Back End Breaking Loose too Easily in Snow/Ice? Is the "off road" display accurate for 4A? Grinding noise while sliding?

[fourdayoff]

Also play with tire pressure, can make a big difference. Don't be afraid to go extreme on pressure. Jim.

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[AK SNO RIDER]

The noise you're hearing is in fact the ridiculous noise the ABS module makes, and the reason you're hearing it with the TCS "off" is because the geniuses at Ford decided we aren't allowed to truly disable the TCS and stability control.

Yes, it says off. No, it is not actually off. The Bronco has the most intrusive system I've ever experienced.

 

[LSW]

If you can't feel much difference between the modes maybe you have a mechanical issue you are not aware of. There is a big difference from 2H to 4H that should be very obvious. 4A is really nice just to set and forget it. Possibly have someone try it that knows for sure or check with dealer. Jim.

GOAT modes are what I was talking about when I say it doesn't make a huge difference, assuming I override the default drive modes within those GOATS (override normal that defaults to 2H and put it into 4A or 4H, override slippery that defaults to 4A and put it into 4H, but iirc it won't let you go to 2H in slippery). I can feel a pretty big difference between 4H and 2H for sure, 4A is about 75% as good as 4H on the real slippery stuff but not quite.

Do you have the rear eLocker (or not)? Check Hero panel for that button. I know the default situation on OBX is to have standard 3.73 and no eLocker. You would have had to order the eLocker as an option. Not sure if "4A" gives you that or not.

Yeah it has the rear eLocker. Only time I've messed with it was in Sand mode right after a major snow dumping where there was about a foot of powder just siting on the streets. I found the bronco pretty hard to control in Sand mode tbh; may have been more to do with the conditions I was using it in though.

 

[1st 75th ranger]

I have a 4 door '23 outer banks non-sasquatch with Cooper Discoverer Snow Claw 275/65r18 studed winter tires. This Bronco has the full time advanced 4x4 transfer case option. And to get this out of the way, no I've never driven a regular RWD pickup or Jeep at all, although I had a Mustang GT back in '05 and actually this bronco reminds me of its handling.

I'm coming most recently from a '17 Chevrolet Tahoe LS with 4wd/4 automatic transfer case, rear wheel drive. I realize, differently purposed vehicles, mall crawler glorified minivan on 'roids vs the Bronco which is an off road convertible with some inherent compromises that come with that.

I find in the Bronco, in 4 Auto (and to a lesser extent 4H), the rear end breaks loose when accelerating, or turning at speed on plowed/slippery roads surrprisingly easily compared to the Tahoe. I get it, drive like a granny in the winter, but even doing that, going slow, very ginger on the gas pedal, it doesn't take much for the bronco's back end to start sliding especially on slopes while turning or when starting from a standstill on a slippery surface. It is very manageable in 4H and I can deal with it in 4A, but it still makes me a bit nervous. 2H, for me, which I tried just as an experiment, even with the studded tires, is white knuckle scary in the Bronco if there are a lot of other cars around and lanes are tight, even being super ginger on the gas pedal. Also, the Bronco makes a loud grinding sound when sliding. I thought this was the traction control modulating the brakes but it does it even when the traction control is turned off. Is there any kind of damage occurring when this grinding noise happens?

I make no claims of being a good or even average driver, I am below average and bad, so I fully expect the "LERN 2 DRYVE!!!!!1!1!" remarks, but apples to apples why did the Tahoe *seem* to handle better on slippery surfaces? Weight? Is it the Tahoe's limited slip differential vs. the open/locking differential with traction control in the Bronco that sacrifices on-road slippery performance for off road performance with only 3 wheels potentially on the ground? I also have a bronco sport outer banks and hate to say it but it handles better on-road in winter than regular Bronco, unless the snow depth gets deep enough to make it a ground clearance battle. I live in Alaska (and have for a decade) so that happens.

Also, it seems in 4 auto all 4 wheels rermain driven all the time according to the "off road" display screen on the digital dash. The owners manual says this about slippery GOAT mode:

'Note: Depending on the four-wheel drive
mode selected when using slippery mode
on dry/hard pavement, your vehicle could
experience vibration, driveline bind up,
damage and potential excessive tire and
vehicle wear.'

