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Best snow driving techniques and modes

6K views 30 replies 15 participants last post by  perpster 
#1 · (Edited)
Hi all,
I'm in the NE and I just came in from playing around in 8-10" of fresh powder and some deep drifts with my 2014 Limited. Part of the test was checking out my new Wrangler Adventure tires. They were great, but I was trying different settings of the selec terrain button and I wanted to know what different combinations folks out there have found effective. In any event traction seemed to limited by ground clearance, i.e. once there snow was up against the undercarriage wheels started spinning. This has the quadratrac 2 I believe with the electronic brake type limited slip function. I think it's a poor substitute for a regular limited slip diff. I also turn the ESC off in deeper snow. Sometimes some wheel spin is helpful. I'm an older mechanic and I find all this electronic inclusion counterproductive. The snow mode seems to be good on a few inches and gets you started smoothly. However,it starts in 2nd gear and I didn't like feel of it starting on some hills with deeper snow. It just felt like not enough torque. All around I thought that auto mode with the ESC off felt the best to me. Still not as good as all mechanical connections and diffs. Low range wasn't that impressive for a lot of the same reasons.What have you folks found to be the most effective combination to get the best out of the electronic nannies? The video describing the selec terrain modes was helpful, but if anyone can elaborate,especially on snow mode, please do. Any information about the different components and functions is appreciated as well.
Thanks
 
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#5 ·
Hi Stevm65: No, you have come to the right place, more answers to your questions should show up. Last winter was my first with the GC, had to take the Michelin lattitudes off (terrible) & installed hankook I-pikes. Usually ran it in "snow mode" when a couple inches or more and sometimes turned ECO off. Gotta tell you, I went thru some unplowed roads & housing developments near by before the plow trucks got out, and 12 to 16 inches was no problem! Some homeowners that were outside were quite surprised. Was not a real wet snow and I even stopped a few times on the flat and some hills to see if I could get going again and it wasn't an issue unless the road was steeply crowned. After having SUVs, 4x4 trucks, and plowing driveways etc for 20 years I am impressed with the Jeep in snow. If you search You-Tube you will find a video of Grand Cherokee SRT, not sure of the year, going up an unplowed driveway that is un-believeable. Expect others to chime in! Dave
 
#16 ·
I've found snow mode to be of somewhat limited use in really deep snow.
It seems to help on ice, slush, or the deadly snow on top of ice mainly by reducing wheelspin at launch... possibly by changing the power distribution but some of us may be too used to powerful RWD vehicles to benefit much from that.

It does raise the vehicle [don't recall if above normal mode or not], which I guess could give you an inch or so of clearance when running on deep wet snow. I find that of limited benefit on the high mountain roads where the snow is faster than the plows, part of that may be because the snow tends to be much colder since the mountains are in the 8K to 10K foot range rather than wet coastal snow.

In wet snow, I just set it to OR-2 to get max height and hope the studs can bite enough to keep me moving, as it can be a real drag if the snow packs deep enough underneath to lift all 4 wheels. Even chains can't fix that.

I dunno why they disable ECO mode in snow mode, I've never noticed the transitions from 8 to 4 cylinder mode, but I guess it could happen, and possibly they just didn't want to drop power...

If the snow is nice mountain powder with temps near or below zero, the GC can handle snow deep enough to flow over the top of the hood. I wouldn't expect the V8 to be much superior to the V6 for this, as a 95ZJ 4.0 could do the same thing--enough that the snow busted a windshield wiper blade off, but still keep going.

Biggest problem is on new or highly drifted deep snow where there are no plow lines or reflective markers. Those mountain roads I love tend to have places where there is a whole lot of nothing off to either side, and no guard rails. But, I hate staying home in bad weather...
 
#10 ·
There are times that I miss the simplicity of my old 78 Bronco with the New Standard 4 speed manual and limited slip differential. It had 10-1/2 inches of ground clearance and I rarely got stuck with it (one time got stuck in mud where the frame was sitting on the ground and all four wheels were spinning. Hooked up a comealong to the front tow hooks and just put a bit of tension on it when the Bronco pulled itself out). I love the Jeep, but I don't fully trust all the electronics.
 
