Getting scared...truck,snow

Skimmed over that other thread, some foolishness(deserved) but was a few things that caught my eye.
Couple guys mentioned in 2wd turn traction control off, some guys seem to be driving fine with the nannies off.
I know, take it with a grain of salt. Im old enough and poor enough that most my vehicles never had any abs or traction control or it wasnt working.
Over 35 years of winter driving, never had a vehicle pull that quickly to the left(2 times now),no abs or traction lights before it happened(i know it can happen quick) ...anyways just venting. Again, totally my fault, to fast for driving conditions.

 

Driving with the nannies off is fine until it isn't. Having the nannies on gives you that second to react to black ice or snow drifts, without them you're lighting up the rear tires before you can react and in a very bad predicament. My thing is if I think 70-80 km/h is the max I can do safely, I'm in 4wd. It means there's snow or ice around for sure, if there's not I'm doing 100 km/h or more on the highway.

 

I only turn nannies off on dry roads.

 

Still think it was the snow on the bridge that pushed you over. Don't care what anyone else says even the OP, I know I'm right!

 

You were higher than 35 PSI before? Recommended on door has that in the back and 33 up front.

 

Don’t be afraid to use your 4wd. Use it up, it’s meant to be used. Like others said good tires too. Weight in bed, I usually don’t but. Even if experienced, winter driving is obviously dangerous, sometimes shit just happens, just gotta try to think what could I’ve done different for next time. Black Ice is a killer though and Bridges freeze first, just can’t get complacent and never judge road conditions based on how fast others are driving

 

During this same storm they still made my wife go to work at the bank 24 miles away. Wasn't my 4x4 she used, it was the old 2011 front wheel drive Accord with our spare set of almost new snow tires. That car did beautifully. I watched people with their mud tires 4x4 struggle up our small hill all day long and the Accord had zero drama on it.

IMO snow / winter tires wear out fast and are so important for that sort of driving that I probably wouldn't even keep them to 60-70% tread before grabbing another set. Kind of like what a lot of people say about early oil changes, it's cheap insurance compared to what could go wrong.

 

I'm still a little confused, did the steering wheel move to the left and drive the front end over the center line? Did the ass end break lose and drift over the center line or did the whole vehicle just slide 3 ft to the left? Did traction control lights flash? Were you in any kind of bank, lean or slight curve? Any chance you were on the brakes when you transitioned to bridge deck? Sounds like you just hit an icy spot, with too much speed. Bridges freeze up easily due to cold air passing above and below, wind chill factor is more reliable than temps with bridges.

 

My dad runs a set of Michelin ice x on his Accord year around and hasn't had too much problem with wear in the summer. He used to drive 180 miles a day but now that he's retired he has just given up on swapping them out.

 

I tried just leaving them on but the car handled AWEFUL in the Texoma summer, drove 2 days with around 95f temps on the highway and at 75-80mph they were so soft and squishy I couldn't keep the car straight. It was disappointing because the old car needs new all weather tires and I don't want to spend anything on this old beater.

 

2wd pickup in the snow? Rather be driving a Camry.

 

I didn't read all the posts but I don't get it either

Use your brain. Slow down on ice. Slow down on bridges. Use 4HI on snow/ice, especially straight aways.

If it's pulling to the side for no reason, have a garage look at it.

 

Weight for it...

 

Toyota's answer to locker rear end is to apply brakes on tire loosing traction so the opposite side tire would start pulling more stopping the spinning tire. I think what is happening you're right rear tire is braked and is the tire that normally pulls the most due to configuration of differential. So due to slippery road conditions when brake is applied it pulls front of truck around to left. I don't need to tell you this is extremely dangerous with oncoming traffic and also dependent on road conditions as to how far left the front will move. I live in south east Texas with last snow being in 2008 so we don't have this issue, also because front of truck is in mud, sand or wet grass so when brake is applied to spinning rear tire it is not strong enough pull front around.
In order to solve this problem you can run in 4x4, put weight in front of bed or turn nannies off that would stop the traction braking.
Good luck,

 

I've had the TC kick in a few times when I'm testing the road conditions and the front end barely moves. Really feels like the system not only brakes the rear wheel thats spinning, but the VSC works on the front end as well to keep the vehicle attitude staying as straight as possible

 

I don’t understand how people think the traction control is causing this. The TC saves my ass yesterday when i hit a glaze of black ice yesterday coming up the Lewiston grade.

If traction control systems and ABS were so dangerous or of no use, you wouldn’t get insurance discounts for having them.

