First chance to "play"
 

We got our Expedition in September. Sunday I got my first chance to play with it just a bit. We went out for our annual trek to get the Christmas tree. We got about 5 or 6 inches of snow on Saturday and it had been fairly warm up until then. The farm we go to cut our own tree has a dirt road leading from the farmhouse up to the tree lot and there is a pasture at the end to park. Sunday it was 4X4 only on the road and pasture as the snow had turned the road into a muddy wet mess. I was pulling a small (1K LB) landscape trailer to put our and other family member's trees on. I started up the road in 4 wheel high worried more about getting mud on my goregeous Expy than anything. No problem whatsoever! Child's play even pulling the trailer through about 8 inches of mud and water then into the pasture to park. The pasture slopes up a hill and goes back for quite a distance. I decided to see if the Expy could handle the snow covered pasture up the hill. To my surprise I was able to run it up, down, and all over the pasture and back without as much as a wheel spin, even pulling the trailer. This is my first time owning a 4X4 so I didn't know what to expect, but I was simply blown away by my trucks off road snow covered prowess. Big grins on the ride home! Still grinning.

Did ya try it in 4x4 Auto? That's about as deep into 4x4 as I ever get in these same conditions other than periodically verifying the other modes still work.

I rarely switch out of 4x2, though.

-- Chuck

Welcome to the site Dave. You should be enjoying the 4WD today. Took the Jeep into the office today we're right in Pepperell...getting clobbered over here.

Chuck - I did not try 4X4 Auto only 4X4 high. Not sure if it makes that much difference. Read the owners manual and it was not super clear on when to use which. I did gather that 4X4 auto is more like "on demand" 4 wheel drive and only kicks in when the wheel senses slip, while 4X4 high all wheels are fully engaged. Do I have that right? I have used 4X4 auto a few times when we drove into slippery conditions but not deep snow.

Tony - I did not get to try the Expedition in today's snow storm. Unfortunately I had to work the midnight shift last night and my company car is a front wheel drive sedan with no snow tires. I work in Northampton and drive home to the Berkshires. We got about 8 inches of snow and it took me 2 hours to drive home with almost no traffic to deal with on the roads I drive. I did manage to get in my driveway, barely, but went to bed and didn't get up until 4 PM when it was all gone. Some of the roads around my house are poorly plowed so when I went out this evening I did put it in 4X4 auto on those roads. No problems. Maybe in the next storm I can get it out and really play a bit in some deep stuff. That will give me an idea of whether I am going to need dedicated snow tires. Right now the stock tires have been impressing me in what I've driven in so far.

Right. 4x4 Auto detects rear wheel slip and engages the front axle. There's some mechanical connection all the time in 4x4 Auto. I can feel it when I engage/disengage it.

4x4 High on dry roads will cause axle or half shaft wind up and clunk or bang with they slip.

-- Chuck