On Sun, Nov 15, 2009 at 18:56, <teseract@moparhowto.com> wrote:
>
>
> Hello Guys,
>
> This being my first winter driving a RWD/4WD vehicle (I've always driven FWD
> cars until this point), I thought I'd ask for some opinions as to braking
> technique.
The best, easiest, safest thing you can do is find a large, empty
parking lot when you get the first significant snowfall & practice,
practice, practice. Find out what breaks your truck loose, what the
brakes do, how it handles, everything.
> My '95 4x4 is an automatic and has 4 wheel ABS. My father, when driving a RWD
> automatic car, always kicked the car into neutral under braking in snow/ice
> covered conditions as it kept the rear wheels from "pushing" the car as the
> rear tires wouldn't lock up under braking when the fronts would due to the
> engine torque overwhelming the rear brakes.
I've never heard of doing such a thing. I never did it with my trucks,
and I saw plenty of snow with them living in the NY snowbelt.
> If it's slick I'll be in 4 high of course, so if the front wheels lock, the
> rears would be forced to as well due to the diff being locked, no? If so, how
> does the ABS even know to engage? All I can figure is you have to be light on
> the pedal even under emergency braking to get the full benefit of ABS?
If you've got 4 wheel ABS, your front wheels should never lock. Don't
be so quick to assume that you'll be in 4H anytime there's snow on the
ground. The more experience I got with my trucks in the snow, the less
I used 4WD.
The most important factor in driving in the snow is not 2WD vs 4WD,
FWD vs RWD, but YOU.
Don't try to outsmart the ABS. You'll just negate the ABS being there.
If you need to emergency brake, stand on the pedal & steer away from
the situation.
> So I guess I'm just looking for the best way to brake with 4 wheel ABS, an auto
> trans, with 4x4 engaged, on ice/snow...
Don't think about it so hard. Take it out & experiment in a safe place.
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