2wd with Electronic Locking Diff in Snow

[mcb345]

Just thought I’d comment here. After some advice and friendly back and forth between forum members in October I went ahead and skipped the 4wd after finding a 2wd with ELD.

We drove up north to Cleveland and it snowed a foot so I toom the car out today through semi plowed/sloppy roads, safely pushed it a bit and I was more than impressed with how well it handled. I’d swear it could have had snow tires on it but I’m running OEM Hancooks with 29k miles on them and a not great winter rating.

I guess the heavy weight, snow mode and ELD work well enough for me with 2wd. In a parking lot with ice and maybe 6” I could feel the rear want to kick out a bit and a little slippage / possible ELD activation but it still pushed through with ease.


I wouldn’t want to go up a decent incline nor would I attempt hit the roads unplowed with 10+ inches but for anyone down south, you’d be more than fine with 2wd and the heavy duty tow package / ELD with a handful of inches of snow or slop. Throw on some quality all season rubber with a better snow rating (I’ll do that when I replace my all seasons in the future) and you’d have an insanely capable 2wd vehicle.

Just thought I’d mention this.

 

[wakeboarder]

Just thought I’d comment here. After some advice and friendly back and forth between forum members in October I went ahead and skipped the 4wd after finding a 2wd with ELD.

We drove up north to Cleveland and it snowed a foot so I toom the car out today through semi plowed/sloppy roads, safely pushed it a bit and I was more than impressed with how well it handled. I’d swear it could have had snow tires on it but I’m running OEM Hancooks with 29k miles on them and a not great winter rating.

I guess the heavy weight, snow mode and ELD work well enough for me with 2wd. In a parking lot with ice and maybe 6” I could feel the rear want to kick out a bit and a little slippage / possible ELD activation but it still pushed through with ease.


I wouldn’t want to go up a decent incline nor would I attempt hit the roads unplowed with 10+ inches but for anyone down south, you’d be more than fine with 2wd and the heavy duty tow package / ELD with a handful of inches of snow or slop. Throw on some quality all season rubber with a better snow rating (I’ll do that when I replace my all seasons in the future) and you’d have an insanely capable 2wd vehicle.

Just thought I’d mention this.

Just to clarify, the ESLD is not included with the tow package on the 2021’s. It should be verified on the windows sticker.

 

[mcb345]

Just to clarify, the ESLD is not included with the tow package on the 2021’s. It should be verified on the windows sticker.

That’s no good! Not an option on 2wd anymore apparently, just 4wd?

Ford must have assumed deleting that from the package would get more buyers to upgrade to 4wd.

Well played Ford. Well played.

 

[Deadman]

2wd is ok if there is bare road under the snow. Our biggest challenge in the North is there is usually ice underneath the snow.

 

[JasonH]

From what I've seen on TFL, 2wd snow tires > 4wd.

 

[wakeboarder]

That’s no good! Not an option on 2wd anymore apparently, just 4wd?

Ford must have assumed deleting that from the package would get more buyers to upgrade to 4wd.

Well played Ford. Well played.

Yep, that’s why I’m glad I got a 2019 after April 2019 build. No cam phaser issue (knock on wood), 2wd with ESLD, and adaptive cruise on XLT. I wouldn’t have been able to do that on a 2020 or 2021.

 

[mcb345]

From what I've seen on TFL, 2wd snow tires > 4wd.

Yup, plenty of videos on that. Growing up in Rochester NY I quickly realized my parents 4WD Suburban without snow tires didn't stop any faster than my RWD hand me down Volvo with snow tires! Found that out the hard way one winter!

 

[Deadman]

Yup, plenty of videos on that. Growing up in Rochester NY I quickly realized my parents 4WD Suburban without snow tires didn't stop any faster than my RWD hand me down Volvo with snow tires! Found that out the hard way one winter!

My wifes old Sonata has nasty snow tires on it and it will flat out drive circles around my expedition in any snow conditions. It'll plow thru snow like crazy. There was a big snow drift in the driveway last winter and my wife said I can't drive thru it. I told her to hammer it, because I was at work. She sad the snow came over the hood and was 3+ feet deep and she charged right thru it. She had to get out later and unclog the grill because it was packed tight with snow. lol.

 

[mhExped]

From what I've seen on TFL, 2wd snow tires > 4wd.

Hope this isn't a dumb question, but I find this topic interesting and want to make sure I'm reading it right...

Would you be of the opinion 4wd snow tires > 2wd snow tires? Or, is this thread saying 2wd always > 4wd in snow?

 

[Plati]

In Whitefish Montana they like 4WD (or AWD) but you gotta have snow tires and a lot of people have studs in those snow tires. Thats what I've been told by locals. There is also a big difference between snow and ice conditions. I'm pretty sure you can optimize for one condition but that will not be optimal for another and vice versa.

I've got Falken Wildpeak AT3W's (LT) on my 2014Expy and it still slips on ice or greasy surface, since I don't have studs. I almost always run 4A unless deep snow then 4H.

Slippery Hill situation ... especially starting from dead stop
4A better than 2WD, 4H better than 4A, snow tires always good