Testing A-TRAC and REAR DIFF LOCK in the FJ Cruiser on Snow and Ice
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- čas přidán 25. 08. 2024
- When the nor'easter/Winter Storm Grayson rolled through in early January 2018, I had to give the rear diff locker and ATRAC a test run. The hill in the video was nearly glare ice under 9" of loose snow.
The sequence you see in the video:
-1st attempt in AWD (manual trans.).
-2nd attempt in 4wd.
-3rd attempt in 4-Lo with rear diff locker engaged.
-4th attempt in 4-Lo with rear diff locker and A-Trac engaged.
-5th and final attempt: same as 4th attempt, but this time with a little speed.
Music:
Andrew Applepie: Italian Rain
FWIW, I bought my FJ the first year they came out. Still love it. The only trouble I ever had was when the alternator went out. But even then, the vehicle did not let me down. I will keep this beautiful vehicle until one of us dies.
Always great when a vehicle is so reliable. Sounds like you're either lucky or I'm unlucky. I've had two FJs and more jeeps than I care to count. Both FJs have given me more problems than any of the jeeps ever have. Leaking roofs, seized calipers, bad torque converter, broken rear diff, rusty exhaust, etc.. Not sure I'll ever buy another Toyota after owning the FJs.
@@dironaa Sad to hear. I bought mine new and have given it a pretty easy life; garage-kept with all the maintenance. We also have a Highlander, which has been trouble-free as well. Our Mercedes and BMW, on the other hand, were nightmares. True lemons. So I guess we all get unlucky now and then.
@@dironaa wow, I said same thing about murika jeeps, my fj 100, 000 miles, nothing, no trouble what so ever
2007 FJ still kicking ass 125k nothing other than regular maintenance. I also owned a wrangler for 3 years and the squeaks and rattling was too much for me. I do some off-road but majority is everyday use. The ride is night and day between the two
@@dironaa Bummer. I've Never Heard of such a Bad FJ. You Must have Gotten the Lemon of All FJ Lemons. Sorry.
Used A Trac for the first time today. Absolutely blown away. Hung up on a BIG rock in a big hole and the locker wouldn't even help. No trees around for the winch and wheeling solo. Thought I'd give A Track a go and to my surprise walked on out of the bog. Mind blown!
It works great on anything but ice!
@@dironaa Used it in snow yesterday without issue. Wasn't bogged but put it on whilst driving around in the white stuff. Snow would be a bit different to ice though.
Hey buddy, I never saw your locker actually lock and when using ATRAC you need to resist the temptation to let your foot of the gas. Consistent power is what the system needs to maneuver the obstacle. Completely opposite form standard driving practices but it’s how it works.
Thanks for the tip! Locker did fully engage, but I’ll try to keep my foot on it next time!
Next time film the outside closer and show us which tires are spinning. It would be interesting to see the difference at each tire level.
Thanks for the suggestion!
On ice nothing work unless studs or chains .
Depends how thick the ice is.
Sorry but that's not true at all. Proper tires and proper driving skills can own mother nature AND old man winter
Not true, I used to own a 2004 Lincoln Navigator with the 5.4l 4x4 and it was on street tires, it had airbags I could lift it independently from the computer.... an fj was stuck in the road alongside a tundra, a Jeep commander went through the shoulder on the highway and I followed. We both made it but I passed him and they all looked at me like “👁👄👁 wth how”. Of course I deflatedmy tires, those retards probably did not. This is back in 2010 btw when here in Texas we had a real bad snow storm.
OMG_its_TexMex ! M
A Trac works great on the rocks and dirt. Ice or deep mud not so much
Dude I f*** love you car bro I’m 17 and I’ve been wanting to save up to get one awesome car specially since I love the off road
buy mine. 14K 139xxx miles.
Love this soundtrack.
Same!
Wish I waited a bit longer. KO2 came out right after I purchased a whole set of original KO. KO2 probably wear faster, but I need better stopping in the snow. Feels like I'm burning or the abs module. Now I'm stuck with them for another eternity with how good they wear - 2010 68k.