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#11 ·
That's exactly what I was talking about. I had a '76 F-150 like that. High camper suspension. You had to yank the lever on the floor and get out and lock the hubs, but then it was unstoppable, no question. It's a trade off for convenience and economy I guess.
 
#12 ·
I have been driving Jeeps as well as other SUV's since the 80s. I love the electronics.
I take my overland wherever I want and it never let me down. Now my snow driving technique is simple - Don't laugh!
I go out of my drive way to the unplowed street and immediately put the pedal to the metal. This is my way of getting to feel the snow, as we all know every snow day is different. After the obligatory slide and swerve, I ease up and drive as usual. I found that the snow mode is great and works really nice even with the factory "off road" tires.
Apart from the snow mode, I also try to go into a think forward mental mode. if you don't need to panic break or turn, the Jeep will not slide.
Now I have driven some old school rigs on the snow, I also have a 1991 Jeep Waggy - no nannies not even ABS. But the electronics in the GC do most of the work for you, and make you look great driving.
 
#15 · (Edited)
I have no idea how people prefer mechanical LSD over electronics for snow driving. That's their choice anyways. Now, admittedly both, working together, are better. But on their own merits, for snow AND ice driving, I think the electronic solutions are better. For rock crawling, maybe not but snow and ice, yes. If you are ever in a skid or any other situation that involves traction and/or stability control, the electronics can shut down power or redirect brake pressure to the wheels as to avoid a hazardous condition or accident.

I know purists are going to argue. My daily driver is a Subaru Legacy GT with front, center and rear LSD, and manual gearbox. No traction or stability control. It's a driver's car. Before I upgraded the transmission, there was always a tendency to spin and overseer. Following the upgrade, the handling on ice or snow is almost neutral but I can still get into trouble easily - though it is far less adventurous to recover. I much prefer the Jeep and it's aggressive control of any skidding or traction issues.

And also, when parked on a street sloped towards the sidewalk, it is very easy for the Subaru to dig it's way towards the curb. Similarly, a more aggressive start would send the rear end sideways a few inches until the differentials ... make a difference. You just don't get that excitement with electronics. And I am not 18 to like it sideways anymore.

Our Jeeps do quite well in snow, even the wife figured out that snow mode is preferred in the unplowed alleys or parking lots.
 
#18 ·
Grew up driving old 4x4s with lockers, a Willys Jeep of dads and mostly rear wheel drive cars. My last car was an Acura TL Sh-AWD which was a monster in the snow. Actually plowed roads with its low front end.

Had the jeep out in the big storm yesterday in both hwy and back roads driving. It handled drifts on the hwy and deep snow on the back roads with ease. I have a 14 Hemi Limited with normal suspension and aggressive winter tires. I used snow mode as I wanted the higher level of stability control intervention due to the wife being on board. It was unstoppable. Snow coming over the hood and 4 wheel rooster tails. For fun in the snow I use sand mode. No traction control and way less stability control intervention so it can be a good time. For all around hooning I use sport mode.


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#19 ·
This has all been very informative. I'm learning much and being open to all the different viewpoints. I've got a new appreciation for the snow mode, but I agree with some comments that deeper unplowed situations may need some variation. I go back and forth between ESC on and off. It's great until the snow gets deep and then it seems to bog things down, when some judicious wheelspin may get a bite. The owners manual states that it may be advisable to turn off in deep snow, and low range does in fact shut it off. Any tips on using it effectively? I'm still not sold on the BLD brake limited differential. I think that some of the members with really great performance may have the electronic locking differential, which I think would be more effective. Anyway please keep the opinions,tips, and stories coming. I'm sure that everyone benefits!
 
#22 ·
It would be odd if ECO mode bogged anything down in deep snow, as with load on the engine, it should not be in 4 banger mode anyway. Just use snow mode, it also turns off ECO if it becomes too difficult to decide.

