4x4 vs. 4x2

Comments

• scherf Member Posts: 8

  November 1999

  I have read with interest all of the 4x2 vs 4x4 discussion. I recently purchased a 2000 Ford Ranger 4x2. I've driven a front wheel drive car for as long as I can remember, and I am just curious as to how my truck will behave differently in the snow. How much weight should I put in the bed? Any suggestions you could give me would be appreciated--I would like to avoid being "that guy" stuck in a ditch. Thanks!

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• gwmoore Member Posts: 230

  November 1999

  I'ld guess a couple hundred pounds of sand bags would be good. Depends on the truck. Extended cab trucks have more weight over the rear end than standard trucks, giving better balance. it makes a difference if the engine is large or small for the truck, a large engine will tip the weight forward. A canopy will help. put the weight toward the tailgate, the weight will be more effective than if its next to the cab, and you will need less. remember, you want enough weight to keep you from fishtailing when accellerating, but too much will really hurt your braking. If you are going to be using the box much during the winter, divide the weight up on both sides of the bed near the tailgate so you can easily move in an out. take a bunch of sand out to a big parking lot or other flat safe area on the first slippery day and do trial and error. Good Luck and Be Safe.

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• Brutus Member Posts: 1,113

  November 1999

  There is a huge difference in the snow between a 2wd and a 4wd. Your rear tires are pushing the truck. All of the weight is in the front. The rear tires will almost certainly spin when you are trying to push all that weight. The tendency is for the rear to fishtail to one side or the other.
  
  In a front wheel drive vehicle, the weight of the engine and even your weight and your pasengers weight are putting downward pressure on the tires that are moving, so they are basically serving as your sandbags. Those weighted down front tires are pulling a very light rearend fairly effortlessly. There is no potential to fishtail because the rear is what fishtails and it is just being dragged along behind the truck. There is no engine power headed to the rear tires to cause them to spin.
  
  I would definitely put a couple hundred pounds of sand bags in the back and see how it feels. If you don't live in snow country and only encounter snow a couple times per year, you likely have nothing to worry about. Just exercise extra caution. If you do live in snow country, you definitely want to get good snow tires, and preferably studs if your state allows them.
  
  If you're sitting on an icy or snowy hill stopped at a traffic light with a rear wheel drive truck, it's always a possibility that the light rear of the truck won't be able to get enough traction to get the truck rolling. I've seen alot of people have to back down a hill, which can get hairy in traffic. If you find yourself unexpectedly in that situation, before you come to a stop, try to get the tires on one side of your vehicle (usually the passenger curbside over onto the side of the road where you might be able to get some traction in snow or dirt as opposed to ice only. When you start, don't gun it. You want to give it just a very little amount of gas and try to get the tires rolling without spinning them, if possible.
  
  You won't end up in the ditch as long as you know what your vehicle can do. As I mentioned before, breaking traction on the hwy is the biggest culprit. Since you have so little weight in the back of a pickup, it doesn't take much of an acceleration to break traction and fishtail. You can fishtail on a side road at low speeds and stay in control. If you backend slips out from under you at 40+mph, you're likely SOL. It's just a matter of waiting until the vehicle stops, hopefully on the hwy, but in a worst case scenario, hopefully in a ditch as opposed to hitting another vehicle.
  
  I've seen a few people get really lucky and do a 360 in the middle of the road and not hit anyone or go in the ditch. It doesn't happen often. On the other hand, just last winter, I saw someone hit the meridian ditch, do a complete rollover on the roof and land back on his wheels. Both people were seatbelts and walked away from it. The vehicle (a suburban) wasn't so lucky.
  
  So on the hwy with a rear wheel vehicle, you need to be really cautious getting up to speed. Get in the right lane, and take your time getting up to speed. Lane changes need to be really gradual. We have had snow on the ground for a couple of weeks now. I was in 4wd the first couple days, but we haven't had any real snow lately 9just a light dusting), so I have been in 2wd. I exercise all of the things I just mentioned. I actually exercise all of those things in 4wd, although the confidence factor is much higher. I have ESOF (Electronic Shift on the Fly), so I occasionally shift into 4wd at an icy intersection if there is a lot of traffic.

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• meredith Member Posts: 575

  December 1999

  As a result of 30 or more days of inactivity....
  
  this topic is being "frozen." It will be archived or deleted in the next 10 days or so.
  
  Front Porch Philosopher
  SUV, Pickups, & Aftermarked and Accessories Host

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