4HI withOUT the center differential locked was the ideal method.

 

[sesegal99]

That's what I figured.... so 4 low would be for slow very messy / muddy / sandy conditions? but in what situation would you lock the diff then?? Sorry but we're new to the 4wd features.

 

[Mark86]

It was crazy in New Jersey on Saturday night. Usually, Jersey plows their roads and keeps them fairly clean during a storm. I think they were caught offguard for this one. The roads were a mess, snow was blowing everywhere, and it was freezing outside. The roads in my area are still loaded with ice. The 4Runner handled great in this. I used 4HI and had no problems. The only time I ever used 4LO was when I got stuck in a snow drift last winter. I am very impressed with the 4Runner!

 

[OUTRNNR]

That's what I figured.... so 4 low would be for slow very messy / muddy / sandy conditions? but in what situation would you lock the diff then?? Sorry but we're new to the 4wd features.

When you want to turn massive donuts!!:awais:

Really though, as was posted earlier, locking the center diff disables VSC (Vehicle Stability Control) does NOT disable TRAC (Traction Control) and splits torque 50/50 between the front and rear wheels. This is used in conjunction with the traction control to keep the vehicle moving in LOW speed situations like deep snow (>1 foot) deep mud, or deep sand. Anytime you are driving on snowy or icy roads keep the center diff UNLOCKED and VSC will be able to save your butt, to a point.

An example of when to lock the center diff would be if you are plowing along through a couple feet of snow and are at risk of getting stuck, but not going any faster than 20 mph. An example of when to lock the center diff and put into 4 LOW would be when ascending/decending a steep and slippery trail where maximum traction and power is needed or engine braking is essential.

One question I have is can you lock/unlock the center diff on the fly? Never tried it, just curious.

 

[Falls]

sesgal99,
Sound's like fun to me. I love it when we get snow storm's here and I go out and hit the road's. Best wheeling in the snow IMO. Do you have a v6 or v8.

Why can't you drive with the center diff. locked ? I would think that would be prime condition's to do that. On my Tahoe I lock it into 4wd Hi (50/50 split) with no traction control or anything and it just blast's through the deep snow at any speed .

Please excuse my ignorance , I'm very familiar with 4wd system's and have had them all my life , but still trying to figure out the 4R's system before I buy. Still confusing to me.

 

[OUTRNNR]

sesgal99,
Sound's like fun to me. I love it when we get snow storm's here and I go out and hit the road's. Best wheeling in the snow IMO. Do you have a v6 or v8.

Why can't you drive with the center diff. locked ? I would think that would be prime condition's to do that. On my Tahoe I lock it into 4wd Hi (50/50 split) with no traction control or anything and it just blast's through the deep snow at any speed .

Please excuse my ignorance , I'm very familiar with 4wd system's and have had them all my life , but still trying to figure out the 4R's system before I buy. Still confusing to me.

You can have it locked and blast through all the snow you want. Just remember the VSC is disabled. Not a big issue for me, as I learned how to drive in the snow in a 95 Suburban, but I just figured I'd err on the side of safety before someone hurts themselves. The "VSC OFF" light does come on to remind you of this also.

 

[sharp4runr]

yes you can lock/unlock the center diff on the fly just make sure you are going in a straight line.

 

[sesegal99]

ya, I was gonna say you can lock the center diff on the fly but if I remember correctly the owner's manual recommends below a certian speed.

 

[SevenJ]

Last Saturday night was a strange one. I left NYC about 9:15 pm and it was raining. About 3 miles on the NJ side of the Lincoln tunnel, the rain was mixing with ice. About 10 miles later (NJ turnpike) it was mixing with snow. Before I knew it, I couldn't see the road. I was basically following the tail lights of the car in front of me, hoping they didn't lead me into a ditch. I was driving between 20-40 mph for over an hour. My 2 hour trip took 3 1/2 hours. Weird thing was, by the time I got to Delaware, the roads were nearly dry and there was no snow to be found.