how do you safely drive a 4 x 4 vehicle on ice / sand dunes / old dirt lanes?

Question

i don't have rear wheel drive, rather i have 4 wheel on the fly drive. i have a nissan exterra. what gear must i use when driving on ice? do i use 4 wheel drive at all? what hazards do i face by using my 4 wheel drive transmission on ice?

please tell me the same information for driving my 4 wheel exterra on:

sand dunes; and

those old dirt lanes filled with rocks that slope, are rough rides, country lanes/campsite lanes?

Answer 1

Here's a concept: 4 wheel drive is no safer than 2 wheel drive. The ONLY advantage to 4 wheel drive is that if the vehicle is stuck or needs more traction to get going, having two additional points of traction can be helpful.

4 wheel drive will not make you safer on ice or snow. It will not help you stop more quickly, and it will not make driving down a snow covered highway at too high a speed any less idiotic.

The only difference between a 4wheel drive and a 2 wheel drive in icy conditions is that when they roll over, we get to watch all four wheels turning, instead of just two.

Take a look at the vehicles in the ditch and in the median next time it snows. Most of them are 4 wheel drive SUVs, there because the drivers thought that they had better grip on the road than the 2 wheel drives did. Not so.

The answer to your question, then, is this: slowly, with a good measure of common sense. Just be careful, and understand that your vehicle is just as subject to the laws of gravity and energy as any vehicle. Don't try to rewrite physics, and you'll do fine.

Answer 2

It doesn't matter if you have a two wheel drive vehicle or a four wheel drive vehicle. If you are going and SHOULD happen to start a skid or slide, try dropping your vehicle down into second gear.

I have been doing that for 38 years and not had an accident. It doesn't matter if it is a front wheel drive, rear wheel drive, or four wheel drive, it works in just the same way. When you shift your lever to a lower gear, it will cause the vehicle to automatically slow down.

The best time for doing this is if there is snow or ice on a hill that you either have to go up or down. Just remember that when you do this and are on the way up an icy hill, DO NOT try to goose or gun your engine. This will make it so you will lose traction and hence all you will do is spin.

Answer 3

unless you have ICE TIRES you have as much traction as anybody else,,,Ice is the great equalizer,,,,,if you do have ice tires,,then you have an advantage,,but you must still drive with extreem caution on ice.
When you are in the sand,,you want it in 4x4 and you want to keep the power as close to full on as you can in many cases.
Country lanes,,and such,,just drive with care and caution,,dont forget,,most 4x4's have a high center of gravity,,so when you get sideways on a hill or slope,,you can take it too far and flip over.

Answer 4

only engage the 4 wheel when you cant get traction. you don't want to go much faster the 50 when in 4 wheel and on ice it helps but it can still be hard to get traction. if your not getting traction then put it in low gear but other that that you can leave it regular gear.