Positraction and limited slip rear ends have an ugly side in snow, if they latch up fully with a powerful engine, you can lose steering action. Been there, got the dings.

For controlling wheelspin, I don't see any difference between the elsd and a well adjusted mechanical limited slip, although I'd expect the elsd to maintain consistent behavior a bit better than mechanical.

Brake type isn't as effective, however if you'd driven in heavy snow, mud, etc. in a vehicle without limited slip, you've probably used mild brake or hand brake application as "poor man's positraction" before..
 
#20 ·
FWIW, you could have gotten another ELSD if you had opted for QD over QT. In that case you would have had a diff mid and rear and only the front would be open.

-john


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#27 ·
FWIW, you could have gotten another ELSD if you had opted for QD over QT. In that case you would have had a diff mid and rear and only the front would be open.

-john


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I know now, but at the time the vehicle was on the lot and was exactly what I was looking for in all other respects. Things are probably too integrated to add one now.
My situation, too. I got pretty darn confused and frustrated regarding powertrain choices. Only recently did I find out this plain, simple fact: QD-II in only available with a V8 or Diesel. Judging by your 3.6 liter signature, you and me are in the same boat -- QT-II is as high as we can go. Next time maybe!
 
#26 ·
Been out today in every kind of bad weather. deep snow, then sleet, ice, and rain on top of that, then more snow, even unplowed roads. This whole thread has been informative and evolutionary for me. I realized that it was more about driving the way the jeep was designed to be driven than trying to force old driving habits on new technology. Results were terrific in all respects. I thank everybody for the help,tips, ect and I was once again reminded of the value of keeping an open mind. The Goodyear Advantages' were outstanding stopping, going, and everything in between.
 
#30 ·
Idiot buy into that one perpster. Overdriven such a wide range of vehicles in snow, sand, mud, rocks up or down hills.

Driving in snow really comes down to physics and the best methods can be seen in the driving of tractor trailers to motorcycles. Slow methodical starts and using momentum. Rather than less slippery terrain you drive slower and let off the acceleration rather than touch the brakes into turns and don't accelerate out of turns, even though this is the standard on dry pavement.

Tires and speed really combine and letting momentum carry you and slow down hoping red lights change to green before all momentum is lost.

HMMVs were great in rocks and sand but terrible on pavement. The craziest thin logging paths I have gone up were in a 4 cylinder Suzuki Sidekick. Small enough vehicle to actually back down and find a spot to turn around. I had a Mitsubishi Montero sport back from the late 1990s that I used to pull a friends Ford from the snow. A lot is about choosing where to drive in the snow or covered dirt roads. I think much of the time relying on 4WD or AWD can actually make things worse as your turn ratio is compromised and one tends to rely on brut force over being choosy about the path you choose. I have light truck tires on the 2011 WK2. They are a bit heavier and it drives like a truck with heavier tired with more weight creating more ventricular force. If it's just your jeep you should be fine but knowing what terrain is under the snow is always helpful.

I've had 3 Subarus with only on being the original 1990 legacy which did well with Front wheel drive. The AWD Subarus have a completely different type of system that have since been leased out to Audi and Volvo. Those cars really do well in almost anything but large rocks. Again that is about choosing the right path through a set of trails.

In the Sand of the KSA they were very much in favor of Toyota Land Cruisers and Isuzu Troopers that had most of the niceties removed but these vehicles did very well in sandy, dust filled areas. In North Africa the Toyota pick up trucks were a common sight with heavy machine gun mounted for use from the bed they were called technicals and while light weight, when filled with a bunch of guys with RPGs and Kalishnakovs these could be a bit intimidating as they showed up fast and could leave fast as well. Even with modernized track vehicles or strykers it can be hard to keep up with these old rigged outToyota pick ups with balloon Safari styled tires. Luckily they usually fled immediately if helicopters wherein route or the armored vehicles were prepared for their arrival. Still one had to marvel at how they kept these Toyotas running in harsh dusty conditions over time.
 
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