I presume this statement references the possibility of selecting 4H/4L in slippery mode in regard to the possiblity of damage? Is the digital dash's "off road" indicator accurate or does it just default to showing all 4 wheels driven if you select 4 auto via the drive mode switch or a GOAT mode?

I plan to attend an off-rodeo and ask some of these questions but is there a definitive answer on whether or not 4 auto slippery exacerbates wear on the drivetrain in intermittent/mixed dry/slippery conditions, beyond normal, expected usage?

Anyway, I hate to say it but for a safety minded winter vehicle I don't think the Bronco is a top choice unless I'm doing something wrong with my drive and GOAT selections. That's probably not news to most of you but I'm not a hard core "car/truck guy". Was hoping this was not going to be the case because the newer Tahoes have bad ground clearance due to independendent rear suspension and the rear control arms hanging down absurdly low; don't like subarus for similar ground clearance reasons.

you know your limits and your down for training...
you are the perfect off roader lol this is exactly how we all learn and you will because you choose to ...enjoy
ill let the tech guys answer your questions
myself i lock frt or bck or any variation even open diffs when the situation demands
keep trying options, always bring recovery equipment and let others know where your going or go together for saftey

 

[fourdayoff]

GOAT modes are what I was talking about when I say it doesn't make a huge difference, assuming I override the default drive modes within those GOATS (override normal that defaults to 2H and put it into 4A or 4H, override slippery that defaults to 4A and put it into 4H, but iirc it won't let you go to 2H in slippery). I can feel a pretty big difference between 4H and 2H for sure, 4A is about 75% as good as 4H on the real slippery stuff but not quite.



Yeah it has the rear eLocker. Only time I've messed with it was in Sand mode right after a major snow dumping where there was about a foot of powder just siting on the streets. I found the bronco pretty hard to control in Sand mode tbh; may have been more to do with the conditions I was using it in though.

GOAT modes are what I was talking about when I say it doesn't make a huge difference, assuming I override the default drive modes within those GOATS (override normal that defaults to 2H and put it into 4A or 4H, override slippery that defaults to 4A and put it into 4H, but iirc it won't let you go to 2H in slippery). I can feel a pretty big difference between 4H and 2H for sure, 4A is about 75% as good as 4H on the real slippery stuff but not quite.



Yeah it has the rear eLocker. Only time I've messed with it was in Sand mode right after a major snow dumping where there was about a foot of powder just siting on the streets. I found the bronco pretty hard to control in Sand mode tbh; may have been more to do with the conditions I was using it in though.

I don't use the goat modes allot, I guess I should. I think maybe with my experience I feel better making my own choices. They are cool tho. Jim.

 

[Sparkherd]

I presume this statement references the possibility of selecting 4H/4L in slippery mode in regard to the possiblity of damage? Is the digital dash's "off road" indicator accurate or does it just default to showing all 4 wheels driven if you select 4 auto via the drive mode switch or a GOAT mode?

That's weird; mine sticks like glue in 4A, I have to drive close to insanely to make it break traction.
And the dash display moz def shows power only to the rear wheels until I floor it, or jink the steering wheel.

 

[Ibuprofen3293]

The noise you're hearing is in fact the ridiculous noise the ABS module makes, and the reason you're hearing it with the TCS "off" is because the geniuses at Ford decided we aren't allowed to truly disable the TCS and stability control.

Yes, it says off. No, it is not actually off. The Bronco has the most intrusive system I've ever experienced.

Have you tried holding the ESC button for more than 5 seconds? That turns off traction and stability control. Just pressing it only turns off traction control.

When I fully disengage it, i hear zero grinding of the rear brakes keeping me going straight. ABS is still functional, though.

 

[Big Boss]

I'll chalk it up to driver error/not knowing the vehicle well enough yet.

