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How good are they in the snow ?

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#21 ·
Not to contradict the guys saying ABS doesn’t help in snow.....but... if autos, in 4wd, use the brakes.

Your need to ride the brakes and throttle at the same time, it’s a balance between the two. Plenty off grip.

What you are doing is stopping the wheels from locking completely. If the wheels are turning, you’re in control.

It does take some practise. Obviously you don’t need to ride the brake all the time but corners and hill descents it works OK. It’s a bit like cadence braking, but letting the ABS do the work instead.

Works well off-road as well, on hill descents. We use to use it when instructing on off-road courses

Disclaimer:
Forget it with a manual, unless you are any good with left foot braking, rally style and totally forget it when in 2wd, the front just locks up. And it does need practice
 
#22 ·
Andy Mills said:
Not to contradict the guys saying ABS doesn’t help in snow.....but... if autos, in 4wd, use the brakes.

Your need to ride the brakes and throttle at the same time, it’s a balance between the two. Plenty off grip.

What you are doing is stopping the wheels from locking completely. If the wheels are turning, you’re in control.

It does take some practise. Obviously you don’t need to ride the brake all the time but corners and hill descents it works OK. It’s a bit like cadence braking, but letting the ABS do the work instead.

Works well off-road as well, on hill descents. We use to use it when instructing on off-road courses

Disclaimer:
Forget it with a manual, unless you are any good with left foot braking, rally style and totally forget it when in 2wd, the front just locks up. And it does need practice
Click to expand...

Thanks for that tip Andy, I am waiting to have a new truck delivered and its an auto this time, so will have fun trying that technique out!! :thumbleft:
 
#23 ·
If I can add my 2 penneth, with an auto box disengage OD and use the manual option to give more control and some engine braking.

Again Pi55ed at Nissan they now no longer fit a rear towing eye, what the :censored: are you supposed to attache to
 
#25 ·
It will creep but so long as it has not started to move the smallest obstacle will stop it.

I'm not very uptodate with auto boxes but when I were a lad if you left them in drive for an extended period then the brake bands are wearing a bit like riding a clutch, so I knock mine out of drive whenever stationary unless expecting to move off immediately.

One last thing my 06 D40 had next to no engine braking, in 2wd and snow often felt like the driving wheels were overriding the brakes so reducing speed needed plenty of distance, get the speed right down and drive around corners with gentle acceleration, like Andy says 'What you are doing is stopping the wheels from locking completely. If the wheels are turning, you’re in control.'

Must do work now
 
#26 ·
Another thing to keep in mind is that in 4wd on snow you want to take turns with a bit of gas. Just letting it roll through a turn the truck will behave like any other car, but with some gentle acceleration the 4 wheels will work to stabilize it and keep it in line. Just don't overdo it. Kind like on a motorcycle - brake some before the turn, then get on the throttle and gently pull through.
 
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#27 ·
Guys I have done a lot off offroad especially in Snow, I currently have a Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland, & to be honest it is awesome in the white stuff, I drive in alps a hell of a lot & use the tiptronic for engine breaking & the handbrake to aid breaking when needed thats in standard 4W-HI in 4WL she is a monster & will drive likes she is a track vehicle, especially with Mud & Snow Tyres on :twisted: :twisted:

I am also buying a Nav & collecting her tomorrow she is an Auto, & I am sure but have not yet checked this that the handbrake is connected to the discs & not the propshaft as on older Discos, if she has this then all is well.

Out of interest can you convert the Nav so she can go into permanent 4x4 mode to stop the transmition windup, it does concern me slightly that she is to avoid 4x4 mode until the wheels are sliding all over the place, so I thought some of you might know of a conversion (although its probably to expensive) :twisted:
 
#28 ·
hand brake is on rear drums - not discs.
Conversion - Pathfinder can do permamnent 4wd, not the Nav - essentially the same vehicle, so could be done but probably menas new transfer box
 
#30 ·
mowerman said:
hand brake is on rear drums - not discs.
Conversion - Pathfinder can do permamnent 4wd, not the Nav - essentially the same vehicle, so could be done but probably menas new transfer box
Click to expand...
Apart from the engine and the bonnet styling the Pathfinder is really a different car. Not much in common with the Nav on technical grounds.

Frankly, if you have a Grand Cherokee I don't see why you'd be concerned with the Nav's 4x4. The Cherokee wipes the floor with most everything, clearly the best car in snow and offroad - given decent tires. If I "only" wanted a 4x4 and not something to haul oversized objects around I would have bought the GC.

Don't be worried about having to shift back and forth into and out of 4x4, though. You'll notice when you need it. If the tail starts stepping out on you switch it on and she'll straighten out instantly.
 
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#31 ·
mick. said:
muchos fun blasting past the pious Prius drivers who sneer at you for the other 50 weeks of the year :lol:
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They do? I never notice - they tend to vanish too quickly in the rear view mirror. Same nuisance as a Ligier Ambra, only more posh. :puker:
 
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#32 ·
mowerman said:
hand brake is on rear drums - not discs.
Conversion - Pathfinder can do permamnent 4wd, not the Nav - essentially the same vehicle, so could be done but probably menas new transfer box
Click to expand...
Now that is very interesting, I think I might look into this to see if its a viable one thanks mowerman :afro:
 
#34 ·
right first time out in the snow in mine yesterday and today. Absolutly fantastic. Fitted general grabba at2s last week. havnt even had to put it in 4wd yet. Have all my tools in the back so thats a fair bit of weight but the thing is like a tank. have been purposuly taking really bad roads just to try and use 4wd but nothing it just keeps going. Love it.
 
#35 ·
Out on the lanes today, a foot of snow in places when I had to pull over onto the verge. I am amazed by the ability of the Nav in these conditions, although I have nothing to compare this to, having never owned a 4WD vehicle before. Tyres aren't even that good (maybe 4 mm tread on all 4) and hardly any wheel spin at all. I do have the truckman top and fire kit in the back though - probably an extra 250kg over the rear to balance things out.
 
#36 ·
Out in the snow today, 59 plate Tenka, no problems its sticks to the road with no drama`s!

Its not to happy in 2 wd probadly because i dont carry anything in the back (thought about putting her indoors in there :oops: ) but in 4wd its as good if not better than my Discovery3 or Range Rover Sport, tyres might have something to do with that.

Top marks Nissan :clappy:


Brookester
 
#37 ·
lads thinking of getting 06 nav . but im just wondering what it means when you talk of transmission wind up????. is it not a good idea to have it in 4 wheel drive for a long time. what damage can happen . Im new to the site so im still learning about these machines. great site lads .. :D
 
#38 ·
stewy said:
lads thinking of getting 06 nav . but im just wondering what it means when you talk of transmission wind up????. is it not a good idea to have it in 4 wheel drive for a long time. what damage can happen . Im new to the site so im still learning about these machines. great site lads .. :D
Click to expand...

You can change from 2WD to 4WD whilst driving up to 60mph, as for how often you use it really depends on the driving conditions.

You don't want to be using it on dry winding roads, especially grippy surfaces tarmac etc, as you'll get "wind up" and potentialy do a lot of damage.

The rule really with 4WD, is just use it when you have to :wink:
 
#39 ·
I will b using to tow horse boxes and rally cars . So on a wet road for instance , would it be grand to use it then for better grip while towing . is there something i could do to release the wind up after using the 4wd. does wind up happen in all 4wd jeeps. Sorry for all the silly questions lads :oops: its just that i want to know if im going to do damage. thamks in advance for all the help lads
 
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