Driving in the Snow - How’s the 4A system?

[Badassbronco]

That dashboard graphic is a lie.

Ok that’s what I was thinking. It’s probably similar to Chevys.

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[CrystalRedTintCoat]

Yesterday, 11am PT, I just drove the bronco towards South Lake Tahoe (Sacramento to route 50, on path to South Lake Tahoe) before turning around. Background – Interstate 80 was closed from Baxter to the Nevada state line due to visibility concerns, so route 50 it was, until it wasn’t and they shut down 50 too!

Quick Aside — For folks not from the Bay Area, parts of Tahoe get over 500” of snow a year. A S-TON of snow. Things can turn from pleasant to gnarly in minutes. It’s so much fun to drive in it provided you can see, and you have gas. I hit a moment of being snow blind, after dark, and it was not fun. Clearly the Bronco needs fog lights to help with the glare from the snow. I’ve been waiting on Baja Designs for my order to arrive for four about months. They have a new production run starting in March.

CalTrans put US Route 50 on hold at Placerville due to multiple slide outs by the summit (about 30 miles away). So I found a way to circumnavigate their barricade and got onto 50 about half mile past the closure and drove until the traffic stopped, (5:45pm) and waited stationary until 6:30pm unit I bailed out and drove back to Placerville. Both directions, Route 50 was covered in snow — couldn’t see pavement.

I used 4A in Normal mode. I did not use snow / slippery mode, at first. After sitting in stopped traffic on route 50 for 45 minutes I played around with the modes.

GOAT ANALYSIS (empirical supposition )
It looks to me like the dial just turns on/off things like 4A, 4H, 4L and the lockers. In other words, if you know what you’re doing, you needn’t use the dial. Just set the right 4-level (4-A/H/L) and set the right locking modes. I know Sport mode changes the fuel line curves and, compared to Normal, you get a lot more turbo and lot more torque and the steering changes.
But in terms of 4x4 stuff, can anyone confirm if GOAT does more than just set the 4x4 level and the lockers? Asking for a friend …

I find it interesting that the GOAT Slippery = 4A while GOAT Mud/Ruts = 4H + Rear lockers. I assumed that Ford would’ve programmed Slippery to 4H. Maybe that’s too dramatic for 80% of slippery condition. Thoughts?

Going downhill I shifted to M, from D, and would manually shift down to 3 from 6. That seemed to hold me without having to brake while the yahoo in front of me kept braking and the SUV behind me kept riding my ass. Perhaps I’m too old school, but I’d like a nice big GEAR # on the dash vs. having to hunt for the teeny tiny gear number in the top middle.

Anyway, I did NOT drive with 4H in the snow and the Bronco drove better than most SUVs I’ve owned (Audi S4, Lexus RX350, Toyota HighLander). I think I need to drive it in 4H mode to compare the Bronco’s prowess to my old ‘97 Jeep Grand Cherokee. To date that old Cherokee was the best snow vehicle I’ve ever owned.

I didn’t get enough time in the snow with my 2020 SIlverado 2500HD, a 8300 lbs vehicle which was probably the most comfortable rig I’ve ever owned and drove. The little I did drive it in the snow was with an empty bed and it seemed to work just fine.

 

[da_jokker]

Yesterday, 11am PT, I just drove the bronco towards South Lake Tahoe (Sacramento to route 50, on path to South Lake Tahoe) before turning around. Background – Interstate 80 was closed from Baxter to the Nevada state line due to visibility concerns, so route 50 it was, until it wasn’t and they shut down 50 too!

Quick Aside — For folks not from the Bay Area, parts of Tahoe get over 500” of snow a year. A S-TON of snow. Things can turn from pleasant to gnarly in minutes. It’s so much fun to drive in it provided you can see, and you have gas. I hit a moment of being snow blind, after dark, and it was not fun. Clearly the Bronco needs fog lights to help with the glare from the snow. I’ve been waiting on Baja Designs for my order to arrive for four about months. They have a new production run starting in March.

