I love my Four Wheel Drive truck

[Rerun]

Driving the unplowed side streets today where I live, was a piece of cake. Foot and a half of snow drift... no problem. Going through those snow banks that the city plow leaves behind... no problem when you're driving a lifted 4x4 on 31" x 10.5" BFG MudTerains. It just churns through this stuff.

.... and... if I ever do get stuck.... thats why I've got a 9000# winch on the front now.

[TRIX]

Originally Posted by algernon

Did the 4x4 guys have better results?

Duramax 3/4 ton, lil lift, 285/75/16 BFG All-Terrains

no problems, did the speed limits everywhere, passed a lot of people who were going 30 in a 60-80 zone had it in 4Hi sometimes, 2Hi others, no worries here, I have driven in a lot worse conditions than these and am very confident on snow/ice/gravel/greasy mud whatever comes around the corner

last friday when it was really icy and such I was still fine, actually towed a car up 14 st hill north bound and that was like a skating rink, saw a low boy chain up on that road, kinda funny

[the-rasta-masta]

Originally Posted by 4X4

The problem with 4x4s is that people buy them thinking that they'll transform them into capable drivers. Not the case. A struggler is a struggler no matter what he's (well, more likely to be she) driving.

It's so true. Funny enough I was in a parking lot in Ranchlands today and some guy with a newer model of my exact car was stuck. Got behind and started pushing and realized the guy had his front wheels cranked all the way to the right, and to boot hadn't turned off his ABS so he wasn't even getting consistent power to the wheels. Technology is great but you have to have a little common sense at the same time.

[the-rasta-masta]

One problem I have with 4x4s is that some people seem to think they are invincible and fly past you at crazy speeds. All wheel drive doesn't help you to stop any faster.

[kipperfan]

Originally Posted by greyshep

I had to shake my head at the number of idiots in their front wheel drive cars (winters or not) trying to get around in this stuff last night.

Interesting, as I was out driving my front wheel drive Civic last night and getting around just fine. I was, however, frequently shaking my head as well. Though my head shaking went more towards the fact that 2 out of every 3 "4x4's" insisted (like they always do) on driving like absolute asshats and making things worse for everyone else.

Hey 4x4 driver (not all of you, just the morons....so like 80-90%) spinning you wheels really fast and sliding arounds corners is not cool, you're not driving the General freakin Lee and this isnt Duke's of Hazard you fools. And also, just because YOU THINK you can stop quickly in your silly little Ford trucks doesnt mean you can, nor does it mean I want you 3 feet away from my rear bumper while I try and make a safe trip home in the right bloody lane. /rant

[TRIX]

Originally Posted by the-rasta-masta

...to boot hadn't turned off his ABS so he wasn't even getting consistent power to the wheels...

pardon the ignorance...how does ABS affect this?

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Rerun

Driving the unplowed side streets today where I live, was a piece of cake. Foot and a half of snow drift... no problem. Going through those snow banks that the city plow leaves behind... no problem when you're driving a lifted 4x4 on 31" x 10.5" BFG MudTerains. It just churns through this stuff.

.... and... if I ever do get stuck.... thats why I've got a 9000# winch on the front now.

Thats a great truck!!! S-10? Anyway, you run the exact tire size I want for my Ranger.

I don't have 4X4, just RWD and its the best winter vehicle I've had. The clearance is nice, even with the small tires I run now.

For the record as per some posts in this thread, unless you have Winter Tires then you are a struggler. All-Season this and that doesn't mean crap below 6-degrees C.

Winter Tires + RWD is > than 4X4 with "All-Season".

[4X4]

Originally Posted by the-rasta-masta

One problem I have with 4x4s is that some people seem to think they are invincible and fly past you at crazy speeds. All wheel drive doesn't help you to stop any faster.

Today I did alot of driving and for some reason, this exact thought crossed my mind a few times. The times it crossed my mind was when I'd pass someone and think "I bet that nutsucker is thinking I'm a crazy redneck 4x4 driving moron". But y'know what? I was driving perfectly normal. I was passing white knuckled idiots that were going 30 under the limit even though the road is straight and clear.
That's what I hate about weather like this. You absolutely need to be cautious at all times, and especially in certain places like approaching intersections and on curves and whatnot. But that doesn't mean you can't go a reasonable speed when the road is straight and clear. FFS, I was stuck behind some moron in a friggin Toyota Highlander on 26th ave today for what seemed like forever, while the SOB went 25kph. Yeah, I know there's snow on the ground, but come on. It doesn't mean you have to go 25. There are nice ruts carved out all the way to the pavement. You can at least do 35 or 40.
Going east on memorial onto crowchild south, I was behind some ###### that went 20 up the ramp. When we got onto Crowchild, I passed him, and had the same thought... Bet he think's I'm crazy. Yeah. Crazy for going 80 on a nice clean road. Kept tabs on him in my rearview until I lost him going around 17th. He seriously must have been doing 40. On Crowchild.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by 4X4

