FX2 electronic rear locker vs 4x4

[jthompson48]

Hence why I stated in the winter

My mistake, I misinterpreted. I'm amazed at how many friends and coworkers in Colorado Springs are unaware of the change.

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[Frenchy]

My mistake, I misinterpreted. I'm amazed at how many friends and coworkers in Colorado Springs are unaware of the change.

The traction law has been an ongoing thing in Colorado for years. Depending on the parts you are in will depend on how much traction lawn may or may not affect you. And even though it is primarily in the winter it is still possible to have it happen anytime of the year since Colorado is one of the states that will have a random snowstorm in the middle of summer believe it or not

 

[F150stxguy]

So depending on where you are moving to a 4x4 will still be a good idea. Dont get me wrong here, a locker will still help even with a 4x4. Here in lovely Colorado we have the oh so wonderful traction law in the winter. It is primarily used in the I-70 corridor from Denver all the way out to Utah.

What does this lovely Traction law entail?

*First off it comes down to tires. At minimum you have to have an M+S tire. A snow tire is still preferred but not everyone does such.

*second your tires must not be below 6/32nds in tread depth. If it is you can get a wonderful fine amd tow depending on your luck.

*third, traction devices. If you have a 2wd vehicle and traction law is active you must install traction devices(snow chains and such) on your drive tires. If you have a 4x4 4WD must be engaged, AWD must do thier thing. I'm the event conditions get really bad where you probably shouldnt be on the road anyways 4x4 vehicles and AWD vehicles must put on traction devices.

Sound a bit outrageous to you? Well it shouldn't and it is to help prevent accidents along with people getting stuck. See the below pictures of what was left of my 1992 Pathfinder thay did not have the right tires on.

Does this mean if traction law is in effect in one part of the state you get in trouble in a different area that traction law is not in effect? Absolutely not but it is good information to have.

With thay said I suggest a 4x4 with a locker. As you stated the locker is only for when you need it.

Oh I think it’s a good law. I grew up with snow, driving in blizzards, white outs, closed roads etc. so I know the importance of true, dedicated snow tires. Even where I’m from, one of the snowiest areas in the states, you’ll have people who think they can get by on all season or the truck guys - AT tires. There is no match for a soft compound tread, proper sipping, true snow tire. I drove in a blizzard so bad one year from the southern tier (Appalachian hills) NY to the finger lakes, on TWO front studded snow tires in a crappy Pontiac, and within that two hour plus drive I seen all sorts of trucks, SUV’s etc in the ditch. it was single digits, drifting snow, ice under the snow and a significant accumulated in the road - hardly any plows and that thing stuck like you wouldn’t believe. I was 19 at the time. It was barreling through snow that I actually had to keep momentum otherwise the undercarriage of the car would have got me stuck right in the middle of the road. Ever since that year I’ve had snows. I’ll never go without if I’m in snow country. I even have a set here in Texas for when I want to travel north west during the winter months.

Montreal has laws like that too I know. It’s for the best.

Guys swear by A/T tires. I’m sure they’re great for deep powder, and mud and sand - but once the temperature dips to 0 or below, and you’ve got 12 + inches to wad through -good luck with that lol.

 

[F150stxguy]

Just an aside. There are places in upstate that keep up or surpass the UP in Michigan. Imagine living in this region ? I always though my old man was full of shit when he said “back when I was a kid snow used to reach the top of the telephone poll” lol

https://www.newyorkupstate.com/weat...erica_this_winter_is_in_upstate_new_york.html

 

[Leftcoast]

Tamarak, California still has the record for a month in the US. It dumped 390".

https://weather.com/science/weather...seasonal-daily-snowfall-records-united-states

or by state

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_snowiest_places_in_the_United_States_by_state

 

[F150stxguy]

Tamarak, California still has the record for a month in the US. It dumped 390".

https://weather.com/science/weather...seasonal-daily-snowfall-records-united-states

Goddamn ! No thank you.

California seems incredible. Can’t wait to drive up there this summer. Have always wanted to see Lake Tahoe too. From desert to mountains. This flatness of west Texas is killing me.

 

[VAMike]

It will help a bit for sure but it isn't the same has 4WD, not even close really. I played with the locking diff in snow versus 4WD this winter and it helped a bit but if it is really slippery both wheels end up spinning instead of one. With 4WD the front will pull you out if the back slips.

This. With enough weight in the back it's less of an issue, but empty the locked rear wheels will spin and fishtail pretty easily. Having power on 4 wheels tends to spin a lot less and keep things moving forward, especially with most of the weight on the front wheels. Driving technique has a lot of impact, and the specific conditions, but the 4wd is definitely more forgiving (and almost stupid simple in snow mode). If fuel economy is a major concern I don't know whether 4wd is better or worse than hauling an extra 300lb around in the bed half the year.

I had a little Ford Focus with the Bridgestone blizzaks and you’d be surprised at the shit I plowed through.

Honestly, I'd much rather have a small FWD car in packed/light snow than a RWD truck--the weight and power distribution is much better for that use, and the extra weight of truck just means more mass to stop with basically the same amount of traction on the ground. (The equation obviously changes a bit when the snow is deep and soft enough for ground clearance to matter--up until it's deep enough that the extra ground clearance on the truck doesn't matter any more.)

 

[r1ch999999]

I had a 2wd Sport Trac in New Hampshire and Maine for 9 years, only got stuck once off-road when I backed into some mud. Never had any other issue, and I went pretty far off-road with it too. Only time I had a problem in snow/ice was getting up a steep off-ramp with the stock tires, I got up, but I spun the entire way. I swapped them out for studded snows, put 200lbs of sand tubes in the bed, and never got stuck again.

 

[FX4Offroad]

Tamarak, California still has the record for a month in the US. It dumped 390".

https://weather.com/science/weather...seasonal-daily-snowfall-records-united-states

or by state

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_snowiest_places_in_the_United_States_by_state

Tamarac, Florida recorded "0".

Just sayin'

 

[Langwilliams]

I had a "Chevy Nova"....a 1986 little fwd econbox in Delaware an the apartment I lived at was at the top of a pretty steep hill....I was one of the few people that managed to climb it when a "Noreaster" hit. It had reg all season tires but being narrow helped them cut through the snow.

The biggest problem with a small fwd car in snow is it doesn't take much for the snow to be higher than the car can clear so you're pushing snow. Seems like newer cars have a lower bumper clearance to the ground than the did back in the day....might be to keep air out from under the car to aid economy.

 

[JohnnyO]

4x4 w/o locker > 4x2 w/ locker.

 

[CHS]

Had a 2018 Tacoma 4X2 with a locking differential. Got stuck in wet grass on a slight incline. Rear tire just spun and spun. Had a mid size AWD pull me out.
Embarrassing ?

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