"Dumb" question about driving on-road in snow (1 Viewer)

[Ducks]

What is the best way to transition in and out of 4wd on the '60? I'm driving on-road in the snow in Portland. It's near freezing, so I assume some roads will have about 2" of snow and others won't.

I have experience driving off-road in the snow in my 60. And experience driving on-road in the snow in my 80. But it rarely snows in Portland and I actually have never driven on-road in the snow in my 60, oddly enough. I need to drive the 60 today and tomorrow, up hills and there is some ice, so 4wd would be nice to have. Thanks.

 

[MarkBC]

I wondered this too. My 2000 4runner has the multi-mode Xfer case so you can stick it in full time 4WD and drive it anywhere no worries (center diff). Same idea as the 80 which has the permanent center diff. And shift at full speed. But in the 60 if you are driving down the paved road you don't want to be in 4WD because it will bind on corners. So what happens if you hit a patch of ice or snow? Slow down and shift into part time 4WD? Well that's not gonna happen in time.

 

[Kleatus]

Leave the hubs locked. When you're not on clear road, 4HI. This can be done on the move when hubs are locked. Lift off the gas when you shift, or clutch it.

Having lived in Portland and drove there in snow (2009ish? was a good storm) best bet is probably to stay off the roads if you can, to avoid the masses that can't drive.. hills and ice don't really care if you have 4wd or even if you're a good driver. Nothing will ruin your day quicker than getting T boned by an F250 with no insurance...

 

[OSS]

Yes keep hubs locked for the drive if you think you'll need 4WD up the road. I would wait until I see the slippery stuff then pull over and lock them. Try to shift into 4Hi when the road looks like its slippery and shift back into 2Hi BEFORE you hit the dry hi traction asphalt.
Driving in 4wd on dry pavement will cause the driveline to bind up because the front wheels turn at a slightly different speed than the rear wheels. When that happens it's difficult to shift out of 4wd.
I always shifted out of 4WD while the car was moving when the clutch was pushed in - and ALWAYS when still on dirt/sand/snow. Never on dry pavement. In 30 years I never had any problems with a binding driveline doing it that way.

 

[Ducks]

Thanks. Yeah, I'm familiar with Portland drivers. It snowed overnight so most people are staying in. There are just a few places I have to get to today and tomorrow. Much appreciated.

 

[Ducks]

Follow question since I'm new to this particular aspect. Can I leave it in 4WD if it's just thick slush on the road? And is there any speed suggestion to keep it under when switching to 4WD and out of 4WD? The freeways here are snow/ice/freezing rain, then slush, then just wet, then back to ice, etc. Thanks.

 

[g-man]

Keep your speed down when your hubs are locked. If you go beyond 50 mph you will hear humming from the hubs. Guessing it's not healthy. Also the owners manual says max speed in 4H is 50mph. 4L max speed is 25. But you shouldn't need 4L for snow and ice unless you are off road over rough terrain. You can shift from 2H to 4H without clutching and at any speed per the owners manual. I'd personally slow down, take my foot off the gas then shift.

 

[OSS]

The freeways here are snow/ice/freezing rain, then slush, then just wet, then back to ice, etc.

When the road is like that - all over the place, slippery then not. All you can do is use 4wd but don't drive fast. If the road is that bad, nobody should be driving fast anyway no matter what vehicle they've got.
The scenario to avoid is driving in 4wd on high traction pavement

 

[cruiserpilot]

I would strongly suggest staying out of 4WD if it's slippery/icy in most circumstances. Lower your tire pressure to about 24 psi
maybe a bit lower if no intention of hitting highways.

 

[Ducks]

Thanks, that's helpful. I don't go over 50 in these conditions. It's mainly snow right now with patches of slush/wet pavement. Tire pressure is at 29 but don't expect any speeds above 40mph.

 

[cps432]

You will toast your inner axle seals if you drive in 4wd above 50mph much quicker than if you keep it slow. Ask me how I know...

Actually, even if you have the hubs locked and you’re in 2HI you should stay under 50. I made the mistake of leaving my hubs locked after a snow storm and then got on the highway the next day for about an hour at 70mph. My seals were about a year old and I began having leaks shortly after that.

 

[g-man]

Added weight in the back of the vehicle over the rear axle is a good thing. Sand bags would be nice. Just gives you a little more traction.