sticky

Something is definitely wrong with your 4wd if neither front tire was spinning. Get it checked. Try engaging 4wd on dry pavement and turning sharply left and right in a parking lot while going slow. Your truck should kinda hop if 4wd is engaging properly. With that said, don't do this to much because it puts lots of stress on the driveline components, just do it for testing.

I have a dually also and without 4wd or lots of weight it doesn't like to go real well in snow. Now put my 4500 lb. camper in the bed and that's a different story.

jtb51b

PLEASE ELABORATE.....

coobie

Change your stock tires if they are the michilens.I replaced my stock michilens with the bridgestone dueler A/T revos.Night and day difference in the snow,I get around a hell of alot better now.coobie

abc4yew

Raw, Your neighbor seemed well equipped for the task! I'm sure your not a moron or at least not more of a moron than the rest of us . I was giving you some dually advice from someone who lives in snow 4 or 5 months of the year. In a situation like I see in the additional pictures....you would have done better in 2wd with the truck in 1st to control speed. In 4lo its like having all four tires locked up. In 2wd the fronts still have steering and if you can minimize braking the fronts are free to steer. Your Cheapest solution as you mentioned is a set of good dually chains. $250. and you will be able to anywhere anytime. If you switched into 4lo....were you in N and did you here it CLUNK into 4wd. If you didn't hear it clunk then it didn't get there. If you were moving faster than 4mph it won't go into 4 lo when you are in N. If you quickly swithch from 2wd to 4 Lo in park or above 4 mph you get 2wd not 4 hi. If that doesn't work what year is your truck and how much do you want for that obvious POS no good truck. ks

Dorkweed

NOT They'll be turning the same speed!!!

rockittboy

better tires and more go pedal bro! peddle like your fred flintstone!

RAW

When I started the truck that morning, I let it run through its fast idle. Then I put the clutch in, selected 4LO, waited for the light to stay solid (and listened for click of actuator or whatever--not a real clunk though). Then I put it in first and slowly ascended the hill up to my house-site from my shop. On the way up, the front did the usual skipping on the sharper switchbacks. Stopped at house-site, and I waited while one of my passengers took a picture. Then I put it back into first, gave it a little go juice, and then just let gravity start pulling the truck down the driveway. And in 4LO, it was a good speed--not too fast, but steady forward progress.

I steered to keep in the middle of the road, but the truck slid sideways into the ditch. I tried to drive out of the ditch, but it kept sliding back in. Then the truck just stopped. Then it was just the one wheel spinning. Tried reverse. Tried forward. Tried steering left and right while accelerating. Put in clutch, tried 4HI forward and reverse. Nothing.

I will be trying to make an appointment at a dealership soon. Hope it isn't expensive.

farmer dave

It sounds like you were going fine and then fell in the ditch. After that not to good. Maybe something broke. It won't hurt to get it checked out.

bigdav160

That's not correct.


That is correct.

Imagine you are driving straight on dry pavement. All tires are turning the same speed, correct?

When going around a corner the outside tire travels a larger arc so it must speed up. That's the job of the differential. Because of the differential gears the speed is proportional between the axles. If the outside tire speeds up the inside tire has to slow down.

Now, if one tire is completely stopped the other will spin at double the speed.

staarma

In Montana we get snow once in a while. Over 20' anually to be exact. Duallies don't do well in snow here. Any logger, farmer/rancher, hunter, etc. will not have a dually in this country. The rears just don't have enough lbs per sq in in low traction situations as you found out. A lot depends on the snow as well. Duallies can do ok in dry snow. In wet snow or in crusted snow they can't get out of their own way. Also, many srw's need good tires to do any kind of job getting around in those conditions as well. I think you were asking way too much from that truck in my opinion.

Stock tires+snow=bad
(stock tires+dually)+snow=really bad

staarma

I'm not sure but I don't believe he was doing donuts?

Copenhagenjunkie

If something is broke or whatever that will sure make a difference.
In my experience:
It really helps to put chains on the front with the dually so you can steer and get pulled thru the snow. I have pushed snow with my front bumper in my dually and it did just fine but the story that follows was nerve racking.

I was pulling my gooseneck trailer with 3 horses, 500lb of feed,15 bales of hay and 100gallons of water going to hunting camp. The front tires were chained up and I was in 4 low 3rd gear @ idle just letting the engine pull me along. The big problem was the narrow forrest road and slight slant in the curves the trailer would slide down until it stopped against the trees. I was way in over my head and by myself in the middle of the night, luckily I only had a 1/2 mile of this and got to a spot where I could turn around w/o stopping so I could head back down. 3 hours later and 4 miles I was sleeping.

John Halter

My son is going to college in Mars Hill about 30 miles north of Asheville NC he keeps telling me he is wearing shorts and it is bright and sunny out . It would not be the first time he pulled my leg a little , I think I will send him a copy of your pictures . He runs on thier cross country and track team and is majoring in Biology at the college . My wife and I both love the area one of the prettiest we have seen in our travels . When you put the Smokey Mountain's , Appalachian trail and the Blue Ridge Parkway all in one spot it has got to be great . Sounds to me like you have a transfer case problem and it is time to visit the dealer. That is the only way you would not have a front tire spin in 4x4 that I can think of . Most likely something in the electric shift . Mine has worked flawlessly and I' am building up some confidence in it . I have drove a lot of 4x4 some were better some worse and our Cummins fall close to the middle of the road . With the amount of snow you get down their , according to my son I wouldn't change to much on your truck just get fixed what is not working .

krock

The only time I have been stuck (in snow), is when I have broke through a hard drifts and ended up high centered after pushing about a 9” hard crust with my bumper for about a 150 yards (that’s deep when you consider I have 37's & a 5 " lift). But with a little gentle persuasion about 95 % of the time I can get my self out. These trucks can break some serious trail if you have good aggressive tires on & some weight to put the power down.

jtb51b

So, in my jeep since the back end is locked the front turns twice as fast as the rears? Also, in a turn the outside front tire in a 4x4 (with the fronts engaged) is doing the pulling and the rears are just being dragged about since they are turning slower? This does NOT make sense, please explain...

Jason

I'm just wondering, cause if so I am going to lock the front of my jeep and lower my overall gear ratio, and open up the back of my dodge to raise it. I could save a ton of money that way.