CalTrans put US Route 50 on hold at Placerville due to multiple slide outs by the summit (about 30 miles away). So I found a way to circumnavigate their barricade and got onto 50 about half mile past the closure and drove until the traffic stopped, (5:45pm) and waited stationary until 6:30pm unit I bailed out and drove back to Placerville. Both directions, Route 50 was covered in snow — couldn’t see pavement.

I used 4A in Normal mode. I did not use snow / slippery mode, at first. After sitting in stopped traffic on route 50 for 45 minutes I played around with the modes.

GOAT ANALYSIS (empirical supposition )
It looks to me like the dial just turns on/off things like 4A, 4H, 4L and the lockers. In other words, if you know what you’re doing, you needn’t use the dial. Just set the right 4-level (4-A/H/L) and set the right locking modes. I know Sport mode changes the fuel line curves and, compared to Normal, you get a lot more turbo and lot more torque and the steering changes.
But in terms of 4x4 stuff, can anyone confirm if GOAT does more than just set the 4x4 level and the lockers? Asking for a friend …

I find it interesting that the GOAT Slippery = 4A while GOAT Mud/Ruts = 4H + Rear lockers. I assumed that Ford would’ve programmed Slippery to 4H. Maybe that’s too dramatic for 80% of slippery condition. Thoughts?

Going downhill I shifted to M, from D, and would manually shift down to 3 from 6. That seemed to hold me without having to brake while the yahoo in front of me kept braking and the SUV behind me kept riding my ass. Perhaps I’m too old school, but I’d like a nice big GEAR # on the dash vs. having to hunt for the teeny tiny gear number in the top middle.

Anyway, I did NOT drive with 4H in the snow and the Bronco drove better than most SUVs I’ve owned (Audi S4, Lexus RX350, Toyota HighLander). I think I need to drive it in 4H mode to compare the Bronco’s prowess to my old ‘97 Jeep Grand Cherokee. To date that old Cherokee was the best snow vehicle I’ve ever owned.

I didn’t get enough time in the snow with my 2020 SIlverado 2500HD, a 8300 lbs vehicle which was probably the most comfortable rig I’ve ever owned and drove. The little I did drive it in the snow was with an empty bed and it seemed to work just fine.

G o a t modes do much more than just turn on lockers and four-wheel drive. They adjust shift points, brakes, throttle mapping, torque, traction control, steering, and I swear they even do something with the turbos.

Slippery mode, eco mode, normal mode, sports mode are all designed to be used on pavement.

The rest are all designed to be used off-road/pavement.

Generally speaking, the one exception would be if you're on a road that's covered in three to four foot of snow where you're not touching the asphalt, then the sand mode would be the right choice.

And I put my Bronco and slippery mode every time a big storm moves through the Sac area and it's raining cats and dogs. Prevents the Bronco from getting squirrely with all the hydroplaning and oils on the road.

 

[HideoutBronco]

I am in the Park City, Utah area and we have had A LOT of snow and has snowed 80% of the days since November so I have spent a lot of time playing with the modes. When I mean A LOT, our city's plows were not big enough to clear it, plows stuck, single lane roads, stopsigns covered, feed of snow weekly, etc. 4A is terrible for anything but a light snow. constant wheelspin to get up my driveway. 4H is what I use a lot with a smattering of rear locker as needed. However, Mud/Ruts GOAT mode is now my "goto" when it gets deep. The traction control, throttle, shift points are perfect for deep snow. The only initial issue is that all the cameras pop on an is annoying, but found if you hit the camera button on the dash it goes back to the infotainment screens.

 

[Gassyjack]

In 4A do you leave traction control on or turn it off?

 

[HideoutBronco]

Usually leave it on.

