Slick roads in 2wd
#41
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I have looked at my tires, and nearly all of the siping has worn away, and I don't think there is enough tread to have them re-siped. I will have the tire place take a look at the tires when I have them check the alignment. I have not noticed any problems with the alignment, but it makes sense. Perhaps it was a combination of alignment, tires, and crown in the road.
#42
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Dude, don't feel bad for posting your experience...atleast you didn't wreck out. Look at all these guys who post on here that they've totalled their rig and want to part it out...they don't get criticized for their driving because it's overlooked by all the vultures who want to gut out what's left lol. The important thing is that you corrected and saved your rig.
fyi nice pontoon...gotta head down here and flyfish the S. Platte sometime! (my stomping grounds)
fyi nice pontoon...gotta head down here and flyfish the S. Platte sometime! (my stomping grounds)
#43
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I did not engage 4wd when I started fishtailing because I was doing 65mph. The owners manual advises staying below 50mph while in 4wd. As I was slowing down, I still felt the vehicle want to kick the rear out. When I finally got below 50 miles per hour, I was going to engage 4wd but I was nearly hit by a truck traveling much faster than my self, so I decided to get off of the interstate and take the highway home. I did not experience the problems on the highway probably because of the lack of crown and the snow that had begun to accumulate on the pavement.
I have looked at my tires, and nearly all of the siping has worn away, and I don't think there is enough tread to have them re-siped. I will have the tire place take a look at the tires when I have them check the alignment. I have not noticed any problems with the alignment, but it makes sense. Perhaps it was a combination of alignment, tires, and crown in the road.
I have looked at my tires, and nearly all of the siping has worn away, and I don't think there is enough tread to have them re-siped. I will have the tire place take a look at the tires when I have them check the alignment. I have not noticed any problems with the alignment, but it makes sense. Perhaps it was a combination of alignment, tires, and crown in the road.
Anyway, I can pretty much guarantee it's your tires. As your tires wear, the compound usually gets harder, which means less grip, which results in your rear end fishtailing. My friend's BFG KO's were doing the same thing and he had about 20% tread left.
#45
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best bet is to just shift into 4wd, slow down a bit and get some weight, i have about 300 pounds in the back of my truck. 4wd doesnt help you stop any better but it does help with fishtailing and generally keeping it in control, but on ice you gotta be extra careful.
#46
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Dude, don't feel bad for posting your experience...atleast you didn't wreck out. Look at all these guys who post on here that they've totalled their rig and want to part it out...they don't get criticized for their driving because it's overlooked by all the vultures who want to gut out what's left lol. The important thing is that you corrected and saved your rig.
I do appreciate those who did provide the constructive feedback I was looking for. Those comments included checking the tire alignment for problems, new/re-siping the tires, adding additional weight to the back, and utilizing 4wd - although I will have to do some additional investigation on driving at highway speeds in 4wd.
#47
Contributing Member
I'm with Dublin, Ice is Ice regarless of how many wheels you have
For ultimate Ice traction i suggest chains on tires or cleats on shoes and thick winter coat. All though when i lived up in central BC in Canada in the mountains, i had exellent traction with my Pro Comp Xterrain! in 4WD, 2WD wasnt bad unless i put my foot down to much. but in 4WD i could get up o 70MPH no problem on ice and not slip or slide. and it helped stopping on ice with those tires too!
For ultimate Ice traction i suggest chains on tires or cleats on shoes and thick winter coat. All though when i lived up in central BC in Canada in the mountains, i had exellent traction with my Pro Comp Xterrain! in 4WD, 2WD wasnt bad unless i put my foot down to much. but in 4WD i could get up o 70MPH no problem on ice and not slip or slide. and it helped stopping on ice with those tires too!
Last edited by Belize Off Road Team; 01-21-2008 at 10:02 AM.
#48
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YEP
http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/...Hayes/home.htm
http://www.corneliusfd.org/news.html?nid=1493
http://www.charmeck.org/Departments/...Hayes/home.htm
http://www.corneliusfd.org/news.html?nid=1493
Last edited by muddpigg; 01-21-2008 at 07:03 PM.
#49
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OK, first of all you aren't the only one who has had issues driving a 4Runner in the winter.
I live in a wintery zone of the continent and have owned many different vehicles.
I found the 4Runner pretty hairy to drive in the winter and there were a couple of reasons for it.
First off; I do agree with the comment that if you continue to fishtail repeatedly, you are driving too fast. Slow down and use 4WD.
Secondly, replace your tires. My tires when I bought the truck were newer BFG A/T's. Despite what many will say, I think they are terrible on ice. On snow they are wonderful, but they are too hard and not enough sipes for the ice IMO. I considered a dedicated winter tire, but stumbled on some brand new take-offs from my neighbor (Hankook dynamic radials), and I have to say they are dramatically better. As far as an all-season goes, it is great. It hooks up well in the winter on snow or ice, and the ride is MUCH more comfortable on rough roads.
Third, check out your front end for problems with your steering / suspension. Last year when I bought the truck, it mustn't have been bad enough to notice, but my tie rod was starting to go. The first snowfall this year (I had the new tires on) that truck was steering itself all over the road. The back end wanted to fishtail on the ice, and I was only doing 50MPH in a straight line. Upon closer inspection when I got home, I discovered tie rod end was badly worn. After replacing inner and outer rod ends, it drives like a new truck.
The above issue COULD be your problem. No one else really mentioned it, so I thought I would. Steering geometry can make a vehicle really twitchy on ice.....
I live in a wintery zone of the continent and have owned many different vehicles.
I found the 4Runner pretty hairy to drive in the winter and there were a couple of reasons for it.
