Snow Driving.. Prevent the slippies

[af2018]

Continuing from an old post of mine concerning snow driving, would driving in extremely slippy snow using 4WD LOCK 'help' at all in keeping the truck on the road better?

We know the best way to prevent slipping is to drive slower, but is 4WD LOCK any help at all? Im wondering specifically about taking corners better and when you hit those slippy patches on the highway.


Could 4WD LOCK make it even more dangerous for whatever reason?

 

[stimpy433]

I use 4WD Lock when the roads are freshly snow covered, then I use 4WD Auto after they've been plowed and just randomly covered with packed snow.

 

[GrumpyOleMan]

Not sure if I understand your question fully but I will try to answer ...
When the roads are snow covered I just put it in 4WD Hi and drive. I leave the TC on and yes it helps tremendously. Even helps stabilize the stopping (not sure I understand the physics in that but I feel it). I do not have 4WD Auto so not sure what you mean by 4WD LOCK.

 

[af2018]

Not sure if I understand your question fully but I will try to answer ...
When the roads are snow covered I just put it in 4WD Hi and drive. I leave the TC on and yes it helps tremendously. Even helps stabilize the stopping (not sure I understand the physics in that but I feel it). I do not have 4WD Auto so not sure what you mean by 4WD LOCK.

I have a 2018 RAM 1500. Looks like this..



Is yours different? Do I have an equivalent of 4WD Hi on this thing?

I believe 4WD AUTO only goes into 4WD when you hit the gas.. hence 'auto'.

 

[GrumpyOleMan]

I have a 2018 RAM 1500. Looks like this..

View attachment 156954

Is yours different? Do I have an equivalent of 4WD Hi on this thing?

I believe 4WD AUTO only goes into 4WD when you hit the gas.. hence 'auto'.

Ok, yeah I don't have the 4WD Auto or Lock. Instead just 4WD Hi and 4WD Low.

 

[Dinky]

Let about 10-15 psi out of all your tires. You will thank me later. 4 wheel lock and keep traction control on. Put about 100lbs of sand bags in the bed.

 

[mdifilippo]

Lock means it's staying in 4wd thats all. 4 wd auto will switch between 2 wheel and 4 wheel based off of if the wheels start to slip. It does help for sure with snow on the ground but Dinky nailed it, throw some weight in your bed and you can kiss slipping around goodbye. Trucks are great BUT the ass end has no weight unless you are hauling something in them.

 

[16RamHemi]

if i get what you are asking.....your traction is going to be dependent on your tires grip with the road (snow, slush, ice etc)..the point where you lose the grip is what you need to find. you cannot really plan or do much about black ice, or ice under snow you cannot see. typically each storm has its own "grippyness". some snow is sticky and gives good traction where other storms are mealy and does not offer much traction. i will start by feeling out corners. most times you cannot push the corners like when the road is bare (same speed). so if i can typically take the corner at 50 ill try 40 to 45 and see how it feels. do the tires slide/push in the corner? if so slow down a bit. i can usually get up to normal speeds on straight aways and up hills.
i have used both 4auto and 4lock. i have not noticed a difference at speed. the transition was always very seamless. from a stop i almost always want to be in 4lock. there are many variables you cannot account for (bumps, humps, twists etc) that can throw off the trucks momentum and cause it to act different (slide, spin, kick out etc). the biggest thing is to not push it too far and stay steady. yry not to break too much or at once going down hill and try to anticipate as much as possible. see things happening before they do. i drive on back roads (no highway) and up over a mountain everyday. we work no matter what. around here if school is cancelled, the plows tend to sleep in. tires are the biggest improvement. true snow tires

 

[af2018]

Lock means it's staying in 4wd thats all. 4 wd auto will switch between 2 wheel and 4 wheel based off of if the wheels start to slip. It does help for sure with snow on the ground but Dinky nailed it, throw some weight in your bed and you can kiss slipping around goodbye. Trucks are great BUT the ass end has no weight unless you are hauling something in them.

So somehow I have to convince my mother-in-law to sit in the truck bed during snow storms. Got it.

 

[af2018]

Lock means it's staying in 4wd thats all. 4 wd auto will switch between 2 wheel and 4 wheel based off of if the wheels start to slip. It does help for sure with snow on the ground but Dinky nailed it, throw some weight in your bed and you can kiss slipping around goodbye. Trucks are great BUT the ass end has no weight unless you are hauling something in them.

..Of course, that brings up the question of... Does 4WD AUTO only work when you hit the gas? No clear answer. Several people have asked in here in the past. Some say the truck senses when 4WD is needed and others say it only goes into 4WD when you hit the gas slightly.