 

[Snacktime]

So on the flip side if you don't order 4A option. You have to let off the throttle a good 10 seconds to switch from 2H to 4H. The shift to 4H will not happen under load and will stop if you gas it even a little. I really only have a few times that I really can complain about not getting the advance transfer case and those situations are the in-between needing 4H and 2H and losing momentum. I tend to fish tail before I actually switch, for me its a hahaha fun moment, my wife get a little angry for reckless driving. I view 4A as a waste of money, but I am a no nannies person. For a more responsible driver like my wife its a must have option. I am actually fairly surprised it not a standard issue item.

 

[HideoutBronco]

Totally forgot 4A was not standard. I think it came default with one of the packages. (badlands/Sasquatch/LUX)

 

[Lèòn]

G o a t modes do much more than just turn on lockers and four-wheel drive. They adjust shift points, brakes, throttle mapping, torque, traction control, steering, and I swear they even do something with the turbos.

Slippery mode, eco mode, normal mode, sports mode are all designed to be used on pavement.

The rest are all designed to be used off-road/pavement.

Generally speaking, the one exception would be if you're on a road that's covered in three to four foot of snow where you're not touching the asphalt, then the sand mode would be the right choice.

And I put my Bronco and slippery mode every time a big storm moves through the Sac area and it's raining cats and dogs. Prevents the Bronco from getting squirrely with all the hydroplaning and oils on the road.

Basically Witchcraft, similar to Turbo's

So on the flip side if you don't order 4A option. You have to let off the throttle a good 10 seconds to switch from 2H to 4H. The shift to 4H will not happen under load and will stop if you gas it even a little. I really only have a few times that I really can complain about not getting the advance transfer case and those situations are the in-between needing 4H and 2H and losing momentum. I tend to fish tail before I actually switch, for me its a hahaha fun moment, my wife get a little angry for reckless driving. I view 4A as a waste of money, but I am a no nannies person. For a more responsible driver like my wife its a must have option. I am actually fairly surprised it not a standard issue item.

I go slideways around turns when I add too much throttle in 2wd, makes me feel like a hoonigan, especially when no one else even comes close to that where I'm from

4a is solid though, sometimes ya wanna pull away from lights without going Granfolk speed

 

[FleshTuxedo]

I have to take my Bronco in for 4A issues. I get some binding while turning on dry, flat pavement.
That is not supposed to happen.

 

[da_jokker]

I am in the Park City, Utah area and we have had A LOT of snow and has snowed 80% of the days since November so I have spent a lot of time playing with the modes. When I mean A LOT, our city's plows were not big enough to clear it, plows stuck, single lane roads, stopsigns covered, feed of snow weekly, etc. 4A is terrible for anything but a light snow. constant wheelspin to get up my driveway. 4H is what I use a lot with a smattering of rear locker as needed. However, Mud/Ruts GOAT mode is now my "goto" when it gets deep. The traction control, throttle, shift points are perfect for deep snow. The only initial issue is that all the cameras pop on an is annoying, but found if you hit the camera button on the dash it goes back to the infotainment screens.

I'm really surprised at this. In 4A you're basically in four-wheel drive when you give it throttle. However the lockers are not on so I suppose if one tire does slip, the open diff would impact things until traction control adjusted.

Are you just putting it in 4A or are you using Slippery mode? Because slippery mode should put all the sensors on high alert.

 

[BirdDogger]

I haven't even touched 4A yet and don't even see a reason to. The SAS tires work extremly well in the snow in 2wd, and if needed I switch to 4H. Personally I would not run 4A on dry or wet pavement from rain, unless you just want to burn extra fuel and add wear and tear to the rig.

 

[HideoutBronco]

I haven't even touched 4A yet and don't even see a reason to. The SAS tires work extremly well in the snow in 2wd, and if needed I switch to 4H. Personally I would not run 4A on dry or wet pavement from rain, unless you just want to burn extra fuel and add wear and tear to the rig.

Agree on not using 4A on dry or wet pavement, but 2H does NOT work in the snow if you want to actually accelerate...

 

[PSUTE]

For those of us who go from wet to snow as we drive, it's a great feature. All the 4wd you need and none you don't

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