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#552201 - 31/12/06 04:46 PM Re: ABLS is useless... (video)
Anonymous
Unregistered


Here's a guy from SoCal giving snow advice (I grew up on Chicago's south side).

It looks like if you would have been able to dig yourself about 18"-24" worth of clear space for your tires to get some momentum you would have gotten out.

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#552202 - 31/12/06 07:21 PM Re: ABLS is useless... (video)
Anonymous
Unregistered


Quote:
Originally posted by kelli:
If there was ice under that snow it got MUCH worse with spinning tires like that.

Carry some kitty litter in the winter.. works great for traction on ice.

I need to get me one of those little shovels.. i've been down on all fours digging the snow out with my hands. It's a site to behold =)
Without computer controls over the spinning tires there was little traction and several trucks behind. We got her up though and digging out the ice for 6" or so made a big difference in getting some momentum.

As for kitty litter, I didn't think there would be so much snow and I've only been in it a few times and never as deep. I think I'll get some chains for that kind of travel.

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#552203 - 02/01/07 06:52 AM Re: ABLS is useless... (video)
Anonymous
Unregistered


Dude,
I own an 05 and it is positively the WORST snow going vehicle Ive ever had. I wont waste the time to tell you every vehicle Ive own or owned but Im members of MANY Toyota boards and a few Ford Boards and even a Jeep and Suzuki board.

Anyhow, what ever driver assist features Nissan put in its computer, they missed the mark totally when it comes to snow. I constantly get stuck on excursions with my Xterra to a point where it has been assigned grocery getter duty on the pavement most of the time.

Honerable Mention: 2 weeks ago we used our Xterra to recover my Ford Crewcab diesel which had broken a front axle thus effectively leaving me with 2 wheel drive in deep snow. I was leading a group of 4wheelers with my Ford in the snow and my wife was driving behind me. I was using my Ford to make a path in the 3ft snow for the others to follow. After the breakage, I flattened all 4 tires on the Xterra to gain enough traction for the recovery. It worked and we tugged the Ford down below the snow line and then returned to the snow for some more playing.

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#552204 - 03/01/07 09:14 AM Re: ABLS is useless... (video)
Anonymous
Unregistered


ABLS is no substitute for a locker. ABLS and stock tires in snow did fine at Big Bear New Years Eve. Drive within the limits of your tires.

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#552205 - 03/01/07 10:39 AM Re: ABLS is useless... (video)
Anonymous
Unregistered


Quote:
Originally posted by half fast:
Dude,
I own an 05 and it is positively the WORST snow going vehicle Ive ever had. I wont waste the time to tell you every vehicle Ive own or owned but Im members of MANY Toyota boards and a few Ford Boards and even a Jeep and Suzuki board.

Anyhow, what ever driver assist features Nissan put in its computer, they missed the mark totally when it comes to snow. I constantly get stuck on excursions with my Xterra to a point where it has been assigned grocery getter duty on the pavement most of the time.

Honerable Mention: 2 weeks ago we used our Xterra to recover my Ford Crewcab diesel which had broken a front axle thus effectively leaving me with 2 wheel drive in deep snow. I was leading a group of 4wheelers with my Ford in the snow and my wife was driving behind me. I was using my Ford to make a path in the 3ft snow for the others to follow. After the breakage, I flattened all 4 tires on the Xterra to gain enough traction for the recovery. It worked and we tugged the Ford down below the snow line and then returned to the snow for some more playing.
Hmm maybe you should have opted for the OR model. My OR blows me away with what it can do.

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#552206 - 06/01/07 11:52 AM Re: ABLS is useless... (video)
Anonymous
Unregistered


Not had mine in snow, but in loose sand, the ABLS works great. Even steep dunes are no match. The slip light flashes, and you can hear the brakes chattering to transfer power, and the vehicle never loses momentum. I have the VDC turned OFF when off-roading.

Those that don't think their ABLS is working, have you looked at the tires on BOTH sides to see if they are spinning also?

Looked to me in the video that the tires on the passenger side were in deep snow with no hope of traction. The ABLS transferred power to the driver's side, but the road was icey. If the road had been dry, it "might" have dragged itself out. Being that stuck, and with the belly of the SUV in packed snow, SOL at that point. Don't think lockers would have bought you much at that point either.

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#552207 - 08/01/07 04:00 PM Re: ABLS is useless... (video)
Zaskoda Offline
Member

Registered: 20/11/00
Posts: 171
Loc: Austin, TX 2000 Green XE M...
Quote:
Originally posted by 2manytoyz:
I have the VDC turned OFF when off-roading.

Those that don't think their ABLS is working, have you looked at the tires on BOTH sides to see if they are spinning also?
1) VDC and ABLS are separate systems. AFAIK, you can't turn ABLS on or off.

2) The ABLS never made a sound during the filming of that video and only kicked in once while attempting to get out.

