Benefits of 4x4 in the snow

[wimorrison]

After all the posts about why we have 4x4 I thought I would show you how much better they are in the snow



Well, maybe they are better at catching snow on the roof

[rippedoffagain]

Funnily enough just the other day I was debating with someone how a 4x4 would be better in snow, or not.

The chap I was debating with held the opinion "of course its better, its four wheel drive". But my response is that four wheel drive will make it easier to get traction to start moving, but if you have normal road tyres on, that's where the advantage ends. A 2 wheel drive car still brakes with all four wheels, just like a 4x4, and a 4x4 still steers with just its two front wheels, just like a 2 wheel drive motor. The only other advantage I can think of is if the 4x4 is heavier, it might get better grip by having more load on the tyres, but then that argument is presumably negated by the fact that any extra weight means you need more grip to change speed or course.

[Chris740R]

My friend has one of these:

I'm insured on it and I can tell you, driving it in snow is no different to driving it on clear roads. Its nothing short of incredible. You can corner, brake, and accelerate just as fast as normal with 4x4 selected.

[OldBlueVolvo]

Originally Posted by Chris740R

My friend has one of these:
http://www.autogaleria.pl/fotografie...da_1980_01.jpg
I'm insured on it and I can tell you, driving it in snow is no different to driving it on clear roads. Its nothing short of incredible. You can corner, brake, and accelerate just as fast as normal with 4x4 selected.

Broken link?

http://www.italdesign.com/dinamic/mi...4x42_small.jpg

[rippedoffagain]

Originally Posted by Chris740R

My friend has one of these:
http://www.autogaleria.pl/fotografie...da_1980_01.jpg
I'm insured on it and I can tell you, driving it in snow is no different to driving it on clear roads. Its nothing short of incredible. You can corner, brake, and accelerate just as fast as normal with 4x4 selected.

Those tyres don't look like ordinary road tyres. Perhaps that's the key? I've had some moments in my 940 on the ice, and I've been wondering how much better it would be if I got some good knobbly tyres on the back rather than the almost useless road tyres it currently has on.

[steve howes]

you need a nice set of mickey thomson baja claws

[ChrisV70T5]

Originally Posted by rippedoffagain

. A 2 wheel drive car still brakes with all four wheels, just like a 4x4, and a 4x4 still steers with just its two front wheels, just like a 2 wheel drive motor.

Certainly agree with that - decided to leave the V70 at home yesterday and whilst out walking I was passed by a very happy looking driver in his BMW X5. Then a few hundred yrds further on where the road dips down towards a ford, I watched him apply his brakes and hit a wall!! He got going again only to touch his brakes again and swipe the wall a second time - probably didn't look so happy then....
Still he did get up the steep hill at the other side...

Found our 2wd Cavalier MK3 to work best in snow.

[rippedoffagain]

Originally Posted by ChrisV70T5

Found our 2wd Cavalier MK3 to work best in snow.

I had a Cavalier. That would go anywhere. I parked it in a field once to watch the motorcross and the heavens opened. The field was one big mud bath by the time we all left. I saw 4x4s stuck in the mud, while my little Cav escaped under its own steam.

[pyestudiocolour]

Best car I ever drove in the snow was a mini (a proper old one naturally!). In fact they were so good, I actually enjoyed driving them in the snow (apart from the useless heater that is!).

I drove home from work one afternoon a few years ago, with snow thick on the ground in my 1974 Clubman estate and apart from having to stop to give the alternator a whck to get it to start charging, I have never felt more confident driving any other vehicle in the snow or ice. I passed quite a few other more modern vehicles which had slewed off the road.

My uncle managed to write off his Mitsubishi 4x4 by driving it though a fairly shallow flood one summer, so I went off hte idea of having a 4x4 (or any other overly comlicated electronics loaded car after that . . .

[IanGEC]

Originally Posted by Chris740R

My friend has one of these:
http://www.autogaleria.pl/fotografie...da_1980_01.jpg
I'm insured on it and I can tell you, driving it in snow is no different to driving it on clear roads. Its nothing short of incredible. You can corner, brake, and accelerate just as fast as normal with 4x4 selected.

I used to own one of those Fiats and they are simply incredible in the snow for a car that only has a one litre engine - The tyres were excellent and they came as standard - mine was from new - I actually used mine to pull an old Vauxhall Viva backwards out of a ploughed field after the muppet decided to use a country lane covered in snow and ice instead of the cleared road.... you had to only use the 4wd system as an occasional thing but it sure did work....