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What setup for ice?

Four2score

Four2score

NAXJA Forum User
Location
San Bernardino Peak
Hey all.

Just moved to the mountains and believe I will be driving on half pavement / half ice for a few winter months out of the year.

I have a 95 xj with the Chrysler rear & Detroit locker and a D30 up front with open diff, but I just bought a used Aussie locker I was planning to install.

I'm having second thoughts about putting the Aussie up front as it probably will not drive nicely in 4WD on pavement and will probably break free on the ice.

Am I correct in my thinking? What would be the best setup in which I could get up and down the mountain to work safely?

BTW, the roads are snow plowed daily so its not like I have to drive through 3 feet of snow, but the black ice is deffinately present and is what I'm worried about.

Thanks!
 
I have a detriot in the rear axle of mine and its a little squirrly on the ice but doable. I dd my jeep as well. Im open in the front for now, but im gonna go selectable up front for weather etc...
 
ehall said:
242 with LSD in the rear and selectable in the front
Click to expand...

x2
that's gonna be your best bet, other then selectable front and rear, but that would be pricy.

I drive my detroit rear/aussie front, XJ a bit in the winter, with BFG AT's which are actually very good for a LT tire in the snow/ice.
lockers are great, when your in the ditch looking to get out... but they can also be the reason your in there.

the 242 is a must for ice/snow driving, but it's negated if you put a full time locker in the front.
 
A selectable locker would be the best, but for a budget i think a truetrac would be a consideration.
 
i have narrow bfg ATs they like to dig to the pavement in snow and hard pack. instead of floating on it like wide tires. i do a lot of ice climbing and they get me around well on the back roads but on ice your going to want a studded tire. they will actually bite into the ice. all regular tires will slip on smooth ice like black ice. i have never owned a set of strictly snow tires so they might do better then ATs

i know they make a 33x9.5 in bfg AT KOs they are the next tire i am getting ht + narrow is what i want. i think mine are 31s right now.

i have open diffs but would agree a lsd would be better then a locker and a selectable would be the best choice.
 
I run all my 4x4s in two wheel drive on packed snow and ice. The best and least expensive thing to do to get great traction on ice is to go to a tire shop that does tire siping and have your tires siped!!
I run Detroits front and rear on my Blazer and have never had a problem in snow and ice when running siped tires, and I have siped every set of tires I've ran on all my rigs for the last 25 years, it works!!
 
I'll X2 a few suggestions (I'm in Montana and have some experience on the ice).

Sipe the tires. For snow/ice a good AT tread is best, not a MT.

I run limited slip/selectable rear, and selectable front. I also have a 242 T-case. I rarely/never lock either diff on the road as it makes for some squirley handling.

If you've got the 231, DON'T fun in 4WD on pavement. You'll probably be OK with the rear detroit as long as you're careful on the corners. Don't do the lunch box in the front...You won't like it.
 
General Grabber AT2, probably your best bet. they are studable, decent priced, and can be siped as well.
 
I have a question related to the original question at the top of the thread. To what extend does a limited slip such as a truetrac in front result in understeer in slick conditions beyond what you would experience just running an open diff in front? Assume use of FT4x4.
 
I drove my Jeep in New Hampshire winters on 31x10.5's with an Aussie in the rear and loved it. I then went to 33x12.5's with an Aussie in the front as well. I only ever put it in 4 high to get moving on hills or with more than 5 inches on snow on a back road. Other than that I leave it in 2 wheel. I don't see how people are saying it's bad or you wont like it, just remember you're in a light vehicle and in the snow. Slow down far enough before a corner so you don't need to hit the brakes and use smooth motions.

The only thing I don't like about the Aussie is if the front tires lock up the front end makes popping noises. I don't know what it is, so I just don't lock up the brakes. :dunno:
 
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