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How much snow should be on ground before using 4x4

LiftedrubiconJT

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Sorry for the dumb question , new to 4x4. Getting first snow storm and wondering how much should be on ground before I put it in 4x4. Don’t want to mess anything up. And what’s the fastest you can drive in 4x4
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Moabite

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Sorry for the dumb question , new to 4x4. Getting first snow storm and wondering how much should be on ground before I put it in 4x4. Don’t want to mess anything up. And what’s the fastest you can drive in 4x4

If it is slick, drop it into 4WD. That might be an inch or less of snow. You can drive as fast as you want in 4H. Conditions should dictate your speed.
 

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use 4H if you need to improve traction. I use 4H in town when there is snow on the roads. It really helps. you can shift into and out of 4H at (i think) any speed. It shouldnt hurt anything to use 4wd when there is snow. the mud tires make ice driving a pain.
 

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The bed of a truck is rather light compared to the rest of the vehicle and in my experience (which living in the south is admittedly not much) you can get into trouble with only 2WD quickly on a slick road and have the rear end slide out unexpectedly. If snow is sticking to the road surface, I generally put it in 4WD right away since it's hilly where I live and we don't have a lot of snow equipment to clear roads.
 

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Gvsukids

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You can also add weight in the bed to improve traction in two-wheel drive. You'll have more fun in two-wheel drive, but it will also be good to practice in two-wheel drive to see how the vehicle handles.
 

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Please remember the going is not the hard part folks, the stopping is. 4WD does not help with that at all. I use 4WD as the front end is heavier and thus allows for more traction when accelerating. Please use care when the roads become snow covered. Far to many of us in Jeeps and 4WD trucks get bad mouthed for driving to fast for road conditions. Northern Virginia is the worst as most people here have never seen snow, let alone drive in it.

Be safe out there folks and Let it Snow, let it Snow, lett it SNOWWWWW!
 

InvertedLogic

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Please remember the going is not the hard part folks, the stopping is. 4WD does not help with that at all. I use 4WD as the front end is heavier and thus allows for more traction when accelerating. Please use care when the roads become snow covered. Far to many of us in Jeeps and 4WD trucks get bad mouthed for driving to fast for road conditions. Northern Virginia is the worst as most people here have never seen snow, let alone drive in it.

Be safe out there folks and Let it Snow, let it Snow, lett it SNOWWWWW!
4x4 doesn't make you invicible, it's true. And I think that is the point of the saying. However, it is not completely true that 4x4 does not help you stop. Since the f/r axles are locked together, being in 4x4 can actually keep your fronts from slipping on a hard stop. Check out this Oneil Rally School video for their findings.

 

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4x4 doesn't make you invicible, it's true. And I think that is the point of the saying. However, it is not completely true that 4x4 does not help you stop. Since the f/r axles are locked together, being in 4x4 can actually keep your fronts from slipping on a hard stop. Check out this Oneil Rally School video for their findings.

Wow, learned something new today. Thank you for sharing!
 

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Also helps a lot to put your transmission in neutral (manual transmission people do this already by pushing in on the clutch) when braking in slick snowy or icy conditions, especially in 2wd.
 

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I was always told you shouldn't shift out of 4WD high if you going over 55 and that was the recommended speed in 4 high. I know you can go faster but I'm not sure if you can shift in and out of 4 high at a speed over 55.
 

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4x4 doesn't make you invicible, it's true. And I think that is the point of the saying. However, it is not completely true that 4x4 does not help you stop. Since the f/r axles are locked together, being in 4x4 can actually keep your fronts from slipping on a hard stop. Check out this Oneil Rally School video for their findings.

When Ford first developed the all wheel drive (AWD) police pursuit sedan, we all went (yet again) to pursuit driving school and learned the characteristics of AWD on slippery surfaces. As we were in California, we had the skid pan and what this gentleman is telling us is 100% correct.
 

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you can shift into and out of 4H at (i think) any speed.

I was always told you shouldn't shift out of 4WD high if you going over 55 and that was the recommended speed in 4 high. I know you can go faster but I'm not sure if you can shift in and out of 4 high at a speed over 55.
User manual says 45mph for shifting in/out of 4H. Mohave you can go 4L up to 45mph
 

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4x4 doesn't make you invicible, it's true. And I think that is the point of the saying. However, it is not completely true that 4x4 does not help you stop. Since the f/r axles are locked together, being in 4x4 can actually keep your fronts from slipping on a hard stop. Check out this Oneil Rally School video for their findings.

I learned something as well, pretty interesting and thanks for sharing
 
 



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