First off; I do agree with the comment that if you continue to fishtail repeatedly, you are driving too fast. Slow down and use 4WD.
Secondly, replace your tires. My tires when I bought the truck were newer BFG A/T's. Despite what many will say, I think they are terrible on ice. On snow they are wonderful, but they are too hard and not enough sipes for the ice IMO. I considered a dedicated winter tire, but stumbled on some brand new take-offs from my neighbor (Hankook dynamic radials), and I have to say they are dramatically better. As far as an all-season goes, it is great. It hooks up well in the winter on snow or ice, and the ride is MUCH more comfortable on rough roads.
Third, check out your front end for problems with your steering / suspension. Last year when I bought the truck, it mustn't have been bad enough to notice, but my tie rod was starting to go. The first snowfall this year (I had the new tires on) that truck was steering itself all over the road. The back end wanted to fishtail on the ice, and I was only doing 50MPH in a straight line. Upon closer inspection when I got home, I discovered tie rod end was badly worn. After replacing inner and outer rod ends, it drives like a new truck.
The above issue COULD be your problem. No one else really mentioned it, so I thought I would. Steering geometry can make a vehicle really twitchy on ice.....
#50
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yeah, i didn't mean to sound like a jerk, sorry about all that up there
i just think it's being overthought. you can shift into 4wd going surprisingly fast - i've done it over 100km/h easily, when it was absolutely needed right now. and once you're in 4wd you can drive as fast as you want, which is why i generally just drive in 4wd on the highway during the winter (if there's any snow or ice, that is).
if you're fishtailing it's because your tires are spinning; let off the gas a bit. also, your spent tires don't help
i just think it's being overthought. you can shift into 4wd going surprisingly fast - i've done it over 100km/h easily, when it was absolutely needed right now. and once you're in 4wd you can drive as fast as you want, which is why i generally just drive in 4wd on the highway during the winter (if there's any snow or ice, that is).
if you're fishtailing it's because your tires are spinning; let off the gas a bit. also, your spent tires don't help
#51
What it boils down to is our 4Runners are tail happy. You have to be aware of this when driving.
#52
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I have a simple answer.....Sell the 98 and buy a 2000+ Limited with the multi 4WD system. Click a button for AWD shift for 4hi and 4lo. I drive all over CO. Back and forth to Breck and to Steamboat constantly and down to C-Butte and Wolf Creek. Mine is a beast in AWD on the interstate and highway through whatever conditions. Had Revo's before which were better than the Geolanders that I have now but both work. But seriously- sounds like you need new thread and I would engage 4wd if worried. It will only help.
#55
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yeah, and gas... i got about 80 miles on this tank and i have about a 1/4 left, WOW!
#56
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#57
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I took the 4Runner in to Les Schwab to get the alighnment check, and they found the tired to be toed in. Not enough to cause problems while driving on dry pavement, but with patches of ice it would cause the front end to want to change directions as the front tires individually passed over the ice thus causing the rear to begin to fishtail.
#58
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Winter blend = 10% ethanol for cleaner burning fuel. If your area requires winter blend, your gas pump should have a sticker on it that says "10% ethanol" or something like that on there.
Nice. Hope that fixes the problem.
I took the 4Runner in to Les Schwab to get the alighnment check, and they found the tired to be toed in. Not enough to cause problems while driving on dry pavement, but with patches of ice it would cause the front end to want to change directions as the front tires individually passed over the ice thus causing the rear to begin to fishtail.
Last edited by cackalak han; 01-28-2008 at 02:36 PM.
#59
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[QUOTE=cackalak han;50734843]Winter blend = 10% ethynol for cleaner burning fuel. If your area requires winter blend, your gas pump should have a sticker on it that says "10% ethynol" or something like that on there.
what would a cleaner burning fuel have anything to do with winter.. shouldnt they call it year round fuel?? if you mean its got an additive for freezing temps?? i wouldnt waist my money if they charge you more for it.. its just a joke.. a way to get more cash from you.. im pretty sure we dont have that up here.. and i dont think it gets any worse anywhere else then it gets around here... this kinda reminds me of Cali.. the places they MAKE you use snow chains.... i always get a chuckle out of things like that...
what would a cleaner burning fuel have anything to do with winter.. shouldnt they call it year round fuel?? if you mean its got an additive for freezing temps?? i wouldnt waist my money if they charge you more for it.. its just a joke.. a way to get more cash from you.. im pretty sure we dont have that up here.. and i dont think it gets any worse anywhere else then it gets around here... this kinda reminds me of Cali.. the places they MAKE you use snow chains.... i always get a chuckle out of things like that...
#60
Contributing Member
My rule of thumb, drive the speed of the weather, not the speed posted on the sign. That includes one other rule of mine, drive a speed where your comfortable then back off 5 mph.
2wd or 4wd doesn't matter. You get people thinking that they can do the speed limit because they have 4wd or AWD so they use the other lane. Well, the guy next to you might not have either or if he does, he could be using 2wd. Doesn't take much for him to spin and take the other person with him.
I had a guy last night pass me in a turning lane. I looked down and I was actually doing the speed limit on snowy/icey roads. This guys was doing 40-45 on a 35 mph road in bad traction.
2wd or 4wd doesn't matter. You get people thinking that they can do the speed limit because they have 4wd or AWD so they use the other lane. Well, the guy next to you might not have either or if he does, he could be using 2wd. Doesn't take much for him to spin and take the other person with him.
I had a guy last night pass me in a turning lane. I looked down and I was actually doing the speed limit on snowy/icey roads. This guys was doing 40-45 on a 35 mph road in bad traction.