4 x 2 in rain?

[adrianp89]

Hey guys, I have a 4 x 4 now and love it for the rain but we are looking at a 4 x 2 LongHorn. Any Florida peep to chime in how they handle in the rain? Does the back still get swirly easy?

 

[JoeCo]

I know the roads are different down south but do people down there really use 4x4 in the rain?

 

[mtnrider]

4x4 in the rain? No. Spent most of my life (40+ years) in Florida and Never used 4x4 in the rain.
Pulling a boat out of a ramp, yes, out in the mud, yes, the snow of Colorado, yes. but never on a rain soaked street in Florida.

.

 

[adrianp89]

Actually makes a huge difference with 4x4 auto, basically makes the truck part time awd. Even with good A/Ts on my laramie now I can usually feel it engage often from stop lights and turns in the rain.

 

[Firebird]

Hey guys, I have a 4 x 4 now and love it for the rain but we are looking at a 4 x 2 LongHorn. Any Florida peep to chime in how they handle in the rain? Does the back still get swirly easy?

Florida member here, and they are a nightmare in the rain. I have owned 2 1500 Hemi 4x2's, and they were almost undrivable in the rain. I had to wait forever to pull out in traffic, or risk being hit because I couldn't accelerate.

 

[NCRaineman]

I don't have any problems with my 4x2 on wet streets. Just leave the traction control on and ease into the gas... you'll be just fine. You shouldn't be trying to drive like a madman in the rain anyways, 4x4 or not.

 

[JoeCo]

Actually makes a huge difference with 4x4 auto, basically makes the truck part time awd. Even with good A/Ts on my laramie now I can usually feel it engage often from stop lights and turns in the rain.

I don't have any problems with my 4x2 on wet streets. Just leave the traction control on and ease into the gas... you'll be just fine. You shouldn't be trying to drive like a madman in the rain anyways, 4x4 or not.

Ah I see, 4 auto makes more sense to me. I'd have to agree with raineman though, with traction control it shouldnt be too bad. I've only been on a handful of rainy southern roads in my rams but they were fine in 2 wheel with traction control on. To be honest I usually take the traction control off because I enjoy sliding around a bit, but that may just be because I'm from snow country and do the same thing in snow, always 2wd w/ traction control off, unless I actually need the 4x4.

 

[tidefan1967]

Good tires will make a hell of a difference. A set of Michelin Defender LTX M/S would be almost as good as 4 wheel drive unless you're dealing with snow and ice.

 

[clay282]

I guess that's one big advantage of the open rear diff versus the limited slip diff... only one wheel breaks loose and the other holds on and it doesn't get squirrely. Mine will spin that one tire but if I let off it's not an issue. The traction control (at least it feels like this is what it's doing) will kick in after a few seconds and apply brake on the spinning wheel and push power to the other wheel.

Open rear diff is a double edged sword. On my last truck that locking rear diff would hook up faster than you could catch it and then both wheels spun and it was broke lose before you could do anything, even at highway speed. This RAM I have now is open diff and the ON ROAD stability problem in the rain is gone but I do have to use 4 wheel drive more when I'm off pavement.

 

[ScottFL]

Driving in the torrential rains here in Florida like I did yesterday I engaged 4 auto. There have been a couple times I have not engaged auto and starting from a red light the red end would get a little squirrelly. I am a conservative driver but do have the Pedal Commander, saying that if you have a 4X2 you just have to be more cautious in slick environments.

 

[WilliamS]

I can tell you the 4-auto makes a difference. I picked an 4-auto model on purpose for that exact reason. The intersections because of all the lovely upkept cars here in Florida leave a nice ice like slick on first rain. Coming off onramps and merging also a nightmare after a quick rain. My truck is an open rear end and a hemi so those things do not go to my advantage.

In 4x2 my truck is no fun in tampa after a rain, if its been raining a while and the slick is washed off its a lot better but it doesnt take much with a Hemi and an open differential to stand still and wait till traction control kicks in.

In 4-auto there is no slip you dont even realize the road is slick. I would not drive in 4x4 if you have a lower model with the part time transfer case.

 

[BWL]

My trucks in 2wd on pavement unless there's snow. Yes it is a little more squirrelly in the rain when trying to make a fast left turn in traffic for example, but once you're moving it's all good.

