Do you drive in 4WD in winter?

[huntergreen]

I live in the Buffalo NY area and will use my basic on/off 4x4 in 4x4 mode if the roads are completely snow/ice covered. I've done this for 30yrs. Never once have I had a drivetrain related problem from doing this. Isn't the ability to do so part of why we buy 4x4 trucks? Use it!

That is exactly the reason I 4x4.

 

[huntergreen]

Always 2 WD unless stuck. 800# snow plow on the front and 800# over the rear axle allows me to keep the tires stuck to the pavement even in 9 inches on snow while plowing in 2WD

Depends on the type of snow you are driving in if you can use 2 wheel drive or not

 

[2010 Infantry Vet]

Always 2 WD unless stuck. 800# snow plow on the front and 800# over the rear axle allows me to keep the tires stuck to the pavement even in 9 inches on snow while plowing in 2WD

So you are saying you plow snow in 2 wheel drive? Dry snow maybe. Wet and icy snow, not gonna happen. Where i live in wet ich conditions, has to be in 4 wheel and have to speed up and get a run at it. We get 3-8" normally.

 

[af2018]

Oh thank God finally someone agrees.
The test driver seemed like he just stomped the brake pedal. In that case ABS should help. If he modulated the pedal properly he could have done better I believe. But whatever.
Here watch this. This is EXACTLY what I am saying and what I learned with my 76 Blazer, my first 4WD truck. No automatic anything.
Take away all the automatic ********, and 4WD helps you stop. Add in all the modern nanny features and I don't know. I don't care. It doesn't matter. Keep your head and go slow. People will crash all around you. The insurance companies and mainstream publications will NEVER tell you 4 wheel drive helps you stop. Then because we are stupid children we will go faster and cost (insurance companies) them more money. Everyone says GO SLOW. And so do I.
Once recently on an icy highway a big SUV guy was passing me in the left. I was riding the center lane and driving right on the crown of the road. He hit the guard rail SO close to me, my truck shook and I thought he hit us. Fenders and stuff flying everywhere. There must have been 30 vehicles off the road in that 40 mile stretch. People can be incredibly stupid.

Nice video. thanks. so concerning the Ram 1500... would that video better represent being in 4WD Auto... or 4WD Lock ?

I guess thats part of my question. I take it from this thread that when its slippery out just go in 4WD Auto.

 

[af2018]

Good video demonstrating the benefit of being in a true 4wd while braking. Unfortunately with RAM and the higher trim models the computer has taken over engaging and disengaging the transfer case so that the benefits are taken away and replaced with highway boulevard 4wd make believes.

so are you saying a 2018 Ram 1500's 4WD Lock is not true 4x4?

 

[af2018]

I am confused, the 4wd auto is when it stays in 2wd until the slip is felt by the computer.

Threads are not very helpful without engine and trans descriptions.

In northern Wisconsin this past weekend we had snow and I always use 4wd auto. That’s what I paid for.

18 Sport with 5.7 and 8HP70 trans with anti spin rear

Would you ever use 4WD Lock while driving on a snowy, slippery highway? The take away here I'm seeing is just slow down haha

 

[af2018]

does NOT give me any engine braking

oh boy... hold up here.. what the hey is engine braking?

 

[wisconsinwalter]

Would you ever use 4WD Lock while driving on a snowy, slippery highway? The take away here I'm seeing is just slow down haha

Agreed, the conditions always dictate! May not have high post counts, but I have high miles! 28k since March.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[LouM]

oh boy... hold up here.. what the hey is engine braking?

Well I see 3 questions here;

1) so are you saying a 2018 Ram 1500's 4WD Lock is not true 4x4,
it depends on the trim level of your vehicle, the "upper" trim levels with a transfer case that has the auto 4wd mode,
correct it uses a single disk wet clutch with a cam assisted function to engage the front axle drive. The trucks computer controls the activation of that clutch, this clutch and it's activation is when the computer decides to in auto 4wd and hi "lock" 4wd that is why you can do figure 8's in a parking lot with almost no binding or wheel hop.

2) Would you ever use 4WD Lock while driving on a snowy, slippery highway? The take away here I'm seeing is just slow down haha ,
certainly can if it's snow covered or slick that's what it's for, slowing down is just a prudent thing to do.

3) oh boy... hold up here.. what the hey is engine braking?
Engine braking is what you feel slowing your truck down when you lift off the throttle or downshift the transmission to slow the truck. If you put your truck in 1st gear and head down hill with no throttle applied the truck is pushing and the engine is trying to slow the truck down, low range will do even more.
The problem with the transfer cases with auto 4wd is that in conditions of extremely low traction at the rear wheels, is that the cam that aids (actually does most) in clamping the transfer case clutch doesn't have any force to aid in engagement then the rear wheels can slip and not hold in the front axle and you lose engine braking in those conditions, yes you can try and use your brakes and have the abs kick in and allow you to have no control.

I like my truck in every way except the transfer case operation in extremely low traction conditions, this transfer case is nice under 90% of it's use for me, and I use it every day in my driveway.

 

[af2018]

what i don't understand is i was able to switch into 4WD lock withOUT having to go into neutral yesterday ??

 

[69GWC]

what i don't understand is i was able to switch into 4WD lock withOUT having to go into neutral yesterday ??

You will only need to go into neutral if you are going into Low range.

 

[turkeybird56]

The only time I use 4 X 4 is if I am in a field and say pulling trailer with hossies. On road, rarely use any 4WD except 4WD Auto once in a blue moon due to roads. Now, if we actually get a freak storm where snow is dumped then will be in 4WD because the secondary roads are rarely plowed, may have chemicals on them only. That would be the luck of the draw since there is rarely more than (1) 3" snowfall per year, gotta luv TX...

 

[homeguy]

Here my wife uses the auto 4WD unless it’s real bad then 4WD lock


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Stefan N]

4wd auto with studded Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic

 

[LouM]

4wd auto with studded Goodyear UltraGrip Ice Arctic

That is a nice looking tire, I'm running the Nokian LT's with studs. They are onthier last winter this year.