I drove Mustang's in winter, never got stuck, never had problems and never used snow tires. I just took my time, and also knew how those cars would react. I knew those mustang's like the back of my hand. Then I got a Focus, and that thing was terrible in the snow. I thought maybe it was just me being used to RWD vs FWD but in the end it was the new way that traction control worked vs the older tech in my mustangs. It to me made it less predictable what it would do when that traction control light came on that I started just turning it off.

Now with the bronco, haven't had to much time to play in the snow with it yet, but it handles for the most part similar to my mustang, but again the newer more advanced traction control seems to kick in a bit more often than with the mustang.

If I had to guess, seems to me like your just giving it to much skinny pedal when the traction control kicks in

 

[Barny227]

Hmm, studded snow tires should make the thing stick like glue to slick roads or as good as anything can. Might be a little driver error.
The grinding noise is the stability control doing its thing.
Open diffs are always better at preventing a vehicle for sliding sideways on slick roads. They sometimes can prevent you from getting going though.
Reduce you tire pressure a little. that will help a little.
Don't rely on the Vehicle to do your job for you. The goat modes can only do so much.
Find a snow covered empty parking lot, turn your traction control off (hold the button for 5 seconds), put the bronco in 2 wheel drive and start driving. Be safe on watch your surrondings. Explore the dynamics of what makes the bronco lose traction. When you have this figured out put it in 4A and do the same thing. Then 4h. It takes practice and every vehicle is different.
Putting a couple of pounds of weight in the back might help with straight line traction but not to much. If you over do the weight in the back you can change the steering dynamics of a vehicle.

 

[LSW]

That's weird; mine sticks like glue in 4A, I have to drive close to insanely to make it break traction.
And the dash display moz def shows power only to the rear wheels until I floor it, or jink the steering wheel.

Really? That IS weird, mine definitely shows power to all 4 wheels all the time in 4 auto on the display (both axles are blue). Doesn’t matter if I’m cruising at 55 mph or giving it full throttle from a stop light. I’ve been doing all kinds of different stuff in 4 auto to try and make it only show the rear axle driven but haven’t found anything that does.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

You would think that studded winter tires should be like magic on that thing.
I though the same thing when I bought the Toyo AT's for my Base.
In the wet, that thing handles just as you're describing, essentially zero traction out back.
The 4 door Badlands on 33" BFG AT's, on the other hand, is WORLDS better than the Toyo's.

So, yeah, could be crap tires.
Stick with Nokians, Blizzaks and X-Ice's.
Some of the other brands don't do much better than all-seasons in the winter stuff they were supposedly designed for.
Also, if you're running a LT tire, the compound may be stiffer than the one used for standard tires, which is where I believe my troubles lie with the Toyo's.

 

[AK SNO RIDER]

Really? That IS weird, mine definitely shows power to all 4 wheels all the time in 4 auto on the display (both axles are blue). Doesn’t matter if I’m cruising at 55 mph or giving it full throttle from a stop light. I’ve been doing all kinds of different stuff in 4 auto to try and make it only show the rear axle driven but haven’t found anything that does.

Mine ALWAYS shows power to all 4 in 4 auto as well, and I can feel the vibes from the front axles any time I give it power, even just gently accelerating on dry pavement.

 

[timhood]

I have a 4 door '23 outer banks non-sasquatch with Cooper Discoverer Snow Claw 275/65r18 studed winter tires. This Bronco has the full time advanced 4x4 transfer case option. And to get this out of the way, no I've never driven a regular RWD pickup or Jeep at all, although I had a Mustang GT back in '05 and actually this bronco reminds me of its handling.

I have a non-Sas Badlands. I've noticed the back end wanting to break free in 2H under slippery conditions But a switch to 4A has always taken care of that. If 4A isn't solving your problem, tires would be the change I would make.

 

[Callelk]

Its that little cushy thing on the drivers side floorboard..............yeah, over there on the right

 

[Wazznme]

This is my second winter on the factory Goodyear tires and I feel like this thing is unstoppable even with the close to 4 feet of snow we've had thus far this winter. I drive in 4 Auto almost exclusively and have been really happy, I wish this thing had a G.O.A.T setting called Beast Mode!

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