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4WD Qtestion

6

60 acre hillside

Member
How many of you run your 4WD pickup trucks in 4WD when on level snow or ice covered roads? I only use mine when I am in trousle or think that I may have trouble. I have an associate from Minnesota who drives his Yukon in 4WD anytime the road is covered with snow or ice. I drove 2WD vwhicles for 40 years on ice and snow with no real problems.
 
I have a 4WD Nissan Frontier and I will only drive in 2WD in the snow and ice unless I cannot move or I am passing someone. Can"t feel it slip and slide in 4WD until it is TOO LATE.
Did the same with My old S-10"s (1993 and 2000).
Works for me. Your milage may vary.

Edward
 
If I'm driving the farm truck I'm going from field to field so I leave it in 4wd. My durango on the other hand is always in AWD and also when I start to feel it slide it's to late to stop it. It's spun out several times this winter pullin in my driveway
 
Never in 4WD if I am over 30 mph. I run studded mud type tire, and they are great at speed and 2WD. My friend has a tow business He swears it's the 4wd pickups that pay for his wreckers. He says he's pulling them out of the median on I 90 while hundreds of front wheel drive minivans drive by.

Gordo
 
I turn in the hubs at the first snow and they stay in all winter, put the stick in 2 when on bare road, but on snow covered run it in 4, even at highway speeds. I service the front end reg. and the driveshaft gets greased reg, it's there to use.
 
We use it anytime we're on snow or ice and turn it off on pavement. It's so easy now with the push of a button so why not. 4WD has no speed limitations except when you're in 4WD-LO. And for the comment below on the 4WD trucks paying for those nice tow trucks. The two wheel drive trucks usually stay in the shed around here until the roads clear and the front wheel drives make it just fine as the 4WD's. That's why the 4WD are paying for the tow trucks. People think since they have 4WD they can go fast but they fail to think that they have the same stopping problem as any other vehicle on the road and some 4WD have more braking issues than when in it's 2WD.
 
I run 2wd every where I go in my 150. shes plain jane so 2wd is all shes got. ive got no need to be off the road with something without ag tires.
 
Two winters ago I was plowing the roads for the township. there was a small Chevy SUV sideways in front of me blocking the road. The guy said I made it all the way to here in 2 wheel drive, I pushed the button about 20 ft before I got here, I don't think 4 wheel drive makes any difference. You just can't help some people. About 3 weeks ago a good friend called me. (bad ice) I have made it over to the church pasture, and I can't get home, I've got my right hand wheels crunching on the edge and It won't climb the hill (09 super duty Ford). I ask him do you have your hubs in auto, he sais sure. Well when you back back to run at the hill your hubs kick out. put them in lock. Called back in 5 minutes. I made it. I've got my hubs locked and in 4 wheel drive if it even looks slick no matter how fast I drive. Vic
 
Never unless roads are almost impassable, and then at low speeds. I had a '69 K20 with a 292 that was miserable in the snow without having them locked in, but miserable it was on snowy roads. Now have two Ram 2500 4x4s with Cummins, and you talk about miserable unless theres lots of weight in the bed to offset that front end weight, but miserable they are. I remember once going down a snowy toll road minding my own business, almost keeping up with traffic, then went under an overpass where melting snow had been falling and icing up and the back tires broke loose, and I went this way and that way a couple of times, and then all they way around at speed with a guy right next to and passing me. I never touched him and never went off the road, at speed. WooHoo!!! Miserable on snowy roads without the front ends locked up, but thats the way it is. I figure they aren't made for highway travel or speed.

Mark
 
As someone once told me "a four wheel drive in two wheel is worse in slippery going than a two wheel drive".
Mine is engaged whenever the surface is slippery or snow covered.
 
My four wheel drive is a 79 Dodge 3/4 ton with full time 4WD so that qualifies as a yes. I don"t drive it very often-9 MPG. Jim
 
88 F250 2wd ,,,today I put the chains on the rear just to get to work , here in town . I went past several 4x4's that were stuck .
 
I often wonder why they don't make trucks AWD. I've had two Jeep Grand Cherokees that were full time AWD and they both lasted well over 250,000 miles with no power-train issues. Never even had to replace a CV joint! Maybe lasted even a lot longer after I sold them. Didn't they make some Dodge pickups like that in the 80s too? Sure beats electronic gismos locking it for you or turning 4wd off and on manually. I have a Subaru now; They're ALL full-time-AWD.

