Topic: Why Costco rocks for tires

[dkaz]

4WD won't help me stop faster right? There are a lot of people out there convinced that 4WD helps them stop faster because all the axles are engaged by the engine. I'm not sure right now if I press on the 4WD button on my Sequoia if it's 4WD as in slip and grip or if all 4 tires are driven at all times aka what I'd consider 4x4, so for the sake of saving fuel, I almost never turn 4WD on. This is separate from the centre differential lever L-N-H lever.

[johngenx]

Yeah I'm not sure at all how the Sequoias system works. I do know that the full time AWD system in the HL certainly helps with cornering - I can really hustle around bends in the winter.  That said, the light weight of the Corolla in comparison means it's right on the HL's heels even though it's FWD and the Corolla stops shorter. The HL rips away from a light leaving most anything other than Subarus and a few other full time AWD vehicles in its rear view. The AWD system on that thing is amazing.

[ktm525]

4WD won't help me stop faster right? There are a lot of people out there convinced that 4WD helps them stop faster because all the axles are engaged by the engine. I'm not sure right now if I press on the 4WD button on my Sequoia if it's 4WD as in slip and grip or if all 4 tires are driven at all times aka what I'd consider 4x4, so for the sake of saving fuel, I almost never turn 4WD on. This is separate from the centre differential lever L-N-H lever.

All the LNH lever does is shift the transfer gear gear sets. What does the manual say about driving in 4Wd on bare pavement? If it mentions not to do it then the center differential is locked and is splitting the power 50/50 front and rear. You may have a non-locking center diff and then it is ok to drive on pavement.

[tortoise]

I still haven't seen the TRACS light come on, despite all my efforts.  It is great being able to rotate it with the throttle thanks to the permanent AWD.

And from my experience with the truck, having it in 4x4 didn't make much of a difference in stopping since the front tires were doing all the work anyway.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

4WD won't help me stop faster right? There are a lot of people out there convinced that 4WD helps them stop faster because all the axles are engaged by the engine. I'm not sure right now if I press on the 4WD button on my Sequoia if it's 4WD as in slip and grip or if all 4 tires are driven at all times aka what I'd consider 4x4, so for the sake of saving fuel, I almost never turn 4WD on. This is separate from the centre differential lever L-N-H lever.

Considering your Sequoia has an identical drivetrain to my Tundra (save for engine displacement), I'm going to say that your 4wd system is a part-time 4x4 system, as opposed to a fulltime 4wd system.

[PJungnitsch]

I tend to put my pickups into tow/haul mode when conditions are bad, let the engine do some of the braking. Our Fords would shift into high gear at around 50km/hr, you'd have to fight them with the brakes so they didn't drive you into a photo radar ticket in Medicine Hat when they were idling.

[Ex-airbalancer]

That one thing I like about GM
They have an auto setting for 4x4
https://www.gmc.com/gmc-life/how-to/when-to-use-four-wheel-drive

[johngenx]

I still haven't seen the TRACS light come on, despite all my efforts.  It is great being able to rotate it with the throttle thanks to the permanent AWD.

And from my experience with the truck, having it in 4x4 didn't make much of a difference in stopping since the front tires were doing all the work anyway.

Until we had this freezing rain storm, I could not get the TRACS to engage. I’ve never seen roads worse than we had here, I saw the TRACS light more on my short drive home from the gym than in an entire typical winter. It was nuts.

That’s said, I never felt like the combination of HL and Blizzaks was not capable and able to get home safely even on glare ice with freezing rain actively falling on it.

I know Toyota discontinued the full time awd system thanks to complexity and increased fuel consumption, but damn it’s an awesome system and I wish they’d kept it. Having owned Subarus in the past I wasn’t ready to be so impressed.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

I tend to put my pickups into tow/haul mode when conditions are bad, let the engine do some of the braking. Our Fords would shift into high gear at around 50km/hr, you'd have to fight them with the brakes so they didn't drive you into a photo radar ticket in Medicine Hat when they were idling.

I actually disagree with that.  I'm not sure if the Tundra's tow/haul mode is configured differently (I doubt it) but it is actually worse in slippery conditions.  It sharpened throttle response (you want throttle response to be duller so as to not break traction), and held lower gears longer, increasing torque/horsepower from the engine (you want the transmission to engage higher gears faster, once again, to reduce torque going to the wheels).

