Question Crossfit/Beyond Owners - Winter Driving Conditions (RWD vs. AWD)

[chris2019]

First Timer here and a Prospective Crossfit/Beyond Owner. Would appreciate hearing about any experiences y'all have had driving in winter road conditions. Trying to figure out the +/- of RWD and AWD.
Cheers,
Chris2019

 

[Kevin D Pem]

I hear the roads are slippery!

 

[Rollin Ollen]

First Timer here and a Prospective Crossfit/Beyond Owner. Would appreciate hearing about any experiences y'all have had driving in winter road conditions. Trying to figure out the +/- of RWD and AWD.
Cheers,
Chris2019

Congrats on your new RV. First, are you comfortable driving on snowy roads with your daily driver and is your daily driver a RWD, FWD, AWD? I find that I triple the expected stopping distance regardless of if there is snow on the road or not just because your RV is probably much heavier than your daily driver and black ice has a way of sneaking up on you when you least expect it. I treat soft packed snow about the same as I would loose gravel. Slow well before you arrive at a corner and try to use your engine as a brake instead of hitting the pedal. If you live in snowy conditions I'm sure you are aware that shifting into neutral when approaching a situation where you must stop helps considerably. Once your drive wheels no longer apply a forward movement the use of brakes makes your vehicle much easier to slow and stop without skidding or swerving. I avoid driving on hard packed snow as much as I can even with my daily driver.

Darrell

 

[chris2019]

Ok, thanks Darrell for the snow driving tips. I have driven in snow back for a good while (starting back when I had more hair and Hector was a pup , but not with an RV. Passenger cars, RWD and FWD, No AWD.
To put a finer point on my question: Let’s say experienced snow driver behind the wheel, is there any noticeable difference (+/-) between driving the RWD Transit and AWD Transit.
Asking so I can factor snow handling into whether to keep looking at all model years or only those 2021(?) and later.
Cheers

 

[Rollin Ollen]

Ok, thanks Darrell for the snow driving tips. I have driven in snow back for a good while (starting back when I had more hair and Hector was a pup , but not with an RV. Passenger cars, RWD and FWD, No AWD.
To put a finer point on my question: Let’s say experienced snow driver behind the wheel, is there any noticeable difference (+/-) between driving the RWD Transit and AWD Transit.
Asking so I can factor snow handling into whether to keep looking at all model years or only those 2021(?) and later.
Cheers

I am sorry about brow beating you with winter driving instructions. It was not my intent to belittle you.
I know that an AWD will handle far better than a RWD no matter what the road conditions are simply because the front wheels pull you along instead of being pushed. I guess you already know that you should become familiar with the handling of your rig on dry pavement before you tackle snowy roads. If I were planning to use my rig a lot in the winter, I would prefer the AWD. There is another recommendation that I can offer too. Head south and miss the cold!

Safe travels

Darrell

 

[Bigblockyeti]

Everyone has 4 wheel brakes but not everyone has 4wd/Awd. Getting stopped is more important than getting going and a Transit with plenty of weigh on the drive axle shouldn't have too much trouble getting going. FWIW, the guys and gals plowing the roads aren't in 4wd or Awd trucks, they're Rwd because it works and it's one less thing to break.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

Everyone has 4 wheel brakes but not everyone has 4wd/Awd. Getting stopped is more important than getting going and a Transit with plenty of weigh on the drive axle shouldn't have too much trouble getting going. FWIW, the guys and gals plowing the roads aren't in 4wd or Awd trucks, they're Rwd because it works and it's one less thing to break.

It is good to mention that if you're not moving brakes have little value

 

[TheLooks]

The only guys and gals not using 4 wheel drive to plow snow are in large heavy trucks and they probably carry chains. I can assure you no one in the state of Maine is plowing anything with a 2 wheel drive truck. Just the big boys with big toys and they get stuck sometimes. So do the 4 wheel drive guys.

 

[Bigblockyeti]

MTA, Rwd only, because it works.

 

[Kevin D Pem]

MTA, Rwd only, because it works.
View attachment 21047

As stated by TheLooks!

 

[TheLooks]

I lived there for 52 years Yeti and plowed a lot of snow. In a rural areas everyone knows the plow truck drivers. It is the topic of everyday at the coffee shops in the winter.