I know the feeling. Had a set of Goodyear Wrangler street tires on the second FJ I bought and even in the lightest amount of raid they'd loose traction. Have since upgraded to KO2's and they're much better. Still spin every once in a while in the rain on when taking off uphill from a stop but nowhere near as much as the old tires.
The BFG A/T KO2 is much much better in snow and ice than the original A/T's you have. In conditions like those I can slam on my brakes and stop on a dime with my KO2's. I used to enjoy sliding around corners in the snow but I can't anymore since I got the KO2's. Earlier this year I was on a trail in the Rockies in snow higher than my front bumper and I went a few miles before the drifts started getting up to my hood and I decided to stop and turn around.
Have heard some great things about the KO2s. Will hopefully have the opportunity to try them out firsthand soon.
I live on a mountain, and it's always Ice in the winter, Put on a set of Blizzaks, My FJ has never let me down.
Winter tires are key!
Are you happy with the way it performed? I'm not sure anything is good on ice. But the deep snow seems to be no issue with my FJ.
I can't complain about how it performed, as you said, gaining traction on ice is difficult to do in any vehicle. When I finally got up the hill on the last run the accelerator was just about on the floor and the tires were spinning the whole way, so a-trac was essentially disabled, but having the diff locked did seem to keep the FJ going in more of a straight line than I think it otherwise would have, so that was a help. The BFG All Terrains that I'm running aren't terribly great in mud or snow, so I suspect a better set of tires may have helped.
Deflate your tires and get mud snows like KM2 BFG, I've never been stuck in snow sand or mud. I've come close, but those AT tires as you see in the vid pack the snow or mud between the treads. Though the locker is great, in ice it won't matter, even with front and rear lockers. You'll slide all over. There is a pavement princess jeep vid on here that can't get up a smaller hill due to ice.
It’s always all about the tires. I have two sets of rims and tires for my 2012. Winter/summer. The winter tires have studs installed. I don’t even know when there is ice. And never ever been stuck.
This is a strangely calming video... like asmr but for cars.
Haha. Glad you liked it
@@dironaa gonna make my own version with my fj when the snow falls in a few months
Did you air down the tires? If not, that makes a HUGE difference, and may not have taken as many tries.
Nah, this was just 5 minutes I spent messing around with the features for the first time since buying the FJ before clearing the driveway. I'm sure airing down would have helped though
Love the music. 💕
BFG are not that good in snow and low temperature, if you had put on snow tyres I am sure the experience would be very different.
these tires suck!!
FJ Love! 😍 2012 bought new - will never sell it! I always feel so safe when driving in inclement weather.
For playing music during this video :(
People are always using the wrong tires! Doesn't matter how much power you have to push something, you also need TRACTION! Buy Bridgestone Blizzaks! The best winter tire in my opinion! They work on Pontiac Fiero's like a tank, imagine what they will do for an FJ! LMAO
Can't argue with you. Was the first time trying a-trac, wanted to see what it could do. Actually got me out of a situation with similar conditions a few months later.
I dont think this was a relevant test , but i love the Fj anyway :)
Agreed. Lol
I'm guessing when you say four-wheel drive you're talking about locking the center differential
Essentially, yes
HD SnowSport plow the most fun I have with my FJ every winter.
I bet it makes a decent plow rig!
Good stuff!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I had my 200 LC on flat icy ground with new Toyo Mt's in crawl control and I couldn't move one inch in either direction. I agree chains or studded tires are the only way to move on solid ice. And momentum to climb a hill!!!!!!
Best option: Move somewhere warm!
It's are not the best in snow. A snow tire or even a all terrain would work better.
Atrac and low range in general isn't really that good in snow and ice. It's for slow off road use. Atrac won't even work over 3 miles per hour anyway. A better choice with an FJ would be 4H and turn off the TCS and vsc...
True. Seems studded snow tires are best solution for the ice!
Not sure what tyres your running but if there a summer compound they won't work in the cold snowy conditions, the rubber essentially goes really hard and won't grip.
True, these are a relatively hard compound all terrain tire
What is the difference with A-TRAC and Crawler Control?