As for my pickup. I only put them in 4wd when I'm going off-road or I know 2wd will not get me up my driveway. I rarely have to push more than a few inches of snow on the public roads since they keep them plowed around here pretty well these days. It does kind of suck having to stop and get out on the highway after I get out of my driveway to lock the hubs out, but at least I can be pretty sure there's not some servo or vacuum switch that's frozen up. However, I guess I have had a manual lock up stick before and ruin a U-joint, so there's that :)
 
If it is bad enough to need 4wd, I am not going over 40. Usually a lot less than that. One thing is that you might be able to go a lot faster, but how fast can you stop? And once you lose it in 4wd, you are usually screwed.
 
You fellows out there with diesel pickups had better find 4wd when the roads are slick. All brands are more front end heavy. I always run mine in 4wd when it is slick. As for not feeling it before it is too late. That is BS. The reason so many 4wd vehicles are in the ditch is the wing nut behind the wheel. You can go much better in 4wd but you can"t stop any faster.

Also anything that is thirty years old or newer has the same ratio differentials front and back. So higher speeds will not hurt anything other than some lube/maintenance on the front drive components. The old Power wagons and some Jeeps had a slightly lower ratio in the front differential. It was to help keep them going straight. These you could cause damage if they where driven on clear roads. I have one of the old Power wagon chassis. We used to haul logs out of the woods with it. Never did have the whole body.
 
All three of my vehicles I have are 4 wd and I put them in 4 wd anytime the roads are slick. Especially with the jeep, the rear end tries to walk around the front when in 2 wd so 4 wd it is. I do alot of traveling on the highway and normally do 60 in 4 wd. Done 87 mph in 4wd in 4 in of snow once to pass someone but I wouldn't do that everyday. 4wd can be used at high speeds and I know this because I drag race my 78 f150 in 4wd for traction. (Done 103 mph in 4wd but that was on perfectly smooth and dry concrete)
 
Apparently the idiots I follow to work every day never have it in 4. Slippin' and slidin' all over the road but "I'm a real man with a real truck and don't need 4wd" Something about a testosterone overload. Idiots!! Same idiots that park in the store parking lot with the front end way up at the top of the snow bank. Idiots! Ya know sometimes it's good to know if it even works don't ya think?? "Before" ya need it? Sometimes if ya don't use it you will lose it. Same mentality that makes people run with just their park lites on. Don't want to burn those expensive "headlites" if'n we don't need to. Idiots! 'sides it looks so "cool" with just park lites. Sure is cool sittin' at the corner spinnin'. Sure don't want to wear out the 4wd though. Then just get the #ell out of the way and let us "girls" in 4wd get to work. Idiots!
 
Well if you dident "go" so fast in 4wd you wouldent have a problem stopping. Its there for traction help, not to win a indy car race!
 
Its best to run 2wd until you get hung up. The reason for the 4wd is so you hopefully will not have to call for a wrecker once you are hung. Its a fact that 4wd does not help you stop. It does not help you stay in your lane any better than the next guy driving while using his head. Its also a known fact that most drivers do not know how to properly "drive" a 4wd. Most do not power into sharp turns and allow the front to push off the road.
 
You'll like this one.I've had it for a long time.Used to use it on the farm back in ILL. Brought it out here to Az. Occasional use to ride in the desert ,other wise sits in it's Car Port. Left the 1999 ILL License plate on the front for a conversation piece. 1947 Dodge Power Wagon 4X4,former USDA Forest Service Vehicle from Washington State.
a31397.jpg
 
Guys, I have had a 4X4 under me since 1980 The inclement weather of ice and snow is a Given. What you may not realize it is just as valuable in heavy rain storms too. Most folks just do not think about it. There is where I use it the most today.
My ol 80 model Chevy lived in Hi-Lock from mid Dec to April most every yr when I was in the Panhandles from 1980 to 1990.
Later,
John A.
 
"Its best to run 2wd until you get hung up."

Yeah, RIGHT... WHAT a bunch of CRAP!
 
Sure don't want it on on the highways. Only means you'll be the dummy that slid in the ditch on the ice - you can drive faster than anyone else, but can't stop any better. Duh.

