Just bought a stock 93 4Runner 4x4, 3.0 automatic. This vehicle will be driven in icy snow, deep snow and muddy snow in the northern New Mexico mountains. I live 3.5 miles from plowed roads. It's replacing an S10 4x4 that (as much as I hate GM) could go through massive amounts of wet snow, up to 16 inches (12 inch clearance, pushing 4 inches with the bumper/grill) for several miles, uphill and down with chains just on the back. Not pretty, but it could do it.

My question is, what mods can I do (relatively inexpensively, I might add) to the back end of the 4Runner (or any other mod's recommended) to match the S10's performance? I already have 31x10.50 Nokian Hakkapelitos ordered for it, and figure on getting a set of 4 chains to fit. I don't believe the back end is posi, and I've remember reading about someone who had a locking hub on one side, I assume to make it posi. Don't know a whole lot about off-roading. Most of the year, the vehicle will be driven on highways, gravel and dirt roads like a normal vehicle.

 

Stock - to - stock, the 4Runner should do better in the snow due to more weight over the rear wheels than an S10 truck. Did the S10 have posi in the back? You can put a limited slip or locker in the rear axles.

Too late now, but you can fit up to a 33x10.50 with no lift.

I'm sure you know all about airing down etc.

For me, in deep snow, the best mod has been the dual tcase. It's kinda weird to FEEL the snow packing under the tires from going so damn slow!

 

Thanks for the reply. I'm assuming the stock is not limited slip if you are suggesting it can be added- I remember getting stuck with my previous 93 on a tiny bit of ice under the left rear. what's the ballpark cost for adding it and how does it affect non-snow performance? What would 33's do for non-snow performance? I read about airing down in this forum a few weeks ago, so never tried it- does it really work well? I can recall 5 full hours of shoveling snow with the s10 the first winter when I pushed too far downhill and ran into 24 inches of snow...I would have tried just about anything to avoid that much shoveling.

 

Well.. 33s will give you a hit on mpgs in the city, but might improve it a little on the highways. I really don't know how the auto will take it, as mine is standard. Your main goal would be to get the diffs as high as you could, and stock... 33s is your max. Anymore and you will rub as well as you will start to tear up your CV axles.

For the rear, a locker would be the best bet... I think the most popular is the detroit 'tru-trac' or something along those lines. I was always interested in getting an e-locker, like the 3rd gens have.

The only other thing I can think of to keep you from getting stuck REALLY bad... is a big-ass skid plate (so it's like a sled) and a winch.

 

http://www.mattracks.com/

 

I liked the way my '85 worked in deep snow w/ 33/10.50 BFG ATs and front/rear ARB air lockers:
- http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/BFG_AT_KO.shtml

Was pushing snow over the hood a few hundred feet before this picture was taken:



And after slapping on a set of SCC Z-chains, I towed two stuck xtra cab pickups (at the same time) up an icy hill:



http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CA-4/TR_2001_04_21.shtml

Aired down to 7-10 psi as I recall. I like the ARBs in the snow, most of the time they are unlocked but when needed I'll lock in the front if I need to plow a new set of tracks (this way the rear wheels follow the front better) and if needed, both ends get locked.

I used to run a true trac limited slip in front and a detroit locker in back. In the snow I really loved the true trac and as far as the locker in back, it was either OK or it sucked since you could not turn it off. If I were building a truck for lots of snowy road driving, I think a pair of true tracs front and rear would be a nice setup with some tall skinny well siped tires.

 

x2 what everone is saying - also if you do plan on getting something done in the front as well (this is gunna be expensive to do front and rear) I would go with LSD (detriot tru-trac) over a locker (detriot noslip locker). A locker is a lot of stress for IFS parts, and IMO you are asking for trouble. I havent driven my detriot rear locker in snow yet since I just got it on, but I hear it's ...... fun. haha. In the rear LSD or a selectable locker is probably your best bet.

 

this would work great!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...attracks&vt=lf

http://www.mattracks.com/html/galleries___video.htm

 

Forget the rest of whats been said. These here are hands down the best mod for driving in deep snow, ever.

 

Couple of points:

A LSD such as the tru trac does work well in snow, on the road. In deep snow, it works okay. It can be frustrating at times, especially in deep snow, where it has a tendency to perform as it does in the dirt, which is like an open diff.

Second is that a selectable locker in the front is not a lot of stress on IFS parts, in fact, they are 90% of the time easier on the parts than an open diff is. Lockers are going to work 10x better in snow than an LSD. I can't comment on an auto locker up front, as I've never run one.

