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First snow for the Tundra... question about 4wd settings

13K views 27 replies 21 participants last post by  Lunas 
#1 ·
We are currently getting the first snow fall of the season with some accumulation. It is also the first snow fall since I've purchased the Tundra. On my previous vehicle, 2001 4Runner, I would switch to 4-Hi, and cruise around in it just to be safe.

On the Tundra, is it safe to run 4-Hi on mixed surfaces? There are large stretches with perfectly fine pavement, then you get to some areas completely covered with snow that are best with 4wd. In my mind, I don't think it makes a difference, but I'm just making sure it is okay for the vehicle.

Any functions that should enabled/disabled while driving on snowy roads?

Thanks for your input! :ts:
 
#2 ·
We are currently getting the first snow fall of the season with some accumulation. It is also the first snow fall since I've purchased the Tundra. On my previous vehicle, 2001 4Runner, I would switch to 4-Hi, and cruise around in it just to be safe.

On the Tundra, is it safe to run 4-Hi on mixed surfaces? There are large stretches with perfectly fine pavement, then you get to some areas completely covered with snow that are best with 4wd. In my mind, I don't think it makes a difference, but I'm just making sure it is okay for the vehicle.

Any functions that should enabled/disabled while driving on snowy roads?

Thanks for your input! :ts:
Well if the road has some snow or wet spots your fine as long as the roads strait the 4WD will start to bind some on any dry surface and your turning hard. I usually just twist the 4-hi to 2 hi and let off the gas and it will disengage on the fly and the same for engaging it as needed if I driving in mix road conditions. The 4WD systems designed to switch on the fly well within a certain speed. Also you will find the truck does pretty darn well just in 2-hi in mix road conditions unless your driving like a nut to begin with then there no help for you even 4WD. :D
 
#4 ·
These trucks handle pretty well in light snow in 2wd. The nannies that everyone hates seem to be well suited for this type of application. I would suggest you drive around in 2wd and only switch to 4hi if you are having trouble getting started or if you encounter heavier snow. You certainely don't want to be making turns on dry pavement in 4wd, because you will eventually cause harm to your front axle.
 
#5 ·
A couple hundred pounds of weight near the tailgate will make a big difference in slippery conditions.
You can use 4wd when the road is covered or icy but in mixed conditions 2wd is generally a better choice.
 
#7 ·
Thanks for all the input. Drove in some pretty bad weather for about 350 miles yesterday. Was in 2wd the majority of the time until the highways turned to ice and saw more accidents in a single drive than I have ever seen in my life.

When in 4wd, do you all notice any vibrations or shuttering when letting off the throttle and coasting?
 
#8 ·
I second the majority of the above comments.

Only time I"ll stay in 4hi is if I'm continuously in 6" or more of snow...or really anything that I can't see the pavement in.

mixed i stay in 2hi unless I need the starting traction. (and yuo'd be surprised at how easy you can get those back tires to spin with stock tires)

-rockstate
 
#10 ·
Switch to 2WD when you need to turn fairly tight corners on dry pavement. That's where 4WD will give you problems (wheel skip/hop and funny sounds coming from the "LSD" as it disengages to allow for the different wheel spin rates in a corner).

Otherwise its not a bad idea to run a few miles in 4HI once a month even in summer....just to run the mechanicals through their paces and wake 'em up. This 'wake up' is preferably done on a gravel road....

You shouldnt hear or feel any 'grinding' on deceleration when in 4HI, but the truck will feel different than normal 2WD driving. Maybe you can hear a whine, or whirr - coming from the front differential because it rarely runs, and so the gears are freshly-cut and you are basically breaking them in still. On deceleration, the backsides of the pinion and ring gear teeth are rubbing, and thats where you would get the most noise, if any, especially on a 'brand new' set of gears.
If you are getting a lot of noise, I think I would shift back to 2WD and check your front differential oil level. I run 5W gear oil in my Jeep and so sometimes when it's REALLY cold out the oil in the front diff is cold and thick and will need to warm up before it feels like the rest of the running gear on the truck...

