Originally Posted by Tugly

Here in the West, many states have chain requirements. What does MN say about chains? Are they saying that occasional chain wear on bad weather days is better than stud wear through a few months of the year? How much does it cost for damage to state property when people fall off the roads and hit stuff? Do studs even touch the roads in winter months? Aren't you guys pretty much a big snowmobile track? I'm just sharin' thoughts.

Originally Posted by cleatus12r

Then again, it's all there because the lot of drivers these days can't be bothered with acquiring SKILL. They NEED things to help them back up, park, and even accelerate/decelerate properly.

Originally Posted by cleatus12r

A transfer case touting All Wheel Drive or Auto 4x4 does not use a solid connection of a chain or gears directly powering the front output. Instead it will use either a viscous coupling or clutch drum driven by the chain. The viscous system is activated by speed differential between the driven member and drive member to apply torque to the front driveshaft. A more common method uses a sprocket-driven clutch pack that has a continuously variable amount of pressure applied to it by the shift motor (through speed sensors and the transfer case control module) to regulate slippage to the front output thus varying the amount of front driveshaft torque. The Four Wheel Drive function of these transfer cases just forces the shift motor to a full-pressure mode of the clutch pack. There is no solid splined connection between the front and rear driveshafts.

Originally Posted by cleatus12r

If you ever get a chance to ask someone about road damage, ask them how well magnesium/calcium chloride and the concrete bridge surfaces get along. Chlorides literally EAT concrete but yet bridges usually get the crap slathered on like a 5-year old with syrup on pancakes. Worried about the road surface.

Originally Posted by FordTruckNoob

What if we could put a differential into the transfer case's output so it behaves like an AWD system? Perhaps a torsen a la Audi longitudinal Quattro? What do you think?

Originally Posted by pirate4x4_camo

Lucky for you Axletech already makes a AWD 2 speed case that can also lock. they put them in the M1081 so it is plenty beefy for whatever nonsense you care to dish out.

Originally Posted by Y2KW57

...If you plan on painting steel wheels with bedliner, is there any reason why you cannot paint aluminum wheels with bedliner? If not, is there any reason why you cannot use the OEM aluminum wheels that you previously took off of Stinky as your winter wheel?

Originally Posted by FordTruckNoob

Chains are only legal for off-road use. They are definitely not allowed on paved surfaces. I use mine exclusively on frozen lakes and state troopers still look at me funny when they drive by....

Originally Posted by 00t444e

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is being in 4x4 with a normal transfer case that has the front and rear axles locked together helps with breaking. Just about all vehicles have a front brake bias so in slick situations the front will lock up before the rear does, but in 4x4 since the front and rear axles are mechanically linked to spin at the same speed the front and rear will get an even amount of braking. Also I have never seen a fwd car even with snow tires that does as good in the snow as a 4x4 with good tires, I have gone through stuff in my 4x4s that I have never seen a fwd get through, and I have pulled out several stuck fwd and rwd vehicles.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMHSBXjiyac

Originally Posted by Tugly

Chains and studded snows are illegal in MN because of road damage... but they salt the roads?? I thought Washington state was among the first locations to smoke pot without fear of reprisal - but I guess I was wrong. It would appear St Paul now holds that distinction.

Originally Posted by Sous

61 degrees and sunny in north GA today... Although, reading these types of posts are entertaining, so by all means, carry on...

Originally Posted by Dan V

I will remember this in August when you are as hot as the sun and as humid as the rain forest.