 

[iLLeStEyECoN]

I was actually coming on here to ask this very question. In my Laramie 4x4, is it appropriate to leave 4auto on? What if I turn it on during the rain? Some roads here (I’m looking at you 595 Express Lanes) end up becoming nightmares with huge areas of standing water. My mind tells me I’d feel safer doing appropriate speeds with 4auto on, but I read another post here which said 4x4 at higher speeds than 30mph isn’t good (I have never owned a 4x4 before this truck, spent my life in RWD HEMIs).


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[ksn240]

My 2013 was 2wd. For the most part I never had any issues in the rain. That's more dependent on your tires than anything. The stock Goodyears were terrible but I put in some Coopers and had zero trouble after that. Of course you gotta be easy on the gas, but my Coopers never slid on me even in the rain. Put on some good tires and you'll be fine.

 

[NCRaineman]

I was actually coming on here to ask this very question. In my Laramie 4x4, is it appropriate to leave 4auto on? What if I turn it on during the rain? Some roads here (I’m looking at you 595 Express Lanes) end up becoming nightmares with huge areas of standing water. My mind tells me I’d feel safer doing appropriate speeds with 4auto on, but I read another post here which said 4x4 at higher speeds than 30mph isn’t good (I have never owned a 4x4 before this truck, spent my life in RWD HEMIs).

You can turn 4auto on any time and even use it at highway speeds. It's only going to kick the front wheels in when it detects slip in the rear wheels, so you'll be fine. I wouldn't recommend running in actual 4x4 mode on the highway, that's a great way to overheat the 4x4 system and then *kaboom* it all comes flying out from under the vehicle at speed.

Typically 4x4 LOW you want to limit speeds to 30MPH and below. 4x4 High is good for higher speeds, I've always heard up to 55MPH. If you are going faster than that but still worried about standing water or slick surfaces use 4auto.

 

[JoeCo]

Yeah kind of forgot about the tires part, all my experience has been with bfg at's (and lsd) since we deal with so much snow up here. The regular street tires these come with should probably be the first thing you replace, I've never heard anything good about them in regards to traction.

 

[WilliamS]

I was actually coming on here to ask this very question. In my Laramie 4x4, is it appropriate to leave 4auto on? What if I turn it on during the rain? Some roads here (I’m looking at you 595 Express Lanes) end up becoming nightmares with huge areas of standing water. My mind tells me I’d feel safer doing appropriate speeds with 4auto on, but I read another post here which said 4x4 at higher speeds than 30mph isn’t good (I have never owned a 4x4 before this truck, spent my life in RWD HEMIs).


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Standing water at highway speeds it wont matter how many wheel drive you have. If you hydroplane its all a matter of holding on for the ride and not panic braking into disaster.

4auto could be left on full time, but for me i only activate it when needed. It will get used more often than you think and why bother with the power loss. It doesnt just activea with wheel slip, it can engage otherwise. Its not a bad thing, but on a 90 degree dry day you shouldnt have any need for it.

 

[iLLeStEyECoN]

Standing water at highway speeds it wont matter how many wheel drive you have. If you hydroplane its all a matter of holding on for the ride and not panic braking into disaster.

4auto could be left on full time, but for me i only activate it when needed. It will get used more often than you think and why bother with the power loss. It doesnt just activea with wheel slip, it can engage otherwise. Its not a bad thing, but on a 90 degree dry day you shouldnt have any need for it.

Understandable. But I’d imagine short of hydroplaning that 4WD helps in the rain.

One of the main reasons I bought the 4x4 was for our trips into the N.C. mountains. Would I use high or low when coming out of those steep ass angles the cabins sit on?


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[WilliamS]

Understandable. But I’d imagine short of hydroplaning that 4WD helps in the rain.

One of the main reasons I bought the 4x4 was for our trips into the N.C. mountains. Would I use high or low when coming out of those steep ass angles the cabins sit on?


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Correct. Mine is in 4auto in all rain, but knowing even in snow or ice all wheel drive does not negate traction or physics be careful regardless

 

[iLLeStEyECoN]

Correct. Mine is in 4auto in all rain, but knowing even in snow or ice all wheel drive does not negate traction or physics be careful regardless

Will do. Although, this is South Florida and folks will do 90 in the rain with bald tires in a Geo... lol


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