I could see tow/haul mode being useful when you're trying to plow through very deep snow, where holding a lower gear and having extra horsepower/torque would be useful.  Otherwise, on 'normal' slippery/icy roads, tow/haul is actually a detriment.

[dirtyjeffer]

a couple of my colleagues have Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk vehicles...in snow mode, it starts off in 2nd gear (both are automatics)...it likely does other things too (regarding TC, etc), but i did find it interesting that it started in 2nd gear, to help reduce slippage.

[johngenx]

My HL has a similar snow mode. Starts in second and remaps the throttle response and shifting pattern. I never use it honestly. The thing has so much traction I've never felt the need.

[Gurgie]

a couple of my colleagues have Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk vehicles...in snow mode, it starts off in 2nd gear (both are automatics)...it likely does other things too (regarding TC, etc), but i did find it interesting that it started in 2nd gear, to help reduce slippage.

My JGC has the snow mode as well and it does a great job, but it can be frustrating at times as well. For instance, in the morning I come to the end of my road (T intersection) and I have a stop sign while the main road is a busy-ish and I have to make a left onto the road when there's a break in traffic, so I've tried it in "auto" & "snow" mode when there's snow on the ground and the Jeep moves forward a bit, but then the traction control kicks in and stops the wheel-spin and retards the engine timing and I'm now barely moving until it kicks back in. I can turn off the traction control and it allows more wheel-spin to get me moving, but what I've found is best is using "sand" mode, with this it just lets all 4 wheels spin and it gets me moving quickly when I need to get out in the break of traffic. This is all on flat ground so the wheel-spin isn't preventing my forward momentum... plus I can hang the tail out in "sand" mode... and do big 4 wheel drifts in open parking lots with the kids 

[Great_Big_Abyss]

a couple of my colleagues have Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk vehicles...in snow mode, it starts off in 2nd gear (both are automatics)...it likely does other things too (regarding TC, etc), but i did find it interesting that it started in 2nd gear, to help reduce slippage.

My JGC has the snow mode as well and it does a great job, but it can be frustrating at times as well. For instance, in the morning I come to the end of my road (T intersection) and I have a stop sign while the main road is a busy-ish and I have to make a left onto the road when there's a break in traffic, so I've tried it in "auto" & "snow" mode when there's snow on the ground and the Jeep moves forward a bit, but then the traction control kicks in and stops the wheel-spin and retards the engine timing and I'm now barely moving until it kicks back in. I can turn off the traction control and it allows more wheel-spin to get me moving, but what I've found is best is using "sand" mode, with this it just lets all 4 wheels spin and it gets me moving quickly when I need to get out in the break of traffic. This is all on flat ground so the wheel-spin isn't preventing my forward momentum... plus I can hang the tail out in "sand" mode... and do big 4 wheel drifts in open parking lots with the kids 

Yeah...my truck doesn't have any of those fancy modes.  What it does have is plain jane 4x4 and 381hp.  <<That's a great combination 

[Gurgie]

a couple of my colleagues have Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk vehicles...in snow mode, it starts off in 2nd gear (both are automatics)...it likely does other things too (regarding TC, etc), but i did find it interesting that it started in 2nd gear, to help reduce slippage.

My JGC has the snow mode as well and it does a great job, but it can be frustrating at times as well. For instance, in the morning I come to the end of my road (T intersection) and I have a stop sign while the main road is a busy-ish and I have to make a left onto the road when there's a break in traffic, so I've tried it in "auto" & "snow" mode when there's snow on the ground and the Jeep moves forward a bit, but then the traction control kicks in and stops the wheel-spin and retards the engine timing and I'm now barely moving until it kicks back in. I can turn off the traction control and it allows more wheel-spin to get me moving, but what I've found is best is using "sand" mode, with this it just lets all 4 wheels spin and it gets me moving quickly when I need to get out in the break of traffic. This is all on flat ground so the wheel-spin isn't preventing my forward momentum... plus I can hang the tail out in "sand" mode... and do big 4 wheel drifts in open parking lots with the kids 

Yeah...my truck doesn't have any of those fancy modes.  What it does have is plain jane 4x4 and 381hp.  <<That's a great combination 

I only have 240 hp, but the 420 lb-ft of torque gets you off the line quick 

[dkaz]

Wheel spin, in 4WD? My Sequoia at least doesn't do that.

