What mods make sense for deep snow?
#22
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#23
If you drive in alot of snow you need to get these. http://www.mattracks.com/
#24
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Update: The Nokian Hakkes so far have been impressive- able to go through anything the S10 can do. With chains on, even better. I've had to learn to slow down, let the tires do the work, as opposed to spinning like crazy to keep momentum up in the s10. The Hakkes do better on slippery snow, Warm, icy or hardpacked) and so far, the only time I've gotten stuck is when I bottomed out in deep, crusted snow. Now I'm working on the overheating tranny problem....
#27
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I can't think of ANY circumstance that you'd want a limited slip. Get a lunch box locker ($225) for the rear and install it yourself.
The problem with limited slips is exactly that, a tire slips before it works. The moment a tire spins, you've lost traction, and you don't regain traction with a heavy throttle.
The only disadvantage with a rear automatic locker is that if the tires have different air pressures, then the car will pull to one side and occationally buck. Most people don't seem to notice it, but it drives me nuts when it happens. But at least it lets me know to check the tire pressure. Also, if you turn off the radio and stick your head out the window while going around a sharp corner, you can hear the locker clicking. Otherwise, I don't even hear it, so it doesn't bother me.
By the way, if you're still up for spending the big bucks; last year I had a detroit soft locker installed in my wife's Excursion. I immediately tested it for the normal quirks a full time locker typically has, including the clicking around corners, and I couldn't get it to act badly or make a sound. I began to wonder if they installed an open carrier. But as soon as I needed traction, I had it, along with a big grin on my face.
For a 10 year period, I've had a combination of rear locker and rear open between mine and my wife's rigs. Neither of us changed our driving techniques when switching between vehicles. The technique, regardless of open diff or locked, is to treat the throttle like a woman...real gentle.
Of course, now all our rigs are locked, because in the last rig, I couldn't stand the limited slip not getting traction to the tire that needed it.
Like Coyote Kid, I'm 5 miles off the pavement, up illegally steep, single lane dirt roads, (converted Ranch roads), pushing deep snow before the grader comes. After the grader clears the roads, they turn to ice. And lockers are MUCH BETTER on ice than either open diff or limited slip; simply because it finds that tiny piece of traction somewhere, instead of slipping!
#28
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i agree i just dropped a lunchbox locker in my pickup last weekend and it made a world of difference plus its not that noticeable at all on the pavement. Itll easily go through 2 feet of snow so ur 4runner with chains and more weight on the rear axle should do even better yet. imo a limited slip usually just turns into a lota slip and a lota frustration when it comes to driving in the snow
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