 

Sorry for the late replies, you know life and all.
Again, my fault to fast for roads conditions.
1 inch of snow on the road, tempeture falling from above freezing to below, going up a slight grade, 45mph, no brakes applied, cruise off, in 2wd(truck is a 4wd),truck does a hard quick left(front end) 3ft or so ...Im counter steering, sliding sideways 50 or more feet. The road was alittle hollowed(hump in the middle), most likely what happened , lost traction right drivers side rear, left rear became power wheel grabbed traction and pulled me over? No never noticed any lights at the time, was trying to gain control.
Ive been trying to re create the issue, roads have been a mess up here lately, cant do it. Step on it traction control does its thing but no hard movements any direction.
Ive been driving with traction control off in 2wd but most likely will just use 4wd in those type conditions.
It was just the quickness of the left that bothers me, thought maybe i had a truck issue....most likely just a driver issue.
Like to add...i really dont know what happened
Thanks for the replies

 

Still sounds odd to me. Almost sounds like something is off on your truck. Have you checked for sticky calipers or anything else in the suspension?

 

If it's that slick, I take my Kia Stinger GT2 AWD out instead of my Tundra (yes, it's 4x4). I didn't realize how much better my Frontier with offroad package was in snow than m 19 limited Tundra. But the Stinger is a beast on ice/snow.

 

Is this the same poster as the tundras are horrible in the snow thread????

 

If i leave my truck in 4x4 mode, as soon as i hit the pavement without snow and turn, the front dif locks both wheel together.
i have to drive in 2 wheel drive and only turn on 4x4 if i am stuck.
I complained to Toyota and they said that's normal? (Sorry, did not mean to hi jack the thread)
So how did you do 250k miles in 4x4?

 

Snow tires ! I have them, could be 10 one day and 45 the next as Connecticut is not a wicked winter place, but if it is , I'm prepared.

 

What do you mean the front diff locks both wheels together ? 4x4 is fine to use on dry pavement we just have to be careful when it's perfectly dry out we don't go blasting around tight corners roads which can cause diff binding, ( engineering explained has a good video on YouTube ) but if its that dry you won't need 4wd, if there is any chance of ice it'll be wet/ snowy / slippery and 4wd is fine.

if you have some issues with your diff get it checked out, by a diff shop not the Toyota dealer.

 

Is the truck always pulling the same way? If so, you could have an alignment issue. On ice, I'd imagine even a small alignment error could cause problems. There are ways to check the alignment yourself, but I'll leave advice on that to others. If your tires are worn, rotating them might help as well.

 

If there is any snow or ice on the road put it in 4Hi. Good winter tires make all the difference in the world too. Remember that bridges freeze long before the roads will so ways be leery hen transitioning onto a bridge in near freezing temps. My truck goes in 4Hi usually around late October and stays there until April or so. No noticeable difference in mpg or other wear. Of course that is Alaska winter driving but you get my jist.

 

You answered your question. Slow down, keep in 4H if the roads are snow covered. But mostly slow down. Hitting patches of ice under the snow or loose stuff combined with momentum and grade when driving too fast, or not in 4wd, and you can expect to be sliding all over.

 

Let me say, I dont dislike my truck., things a tank. Last night, I was on call and had to drive in blizard conditions, through unplowed roads. 2' plus drifts,then bare icy roads, very high winds, white outs...4 high and the Wildpeaks did fine.
My concern when i started this thread was the quickness of the hard left(although it only happened twice in 3 years, didnt(doesnt)seem normal).Lots of hours, years driving and playing in the snow, it just didnt seem normal. I have new shocks all around(year or so) my leafs springs are weak for sure so there the next on the replacment list.
Again , most likely all my fault, to fast and not in 4x4 at the time

 

It's almost impossible to say, what exactly happened. If you had alignment issues I would expect you'd realize it by third year. I wouldn't turn nannies off except in certain specific situations, usually off road or launches. But winter driving in a 6k lb truck is not the same as a car. With inertia and gravity and ice, things can get squirrelly quick. I would be in 4hi in snow. And add some weight over rear tires if you routinely get snow. But 4x4 isn't magic on black ice or icy conditions, once tires loose traction your going where inertia takes you. I lost a 69 T37 in New Hampshire back in the 80s on a banked curved overpass, I wasn't speeding, prob should of had winter tires, but was only stationed there for a few months. Lesson learned.

 

Yep...same here in PA... But it didn't even have to be winter. time..... just say 'n