Suggestions for driving in heavy snow

[Michael T]

I live in the Mid-south and we’re about to get our first major snow of this winter. Usually only get 1, maybe 2 heavy snows that coat the ground a year.

For those who live up north and get regular snow, any suggestions on best driving procedures in heavy snow in regards to engaging lockers. Do you only engage when stuck? Lock the center diff and call it a day?

Any suggestions?

 

[deadlikeme]

In my experience not with the GX but other 4 wheel drive vehicles, I just drive it in a the normal set up and turn on the snow or slippery mode if it has it. Not sure for the GX, but generally the snow mode limits the tire rotation when starting from a stop. I would only use 4 Lo, Crawl or lockers if I got stuck or was driving through a snow berm.

 

[wtfam]

In my experience not with the GX but other 4 wheel drive vehicles, I just drive it in a the normal set up and turn on the snow or slippery mode if it has it. Not sure for the GX, but generally the snow mode limits the tire rotation when starting from a stop. I would only use 4 Lo, Crawl or lockers if I got stuck or was driving through a snow berm.

Agreed!

 

[S SUBERI]

You don't want to use your lockers for a long time and certainly not for regular driving. Four wheel high should be good most of the time. Check your drive mode and MTS

 

[killy]

All the off road buttons will get you out of the ditch. They will not help you avoid the ditch.

Drive with open diffs, keep your speed in check, and do everything just a bit slower than you otherwise would. Braking, acceleration, even steering all needs to be done a bit more deliberately.

You will never need 4Lo, momentum is your friend in deep snow. You can lock up center if you want at low speeds but about 15mph it doesn’t matter anymore.

On cold highways patches of snow have grip, bare pavement and ice does not. Position your tires on the snow.

Keep your tank above half, never know when you might need to spend the night and want heat.

Sincerely - Canada

 

[Jesse H]

Since this has full time 4WD I wouldn't lock the center diff unless you get stuck. If you do get stuck start with the center diff. Then 4LO then the rear diff (rear can only be locked in 4LO).

With that said it's always a good idea to engage all your diffs and 4LO periodically to ensure they're working and prevent the systems from binding up. Read the manual but don't do it on high traction surfaces.

 

[Clack]

I was under the impression all time 4wd was basically AWD, and locking the center diff is true 4wd. When I lived in snow country I'd be in 4 high for months, with 50/50 from the transfer case and that's just what you did. Are you saying there's going to be unnecessary wear by locking the center diff on ice and snow for regular driving? It just seems like what you want.

 

[Jesse H]

I was under the impression all time 4wd was basically AWD, and locking the center diff is true 4wd. When I lived in snow country I'd be in 4 high for months, with 50/50 from the transfer case and that's just what you did. Are you saying there's going to be unnecessary wear by locking the center diff on ice and snow for regular driving? It just seems like what you want.

Correct. Full time 4WD and AWD gets interchanged.

Traditional 4WD systems allow the user to select between RWD or 4WD, with 4WD actually locking the front and rear axles.

The GX has a center differential which allows torque to be sent to the front and rear axles while allowing them to turn at different speeds. Turning at different speeds naturally occurs while driving since the front and rear axles track differently when negotiating turns. Torque will get sent to the front and rear axles under normal driving conditions. If you run into a low or no traction situation at the front or rear, torque will go to the path of least resistance and that's where locking the front and rear aids in getting you un-stuck.

Locking it all the time in low traction surfaces isn't a bad thing as it ensures power is sent to the front and rear evenly; you just need to be mindful when you're driving through a parking lot doesn't have snow and you're attempting to make a tight turn. You'll know when the steering wheel and tires tell you that things are starting to bind.

 

[turbo8]

The GX has a Torsen center differential (type of Limited slip diff) that can lock. This is a step up from an open differential.

 

[Michael T]

The GX has a Torsen center differential (type of Limited slip diff) that can lock. This is a step up from an open differential.

The limited slip diff is what dynamically sends torque to other tires if one or few tires have zero traction correct?

Then locking the center or rear diff forces equal power regardless of traction conditions

 

[Bluegill]

The GX has a Torsen center differential (type of Limited slip diff) that can lock. This is a step up from an open differential.

I know that you are correct....but this video seems to contradict the GX having a Torsen center diff (or a Torsen center diff that works):

GX550 vs 4Runner For 4X4 Slip Test - YouTube

When the back wheels of the GX are up on the rollers and both front wheels are on the ground, the GX just sits & spins the back wheels.

