AK49FordTruck

All winter I turn the TC off it's the first thing I do after starting the truck. it doesn't allow tire spin and cuts power. NOT what you want when pulling into traffic or in those merging lanes when you floor it. A little spinning never hurt anyone and TC just pisses me off.

I know how to drive I don't need the truck thinking it knows better.

Volt

I think it is better to stay in 4 wheel drive while on the highway in snow/ice. It keeps the front and the rear axles tied together which tends to inhibit one wheel or axle or side from breaking into a different rpm as compared to the other wheels. It tends to inhibit the slowing of front wheel rpm as well when going up against snow and slush. Also breaking force either by engine or brakes is distributed across all wheels in a more even manner. The same goes with acceleration force.

My experience suggest that a major issue is when one of the four wheels gets into a slower or even stopped RPM as compared to the other three. This can happen when braking or when hitting ice or hitting a buildup of snow or slush or uneven deeper water. Another issue is the opposite where one wheel gets into a higher RPM than the other three wheels such as when accelerating. Being in 4 wheel drive inhibits one wheel getting into a significantly different RPM as compared to the others.

Regardless, it is important to test your traction/stability control system. Every brand is a bit different. The Toyota Tacomas I had and my F150 are similar. The Nissan Frontier I had was somewhat different. When it snows I go out into a vacant parking lot and get a feel for the handling and see how the traction/stability control responds.

STeXy

My Jeep has full-time and part-time 4wd, can I put my F150 in 4H and drive it like full-time?

Sweetlou

First snow storm today and I’m heading in for a 3-11... first snow means everyone forgets how to slow down!! I hate winter.

90% of people who wreck are “just heading out to get cigarettes.” Hate people!

4WD is designed for low speed, low traction situations. If you are driving at highway speeds and require 4WD, you are going too fast. Period. 4WD helps you go faster but does nothing to SLOW YOU DOWN which is the part that gets you hurt!!!

Like we sat on the motorcycles... it wasn’t the crash that hurt me, IT WAS THE SUDDEN STOP!

Ssls6

LOL, I like how you think....stay safe.

wiread

sweet lou with a sweet post. that's exactly what 4wd is for and beyond that, dedicated snow tires are going to keep you in control on snow covered roads far more than 4wd and they still won't matter if you're going too fast to stop in time with them. They do offer far better traction and control on snow than a vehicle with regular AT tires and 4wd any day. But they still won't do much on ice. You need a real studded tire for that and those are illegal here.

l3rian

Can we PLEASE sticky one of these threads. It comes up every other day. To the OP, if you're going 65 on black ice, you're an idiot. To everyone who days using 4x4 on the highway is ok, I bet you sell your truck every 5 years. Even under the "straight" conditions of a highway, there is still binding. Look around, if there are CARS out, you don't need 4x4.

RL1990

Jeep offeres part time 4wd (Select Track) or full time 4wd (Quadra Drive) not both at the same time.

65Terdlingua

If full time 4wd means the front axle is always being driven, then yes, 4H in your truck would be the same thing. Good for a mud hole, snow, ice, wet grass, etc. Part time 4wd is probably monitoring wheel slip and sending power to the front axle when needed, like 4Auto on the new trucks.

STeXy

My 2006 Jeep Liberty CRD has PT and FT, no way to use both at the same time.