NEW 4WDs VS OLD 4WDs - Ronny Dahl

[PetroleumJunkie412]

In sand you need model T tires.

Part of my father's family lived in East Texas and I would go there school holidays and hunt deer. One of dad's uncles lived in the country there on old HWY 75 and I would get off the Greyhound right in front of his place.

He could remember coming there by wagon in the 1890s. They first went to Austin, then settled in Freestone County.

The earliest dallas to Houston route was a lot of dirt, and a lot of sand, even as parts of it were being improved, or even paved. When I was going there during the 60s they were doing the same with the interstate a couple miles over.

Big heavy Buicks and their big wide tires could not do well in the deep sand, so the old Model A and T's would come by sooner or later and pull them out

Somewhere on this forum is a video of my Ranger with pizza Cutters in sand. It did not end well for the clutch.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

Somewhere on this forum is a video of my Ranger with pizza Cutters in sand. It did not end well for the clutch.

I think if you had it in low range it would have worked much better.

Not sure about the R1 but both first and reverse in the M5ODR2 borderline on pathetic for a truck application.

 

[Josh B]

Somewhere on this forum is a video of my Ranger with pizza Cutters in sand. It did not end well for the clutch.

You should have been driving a "T" :/

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

You should have been driving a "T" :/

It would have been easier to push out if nothing else... probably would have had more power to propel itself too.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

It would have been easier to push out if nothing else... probably would have had more power to propel itself too.

 

[Josh B]

It would have been easier to push out if nothing else... probably would have had more power to propel itself too.

Fact was, they had no problem on their own, hence pulling the buicks

 

[superj]

on the beach that i live next to and surfed for many years, you want wide tires. skinny tires sink easier in the soft sand and dig down till the frame is sitting on the sand too. you can do it with fat tires too but you want more tire on the ground to spread the vehicle weight out, not all bunched up in one square inch of sand.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

You should have been driving a "T" :/

T's can wheel

 

[bobbywalter]

I think if you had it in low range it would have worked much better.

Not sure about the R1 but both first and reverse in the M5ODR2 borderline on pathetic for a truck application.

bah.....my truck went through there in 1 wheel drive

 

[bobbywalter]

In sand is where the older ones do better, traction control on the new ones kills your momentum and gets you stuck, also the low profile tires on most new vehicles do terrible in the sand when aired down, plus they are heavier, which makes it even worse.

sure...normal traction control.

with sand biased traction control thats just not the case. an aggressively intentional sand setup for trail duty.....truck for truck....tire for tire outperforms any older 200 hp wheezer setup.


momentum is easiest...


but purpose built traction control...it takes the need for momentum out of it for situations where momentum isnt possible....

 

[00t444e]

sure...normal traction control.

with sand biased traction control thats just not the case. an aggressively intentional sand setup for trail duty.....truck for truck....tire for tire outperforms any older 200 hp wheezer setup.


momentum is easiest...


but purpose built traction control...it takes the need for momentum out of it for situations where momentum isnt possible....

Purpose built traction control? LOL what does that even mean? Traction control no matter what you want to call it either kills power to the engine, hits the brakes on the spinning wheel, or does both and either one will kill your momentum. Lockers or good limited slips are far better than any traction control.

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Purpose built traction control? LOL what does that even mean? Traction control no matter what you want to call it either kills power to the engine, hits the brakes on the spinning wheel, or does both and either one will kill your momentum. Lockers or good limited slips are far better than any traction control.

Modern traction control is much better then early versions.

As good as a locker? No. But better then an open diff

 

[rusty ol ranger]

So...i decided to revive this dead thread to hopefully shed some light on the traction control in sand debate.

This weekend i hit some ORV routes up by houghton lake MI with my 2017 Grand Cherokee. These routes consist of mostly soft sand, and since it hasnt rained in 3 weeks...it was like driving on talcum powder.

Im on crappy off brand street tires, and didnt even bother to air down. (I did bring 2 chains, a comealong, and 2 shovels just in case )

This is a 5000lb mom-mobile SUV and i was absolutly amazed at how well the "sand" mode worked on the Quadra-TracII transfer case.

It scooted around bermed corners and pulled right up out of them with ease with just a little "errrnt errrnt" noise from the TC doing its thing.

I should add i never got over 15-20mph or out of 2nd gear...so i was by no means hammering it.

One of the hills was pretty steep with deep sand...feeling the engine cut power while having the wheels turned slightly while trying to climb was a bit unnerving at first, but it climbed it with zero drama and never once felt like it was gonna bury itself.

Stopping on soft sand at a crossing, just apply light throttle and it pulled right away after feeling a bit of sink.

Im old school as can be, and truthfully i was hoping it wouldnt do as well as it did just so i could blast it...but it impressed the hell out of me.

Im not sure how "purpose built" the GC is with its different terrain modes...but i will say anyone who doubts it give it a try. I know i doubted it

It was also nice crusing around without breatheing dust and roasting to death while we cruised with the AC cranked.

It pains me to say...but there might be something to this "wheel by computer" shit.

 

[ericbphoto]

It pains me to say...but there might be something to this "wheel by computer" shit.

Blasphemy!

 

[rusty ol ranger]

Blasphemy!

I know....i know...