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Old 03-20-2014, 09:53 AM   #1
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How Fast do You Drive in 4x4?

Hello Forum,

How fast do you drive in 4x4? The traction is so good on my rig I feel quite comfortable driving higher speeds on the highway in snow and ice. 65 or 70 mph would be nice, especially when snow and ice conditions are spotty. I have a Ujoint conversion and Chris had recommended not to push 55mph.

Any feedback out there?

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Old 03-20-2014, 10:00 AM   #2
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Re: How Fast do You Drive in 4x4?

might want to listen to Chris
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Old 03-20-2014, 11:00 AM   #3
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Re: How Fast do You Drive in 4x4?

I posed a similar question a while back....

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=8034

I'll drive up to 60 mph for short straight stretches in 4wd. If I want to drive faster, I usually convince myself that it's not a good idea. I'll go back to 2wd if conditions warrant.
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Old 03-21-2014, 05:09 PM   #4
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Re: How Fast do You Drive in 4x4?

Yeah, get a rally car if you wanna go fast in 4x4

Kidding aside, it's not just the speed. When you drive on pavement you bind up the transfer case. Envision a circle and see that the front and rear are travelling different distances. That's why AWD cars have essentially a fore/aft diff as well. Especially with offroad tires since they exacerbate the problem by having such good grip on asphalt. Offroad things slip, and you go slower, and you account for it. But just whipping a tight turn into a parking lot in 4WD isn't good.
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Old 03-21-2014, 09:00 PM   #5
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Re: How Fast do You Drive in 4x4?

Thanks for the lead to the other thread dparkway. Lots of good info. Sounds like keepin' below 60 is the way to go.
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Old 03-22-2014, 02:52 PM   #6
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Re: How Fast do You Drive in 4x4?

Another similar thread:
viewtopic.php?f=2&t=10354

Ignoring the mechanical end of it, I figure it's a judgment call. The signs don't say it's OK to drive 55MPH on dry, wet AND icy pavement. I understand that people need to get to where they're going but common sense goes a long way. I drive my van in many ways like I drive a class A vehicle. Stopping is going to vary depending on the road conditions and the weight of the vehicle. If somebody pulls out in front of me and I'm doing 50 in icy snow with a vehicle as heavy as my van is, I'll be looking for an escape route not trying to just stop. My van is hard enough to stop on dry pavement so I generally slow down in snowy condition.
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Old 03-22-2014, 06:19 PM   #7
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Re: How Fast do You Drive in 4x4?

My speed on snow and ice varies depending on conditions, anywhere from 10 mph to 50 mph, its all about the conditions, beware around 32 degrees. One time on HWY 80 to Tahoe where it really was not that bad, just compact snow, probably, 20 degrees out, pretty good at about 45-50 mph, got passed by a F250 crew long bed doing about 60-65, thought that I would probably be seeing this guy again, sure enough another few miles and he lost it, buried all the way and then some in the 5 foot snow bank in the center divide, don't think he made to the ski hill that day.

Maybe I am just a wussy, but 65 mph on dry pavement is about my limit, 70 feels like pushing it, especially with other cars around, going from 15.5 mpg to 11-12 also does it for me.

Jim
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Old 03-22-2014, 06:21 PM   #8
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Re: How Fast do You Drive in 4x4?

Yeah, forgot, 4x4 is great for going when its slick, doesn't do a thing for you when it comes to stopping. A little like full suspension on a mountain bike, sure smooths out the ride, but the crashes are always at a lot higher speed...

Jim
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Old 03-22-2014, 07:58 PM   #9
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Re: How Fast do You Drive in 4x4?

Nice analogy Jima, I can relate to that for sure. In fact I'm thinking of going back to hard tail to focus on climbing and hopefully go slower on the downhill. It's hard to drive 55 on I70 in Co, even in tough conditions. I've driven on icy roads my whole life, mostly with a 2x4 van. I realize the nuances and risks of driving faster in snowy conditions, but at the same time if you are letting the engine do the work, laying off the brakes, and driving defensively when approaching traffic, you can minimize some of the dangers. You always have to be ready to avoid traffic rather than trust stopping, in wet or dry conditions. Clearly the slower you go the safer you are. (unless you get torched by the guy behind you!)

I'm more concerned with the wear and tear on the vehicle. I'm happy to drive slower in 4x4 if that means my investment will last longer.
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Old 03-23-2014, 07:27 PM   #10
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Re: How Fast do You Drive in 4x4?

Yes, even with just a little exposure I can see I-70 is a fast one, I-80 around Tahoe is a bit more turny I think, problem here is it can be bumper to bumper at 70 mph with a lot of people who have limited experience in the snow, like Seattle only way worse. Chain controls at the first sign of snow is the only way it stays under control here.

Would really like to have a light climbing bike for the dirt, not really into the high speed stuff, getting too old, but need a new road bike, thinking cyclo cross bike for both...

Jim
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