So before I bought my truck, I had a few folks (from other boards, non-diesel related) telling me that "For the amount of snow you get in Chicago, it's not really worth getting 4wd."

Well I'd like to know what crack they are smoking! LOL.

We had some snow here in Chicago on Wednesday of this week. Nothing too drastic, I think we got 2-3 inches. I tried driving home from the office in 2wd. Holy cow was that a mistake.

I'm sitting in traffic, stopped. Foot on brake pedal. Suddenly, I get the sensation that I am rotating in place. Like the rear of the truck is going sideways. But I'm stopped. WTF?

Well, it turns out that the pavement was slick enough to allow the rear tires to push through the rear brakes and spin, even though the front wheels were held in place. As conditions got worse, I had to switch to 4wd for the rest of the trip home. Since my truck will normally creep at 5-6 mph... trying to get it to creep at 2-3mph in bumper-to-bumper traffic by gently dragging the brakes meant driving sideways down the road - because the rear tires did 5-6 mph unless I really pressed HARD on the pedal.

I couldn't help but laugh most of the way home. I guess that's what 590 ft-lbs will get me :) Thank God I opted for 4wd though - the tail end of my truck would have slowly taken out the car in the lane next to me if I only had 2-wheel!

So let this be a heads-up to you folks who live where it might snow :) Anybody else experience this?

Rain or snow, I have to use 4 wheel drive, on start up or turning sharp corners otherwise I get wheel hop or spin, also this happens when towing 10,000# (in snow or rain)

2WD Pickups are bad in snow or mud because there so light in the ass end.
Put 1,000 lb of sand bag's in the back over the axle
That will make a big diffrence.
I can almost plow the snow in 2wd when I have the sand bag's in
And try shifting into nuetral as your trying to stop in stop & go traffic, it will take the power out of the rear wheel's and the rear brakes should work a little better to keep the truck straight.

I have never heard anyone say that they regret buying a 4x4. Even if you only use it once a year, if it gets you out of a bind it is worth it. The unfortunate thing is that 4x4 probably gets me in more binds then it ever gets me out of. :p

I seldom use 4wd , but when you set off on a trip knowing the weather might get bad it gives you a piece of mind knowing its there. I will not ever but a two wheel drive truck again.

You said it 2wd trucks are the most useless things ever. After having a 4x4 I would never buy a 2wd again. Even if i lived in a place where it never snowed or rained.

I would never buy a 2wd around here, I am in 4x4 all the time in snow or mud... I have noticed like you said how damn tourqey this motor is in the snow, can't hardly go anywhere in 2wd when it's snowy. Kicks ass when it's in 4wd though you can really get up to speed easily. Must be the heavier front end, because my 2000 1/2 ton would slide around more in 4wd than this 3/4 ton does.

resale alone is worth it to me..

Resale? Bah! Now that I have the truck I have been wanting I plan to keep it so long it won't be worth anything.

Omni,

It sounds like you were in more than just snow. . . I know Chicago can get nasty, but man! 4x4 all the way. . . I'll never own anything but. . .

Used to own an '85 1/2 ton 2wd that would go through anything once I put 600 lbs of sand in the back. Used to surprise the hell outta me. Fun truck to beat the heck out of. :D

My 02 on level 3 juice will turn over my H2's on any wet pavement.....I wouldn't have believed that before I owned this diesel. I really have to watch it. During last winter I left it in 4wd most of the time.
Tom :eek:

another thing that i have noticed(with the stock ally) is that when coming to a stop sign or just a stop in general, the rear will do funny things when it shift down. it will grab i think 2nd and the tires will stop spinning as fast and slow way down while i am still going the same speed. lose traction in the rear will make for a entertaining time ):h i am sure it will be worse now with the new tranny :) . anyone else know what i am talking about?

Yeah I noticed mine doing that last night a little, and way more if you put it in tow/haul so it downshifts more.

