On Sun, Nov 15, 2009 at 21:18, <teseract@moparhowto.com> wrote:
>
> In article <200911151940.49658.info@zaccaria-pinball.com>,
> info@zaccaria-pinball.com (David Gersic) writes:
>>
>> A tip I picked up last winter if you find yourself stuck on the ice where
>> neither rear wheel wants to grip (so the suregrip won't engage) is to use the
>> brakes lightly to get the clutches in the rear diff to lock up.
>
> Good tip! That's the kind of information I was looking for. :)
>
>
>> > That's why I'd figure I'd be in
>> > 4wd a lot as I mostly drive at city speeds and my area isn't known for
>> > it's excellent plow or deicing service.
>>
>> City speeds are what, 30mph or lower? 4wd may help there, especially if
> you're
>> doing a lot of start-and-stop driving.
>
> My commute is a 2.5 mile drive on 25-30mph speed limit roads to and from work
> through the downtown of a city. There's 11 stoplights (yes I've counted) in
> that 2.5 mile stretch. It takes me 12-16 minutes depending on traffic and red
> lights to go 2.5 miles, so my average speed is VERY low. I'm not going to hit
> the plowed freeway at 60mph in 4-high, I like my transfer case in one piece,
> thanks. ;)
Unless a lot of those intersections have you stopping on an uphill,
you aren't going to need the 4WD. Toss about 200 pounds of sand in the
bed over the axle, with decent tires, and you'll be fine.
> To clarify:
> I work in a position for the local hospitals that *requires* me to show up no
> matter what the weather. I've driven in severe winters for the last 10 years,
> with commutes as low as 2.5 miles to 35 miles each way. I've been one of the
> smug 2wd people cruising on decent snow tires laughing at the pickup truck/SUV
> in the middle of a field on bald all-season tires with the owner wondering how
> the heck he got there. I'm well aware 4wd doesn't help with braking. I see 4wd
> as a stability enhancer and for assistance with acceleration, especially making
> those lovely mandatory free-lefts at intersections with oncoming traffic. That
> and helping me get to work after we get 2' of snow dropped on us in 24 hours
> like last December. Last year my boss had to pick me up in his Jeep.
> Embarrassing.
>
> My only goal is to not slide through intersections, into the back of other
> vehicles, or to have the rear end catch traction on a icey snow-rut and fling
> the ass end of the truck into the car next to me when accelerating from a green
> light.
If you're used to driving a 2WD in those conditions, you really are
not going to need 4WD that much as long as you have good tires on the
truck.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Tue Dec 01 2009 - 18:23:04 EST