4wd needed in the snow???

Was wondering if 4wd would be needed in the snow in Newport, its a good few inches & I seem to fishtail a bit in 2wd. Also is there a maximum speed in 4H?? i've only ever done about 20mph, I keep hearing about exploding transfer boxes in 4wd & over heating etc, is this true???

If you feel out of control then use 4x4, you cant however use it where the road is grippy or you'll damage the transmission, anything with a LSD will tend to fishtail a bit as you get both wheels spinning and have less sideways location than you do with an open diff where one wheel may not be spinning so it is less prone to slipping sideways, a LSD will ultimately give more grip, and more sometimes more importantly, more predictable grip.

Engine braking works better in 4x4 as the engine will slow all 4 wheels down pretty much equally, while in 2wd it can actually cause a slide by slowing the rear wheels down to fast and acting like a handbrake, you do have to wathc you dont let the engine do the same with all four wheels though when your in 4x4 cos as soon as those front wheels slide you cant steer.

My 4wd is playing up a bit but what i do is drive in 2wd untill the car slips a bit or fishtails but as soon as i get to a reasonable bit of road i stick it back in 2wd, im terrified about blowing the diff up so always ere on the side of caution.
If you stop and go to pull away again and it wheelspins then really you should be ok in 4wd as the surface is slippy enough for a wheel to slip to let off any wind up.

Sorry i cant help with the speed bit as ive only done about 20mph as well

Hi mate regarding my post above

Thats what i do and i also have a LSD, im in and out 4wd like a yoyo but i leave the hubs locked, and i would rather keep going in and out then damage anything

4wd drive can be used whenever it is slippy, and no damage to tf box will occur...
I have done 70mph plus in 4wd on slippy surfaces with no probs...
On an A with auto lockers, so long as you dont reverse up to unlock your hubs, 4wd to 2wd and vice versa can be done when moving with no probs...i usually just dip the clutch as I do it to ensure that there is no wheelspin which would mean wheelspeed difference front to rear...
With manual hubs on an A, you can merryily shift 2wd 4wd 2wd with no regard for unlocking the hubs...

4wd is the safest bet when on snow, slush, ice etc....just knock it back into 2wd if the road looks dry and free of slush, no need to stop and if it gets slippy again just push that stick forwards and get some 4wd again...

2wd is proper fun though,....sideways rocks!!

This is my first 4wd, i'm used to rwd drift cars not 4x4 jeeps. Thanks everyone for the positive answers, I now understand what the extra gear stick is for

& how to & not to use it properly.

Removed troll droppings and tidied thread.... :wink:

4H to 4L - With front hubs locked the lever may be moved whilst vehicle is in motion.
Clutch must be disengaged. To prevent the engine from over revving vehicle speed must
be within the following ranges below:-

Transmission gear lever position and speed MPH - KM/H:-
1st,10mph - 15km/h,2nd,15mph - 25km/h,3rd to 5th,25mph - 40km/h

I hope this helps,I found this in my Vauxhall Frontera Driver's Manual.

I will have a look in the driver's manual and put everything it says on here for you and other people. Is your hubs
manual or auto locking.

I've got manual hubs

Operating transfer case shift lever (3 door):-

The transfer case shift lever can be shifted without depressing the clutch.
However,never shift the lever from 2H to 4H while the vehicle is moving with the
free-wheeling hubs in their unlocked positions.

The vehicle must be stationary when shifting from 4H to 4L.

Operating transfer case shift lever (5 door):-

2H to 4H - With automatic locking front hubs; vehicle must be stationary when lever is moved.
It is not necessary to disengage clutch. With manual locking front hubs; lever may be moved whilst
vehicle is moving if hubs are in their locked positions.

Important:- Never move lever with vehicle in motion if front hubs are unlocked.

4H to 2H - Lever may be moved at any vehicle speed. It is not necessary to disengage clutch.