Got my old 95 2wd, 1 ton, 454 srw cc stuck on a flat road covered with ice one time. Tires were in a small dip and I couldn't get any traction what so ever. Finally had to get out and let the DW drive while I stood on the bumper. Drove Jeeps for years before moving into pickups. Got used to the 4wd in them. When I moved into the pickup I decided I really didn't need it anymore since we seldom get snow here. When I got my 2500hd this year I wanted 4wd really bad but was going to sacrifice that if necessary to get my duramax. Found one that had no options other than the D/A I was going to buy just so I could get it. DW said well you are going to have to drive it for the next 10 years so you might as well get what you want, so got one with almost all the options including 4wd. About the only thing I don't have is the leather seats, satellite radio and the steering wheel mounted DIC (only other option I wish I had but didn't know he DIC didn't work without it). Sometimes you just got to love em!

Wow, if a couple of inches of snow slows you down, you would never get around up in in Northern Ontario. We can get 4 feet, I have a 2 wheeler, no problems, weight in the back and that locking diff is the key, 20 years up here, only got stuck once, with a bit of sand and a shovel no problem. I love driving in the winter up here, driving is a blast, donuts are easy, and going around corners sideways, yeehaa,

R

Moss022, We had an inch of snow yesterday and than it melted and turned to ice on the roads by nightfall. I was driving home and was slowing down to make a turn and the alli downshifted and I was sideways. This is something I was not ready for. I did have the T\H on. Guess I won't do that again .

The only thing a 2wd truck needs is snow tires and 500-1000# in the bed. 4wd will get you in trouble real quick. I drive for a living and if you look at the vehicles off the road during a snowstorm about half of them will be 4wd trucks and suv's. Tire Rack will sell you 4 mounted and balanced studless snowtires for under $800, much cheaper than 4wd.

):h ):h ):h Great story, I wish i could have seen that. 4X4 is all i know

i constantly get stuck when trying to get out of this mud/grass parking spot during the day. i spin the tires in 4hi and have to use 4lo

guess there is a disadvantage to too much torque with crappy tires in mud....

Must have been different snow. I also am from the northwest burbs of Chi-Town, and was amazed how well my 2wd GMC handled. I would agree with the wheel spin from a stop, but allowing the truck to idle out without any extra pedal worked fine. Had a 4X4 on my last truck, and never used it. Figured it was an extra 300 pounds I didn't need. Reality is a day later the streets are dry.

I expierienced a similar situation while exploring near Greens Peak in the Eastern White Mountains of Arizona. I was cruising around in 2 wheel drive on the snow/mud covered roads. I went to turn around in a snow covered meadow in 2wd and when i hit reverse, the tach jumped up and i was spinning, put my foot on the brake, then heard rocks hitting the underside and realized the rear wheels were still spinning even though i was off the throttle and stopped. Lots of torque, just reached up and punched the 4wd high button and away i went. I am an avid offroader and am used to finessing my Jeep, but there is no finesse in the Dmax, give it a little throtle and it is spinning the tires. Takes a little getting used to offroad.

OTOH, I was just up in the Sierra with my 2WD and had no problem, even with
a foot of snow. In fact I passed several cars stuck on the side of the road.

OK, I do have decent snow tires, and there was 4000 lbs in the bed. The truck
behaved slightly better than I expected; the G80 really does work well.

One other thing. It was an un-plowed dirt road that had been driven over by others -- just about the worst condition for traction in snow.

i havent driven my truck with the new tranny in the snow yet, but i can feel a down shift much more now. so, i can expect for it to do it more often now. all well, makes for an interesting ride

You two wheel drive folks can tell all the stories you want to justify your choice. There is now comparison. The 4X4 is just ten times better. I have played with mine in two wheel drive and found once the locker engages you better be pointed the way you want to go because you ain't going to make a turn. Several years ago I had a brain fart and bought a two wheel drive with a locker. It was supposed to have been a temporary outfit until I could find a newer 4X4. I ended up keeping it two years. That was the sorriest two years in my driving lifetime. Later! Frank

You two wheel drive folks can tell all the stories you want to justify your choice. There is now comparison. The 4X4 is just ten times better. I have played with mine in two wheel drive and found once the locker engages you better be pointed the way you want to go because you ain't going to make a turn. Several years ago I had a brain fart and bought a two wheel drive with a locker. It was supposed to have been a temporary outfit until I could find a newer 4X4. I ended up keeping it two years. That was the sorriest two years in my driving lifetime. Later! Frank

2wd is for southerners who never venture into snow territory.