Note: I have since been told that ABLS tends to kick in if you're easy on the accelerator. In the video I was attempting to get the truck rocking so I might have been tapping the gas a bit hard and quick.
_________________________
Zaskoda of Shobék
------------------

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#552208 - 08/01/07 06:27 PM Re: ABLS is useless... (video)
Anonymous
Unregistered


Yeah, ABLS really works best with light and steady gas.

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#552209 - 10/01/07 09:56 AM Re: ABLS is useless... (video)
Anonymous
Unregistered


First of all both tires on one axle spinning while on a slippery hill makes for a diaster. I don't mean by hitting the slope straight on but by trying to travel parallel to it.

After watching the vid, even lockers would not have walked out of that mess with the current driver.

One, if you dont have traction, spinning the tires faster does absolutely nothing.

Two, if the majority of your vehicular weight is on the opposite side of traction, you suffer a major disadvantage.

4 low is more than a trail gear, it is a tool to be used in limited trac environments...even with fancy computer technology.

This example seperates the men from the boys.

If I were to simply open my laptop and pound on the keys, get no response and label it as worthless piece of plastic; it would only be mislabeled.

This is why you also see many vehicles upside down in a ditch during a snow storm; the drivers reply with well the stability and traction control didn't do their job; I'm suing. I tell them, well unfortunately at 80 mph in a snow storm that's asking a bit much from your vehicle.

Many people look at an automobile as means to get from point A to B and nothing more. I like to think of it as a fine instrument that can make beautiful music and accomplish great things in the hands of a craftsman.

We learned that rocking the Xterra when it is stuck does not allow the trac-con to work properly.

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#552210 - 10/01/07 10:50 AM Re: ABLS is useless... (video)
Anonymous
Unregistered


Quote:
Originally posted by Zaskoda:
Quote:
Originally posted by 2manytoyz:
[b]I have the VDC turned OFF when off-roading.

Those that don't think their ABLS is working, have you looked at the tires on BOTH sides to see if they are spinning also?
1) VDC and ABLS are separate systems. AFAIK, you can't turn ABLS on or off.

[/b]
This is VERY true, but if the VDC detects slipping, it'll chop the throttle, and the ABLS won't have a chance to work! This is why I turn the VDC off when off-roading.

FWIW, when my ABLS has kicked it, it ISN'T a loud grumble like the ABS. Unless you're paying attention, you probably wouldn't hear much other than the engine/exhaust... and swearing!

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#552211 - 11/01/07 10:49 AM Re: ABLS is useless... (video)
Anonymous
Unregistered


Yeah, a locker would have done the trick.

btw, yeah I like that Nissan lets us turn off our VDC, unlike Toyota, which owners have to patch in a wire.

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#552212 - 12/01/07 08:31 PM Re: ABLS is useless... (video)
Anonymous
Unregistered


Quote:
Originally posted by Lloyd Swartz:
Actually I just watched the video, and the ABLS was performing as best as it could under those conditions. You can clearly see it transfering power back and forth as any LSD would. And when you turned the tires applying some upward force to the street tires, both hook up. Unfortunately they are hooking up on solid ice.
That is what I thought too. The ABLS is working, otherwise the tires in the snow would have been the only ones spinning.

I made the same mistake when I was in high school with a 1/2 ton chevy 4x4 pickup, and it couldn't get out either.

mitt

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#552213 - 13/01/07 08:26 AM Re: ABLS is useless... (video)
Anonymous
Unregistered


After having some major snow fall in the Vancouver area this winter, I have to give three thumbs up to this truck. [ThumbsUp]

It is an excellent vehicle in the snow, of course the driver has something to do with it's success or failure. After reading previous posts on this board about how it sucks in snow and got stuck on the side of a road (not this thread which in my opinion was stuck in a ditch not the side of the road!) I was afraid of the snow a bit. Totally without foundation.

Here is the situation: Stock truck, stock tires.
I purposely put two tires on sheer ice and two tires on pavement and on snow alternately. From a standstill I could move forward without any problems. Regular drive gear used in my auto.
Uphill on icy road. Again, no problem.
It takes the curves on snow like it is on rails.

Of course I have previously driven in deep snow having lived in the prairies (If single snowfalls of 2 feet are deep enough for you), and even with my civic I would rarely get so stuck that I could not get out.

The key to driving in snow
- never spin the tires. It is not like driving in mud.
- You also want to avoid leaning your truck to one side where much of the weight is on two tires (it is not a motorcycle)
- If your going to drive across a ditch - make sure it is not too deep first, and go in with the front - not side first.
- Don't drive on ice - drive on fresh snow if possible.
- If you get stuck, rock back and forth - while keeping a foot on the brake to prevent slipping. Your tires will dig a channel as they spin you do not want that to be directly under your tires, but you want it to give a bit of runway so you can get some momentum.

