RAW

Yep. I did indeed try switching to 4HI. Hell, we were there long enough that I tried going to 2wheel drive and back again.

I'm going to call the dealership in a nearby town (I don't trust the local dealership after a previous incident).

CRXsi

Yeah...it sounds to me like you have a mechanical or electrical problem not letting 4wd engage then...hopefully you can find a good dealer near by to help you out. I hate to say it but this is one reason I opted for the manual shift transfercase. At least when I move the lever I know it has shifted...with the electric shifter you can only hope. Hopefully they get it fixed for you and then you shouldn't have as many problems within reason while in 4wd.

Pipes

I bomb thru snow that deep alot, I might not have even locked up the front end yet. The pics and story show a pretty tight trail with some good size grades so I would have more then likley had it in 4 hi. Trucks this heavy will find the bottom of the snow in a hurry, unless its a hard drift that you can get hung up on. 12" of fresh snow should be no problem with a decent set of tires, the truck will just plow right thru.

Rod_Montana

I keep seeing "lockers" mentioned. Are we referring to the factory anti-spin differential here? Sure wouldn't consider a truck without one in these parts. In fact- turned down an 06 yesterday for just that reason. Can't imagine shipping a 4x4 up here without it.

Got my 04.5 stuck in a ditch about two weeks ago, even so. Hit a refrozen flat going a little too fast and when I tried to brake, the pedal pulsed a lot and we didn't slow even a little. Had about ten seconds to consider the 90 degree turn coming up and how those studded Cooper M+S sometimes inspire just a little too much confidence.

Got nice and sideways before hitting the bank but 8000lb of truck was too much and we busted through anyway, going up to 50degs - driver side down with snow halfway up the cab doors.

After the heartbeat slowed, took stock of the situation and figured what the heck, into 4wlo. No way. Celled out to a tow truck and was just giving my location when the high-side passenger door pops open and a nice looking blonde leans in and says, "I still got my chains on if you want a tow."

Now, I'm halfway down the bank and the only thing that kept the truck upright was the depth of the snow. I'm thinking no way an SUV or pick-up is going to yank this baby free so I say, "Well, ma'am, appreciate the offer, but this truck weights a lot."

She says, "I've got forty thousand pounds of logs on, I think we can handle it."

So I climbed up to the passenger window for a peek and whatdyaknow....a KW 18 wheeler nosed right up to within eight feet of my rear bumper. I'm sure glad she got stopped!!! Told the tow truck, I'd call back later.

I carry a 16,000lb thirty foot strap and we hooked up. The logging truck grunts a little and I popped right out of there without even a scratch or dimple in the paint.

I live 12 miles up an ice-covered mountain road and I'm here to say that this truck handles this stuff like nothing else I've ever driven. It's way better than my Cherokee. It telegraphs slides and drifts with grace, never getting out of shape in a hurry. The worst problem is maintaining the state of alert needed because it is so sure-footed and predictable.

I'm considering an 06 only because after 30,000 miles with the 48re, I want the six-speed instead. But that's another story.

Mixer Man

Amen brother !!!! I have pulled a few other dually's out of muddy jobsites with no prob . Dodge seems to do way better in mud than the other players ..but it could be my superior driving skills too !! Talk about playing in the mud try a 70,000lb + concrete mixer with a Cummins M-11 and Rockwell posi rearends ..... SWEET !!!

JDN_77

Man I envy you all who have to drive in that crap, GET A SNOW CAT!!!!

staarma

We have those too but we use our trucks to transport em' to where the snow gets deep and steep.

John Halter

Put some diesel in the tank turn the steering wheel until the overhead says north and start driving you will know when you hit some I hope , but just in case leave the window down till you can't stand it anymore , that should help you understand .

1sttruck

If you're on uneven ground with two wheels lightly loaded the 4wd still may not help as one wheel up front and one wheel in the back can still spin.

If you have the limited slip you may need to use some braking in order to engage it, but a limited is still not a locker and you could still stay stuck.

Even with lockers front a rear you could still stay stuck with crummy tires. I find the stock Michelins to be good on dry pavement, ok in snow that's not too deep or slushy, marginal in rain, kind of scary on cold 'hard ice', and worthless on frost, much less 'soft ice' that has a water film on it.

I prefer a selectable locker, but since one isn't available I prefer an open diff as a limited slip can kick the rear end loose once in awhile. Weight in the bed helps, and since we have occasional ice storms around here I run winter tires during the season. I also always have a shovel and still carry chains, as even with studded snow tires I've been ice waiting for another truck to try to pull a car out of a ditch, and my truck just started sliding towards the edge of the road. I've also seen 4wd jeeps with BFG A/Ts stall on the hill in front of my house start sliding backwards. Once in awhile Mother Nature just likes to see who is still awake :^)

coolslice

FWIW, I too think these Rams suck off road and I really don't think 4wd is a big asset to these trucks. I have gotten stuck nearly every time I have ventured off the pavement. Once in 2 inches of mud and once in wet grass on flat ground. That is with Nittos on as well. I would not even attempt to take my truck through more than about 4 inches of snow.

nickleinonen

100% agree... and i have been stuck with my bfg a/t's... and had to be dragged out by my pop with his chevy 1500 [but i also only had 3 wheels touching the ground in the position i was in - left rear was 3" in the air]

4x4dually

You can't be serious! Not to mean any disrespect, but my God man, push the pedal and go! I've luged this dually through thick and thin. 2 inches of mud isn't even enought to splash it over the hood! Maybe you should go back to the sissy stock tires like I've got.

Pipes

Well Cool, we have the same truck inculding tires. I would idle through everything you stated without even putting it in 4 wheel drive. I drive through conditions like that and 10 times worse on a daily basis. I would not be blaming the truck if I got stuck in 2 inches of mud. I guess there is no real polite way of saying this. Learn to drive you truck, that is the only reason you getting stuck in 2 inches of mud.

slowwheelin

When driving through the mountyains around Eley NV I was going through 8" of snow without a single problem with the stock Mich tires. Even turned around with old crusty snow oner the 8" of fresh. Just kept it in 4hi and third gear. Just don't know what to tell you.