Vinson1213

Hello All! Again!
I understand how the 4Runner 4WD system works (4WD, 4WD Center Diff Lock, 4WD Low, Rear Diff Lock). However, I have a question as far as what setting works best to pull other vehicles out of mud and/or snow?? Earlier, I pulled my girlfriends car out of some semi-deep snow. I thought 4WD-Lo with Diff Lock Engaged would be best chance to get traction. It didn't really seem to help anymore than 4WD-Hi (without diff lock). Basically, both settings spun tires... I have had this same issue in the past pulling other trucks out of mud.
I know some of this is due to being icy (so all 3 powered tires were probably slipping). I know tires play a role in this too (I am waiting for some General Grabber AT2 to arrive, maybe they will work a little better).

Overall, is there a more "ideal" setting I should use to pull people out of mud and/or snow? I always like the idea of 4WD-Lo with Diff Locked, but it's almost like it's getting me stuck just as much as using 4WD. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks all!!

Keith B.

It would help if you identified the the year vehicle and it's equipment that you are talking about, though the center differential lock means it's one of the later auto trans 3rd gen 4Runners, right?
4low: In "normal" towing or recovery, low gives maximum power and 4WD distributes the work to all four wheels.
As you have discovered, if the towing vehicle has no traction, then it can't tow.

Vinson1213

I am sorry. I forgot that detail. It's a 1999 4Runner with the AWD, 4H, 4L, and Rear Diff lock options.
I do understand with all tires spinning - it won't do anything. I was just trying to figure out if there was a better technique/setting than others. My success ratio for pulling other vehicles out is fairly slim.

Yodaforce

I can tell you from experience those tires are not going to help your case much. I tried the Grabbers and they didn't grab anything.

Nuthuts96

iTrader: (1)

i'm 1 for 1, two winters ago when we had snow, pulled a small sedan out of a snowbank. i was in 4hi. i believe the tires i had/have (yokohama at-s) were a huge factor in grip. the road that i was on was packed snow/icy. generally very slippery NE style snow- not like NW wet stuff. also, technique on pulling plays a part, too- using correct 'recovery' strap vs. tow strap.

at first the car wasn't moving while i was backing up... noticed his brake light was on... got out and told him to at least shift to neutral, or reverse if he wanted to help, but with his brakes on, things will start to break. some people are quite clueless when it comes to ANYTHING auto related!

Vinson1213

Dang it! I am sure having a hard time finding a overall "good" A/T tire. I know the best thing is to get a A/T tire for summer months... and a winter set for snow/ice. But, the snow doesn't lay on the ground more than 2-3 weeks at a time.. goes away for a few weeks. Then is back.

I understand that! I have seen that before. Another weird thing I noticed lately... when I pull backwards, it's like the engine bogs down and loses a bunch of power. I don't understand why?

Mudder44

Vinson1213 toyo a/t work awesome. I would also recommend chains from les Schwab. Also, how you drive and how hard you pull and the equipment used also makes a difference

Spazzcdnm

iTrader: (1)

Agreed! Chains are a huge help. Also, the technique for the pull is going to change based on the circumstances. I have seen some where you really have to ease into it so that your tires dont break free, meanwhile sometimes you really have to jerk them, (using a proper recovery strap that is, since tow straps dont have much give) just to break them free. It all depends on the situation.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

There is a art to recovery and each one has to be approached different based on just what things look like.

depending on just how bad the vehicle is stuck sometimes it is a lost cause without a winch then sometimes having a truck with a boom makes things easier.

I was always shovel as much snow out of the way as possible to make things easier.

Any more I don`t bother unless it is women with children.

Like it was said tires and traction there is always several hundred pounds of work gear in the back. Then the temperature is always a factor with snow the colder it is the better the traction.

Ice is a whole other ball game your lucky to move yourself let alone stop

Now days with the high price of gasoline weight is money so maybe you don`t want to carry 300 to 400 pounds of sand over the wheels . That is a personal decision .

Now days while it was fun in my younger days to play in the snow and I thought nothing of driving a hour or better to find deeper snow.

I just look outside know I don`t really need to go any place and stay off the streets till the mess is all cleaned up.

With proper planning a Good snow storm is even better then when the horses wandered away in my youth . On the second or third date

Yodaforce

I am a BFG man myself, and while I usually would run BFG AT's, they are not as good in the snow as I would like (got my Jeep stuck in the yard last year with them), they are always good the rest of the year. They really make for great daily duties and most of the minor off-road that I put them on.
My Toyota now rests on KM2's and I am STILL WAITING on the white stuff here so I can try them out. Otherwise, they are great for everything else.

heyguyswaitforme

iTrader: (1)

While it is never advised and in some states you can get a ticket for pulling some one out then you have to worry about the legal aspect if you damage a stranger's vehicle. However, I have pulled many people out and living in North Dakota the roads are almost entirely ice the majority of winter with numerous people myself included ending up in the ditch every day.

The easiest way takes a little preparation. You need to remove as much snow from underneath the vehicle and clear as much snow in the direction of travel. Keep in mind that its not just the tires that need a clear path but anything else that will catch snow and act like a plow killing momentum. I have found that 4 Lo seems to work best and a little "jerk" is almost always needed to get things rolling especially on ice.

Of course this is for informationally purposes in a hypothetical situation and I assume no liability for any actions taken on what is written in the post....

cwjj9992

for the best results i would put chains on the tires put it in four lo nd clear a path for the car you r pulling

Vinson1213

Yes. I do understand that. I try not to make a habit of pulling people I do not know out. If I do... I make sure they look up their own car and I will do the pulling, makes for a little less liability if hooked up wrong.
I appreciate the advice. I often forget to give the cars/trucks a jerk when I first start pulling!

ranger_t_f_u

Cooper discoverer stts... Those Will help your cause! Got em.on my truck pulled out a minivan of 14 inch snow.

wyoming9

iTrader: (1)

One thing to remember sometimes people have no clue where to hook up or don`t no what they are hooking to .

Seen some hook to really dumb places.

Please Don`t be afraid to look at things and back off saying you need real help here.

Back in the olden days before cell phones in some places it could have been real long before someone may have come along.

wolfman81yota

I've seen retarded people try to hook the strap to one side of their axle!!! Just a few years ago I was headed up for some snow day fun and came upon this guy trying to dig his car out. I asked him if he wanted me to pull him out and he asked me how much!? I should have let him keep digging but that's not the right way to be. I felt really insulted that he asked me that.

zipposrule

use a stretchy strap and give it a yank itll come out

lobukbuild

remember the original tread design on the bfg/at? now that was a tire with some grip!!! from one bfg fan to another. lol

Vinson1213

Thank you for the replies everyone. Gave me a little better insight on recovery and use of the 4wd systems on the 4runner. I have recently installed the General Grabber AT2s and they seem to perform much better. I have also recently pulled a F350 truck hooked onto a large trailer full of wood out of the snow. This is where I definitely noticed the benefits of 4wd-Lo with diff lock on. Gave me much more overall torque and power.

y2kltdsport

iTrader: (1)

l.o.l.!!