A Request Before Winter

[Jmikeb92]

Thanks for the tips guys! Keep them coming along with the pics and vids. This winter I will have the stock 17's with the SR/A's on them. Hopefully I will have the lift on it half way through and maybe even 235/65/17's by Feburary (poor college kid) So that should help out with traction and getting up an over some obstacles. Now having only really driven a manual car and not having fooled around with the auto stick at all, is it really that good? With the manual I was able to slow my momentum to a crawl with almost no breaks at all. My Saab was quick with the turbo so I started off in second every time. Can i do that with the autostick?

[todde702]

You can downshift the auto stick. Works pretty well too. You can't start in 2nd, but the way the CVT works you don't really need to. Just easy on the go pedal and keep the rpms low. The 4x4 and traction control will do the rest.

[Ignatz]

Originally Posted by todde702

You can downshift the auto stick. Works pretty well too. You can't start in 2nd, but the way the CVT works you don't really need to. Just easy on the go pedal and keep the rpms low. The 4x4 and traction control will do the rest.

Ditto on the autostick. I'm much more comfortable feeling the traction than trusting those gizmos to do it for me. That said, the traction control does help in some situations, but IMHO, if you're driving right, the tires shouldn't be spinning in the first place. Ignatz is FWD but snow doesn't keep me home. (Unless of course I want the excuse )

[chateaupierre]

Jmikeb98: ...we get snow...REAL SNOW. We get an average of 121" of snow each winter and they are predicting a bad one this year.

Ha, we're north of Syracuse. You guys get only the leftover of our Arctic blasts; although the same blasts reload more humidity over Lake Ontario for a second dumping in western NY. Still we can't be too smug about the coming snow.

Like you, I'll be testing the limits of my Riot this winter with my new DIY snow plow rigged to the hitch. An ultimate test of the HP and traction of my Riot with basic configuration: worn OEM no-season tires, FWD. My only offsetting advantage is many decade's of oaring a stick transmission, and finagling the plow design.

This is still work in progress. I'll post some photo when the plow is built in another month. This plow will augment my old snowblower, which is on its last legs. We have a 80 ft of restrictive driveway to clear. Let's see if our Riot can help out around the house and do some serious pushing.

If you're interested, there are many clever ideas on snow plows using the hitch. Just surf Youtube, with these tags: homemade plow wooden reverse.

[kds]

When in snow, do you guys automatically lock 4WD? Does 4WD engage itself when it senses it's lost traction?

Does anyone put sand tubes in their cargo area?

This is my first 4x4, so this will be a learn-as-I-go type thing.

[Afmcronnie]

I used 2 sand tubes the first winter I had my 09, none the second winter. Didnt seem like it needed them. There seems to be a lot of debate regarding when/if/how much to engage the lock. Id be interested in what everyone else does, also. I lock it in if there is snow covering the road. I leave it locked in unless there are long stretches of dry road.

[MoeBucks]

Originally Posted by kds

When in snow, do you guys automatically lock 4WD? Does 4WD engage itself when it senses it's lost traction?

Does anyone put sand tubes in their cargo area?

This is my first 4x4, so this will be a learn-as-I-go type thing.

I pretty much go into 4x4 mode anytime the road is covered. This can be from torrential rains, or from snow. It's up to you.

I don't buy into myths that using 4x4 on dry roads or anything would damage it. If it did, it would be mentioned in the owners manual/warranty, so the dealer wouldn't have to cover it. Whenever you think you might lose grip, go into 4x4 mode.

[Jmikeb92]

I'll be honest I am not happy about the fact that I can't start off in 2nd but I guess if it works it works. I just don't want my dad to have another excuse to tell me that I should have waited a year or two and saved up to buy a Wrangler like his. The response of me telling him I get double the mileage he gets only works so many times. Anyways back to the winter topic; hill climbs and descents. Obviously I should do what you guys have already said, but on both my way to school and work I will no doubt catch a red light on a decent grade of hill.

[MrJeepR44]

Originally Posted by Jmikeb92

I'll be honest I am not happy about the fact that I can't start off in 2nd but I guess if it works it works.

With 4x4 and traction control, not being able to start in 2nd shouldn't really be much of an issue

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[Afmcronnie]

With the Autostick, you can translate up to 2nd as soon as you move. If you get stopped on an icy grade, hold it in 1st. If you keep the revs up and the tires breaking loose (ESP full off) you wont get a power stall. If it DOES stall, back up a couple feet, drop it back in drive and let it rip. To get out of the stall you have to break the tires loose. If the hill has a redlight on it, its probably not going to be steep enough to initiate the stall, but you will likely experience it at some point, pulling into a parking lot with a steep ramp, playing in the hills, etc... Dont freak out when it happens.

[Wooden Dog]

Originally Posted by MoeBucks

I pretty much go into 4x4 mode anytime the road is covered. This can be from torrential rains, or from snow. It's up to you.

I don't buy into myths that using 4x4 on dry roads or anything would damage it. If it did, it would be mentioned in the owners manual/warranty, so the dealer wouldn't have to cover it. Whenever you think you might lose grip, go into 4x4 mode.

This "4WD" system is fine to run on dry roads w/ no dmage to anything, but you don't need to engage it anytime you see snow on the road. The "lock" should be used when you're moving slowly and if you think you might get stuck. It cuts out above a certain speed, and anyway, under most conditions the "normal" default is going to work fine.

[kds]

So does the 4WD turn itself on in certain circumstances when not in locked mode?

[MrJeepR44]

Originally Posted by kds

So does the 4WD turn itself on in certain circumstances when not in locked mode?

Yes. The Jeep will drive front wheel drive, and will automatically add power to the rear as needed up to 50%

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[CrazyIvan]

I had some Yokohama tires on a 2001 Ford Explorer Sport (2DR)...those tires were amazing. From the look of them, you wouldn't think so, but those things got me up muddy, wet, slippery hills in the mountains many times without fail. I would imagine putting them on this awesome Jeep Patriot would prove as equally positive. Or, if you want to stay American, Goodyear Eagle LS-2 tires are the equivalent.

I had BF Goodrich All-Terrains on my 96 Bronco...those things were OK, but not what they were cracked up to be. The rubber seems very stiff and because of that, proved slippery in snow and off-road. They do last a VERY long time, though.

[the_jeep_now]

I can't wait to get rid of my LS2. They are very noisy.