After having viewed this video, I cannot say for sure that a locker could have got you out, but I would bet a change of driver could have also got you out as easily as a locker. You made several mistakes that I could see. You turned your steering wheel between trying to move forward and backward - why? keep on the same path. You spun the wheels very fast - I doubt abls could kick in. You had nothing on the side of the tires with the weight but snow underneath - of course it will dig in - and if the truck did not dig in it was far more intelligent than you think! [Spit]

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#552214 - 13/01/07 08:36 PM Re: ABLS is useless... (video)
Anonymous
Unregistered


hmmm...well I did a test up a semi tough hill climb and the locker was leaps and bounds more effective.

the abls did manage to get up the hill...haven't tried ice, but my manual trans does spin the wheels freely when the vdc is off...at anyrate you could pull the fuse out of the abs and all the traction control will be disabled.

snow is a bitch with street tires. you have to yank the e-brake handle and tap the brakes to transfer torque when you just can't quite make it. cutting brakes would be awesome.

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#552215 - 22/01/07 01:10 AM Re: ABLS is useless... (video)
Anonymous
Unregistered


I posted before on this subject and just now watched the video. I assume you know what momentum is? Momentum is the tendency of a moving object to stay in motion. Well everytime you got some momentum going, I heard you let off the gas....wrong answer.

Dont get me wrong, Im no fan of the VDC or the ABLS or the accelerator by wire... but a little more agressive driving and you could have gotten out of that.

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#552216 - 16/02/07 12:50 PM Re: ABLS is useless... (video)
Anonymous
Unregistered


Should have bought the offroad with the locker.

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#552217 - 17/02/07 04:00 PM Re: ABLS is useless... (video)
Anonymous
Unregistered


This past week we had an ice storm here in the mid atlantic states. I have a 2006 S 4x4 and had absolutely no problem in the snow and 3/4 of an inch of ice that covered the roadways. I even took it up a completely ice covered side street that was about an 8% grade. The abls and lsd kicked in and it worked like a champ navigating up the hill (3/4 of a mile). This is with a totally stock vehicle including the stock BFG long trails.

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#552218 - 17/02/07 08:43 PM Re: ABLS is useless... (video)
xterra3202 Offline
Member

Registered: 05/02/03
Posts: 1718
Loc: Georgia
If the truc is hung up on the frame then your pretty much screwed and will have to be pulled out. Try using the parking brake, slowly, as a ghetto locker to help out....its worked in my Jeep before, not really practical on my 02 X as it is a foot brake, not sure what the setup is on the second gen but if it is a hand brake try it.

Tim
_________________________
"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrannts."

Thomas Jefferson

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#552219 - 18/02/07 05:59 AM Re: ABLS is useless... (video)
Anonymous
Unregistered


The VDC sure does it's job. We had about a foot of snow last week and I went looking for unplowed lots to play around in. At one point, I was in a drift ~2' deep (pavement underneath offered all the traction I needed), but the VDC kept me from spinning out quite well. I couldn't figure out what was 'wrong'...every time I'd get the rear end out trying to spin it, the VDC would kick in and keep me in line. I finally turned it off so I could play a bit, but I was surprised how well it worked!

Quote:
Originally posted by cymon:
This past week we had an ice storm here in the mid atlantic states. I have a 2006 S 4x4 and had absolutely no problem in the snow and 3/4 of an inch of ice that covered the roadways. I even took it up a completely ice covered side street that was about an 8% grade. The abls and lsd kicked in and it worked like a champ navigating up the hill (3/4 of a mile). This is with a totally stock vehicle including the stock BFG long trails.

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#552220 - 18/02/07 08:34 AM Re: ABLS is useless... (video)
Anonymous
Unregistered


Lots of snow here in Winnipeg.
The X is more than capable in snow. Drifts up to 2', no problem.
My X does not have VDC.
I ride on winter tires which provide the ultimate in traction.
It really comes down to your tires.

If your tires suck, so does your ride.

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#552221 - 18/02/07 09:21 AM Re: ABLS is useless... (video)
Anonymous
Unregistered


I won't comment to much on some of the other responses as a few seem to inform you a bit more off road driving experience may have come in handy.
I have owned more than 20 vehicles in my 35 year life and have to say my 06'X OR is by far one of the most capable vehicles in the snow (or anywhere) I have ever driven.
Here in the Mid-West we have had it all lately, lots of ice, snow, sleet...
I have been pushing this vehicle every chance I get and been very aggressive with where and when I drive. It has not let me down yet. Night before last I was heading down I-44 right after a light dusting witch caused the freeway to ice up. I counted 21 cars in or off the ditch, 9 really bad wrecks requiring medical, and even 2 coroners.
Semi's were keeping the speeds below 35. I still didn't have problems blazing by everyone at 50.
I have pulled so many cars and trucks out this winter I cant begin to count. I have to say I've only used the Lockers twice, once in 2' of mud, and once pulling a Honda out of a ravine in the snow/ice. (Actually I ripped it out...lol)
Go play in the X, take it out in bad weather every chance you get. You will get to know what you BOTH are capable of.

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