So the 4WD button engages all 4 wheels, so it's definitely not a slip and grip system. Man the owners manual is all over the place. First it says 4-HI is good for all road conditions from dry pavement to snow and ice to sand and mud, then it says not to use 4WD on dry pavement to reduce wear and noise, then it says in 4WD models to drive in 4WD for the first little bit to let the transfer case warm up. Am I reading too much into this? Hundreds of thousands of soccer parents who drive truck based SUVs probably never dug into the owners manual ever.

[ArticSteve]

4WD won't help me stop faster right? There are a lot of people out there convinced that 4WD helps them stop faster because all the axles are engaged by the engine. I'm not sure right now if I press on the 4WD button on my Sequoia if it's 4WD as in slip and grip or if all 4 tires are driven at all times aka what I'd consider 4x4, so for the sake of saving fuel, I almost never turn 4WD on. This is separate from the centre differential lever L-N-H lever.

You have an AWD system with open front and rear diffs.  Can't tell you the precise power split in % terms.  TRACs attempts to stop wheel slip on the wheels without traction.  When you press 4WD you are locking the center diff in first gear only.  It disengages when it shifts to 2nd.  Reasonably sure this was for 2002.

[Great_Big_Abyss]

4WD won't help me stop faster right? There are a lot of people out there convinced that 4WD helps them stop faster because all the axles are engaged by the engine. I'm not sure right now if I press on the 4WD button on my Sequoia if it's 4WD as in slip and grip or if all 4 tires are driven at all times aka what I'd consider 4x4, so for the sake of saving fuel, I almost never turn 4WD on. This is separate from the centre differential lever L-N-H lever.

You have an AWD system with open front and rear diffs.  Can't tell you the precise power split in % terms.  TRACs attempts to stop wheel slip on the wheels without traction.  When you press 4WD you are locking the center diff in first gear only.  It disengages when it shifts to 2nd.  Reasonably sure this was for 2002.

^^I think you're confusing DKaz's body-on-frame, Tundra-based Sequoia with something a like a Highlander.

[tortoise]

I don't think he is.

01-02 Sequoia DO not have ability to Lock the center Diff manually. It ONLY Locks in 4lo 1st gear.. so Reverse, 2nd and Drive, it unlocks and goes back to AWD. ( this can be VERY bad in off-road situation, like Snow Bank Busting) I have NO idea why Toyota did this.. Makes no sense. VSC is disabled by VSV OFF switch, and Low Range shift, . Trac always on...

https://sequoia-forums.com/threads/sequoia-4wd-how-is-it-different-from-awd.84/

For sure the front and rear would be open diffs.

Apparently you can wire in a center diff-lock switch if you want to do a lot of off-roading.

[dkaz]

"AWD with locking center diff: 3 differentials. Front, center, rear. Center diff may be mechanically locked. Typically also has 4WD low-range gears. Driver can shift between 2WD, AWD, 4WD-hi (center diff locked), 4WD-low (center diff locked)."

Good to know. So I can run "4WD" without any real penalty to fuel consumption unless the Sequoia determines that 4WD is needed?

[dirtyjeffer]

a couple of my colleagues have Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk vehicles...in snow mode, it starts off in 2nd gear (both are automatics)...it likely does other things too (regarding TC, etc), but i did find it interesting that it started in 2nd gear, to help reduce slippage.

My JGC has the snow mode as well and it does a great job, but it can be frustrating at times as well. For instance, in the morning I come to the end of my road (T intersection) and I have a stop sign while the main road is a busy-ish and I have to make a left onto the road when there's a break in traffic, so I've tried it in "auto" & "snow" mode when there's snow on the ground and the Jeep moves forward a bit, but then the traction control kicks in and stops the wheel-spin and retards the engine timing and I'm now barely moving until it kicks back in. I can turn off the traction control and it allows more wheel-spin to get me moving, but what I've found is best is using "sand" mode, with this it just lets all 4 wheels spin and it gets me moving quickly when I need to get out in the break of traffic. This is all on flat ground so the wheel-spin isn't preventing my forward momentum... plus I can hang the tail out in "sand" mode... and do big 4 wheel drifts in open parking lots with the kids 

i do the same in our Sorento, sort of...it doesn't have those modes, but i put in 4x4Lock, turn off traction control, and give' er...pulls away nicely even if there's a bit of wheel spin going on...it wears X-Ice3 rubber and it's a beast in the winter.