Keep in mind I'm talking about deep snow (16" as the OP was talking about)

On road, an auto locker or lunchbox locker will be quirky, but you can deal with it. With ARB's like I have, I just turn them off.

 

If I go with the (http://www.mattracks.com/), how's the mpg on the highway? ;-))

 

I am refering more to the detriot here: Im not quite sure how 100% lock to both wheels would be easier on the IFS... but in any case under a high stress situation one tire giving out and spinning can prevent something from breaking, but with the front locked, there is no chance of this. Even the knowledgeable guys at Eastside Custom Truck talked me out of a front locker for this very reason...

For "relatively inexspensive" I still think LSD if you want a nicer ride, and detriot nospin if you say "f.... road manners, I want to be unstoppable!" Yeah an ARB is great... at 2x the price.

 

The way a locker prevents damage to the front is twofold:
- less throttle is required because of the increased traction
- if a tire comes off the ground, it only spins the speed of the ring gear, where with an open diff, the wheel with no traction spins at 2X the ring gear, resulting in a huge shock load when the tire hits the ground, which is obviously when the suspension is at full droop and the joints are at their weakest

The ONLY time a locker will increase damage is when a tire is wedged, and that's more avoidable than the situations above.

 

the second situation seems a pretty unique and you would have to be putting a good amount of throttle while one tire is off the ground or slipping, then get unstuck while still on throttle and hit the ground. Of course this will probably happen if you are rockcrawling, but I think that is a lot of variables.

In any case I didnt say in all cases a locker is more stress. I can just think of a lot of situations where extra stress cannot be avoided by locker. Although snow conditions that coyote kid talk about arent really an issue I suppose.

 

With IFS, this happens ALL the time. Especially muddy, rutted trails. My point is, though, that if you're open diffed, the ONLY option you have in these conditions is more throttle and stay on it.

If you're locked, and wedge a tire to the point it could break something, you're not gonna make that line anyways and need to re-lineup.

 

Everyone has their theories about snow and getting traction. The 2 trains of thought I have heard about are "float" or "cut through it".

A skinnier tire tread will supply the best traction-by cutting through the snow to reach the road bed. A wider tread is most often favored by those that like to try to ride atop the snow-and airing down spreads the tread just that much more. In my opinion our trucks are too heavy to try to float atop the snow.

If you are that far up an unpaved road-you might consider a place to safely park and store your truck for overnights during severe weather and use a snowmobile to get you up to your home.

Perhaps there is someone nearer the paved road who has a shed or barn or lean to-you may be able to barter/trade accordingly....

just my .02-that is what folks do here that live in the high mountain terrain/high country.

The good news is you are planning ahead and I do believe Nokian Hake's are a wise choice-just not sure you really want a 10.50 width for the snow.

Best of luck and please update the thread when you get a chance to try out your new tire set up.

 

I'd get chains, crank the T bars up a bit and get a front Truetrac. My reasoning for a front Truetrac is that your in deep snow, your front tires need to overcome the unpacked snow in front of you, the rears can follow in their tracks. As for cranking the T-bars an inch or so, you don't need a tonne of flex, but you DO need clearance- cranking the T-bars an inch is free, I don't even think you need an alignment. I assume the 4Runner has a lot more clearance than an S-10 anyways and will probably be much better anyways, stock.

 

Airing down increases the LENGTH of the contact patch. The width hardly changes at all until you get REALLY low. Therefore, having the largest DIAMETER tire takes best advantage of airing down. If you stay narrower, you can fit a taller tire for a given amount of lift.

I have found a 33x10.50 aired down floats my heavy pig of a 4Runner (4940 lbs!) plenty fine. A narrower tire doesn't have to "plow" as much snow either.

 

Allright I read all these post now and have been reading other posts on the subject. I have a 1990 V6 Runner and like mentioned above would like some extra traction in this Wisconsin snow if I can get the parts reasonable. I don't need lockers and looks like the limited slip TrueTrac is what I want in front and back??? Is there a cheaper model, i'm not sure how much life is left and don't have much $$ for this. Just looked on ebay buy there not cheap eaither. Really have no idea on this topic so how cheap could I put limited slip in the front and rear of my Runner? Also, I have 31x10.50's on if that matters
Thanks!!
Steve

 

If you drive in alot of snow you need to get these. http://www.mattracks.com/