Moving to somewhere snowy - should I get 4 x 4? - Page 3

accrete · 11-24-2010, 01:23 PM

the recent Pacific Northwest snow dump left the north coast of oregon all white and icy. My wife and i have had AWD vehicles (mitsubishi expo, volvo xc70) over the years and now an AWD express van with wild country XTX sport traction tires. It handled the ice and snow dusting without any perceptable slips. For our situation on the coast with wet and icy winter roads AWD is a big help.

UJOINT · 11-24-2010, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxacceleration

Also which no one has mentioned is, in 4x4 you have 4 wheel compression braking. Let off and all four wheels slow you.

Exactly what I was thinking as I read this thread. Low range enables you to control downhill speed, which is critical on slippery or icy roads.

Here in WNC, 4x4 is priceless when we get snow. The secondary roads don't see plows for DAYS, and the tree cover keeps the sun from doing it's job.

jage · 11-24-2010, 08:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxacceleration

Also which no one has mentioned is, in 4x4 you have 4 wheel compression braking. Let off and all four wheels slow you.

2 wheels doing compression braking... you don't want all 4 wheels doing compression, acceleration or anything else on the snow/ice!

Bones_GSXR · 11-24-2010, 11:24 PM

Where I live we get no snow or ice at all.

We have had freezing rain for the las three days. Ice on some side streets is glass smooth and 2in thick. School has been canceled all three days as school buses can't get around even though chained. I have been out every day in my van on the 37's without studs and have not had to much trouble. I have plowed three times this year without studs this year as well. I would not have been able to do this without 4x4 and TrueTrac diffs. Lockers would have spun me alot and this is why I went with the TrueTrac front and rear, just accelerate smooth and off it goes...

bettyford · 02-02-2011, 06:00 PM

It was 27Below this morning at my house.

I only have 2wd with a locking rear diff. G-80. I dont drive it much in the winter but most days the plows keep the roads good enough for 2wd.

I would never go off road in winter in my van you would be just asking for trouble! But I am all ways off road in the dry months. If your smart and drive careful you will be fine with 2wd. I also have 3ft of snow in my front yard.

Ron

**daveb** · 02-03-2011, 08:37 PM

It was 35 above at my house this morning

made 60 by 2PM....I hate this hot weather Ron.

bettyford · 02-03-2011, 08:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by daveb

It was 35 above at my house this morning

made 60 by 2PM....I hate this hot weather Ron.

Ron

witoke · 02-04-2011, 07:06 AM

While you can get by with 2wd in a lot of conditions, I find the difference in stability and control in snow and ice with 4wd is well worth it. It makes my van a totally different animal on slippery roads and with a big, heavy vehicle like these are it is a lot more relaxed and easy to drive.

MikewTV · 02-04-2011, 05:36 PM

Okay, I have to weigh in again. If you look early on in this chain I said I was thinking 4WD was probably not worth it in hindsight for me. Well, now on Feb 4th 2011 mid way though this arctic winter from hell in the Hudson Valley...I can say this van would have been a 9500lb doorstop the last 7 weeks if I didn't have four wheel. I can't get out of my driveway anymore without it. and this is my daily driver. So, perhaps global warming has helped to make this an important upgrade afterall. (I had to drive through piles of refrozen snow plow berms this morning and the quigley got me through...though my passenger side bushwhacker flare remains on my driveway. drat!)

So, as I've read here before....when you finally need that 4WD...you're glad you have it.

skidoc · 02-17-2011, 03:13 PM

For those of you in Colorado (like myself, Winter Park to be exact) and the northwest, what snow tires do you use on your rig?
I am looking to fly out to pick up my new/used sportsmobile in 2 weeks and the seller wants to put new E rated tire on it. We have snow 9 months out of the year here and on my truck I never took the studded snows off. This winter I got some arctic claws without studs, and I couldn't believe how quiet they were and how well they stuck to the road. I will be using my new rig mostly for work driving on highways in Colorado & Nebraska........at least that's what my accountant will tell the IRS. My family & I will use it for some off road camping here in Colorado & Utah this summer, so I'm looking for something that is not strictly a highway tire.

Thanks for the info.

As far as 4x4 or not. I don't care how good of a driver you are you can not get a non 4x4 up my driveway in the winter. I agree that it can get you in trouble if your not careful!!