2wd is for southerners who never venture into snow territory.It aint for southeners either!!!! We don't like them 2WD models any more than you'ens do! -:t

I have been having a similar problem on wet roads. Driving at say 50mph and I floor it, the rear end breaks loose):h . Has been happening on dry pavement at times too:ro) .

One more thing, a 2wd truck will go better in snow/mud than a 4x4 in 2wd will! Believe me I know. 4 wheelers are the same, my old 2wd warrior would go better than my 4x4 grizzly in 2wd. The added weight in the front makes a difference!

It aint for southeners either!!!! We don't like them 2WD models any more than you'ens do! -:t


):h :ro)

All the above is good, but for me I like the extra steel and weight of the 4x4 front axel as a battering ram in case some poor slob decides to plow into me.

I have never owned anything BUT 2WD pickups. I work in the oilfields in Texas and have NEVER been stuck. I do order my trucks with a positraction rearend however. I think most 4WD pickups are bought for the 4X4 sticker on the back of the bed - if the OEM's ever quit putting those stickers on their trucks their 4wd sales would be cut in half.

With the above being said, I DO enjoy four-wheeling. When I feel the need for mud I simply climb in my old Jeep Wrangler and get it out of my system. If you had a Jeep I can tell you a 4wd pickup would do nothing for you - it just ain't the same. It's a Jeep thing. :D

I used to live in northern Ont. ( Sudbury ). When the first snow flake came down the snow plows where plowing & sanding ,never had to drive on any thing but bare road. Out west coast in the USA is a diferent deal ,most of the snow plows are in the mnt. passes4x4 is real nice here as the snow is very wet and soon is compacted to ice,so often what you drove to work in is worst on the way home.There is a reason that ONT. dose not allow studed tires they don`t need them.

Ain't quite nothing like seeing 3 CAT Graders with the extra plow boom driving down a city street, eschelon right formation, clearing the roads. CAT front-end loaders plowing parking lots... it's a different scene up here in anchorage. On post the roads are plowed but not very well. Typically by the time the plows are out and about enough traffic has occured to create the ice/snowpack that plays havoc with everyone. I drive around in 4x4 on post and in town, but I stop off on the side of the on-ramps and switch to 2wd while on the highway.. The highways are the clearest part of the whole road system!

Watching a 2wd pickup spin its wheels while I just take off like normal is plenty enough reason to have bought a 4x4. Although, I do use 2wd to park ocassionally and do quick U-turns.

I THOUGHT IT WAS HARD ON THE DRIVETRAIN TO DRIVE IN 4WD ON DRY ROADS?? BUT I'M HEARING SOME SAY THEY DO THAT. I WAS TOLD NOT TO DRIVE IN 4WD ON DRY ROADS AND MAKE SURE ALL TIRES ARE THE SAME BRAND AND SIZE TO KEEP DRIVETRAIN "WINDUP" TO A MINIMUM!! IT WAS AN OLDER 4WD ---IS THERE SOMETHING ABOUT THE NEW 4WD SYSTEM THAT IS DIFFERENT???? MY 3/4 TON D/A DOESN'T HAVE "AUTO 4WD"!!
THANKS FOR YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS!!
:confused:

I have two 4x4 truck for plowing. My personal Truck is 2WD. Put some Weight behind the rear axle. Cut a 2x6 to fit behind and put a row of cinder blocks in. I plowed snow for 18 years with my 2WD truck on Storm was 36 inch snow and I had bald tires.

Dont use the brakes slow with Tran
Start in 2nd gear

If I didn't do Snow plowing I wouldn't buy a 4x4. When im traveling between job I'm in 2wd.

