Hey everybody. I've lived in Florida all my life until this summer when my wife and I moved our family to North Carolina. In Florida I only use 4WD at the boat ramp and to goof off. Well today in NC we got our first snow of the season while I was out earlier. I actually needed 4WD to get out of my parking spot. Then I figured I would leave it in 4WD because it is snowing and the roads are very wet and slippery. Well that is fine and dandy except when it comes time to turn. SD's aren't the tightest turning vehicles to begin with and on pavement in 4WD I can only get 1 turn on the wheel before it starts binding as the wheels can't slip on each other like on sand. Question is: do I have to come out of 4WD for every turn? How do I handle turning on pavement in snow in 4WD?

 

Had simulator issues. Being in Texas we have no snow. But using a Gator in soft sand had issues turning was interested in this issue......we would just muscle through it.....

 

These have no center differential so they will bind when turning if you have enough traction. I would use 4 hi to start if needed and go back to 2 hi with my 250 (current truck is 2wd)

 

Might take a look at your tires and consider adding 300 or so pounds behind the axle. I'd try that before I drove every where in 4wd.

Sometimes 4wd trucks need 4wd because they have it. In other words, the front axle makes them extra heavy in the front end. IMO, unless you're going to mount a snow plow on front, a 2wd truck is all most people need. 2wd with good tires will go through snow up to the axles. More snow than that and a guy should stay home. And if you're in mud up to the axles, you're having fun (i.e. not working).

 

if there’s snow on the pavement (the part you’re driving on), it won’t bind because the wheels can slip.

I’m in snow country and only use the 4wd when I’m actually in snow.

Part of it is just a learning curve. I’d suggest leaving it in 2wd as much as possible to get used to driving it in snow. Obviously if you need 4wd, flip the switch.

 

It will feel like binding of there is hard traction on drivers front. Weight of motor and an open diff in the front axle.

 

Thanks for the replies. So basically if I'm binding and have traction on the rear I don't need 4wd

 

I only use 4WD when the roads are completely snow-covered, it's mainly just for traction when turning on loose surfaces or going up a steep incline. In snow with 4WD, your brakes are your enemy, you apply power when turning to keep the front wheels maintaining traction.

 

it is Best not to use 4x4 over speeds of 20 mph... you can...

its to HELP you to get moving...

with good/average traction. 4x4 is binding the system... mostly the front... as the wheels turn left and right.. as the rears do not.

my opinion.

 

Unless there's like 8 inches of snow plus on the road or ice, you typically won't need 4x4, or so I've found. I'm assuming NC is like VA...always slow moving to clear snow when the first storm hits lol. Only time I really needed 4x4 in the snow was when I went off-road on my farm where there was about a foot or more of untouched snow.

 

I live in texas where is snows... but strangely the snow hit the places it dosent snow in. Texas weather go figure... as for driving in it. I will first and foremost lock the hubs to prevent them not locking for what ever reason. Then typically i flip the switch when i need it and turn it off when i dont. Its not going to kill anything binding up as long as your easy on it. I wouldnt hammer it or drive alot in 4wd if you dont need it. I know a lot of folks that also think you only need 2wd... i say its better to have it and not need is then need it and not have it. Plenty of times its saved my ***. Last big snow storm we has a fot of snow on top of a sleet/ice storm. The combination of ground clearance, tires and 4wd meant i wasnt stranded for nearly a week like others.

 

Unless the roads are 100% snow/ice covered I only use 4wd to get started then go back to 2wd once rolling. Even if the roads are 100% covered but I can still get ok traction I will run in 2wd because I've found in the past that the extra traction and stability of 4wd can get a guy in trouble because you forget how slippery it is and overdrive the conditions or your ability.

 

How much snow do you actually get in NC? And how often?

How good are your tires?

I wouldn't worry about using 4wd when you need it, or even just when you want to. Won't hurt a thing, just don't punch the gas hard while turning at full steering lock.

If your tires are good, put some weight in the bed. I mean like real weight, not some token toy amount of weight (a couple hundred pounds is a joke). I run with 1200 lbs of sand in the bed of my truck all winter, and I'll go for several months straight with my hubs locked and 4wd engaged.

But we get snow here. And it stays for long periods of time.

 

in Montana when it gets snowing, ill turn the hubs in before I leave the house. if theres any slip at all, flip the switch. if the roads are wet, just rain, you don't need it. in parking lots if you start to bind, flip the switch to 2wd. these systems will take a lot, I run at 65 mph if need be in the winter on the highway, and no bad effects at all. these aren't like 4x4 from the 60s and 70s
!!do not run locked in 4wd on dry pavement!!

 

Keep your hubs locked in and in 2wd. If you feel the truck spinning let off the gas till it stops spinning and slip it into 4wd. Not hard at all to do once you get used to it. After some time you will know by looking at a hill whether you will need 4wd or not.