Use it 90% of the winter going in my driveway.

Use it a fair amount after a snow getting around town - on slippery stop sign intersections and the like.

Real nice to get myself out of trouble if I got into a bit deep snow in 2wd.

Don't need to prove my manhood by locking it in at any snowflake and drive as fast as possible!

--->Paul
 
Unless you have locking diffs front and rear, you will never have true all wheel drive or 4 wheel drive. A skid steer loader is true 4 wheel/ all wheel drive. There used to some GM and Jeep models (and probably others) that had full time 4 wheel drive. Maybe that's what they're calling all wheel drive now? Dave
 
Looks like a lot of people don't know how their 4x4's are supposed to be used. Almost all vehicles can be shifted in and out of 4 wheel drive while moving in high range as long as you aren't spinning. Low range requires you to stop to engage and disengage 4x4. There is a reason for high and low on the transfer case. In high range you could go 60 MPH in 4x4 if you wanted to. 4x4 can be used at any speed as long as the road has slippery conditions. Usually when the road is covered in ice and snow(slippery conditions) no one is going to want to drive 60 MPH so it becomes a non issue. If was an emergency though, it wouldn't hurt anything. Sounds like your friend in Minnesota has a good understanding of how his 4x4 works and the whole reason behind buying a 4x4 in the first place. Dave
 
The difference between a 2-wheel drive and a 4-wheel drive is that with a 2-wheel drive you will hit the ditch. With a 4-wheel drive you will hit the ditch, go through the fence and get all the way into the field!
 
We drive on snow pack a lot during the winter. No sand. No salt. Just snow pack. 4WD does help you slow down for intersections, stop signs, emergencies, etc. You've got all 4 wheels decelerating instead of 2 and with an auto trans it can be dropped down to lower gears quite smoothly and efficiently. My truck has an "S" mode that allows the driver to just nudge the shift lever into whatever gear desired. Coming up on a stop sign in 6th, just start dropping it down through the gears and by the time you're at the stop sign you'll be in low and you'll hardly have to use the brakes. This is assuming you don't have baloney tires, of course. Brand new 20" Blizzaks in my case. They do work great.
 
I am usually running around in 2wd then I use 4wd to get out of where I shouldn't of been !

A few times I used 4wd all the way home from work as the roads were really terrible.

I always add weight in the bed and I bolt it down to my gooseneck hitch so it stays put. I try and have good tires too.
 
We put it in 4WD and leave it there with ice and snow. We are not so cheap to worry about a little extra tire wear and fuel useage.
 
It's the goofs with wide mudder tires with summer rubber compounds driving in winter that cause part of the troubles.
A wide tire with rock hard rubber compound is about useless in ice or snow pack.
A tall narrow tire with soft winter rubber compounds are required. A coarse tread is not ideal on snowpack or ice.
The other is the 4WD causes over confidence and they drive past braking and steering limits.
 
With a 4 wd set up the front and rear drive shafts are locked together with no slip while in 4 wd. In an AWD set up there is a differential between the front and rear drive shaft (sometimes LS sometimes computer controlled). Locking hubs, auto locking hubs, full time 4wd were all 4wd set ups, not AWD. Even the 2010 wranglers have 4wd (fulltime) and not AWD.
 
I run 4x4 in MN when road conditions are questionable. Most of the trucks you see in the ditch are running in 2-wheel drive, going too fast, and finding out about black ice the hard way.
 
If the roads are covered with snow and ice, you probably wont have any extra tire wear. Extra fuel used wouldn't be enough to worry about. Seems like a lot of people buy 4x4's and figure they're saving wear and tear on the front drive train... by not using it in slippery conditions. That's what it's made for. Almost as bad as the guys that build big monster 4x4's with 44" tires and custom paint jobs that wont even drive on a gravel road and then buy a beater to drive in the winter. Dave
 
Sounds like all wheel drive was copied from Jeeps Quadratrac from 30+ years ago. Some people claim it was the best 4x4/AWD system ever. It used a limited slip system between the front and rear drive shafts applying the most power to the diff with the most traction. Still not really true all wheel drive. Dave
 
drives his Yukon in 4WD anytime the road is covered with snow or ice. I drove 2WD vwhicles for 40 years on ice and snow with no real problems.

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