 

[BWL]

4wd lock is the best in snow. Obviously getting going its usefull. When slowing down downshifting will help maintain your speed down hills vs brake riding and make cornering easier since it helps slow you down, but has no chance of locking the brakes and in 4wd lock that means more helping to slow you down 4 auto does not. Yes abs will pulse the brakes, but can still lock them up. Traction control helps prevent you from losing traction and losing control using too much throttle for conditions. 4wd lock will allow you to straighten out in case of a skid by pulling the front wheels based on where you point the tires with a little throttle. 4 auto does the same, but there is more time lag on the reaction so its less predictable and reliable.

 

[af2018]

Let about 10-15 psi out of all your tires. You will thank me later. 4 wheel lock and keep traction control on. Put about 100lbs of sand bags in the bed.

Thanks Mr. Dinky!

15PSI OUT!?? That goes against EVERYTHING my grandfather and the manual has told me!

 

[BOWERSFJ]

So somehow I have to convince my mother-in-law to sit in the truck bed during snow storms. Got it.

Brilliant !!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[af2018]

if i get what you are asking.....your traction is going to be dependent on your tires grip with the road (snow, slush, ice etc)..the point where you lose the grip is what you need to find. you cannot really plan or do much about black ice, or ice under snow you cannot see. typically each storm has its own "grippyness". some snow is sticky and gives good traction where other storms are mealy and does not offer much traction. i will start by feeling out corners. most times you cannot push the corners like when the road is bare (same speed). so if i can typically take the corner at 50 ill try 40 to 45 and see how it feels. do the tires slide/push in the corner? if so slow down a bit. i can usually get up to normal speeds on straight aways and up hills.
i have used both 4auto and 4lock. i have not noticed a difference at speed. the transition was always very seamless. from a stop i almost always want to be in 4lock. there are many variables you cannot account for (bumps, humps, twists etc) that can throw off the trucks momentum and cause it to act different (slide, spin, kick out etc). the biggest thing is to not push it too far and stay steady. yry not to break too much or at once going down hill and try to anticipate as much as possible. see things happening before they do. i drive on back roads (no highway) and up over a mountain everyday. we work no matter what. around here if school is cancelled, the plows tend to sleep in. tires are the biggest improvement. true snow tires

So your post belongs in the RAM 1500 owners manual. Calling them now to request an addition.

 

[mdifilippo]

Trucks with no 4wd auto option don't have a lsd. I've never heard the argument that 4wd only kicks on when you hit the gas. The idea behind that would be that if the vehicle is cruising and notices a slip would the 4wd kick in... hmm interesting but can't see many instances where thats going to happen.

 

[GrumpyOleMan]

My understanding (which is always subject to being wrong) is that 4WD Auto uses basically the same principle as traction control. You are in 2WD until it senses slippage at which point it engages the front wheel, thereby "automatically" putting you in 4WD. Once traction is gained you will then "automatically" go back into 2WD.

 

[BWL]

You can get lsd without 4 auto. 2 seperate things. Lsd is in the rear differential and locks both wheels when 1 wheel starts to spin. 4 auto is in the transfer case and is a clutch system that enggages 4wd when the rears slip and engages the front wheel to help.it will disengage it when not slipping

 

[mdifilippo]

The other thing that is a big factor is actually knowing how the truck feels in situations like slipping in snow and ice, how it feels when 4wd is engaged and you are trying to steer out of a skid or if in 4wd auto knowing the threshold at which 4wd kicks in. If you have a big open area you can drive in next time it snows go through a few different scenarios and you'll quickly learn the feel of each. THen you'll be a little better prepared for the open road and whats best.

I know for me whenever I'm in 4WD lock I can FEEL the front wheels a lot more, if I am turning it really pulls the vehicle around the turn. Coasting is also very different, not sure why but there it seems like there is much less loss of power.

 

[BWL]

I wouldn't air down unless for deep snow, sand or mud for a larger contact patch. For the same reason skinnier tires tend to perform better in slippery condition. A higher amount of ground pressure per square inch of contact to improve grip. Airing down is lower ground pressure due to larger contact to keep the truck from sinking into the material you're driving on. Want good winter grip use snow tires.

 

[Dinky]

I wouldn't air down unless for deep snow, sand or mud for a larger contact patch. For the same reason skinnier tires tend to perform better in slippery condition. A higher amount of ground pressure per square inch of contact to improve grip. Airing down is lower ground pressure due to larger contact to keep the truck from sinking into the material you're driving on. Want good winter grip use snow tires.

Wrong you are trying to displace as much weight as your can. Less lbs per square in gives you more force that can be used before you break the friction. Your tire only allowed so much psi of friction. That changes for different conditions rain snow sand...so on. What doesn't change is getting more contact patch to reduce your vehicle psi to gain the most traction. Basic physics same reason you don't want to brake or throttle the gas to much in a corner your tires are allotted a certain amount for friction and your using lots of it in a corner then you add 2 other variable. Car slides out of control no more friction left.