Hey guys...We jsut had some snow here in NJ, and its the first time I'm using my FX4 in the snow, and let me tell you...I am not happy! GOing up hills is not an issue since after you put it in to 4x4hi it goes very nicely. My problem is the stopping! I have a short little downhill before an intersection, that I almost slid through this morning! I was in 4X4hi, and was crawling (3-5mph) halfway down the hill the ABS kicked in and kept kicking in the whole rest of the hill (and picking up momentum) Is it the stock tires that suck so bad? I only have about 400 miles on the stock tires (18inch) Compared to my 4 runner i traded in this thing currently sucks compared. Is this a normal thing for these trucks?

 

running empty? the 4 runner probably has more weight over the rear wheels. were you in D or downshift to lower gear?

sounds like my old 3/4 would have slid right thru, seems like the ABS got the job done to me.

 

It is your tires. Here's a good read on tire type performance:

http://www.insideline.com/features/t...vs-summer.html

My truck stops well on snow with my Cooper Discoverer M+S's.

FTA - "And that brings us to our next test: full stops with ABS engaged. Here again the snow tires dominate, stopping from 40 mph in 156 feet, some 28 feet shorter than the all-season tires' 184-foot performance. Meanwhile, our summer tires skate to an ultimate distance of 351 feet, the ABS actuator rattling for all it's worth the whole way."

 

I had difficulty with my first attempt to stop in snow, slush and ice. ABS saved my ***. I have stock 18" Goodyear Wranglers and a better grip on the physics of inertia and mass.

 

imo all stock tires suk. worth the investment to buy a good all around tire.

 

You might sipe you tires

 

Yeah , I was close to empty...which i know probably didnt help the matter with less weight, and I was in "D" I was just shocked that it even just started sliding. I dont think it was really the ABS that saved me...it was more the fact that right at the intersection there was blacktop and once i hit that black top, the truck stopped. If there was someone waiting at the bottom though...i would have def hit them! I guess I've been sheltered since i had good tired on my SUV, and i havent had to deal with crpapy OEM tires for the last 6 years. So those Discoverer m+s's are pretty good? I think i had Bridestone All Terrains on my SUV which were awesome but cost like $200 each

 

Ya, if you had a full tank it would have been easier to stop, but still the tires are going to be your issue. They are not made for the snow and if you want a lot better performance in this type of weather you will need to get some better tires for sure.

 

They are great snow tires. When winter is over, I will put the OEM tires back on, and preserve the M+S tread for next winter.

The key drawbacks with the M+S is that they wear fast if you run them in warm temps, and they are noisy at highway speeds (thought the cabin of my F150 is much quieter than my old Silverado, so it's not as noticeable).

On my wife's Explorer we have Discoverer M+S's in the winter, and Discoverer ATRs in the summer.

 

also, just b/c it's a 4x4 truck doesn't mean you aren't immue to the ice/snow & sliding. Dad never had a 4x4 when I was a kid till I started driving, got his old truck & so he upgraded - finally. we still take it easy topping a hill & then desending.