Today I did alot of driving and for some reason, this exact thought crossed my mind a few times. The times it crossed my mind was when I'd pass someone and think "I bet that nutsucker is thinking I'm a crazy redneck 4x4 driving moron". But y'know what? I was driving perfectly normal. I was passing white knuckled idiots that were going 30 under the limit even though the road is straight and clear.
That's what I hate about weather like this. You absolutely need to be cautious at all times, and especially in certain places like approaching intersections and on curves and whatnot. But that doesn't mean you can't go a reasonable speed when the road is straight and clear. FFS, I was stuck behind some moron in a friggin Toyota Highlander on 26th ave today for what seemed like forever, while the SOB went 25kph. Yeah, I know there's snow on the ground, but come on. It doesn't mean you have to go 25. There are nice ruts carved out all the way to the pavement. You can at least do 35 or 40.
Going east on memorial onto crowchild south, I was behind some ###### that went 20 up the ramp. When we got onto Crowchild, I passed him, and had the same thought... Bet he think's I'm crazy. Yeah. Crazy for going 80 on a nice clean road. Kept tabs on him in my rearview until I lost him going around 17th. He seriously must have been doing 40. On Crowchild.

I've just gotten used to driving on sidewalks and people's front lawns.

[Peanut]

I complain about my SUV a lot because it's a bit of lemon, but yesterday and today I really appreciated the AWD and snow tires. The roads were still terrible (especially yesterday), but I was pretty happy with how my vehicle handled it overall.

[Traditional_Ale]

^ Why is it a lemon?

[Peanut]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

^ Why is it a lemon?

Mmm... well, maybe not a "lemon" per-se, but we bought it pre-owned from a dealership in BC that had a 180-point (or something similar) inspection. So we drove it back to Alberta where it promptly failed the provincial-inspection, which as I understand is not as thorough as the inspection the dealership claimed to have done. So we needed a bunch of repairs right away. Then 3 months later it was leaking coolant all over our street - the radiator had apparently cracked and needed to be completely replaced. It's been back in the shop another 2 times for more repairs (I don't even remember what).

All this for a leased vehicle, really rubs me the wrong way.

Oh, and at the dealership in BC... my DAD was the guy who sold us the car.

[Finny61]

Its times like these I actually wish I was a little more hick and had a nice truck..so I could get out of my stupid driveway.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Peanut

Mmm... well, maybe not a "lemon" per-se, but we bought it pre-owned from a dealership in BC that had a 180-point (or something similar) inspection. So we drove it back to Alberta where it promptly failed the provincial-inspection, which as I understand is not as thorough as the inspection the dealership claimed to have done. So we needed a bunch of repairs right away. Then 3 months later it was leaking coolant all over our street - the radiator had apparently cracked and needed to be completely replaced. It's been back in the shop another 2 times for more repairs (I don't even remember what).

All this for a leased vehicle, really rubs me the wrong way.

Oh, and at the dealership in BC... my DAD was the guy who sold us the car.

You totally haven't been to see Ray yet have you?

[Peanut]

Originally Posted by Traditional_Ale

You totally haven't been to see Ray yet have you?

Haha! No, but it hasn't broken down since you gave me that recommendation either.

[the-rasta-masta]

Originally Posted by TRIX

pardon the ignorance...how does ABS affect this?

I actually meant traction control, not ABS. The traction control will brake an individual wheel when the sensor realizes that that wheel doesn't have traction with the road. It does this in order to avoid spinouts, etc... while you are driving. When you have your traction control on and are trying to get going from a standstill when it is slippery, it can be counter productive because it starts applying the brake to one or more wheels, especially if you are driving with a standard transmission.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Peanut

Haha! No, but it hasn't broken down since you gave me that recommendation either.

Fair enough. But seriously, the guy is a saint. And the guys he has working for him are honest guys too. $800 at Midas for a female friend on mine ended up being $160 at Ray's. He will not ever replace anything that doesn't need it.

[stang]

I love my Avalanche. I put it in AWD (Its got AWD, 2HI, 4HI, and 4LO) I guess its not really AWD more like 4 on demand. No problems anywhere. Had it in Calgary last storm (Grey Cup weekend one) and we were coming home from CrossIron Mills and had no problems at all. Saw lots of abandoned Vehicles though.

I have Nokian Vatiiva A/T's on mine. Came with the truck when I bought it. Very impressed with them. I like A/T's because living out in the country it isnt so much Ice as deep open fluffy snow.

My Wife and I used to both run Motomaster Roughrider Mud and Snow tires on our old Vehicles (1999 Trialblazer for her and a 1995 GMC Sierra for me) and those were crazy good tires. I dont know why they discontinued them!

My Wife has Toyo Open Country A/T's on her Denali... Not really that impressed at all. Probally going to get some dedicated winter tires for her.

Any suggestions for a good winter tire to go on a Yukon Denali AWD with an 18" rim?

[EVERLAST]

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/148982..._vs_bobsleigh/

[TRIX]

Originally Posted by the-rasta-masta

I actually meant traction control, not ABS.

Yeah, I understand electronic TC, don't know a whole lot about ABS other than "what it does", so I was thinking a mistake had been made but wasn't 100% sure

gimme a good old detroit G80 locker or truetrac LSD in the rear