 

[FJMainiac]

Key term is "heavy" snow. In heavy snow I do lock the center diff. I also do this on a few very long dirt roads I drive on that are very bumpy/washboard. I believe somewhere in the owners manual it mentions center diff locked (HI not Lo) can be used on slippery and bumpy roads provided the speed is less than 60 mph.

 

[Jesse H]

I know that you are correct....but this video seems to contradict the GX having a Torsen center diff (or a Torsen center diff that works):

GX550 vs 4Runner For 4X4 Slip Test - YouTube

When the back wheels of the GX are up on the rollers and both front wheels are on the ground, the GX just sits & spins the back wheels.

I had a Torsen rear differential on my Miata and it will still require some traction in order to transfer power. With completely zero traction (as depicted in the linked videos) it struggles.

In the Miata I've tested it by accidentally getting one rear tire in the mud while the other side was on a paved driveway and the muddy side spun without sending power to the one on pavement; leaving me stuck. By lightly applying the handbrake I was able to provide artificial traction to the muddy side which allowed the Torsen to send some power to the pavement side and get the car moving.

 

[Michael T]

I had a Torsen rear differential on my Miata and it will still require some traction in order to transfer power. With completely zero traction (as depicted in the linked videos) it struggles.

In the Miata I've tested it by accidentally getting one rear tire in the mud while the other side was on a paved driveway and the muddy side spun without sending power to the one on pavement; leaving me stuck. By lightly applying the handbrake I was able to provide artificial traction to the muddy side which allowed the Torsen to send some power to the pavement side and get the car moving.

So to go back to my original post, im in the south and the nights get in 20’s. Once the snow starts melting and refreezes at night it will be ice conditions, so locking the center diff is ideal, since the torsen diff won’t engage front wheels (based on the youtube test, and Jesse H’s miata)?

 

[Bluegill]

I'd have no problem driving along with the center diff locked in snow or ice conditions. But you have to disengage the center diff lock when you are on pavement. I frequently lock the center diff on relatively high-speed graded dirt roads, especially when climbing, so that the front wheels do their share of the work and the rear wheels don't excessively spin (and wear out the rear tires). You also get the benefit of the front wheels helping you steer out of corners as they dig in with 50% of the truck's power.

 

[Jesse H]

We also have to understand the wheel roller test is an absolute worst case scenario and doesn't mimic real world conditions. Unless one intentionally parks with one set of axles on a frozen lake, we're usually moving so that any super low friction surface we come across gets navigated over easily due to 1 or 3 other tires that do have traction to pull the vehicle along.

 

[Redbird99]

So to go back to my original post, im in the south and the nights get in 20’s. Once the snow starts melting and refreezes at night it will be ice conditions, so locking the center diff is ideal, since the torsen diff won’t engage front wheels (based on the youtube test, and Jesse H’s miata)?

We got a significant amount of snow and ice earlier this week. I found that, on pavement, the GX is fine leaving it in 4hi and no center locker. The truck performed wonderfully on snow over ice covered roads, and even on a hill when the two right side wheels ran over slick ice. The only time I engaged the center locker was going up my driveway, before I had it plowed. (Truly, the only reason I had it plowed was due to the next system coming in tomorrow, which will dump another 3-6" of the white stuff).
Since the driveway is plowed, it is basically snow over ice for most of the tread path, but the snow isn't deep enough to drag against the skid plate anymore. I can go up it as normal, no MTS needed, no center locker. As someone said somewhere, it's like driving a $75,000 snow mobile.

 

[Michael T]

Just found this vid from a day ago. Testing high and low and center and rear diffs in snow and ice conditions
On LC

 

[M2L2024]

For what it's worth, I'm in StL and thoroughly enjoyed the past few days snow/ice in Lux+ pulling people out of plow piles. I don't have any experience with the different settings (Hi vs Lo, locked vs unlocked) but the 550 performed like a beast in 4Hi. One observation, the wheels and undercarriage collected a LOT of frozen road splatter. There was noticeable alignment issues above 40mph with wobbling and grinding during turning. Keep your speed in check, carry a tow strap or kinetic rope and an extra D ring and you should be good for most "around town" driving.

 

[deadlikeme]

Just found this vid from a day ago. Testing high and low and center and rear diffs in snow and ice conditions
On LC

Does the GX have a different 4WD system than the landcruiser? I think it does, just different suspension.