Crawl control is essentially a low speed cruise control, you set the crawl control and don’t have to touch the gas or brake pedal, which to me takes the fun out of off roading. Atrac still requires you to use the pedals. Both will apply brake pressure to whichever wheels are slipping/spinning in order to send power to the wheels that have traction
A-track is wonderful specialy on deep sand if u r bogged,just need patience and a soft gas pedal keeping low rpm,it will find a way out if u have patience.
Saved my bacon last winter when I got stuck in a dense packed snow drift at 3am on the way to the airport. Put atrac on and was free after 3 or 4 minutes of cranking the wheel back and forth.
You gotta punch it.
Keep momentum and dont let off the gas ecen if the wheels are spinning.
Noted
Can anyone tell me how to add a switch that allows you to lock differential while only in rear wheel drive?
There are modifications you can make. Head over to fjcruiserforums.com and you should find the info you're looking for
Air down maybe ?
Yes, that may have helped
In this road you need h4 only you dont need L4 or RR or A trac
Hell you don't even need 4x4 for that, just momentum and a heavy foot
@@bladesinthewind he has a manual, you can't turn 4x4 off.
Outback would have been up first time. Let the flaming commence.
Could be. LOL
not really sure this showed anything other than a bit of momentum worked better than all the gadgets on the FJ put together.
Yeah, I'm sure the rear diff locker helped but the road was a little too icy for the a-trac system
If I see the "Accidental Icon" one more gahhhhhd dahhhhmmmm time!
accidental icon?
Dirona it’s just an ad but one that I’ve seen too many times. Doctor said it’s bad for me.
Yes, yes it does.
True story. Its gotten me out of a couple tricky situations.
Those are also all terrain which don't neccearily mean their that great for loose snow.
Agree. These BFGs don’t do great mud or snow!
The BFG all terrain tires suck, the tread design plugs up and doesn't clean out. Get some Toyo Open Country and if you live where there is alot of ice get them siped. Even the Goodyear Wranglers are better than those BFGs
Yeah, only good thing about the BFGs is the look and they wear like iron so you can get a ton of miles out of them. Other than that seems better to buy something else.
Well that video didn’t answer the question
This video was inconclusive, but a few months after filming this I got stuck in a snow drift leaving my driveway and the a-trac saved the day.
A-Trac is Not Meant for Snow that much. It's for Dry Roads, maybe Wet and Muddy at the Worst. 4x4 is what we use in Snow. And, Four-Wheel-Drive does Not a 'Miracle-Make'. I Worked up Little Cottonwood Canyon for Over Ten Years.(Think Alta-Snowbird) Had to drive Down the Mt. Every Night at 10 pm After Digging Three Feet of Snow Off my FJ. I Know What an FJ can do. Medium Chains Can't Hurt Either. I've had Jeeps, a Scout, a Rubicon, and my FJ Beats Them All.
Agreed, snow and ice really comes down to having the right tires and chains
Found your vids through a subscriber of mine, I think you might like my newest video man. It's always been cool to see the tires work depending on your locker settings.
pisda arai hhha
gg
Not with offroad tires lol
Glad that’s not me. I’ll stay with my 2wd fj just to make sure I never go there. Lived there done that.
Good plan. I've have enough with this white stuff to last a lifetime.
Me too
my diff lock dead
ATRAC is great too!
air down:)
That probably would have helped!
Driver error
Wrong tire, wrong climate
I got 30 seconds into the vid and shut it down, couldn't stand the fuckin noise some people might call music.
LOL to each his own
NOKIAN...
The look of the BFG's cant be beat..
Video ruin by the music
Was filmed using a GoPro in a waterproof case so the footage didn't have any sound to begin with. Feel free to click mute and watch again if you'd like.
Dirona I on the other hand really liked the music. What was it?
Best go get a Subaru, now part owned by Toyota !!!!!!!!!
Someday!
And the h3 still wins.
As long as it's an H3 Alpha..
a full minute of you wiping snow off wasn't a good watch. try to keep you vid content on topic
LOL this was just a fun video, absolutely nothing scientific (or honestly anything very useful) about it