Good Luck!
Z
 
#11 ·
kind of a diff question, same general topic. moving to colorado soon, first time ever having to consider driving in snow. i have a 2wd w/ level kit. i am wanting to get a set of winter/snow tires for the set of stock wheels that i have. should i try to keep stock size, or would something similar to a 33" or 35" work the same?
 
#12 ·
mjp-
Stock size is about 33" so that would be fine - speedo will be off a tiny bit but shifting and all that will be OK.
34 or 35" tires will work too (as long as you can get them on without rubbing) because it will soften your final drive ratio and be more 'snow friendly' (less torque-y). Assuming you dont change your gearing...
Odometer miles in snow are really a moot point because every car spins wheels and logs more miles than actually driven anyways, but take them off when it warms up or long term use will start screwing with your transmission, gearing, speedo, etc
Z
 
#14 ·
I bet before your second winter in Colorado you will have traded for something with 4WD...
But in the meantime get some weight in the bed of your 2WD Tundra!!

im trying to hold onto the 07 until the last year of this body style, then trading in for whatever the best trim is then, crewmax, 4x4, etc. if not, wont be too big of a loss with a new truck. i made a little ghetto box to put in the bed by the tailgate that i can stack some of my old weightlifting 45lb plates by. should be able to hold a few of them no problem.
 
#15 ·
mjp-
Stock size is about 33" so that would be fine - speedo will be off a tiny bit but shifting and all that will be OK.
34 or 35" tires will work too (as long as you can get them on without rubbing) because it will soften your final drive ratio and be more 'snow friendly' (less torque-y). Assuming you dont change your gearing...
Odometer miles in snow are really a moot point because every car spins wheels and logs more miles than actually driven anyways, but take them off when it warms up or long term use will start screwing with your transmission, gearing, speedo, etc
Z

thanks for the info man! i have 35x12.50x18 on there now, had to do a few mods to get them to fit, so i should be alright for any other tire size/type smaller then that.
 
#16 ·
kind of a diff question, same general topic. moving to colorado soon, first time ever having to consider driving in snow. i have a 2wd w/ level kit. i am wanting to get a set of winter/snow tires for the set of stock wheels that i have. should i try to keep stock size, or would something similar to a 33" or 35" work the same?
Get a good set of winter tires, narrower is usually better, height for the Tundra isn't going to make much difference as the truck has pretty decent ground clearance anyway.

Personally, I love the Bridgestone Blizzaks I have on my truck in the winter, with these tires I can get around in 2WD pretty well, even from a standing start on ice. The Traction Control and Vehicle Stability Control on this truck also help quite a bit.
 
#18 ·
All:

If the road is covered with some patches of ice, snow, maxed with sleet, do you disengage 4HI when making a 90-degree turn onto it? I am thinking about roads off two lane highways that are not well plowed.
I'd have to say that switching back to 2WD to make a turn on generally snowy roads with some dry patches is not necessary - you'll be best off just taking the turn slow and steady and keep the truck moving without goosing the throttle OR braking hard (STEADY is the WORD on snow/ice).

Once the roads clear up and you are driving in town on BONE DRY pavement taking tight turns in the Jack-in-the-box drive thru, that is the time you will start to feel the tires act weird if you stay in 4WD. The key point I was trying to make is: listen to your truck - she will tell you when she doesnt need to be in 4WD anymore.

Also, dont try to switch out of 4WD while navigating anything you're unsure about... keep your focus on the road- not your dash.

Good Luck Texas!
Z
 
#20 ·
^Who let you out of OT?

4Hi for snowy or slippery surfaces under 40 MPH. The nannies on the '07 turn themselves off when you switch to 4WD and on balance I think the nannies do more to keep you on the road at highway speed than 4WD. Not sure about the newer trucks which keep the vehicle stability control even with 4X.

Dry pavement is not good for 4WD unless you are going in a straight line. But the owner's manual recommends I think 10 miles every month in 4WD.

