4 Auto / Slippery Mode... not great?

[SamG]

As we know, the idea behind 4 auto is that as soon as the Bronco detects slip, 4x4 kicks in and helps mitigate the issue.
If you have 4A its turned on when you set your GOAT mode to slippery.

In my head, slippery mode should be the best mode for snow. Could you use 4hi? Sure! but if your city is like mine, some streets are perfectly clear and others are snowy wrecks. Using 4hi on dry non-slip surfaces can be detrimental to the system - Thus Slippery mode/4A seems like the answer!

We've received some snow in south east Michigan (4-6"), so I spent some time driving around in Slippery mode... it kinda sucks?

I was testing the mode in an empty snow filled parking lot, with slippery mode engaged, I would go to make a turn at a reasonable speed (7/10mph) and would immediately feel the back end kicking out, 4A didn't seem to catch it or engage until the slide was realllllly going. Perform the same move again with 4hi engaged and the slide didn't exist.

anyone else experiencing this level of lag with 4A engaging? Doesn't seem very useful.

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[DogHauler]

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[Firefight911]

Physics is, well, physics. I can only presume from your info that you are trying to do something, or expecting something, that isn't within the parameters of 4A...aka, it ain't an autocross mode.

 

[SCADABronx]

I noticed the same thing when testing 4A and 4H back to back in the snow. 4A isn't as responsive as the AWD-only systems in my other cars. It could be a laggy clutch in the transfer case, slow logic in the computer, imprecise wheel speed sensoring, or a combination of all three I suppose. I've been just hitting 4H as needed when the road looks slippery.

As we know, the idea behind 4 auto is that as soon as the Bronco detects slip, 4x4 kicks in and helps mitigate the issue.
If you have 4A its turned on when you set your GOAT mode to slippery.

In my head, slippery mode should be the best mode for snow. Could you use 4hi? Sure! but if your city is like mine, some streets are perfectly clear and others are snowy wrecks. Using 4hi on dry non-slip surfaces can be detrimental to the system - Thus Slippery mode/4A seems like the answer!

We've received some snow in south east Michigan (4-6"), so I spent some time driving around in Slippery mode... it kinda sucks?

I was testing the mode in an empty snow filled parking lot, with slippery mode engaged, I would go to make a turn at a reasonable speed (7/10mph) and would immediately feel the back end kicking out, 4A didn't seem to catch it or engage until the slide was realllllly going. Perform the same move again with 4hi engaged and the slide didn't exist.

anyone else experiencing this level of lag with 4A engaging? Doesn't seem very useful.

 

[HeliPilot]

Lots of snow and ice here in CT, I haven’t used 4Hi yet. 4A all the time is working very much as expected here. Zero complaints, and I hardly ever use slippery.

 

[L8apex]

Went snow wheeling a couple weekends ago - never left 4A and I didn't have an issue driving in up to 8" of snow on fire service roads.

I'm a 2.3L Manual - so maybe there's some speed sensor or torque converter slip in the 10A that doesn't necessarily play as well as the 7MT.

 

[SamG]

I noticed the same thing when testing 4A and 4H back to back in the snow. 4A isn't as responsive as the AWD-only systems in my other cars. It could be a laggy clutch in the transfer case, slow logic in the computer, imprecise wheel speed sensoring, or a combination of all three I suppose. I've been just hitting 4H as needed when the road looks slippery.

You captured my thoughts perfectly here - should have used that as a reference to help explain my point. Simply not as quick as AWD-only systems I've used in other vehicles.

Again 4Hi solves this, 4Hi is perfect at its job, but it would be nice to have 4A make the decisions for me.

 

[Roger123]

What happens if you just leave it in 4A/ Normal?

 

[Captain nSANEo]

Are you using Slippery Goat Mode or just putting the TC manually into 4A could make a difference if try out the two?

 

[Blksn955.o]

I have used the slippery mode in 2 situations so far. There was a big rain storm (tornado touched down) and about 1.5in of snow and some ice. Both times it was great. I was actively going from 2H to slippery mode and you could tell it was settling down the drive.

That said 4a/4h/4l can turn to 4slide so there is some peddle and "feel" of how the thing acts. 7sp owner here sl again maybe it has something to do with an auto trq converter and shift programming.

 

[SamG]

What happens if you just leave it in 4A/ Normal?

Good question and I’m not sure I’ve tried that combo yet. Will test this evening and report back

 

[Rex21c]

From what I read in the manual, it's looking like slippery mode would be more for slick, icy roads. The manual states "Deep Snow" in sand mode, so defining what deep snow would be good

 

[TheDoctor]

The 'Slippery' mode may have more to do with the throttle response. I don't have my Bronco yet, but in my Explorer ST, when I go to 'Slippery' mode, the throttle response is much more muted. I have no choice in this vehicle between 2 & 4wd mode...it is always AWD, so I cannot compare to that.

 

[Oldhippie]

Again, peaking my interest in how the 4A transfer case actually works and what is really in there... “slippery” in my mustang works great, don’t have a Bronco yet...

 

[pakrat]

As we know, the idea behind 4 auto is that as soon as the Bronco detects slip, 4x4 kicks in and helps mitigate the issue.
If you have 4A its turned on when you set your GOAT mode to slippery.

In my head, slippery mode should be the best mode for snow. Could you use 4hi? Sure! but if your city is like mine, some streets are perfectly clear and others are snowy wrecks. Using 4hi on dry non-slip surfaces can be detrimental to the system - Thus Slippery mode/4A seems like the answer!

We've received some snow in south east Michigan (4-6"), so I spent some time driving around in Slippery mode... it kinda sucks?

I was testing the mode in an empty snow filled parking lot, with slippery mode engaged, I would go to make a turn at a reasonable speed (7/10mph) and would immediately feel the back end kicking out, 4A didn't seem to catch it or engage until the slide was realllllly going. Perform the same move again with 4hi engaged and the slide didn't exist.

anyone else experiencing this level of lag with 4A engaging? Doesn't seem very useful.

I replied on a similar thread the same observation. Our Denali seems to engage more quickly in "Auto" 4 HI mode. While I notice it, it is hardly an issue and totally acceptable in terms of performance. It seems to handle the mixed conditions very capably they we have here all winter long. If it is that bad you may have an issue. It could also be your tires. I have the Sasquatch tires and they are excellent snow tires so that might be helping.

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