Down in the south we don't get a whole lot of snow. Hardly ever, although they are calling for sleet and snow this weekend. I have a 4X4 (not my 1st) and would never go back to 2WD. I would get less options to be able to afford the 4X4 package. And BTW they can have the stickers because a 2WD sits like a 4X4 anyway.

If we get a little bit of sleet or snow, everything down here shuts down. We're not equipped to handle it.

What's snow??

I THOUGHT IT WAS HARD ON THE DRIVETRAIN TO DRIVE IN 4WD ON DRY ROADS?? BUT I'M HEARING SOME SAY THEY DO THAT. I WAS TOLD NOT TO DRIVE IN 4WD ON DRY ROADS AND MAKE SURE ALL TIRES ARE THE SAME BRAND AND SIZE TO KEEP DRIVETRAIN "WINDUP" TO A MINIMUM!! IT WAS AN OLDER 4WD ---IS THERE SOMETHING ABOUT THE NEW 4WD SYSTEM THAT IS DIFFERENT???? MY 3/4 TON D/A DOESN'T HAVE "AUTO 4WD"!!
THANKS FOR YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS!!
:confused: The 4wd in the HD trucks can't run on dry pavement. The transfer case doesn't have the ability to absorb the torque generated by different wheel speeds in turns. There are systems that can, like the Autotrac in the 1/2T trucks or most of the Jeep transfer cases. So it depends completely on what "some" are driving when they say they run in 4wd on dry pavement.;)

The 4wd in the HD trucks can't run on dry pavement. The transfer case doesn't have the ability to absorb the torque generated by different wheel speeds in turns. There are systems that can, like the Autotrac in the 1/2T trucks or most of the Jeep transfer cases. So it depends completely on what "some" are driving when they say they run in 4wd on dry pavement.;)
Snow in Dallas yesterday, on the way home saw a wreck at almost every overpass (they were iced up). When it's like this, the truck sits and I take the Grand Cherokee, I'm sure it does better in the slick stuff with QuadraTrac compared to 4WD in the truck, and I'm not risking one of these other idiots sliding into my new truck. They can take out the Jeep and it won't bother me as much.

I have the push button 4x4. Comes in real handy on days like today where there is patchy sections. Roads are dry except where the salted at the intersections, they are black ice this morning. I drop it into 4x4 through the intersection, especially handy if I had to stop, and then back to 2x for the rest of the road.

Millerliteliker, you are right, this isn't a Jeep, I have owned three Jeeps and would love to have another. But I can't afford to keep two vehicles and I need the tow capacity of the pickup so this has to do for now. One of these days though, I am going to build me a serious offroad vehicle and that will definitely be a Jeep.

as far as southeners go, I work and play in FL, although I live in NC. In FL , I am in the swamps and some very soft muddy situations, normally have about 2 tons in the bed, and I still will have to use my 4X4. if I get some snow this holiday season, in NC, I am sure I will be out there with my tow rope getting people out of situations. Southeners love the sand, mud and anythingelse their environment gives them. We always love 4X4 and wouldn't get anything less. my dad thought i was nuts, but now he too wants a 4X4. I told him that it's ok for him to deal with his issues of where he was raised, CT. It's ok to make some mistakes, like not listening to your son and buying a 4X4. I am taking him to the dealership after the New Year to get him a DMax 4X4. we'll get rid of his 2wd 04 Sierra.

I doesn't matter to me most of the time unless I am stuck in traffic, then the 4wd is nice. The big 2 wd truck goes through snow good, even with bald tires and nothing in the bed. We do get a little snow here in the snow belt, I think we had 34 inches on the ground 2 days ago then it rained and the temp dropped to 0 last night. :( A couple of days and it will be in the 50's :D

4 x 4 without a doubt! Antbody living in Kentucky and north should have it! We just had 14" in Cincinnati. It didn't stop me once. Matter of fact I went out with a couple of freinds during the heavy part of the snow fall.


03' 2500HD Crew