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

 

[JasonH]

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?

No, I was saying that if you have a choice between 2WD with snow tires and 4WD without snow tires, the former is the superior option.

 

[brhulen]

Having grown up in Moab, Utah and lived 26 years in Interior Alaska I have always owned a 4wd, but that is still not an end all to be all. I once test drove a Jeep Rubicon with factory lockers. On glare ice, 2wd it wouldn't move an inch. Not to be dissuaded i shifted into 4wd and it moved better but still not definitively. So then I locked the front and rear axles and that little Jeep moved right out. From that time forward i am a firm believer in lockers. Snow tires, studs and 4wd are a good start but for my money lockers are the answer. Ford must have finally recognized this as I understand some of the new Broncos are locker equipped. That being said I do believe 4wd will suffice for most applications as they rarely ever get shifted into 4wd or perish the thought actually go "off road". But that remaining 10% will benefit from having lockers.

 

[JExpedition07]

A friend got rid of her Chrysler 300 she loved because she was afraid of RWD and snow. I said get snow tires as well as a few others and she didn’t listen, makes a difference. Some stories are exaggerated though, but now she’s in a lame equinox.

 

[Deadman]

The only thing gripping the road is your tires, so I don't care what you have for drivetrain, the tires are providing the traction. Snow tires are called just that for a darn good reason!

 

[grumpyoleman]

Growing up in Minnesota, I stacked hay bales (the old fashioned kind you could throw around) sideways in back of my 2WD F100. they fit just right and with snow tires on the back I could go just about anywhere...anywhere prudent anyways.

 

[Anerbe]

RWD even with winter tires will be more challenging on acceleration/inclines than a 4wd with good a/s tires. All other conditions (flat, turns, stopping), 2wd front / rear winters will be superior.

It’s far more dangerous not being able to stop or turn than it is to accelerate.

I’ve had all configurations (fwd, rwd, 4wd) with summers, a/s and winters. 4wd/winters are best, with lockers amping it up.

 

[sjwhiteley]

I’ll also say, practice with what you have. See how the vehicle behaves under different conditions in snow and ice (slowly of course). Different vehicles and tire combinations behave differently. You need to know the difference in behavior between braking turning, accelerating, and how much you need in different conditions (and also learn what not to do!)

snow tires, and a/4wd, are not the solution, just part of the equation.

 

[mcb345]

I’ll also say, practice with what you have. See how the vehicle behaves under different conditions in snow and ice (slowly of course). Different vehicles and tire combinations behave differently. You need to know the difference in behavior between braking turning, accelerating, and how much you need in different conditions (and also learn what not to do!)

snow tires, and a/4wd, are not the solution, just part of the equation.

100% agree, always necessary to know the limits and even test them in a parking lot or not busy road so that you know what the car can and car do. Plus, it’s a fun time while you test!

I try to test the car every year or major snowfall just to see how it behaves in that specific condition and tire tread wear. A cold snowfall after wet melting conditions means ice underneath vs the first snowfall of the year with no ice. Or older all season tires or snow tires vs brand new, will behave differently. Do a quick test on that first pull out of your driveway, see how it behaves.

But, back to the original topic, pleasantly surprise with RWD and the ELSD. For all you southerns looking at 2018 or 2019 models with RWD, grab the heavy duty tow package for the ELSD and better grip. I’m glad I got this rather than 4wd, even if I don’t tow more than a couple of times ever.

 

[Anerbe]

Regarding AWD/RWD, one additional item to think about is resale. The 2wd variants really limit the US market sale to the south if you ever do decide to sell.

I expect everyone north of Kentucky remove 2wd from search criteria (as I did). Of course some great deals could be had on 2wd, but given the modern car purchase process of online, and selling to all of US, you’ll probably get the money back on the AWD premium, plus an easier time to sell.

Of course if you plan to drive the car into the ground, save the money and go 2wd if that all you need.

 

[Dice Roll]

Now now, everybody knows you’ll die of withdrawal from your Starbucks unless you get a 4wd.