I've needed 4Lo a few times, stuck in sand or a snow bank. And then there's always the winch. . . :D
 
#21 ·
Dry pavement is really the only condition which may cause damage if you run in 4WD. Even wet roads will provide enough slippage for the system to operate without excessive wear or binding.

But I can't say enough about the value of good winter tires with the true severe weather mountain/snowflake rating. I went with a set of Goodyear Duratracs, which are the top rated tire in their class (Commercial Off Road). The combination of these tires, and 4WD, has made my Tundra practically unstoppable on snow and ice...

 
#22 ·
At the risk of getting flamed I’m going to be honest. Even though I live in the “sunny South,” I live in the Southern Appalachians at about 3300 ft. in elevation. We usually get quite a few good snowstorms every winter. Last winter had 3 storms over 15 inches each. Usually a couple good ice storms and many 3-4 inch snows are common. I’ve been driving on two lane mountain roads during snow ice conditions for 25 years. I’ve driven front wheel drive cars, rear wheel drive cars, all wheel drive cars, 4x4 trucks, Chevy, Ford, Toyota, Subaru… you name it. If your idea of snow driving involves highways that have been scraped and salted or powersliding in some mall parking lot, I’m not on the same page as you. We have many side roads that are often unplowed, steep, narrow, and icy.

First of all, ANYTHING will slide; the laws of physics are not invalidated by a 4x4 or AWD badge plastered on a vehicle or by the latest electronics from Japan. If you’re going too fast for conditions you will likely find yourself in the ditch or worse. My idea of snow performance involves going where few others have gone through unplowed "roads" with little room for a squirrelly rear end due to a narrow road and a hill with no guardrail you don’t want to go over. Based on my humble experience Subaru AWD is tough to beat. The limitation of Subaru is the ground clearance, but I have literally pushed snow over the hood driving uphill with a 1998 Subaru Legacy. The best 4x4 truck experience I’ve had was with a 2004 Silverado Crew 4x4 with the g80 locker. With a locker and one front wheel pulling along with proper tires it was mighty tough to put that truck in a situation it would not get out of. I honestly haven’t been impressed with the Tundra Crewmax in situations like I’ve described. The lack of a true locker or even a real LSD in the rear seems to limit this truck. Also the front heavy weight of the truck seems to make it hard to drive in challenging conditions. Toyota would do well to put a good locking or limited slip rear end in these trucks. Will the Tundra get you where you’re going? Most likely yes. I did manage to get into my house all last winter, but it was often an adventure. Toyota can and should do better.
 
#23 ·
While I agree with most of your ideas and driving in snow/ice, a locked rear end is NOT a good idea on ice. Thick snow, yes, good. Compact snow/ice, locker=bad idea. I lived in Alaska and the crewmax stayed in 4x from october to april. All the ice and compact snow the truck was useless in 2x, even with extra weight in the bed. You have very valid points but in icy conditons, a fully locked rear end will push a truck into a spin WAY too fast.
 
#24 ·
Dry pavement is really the only condition which may cause damage if you run in 4WD. Even wet roads will provide enough slippage for the system to operate without excessive wear or binding.

But I can't say enough about the value of good winter tires with the true severe weather mountain/snowflake rating. I went with a set of Goodyear Duratracs, which are the top rated tire in their class (Commercial Off Road). The combination of these tires, and 4WD, has made my Tundra practically unstoppable on snow and ice...



What size tire did you put on your truck?
 
#27 ·
No you dont. Not trying to be an A hole but the quote you showed from WT says exactly that, its designed for changing on the fly. Maybe yours is slow to disengage and thats why you have some binding?
 
#28 ·
as far as driving in 4wd on dry pavement the only harm it will cause is more wear and lower fuel efficiency. the way our 4wd works is you have 2 differentials and a transfer case the transfer case has a locking gear that will engage and put 50% power to the front and rear if you have the option or added it later a locker will make it so both wheels in the differential it is in have equal power so 50% of the power is delivered to the rear and so each tire gets 25%. The front will move the power to which ever side has the easiest time spinning. One of the upgrades of putting a 3 link and front straight axel is that the front can be equipped with a locker.
 
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