[AT] Tractor Hauling pickup

[Ken Knierim]

My "traction control" has been also known as "poor man's posi" where I
apply the parking brakes when I have one wheel spinning and the other
gripping.
It's pulled me out of a number of bad spots where I would have needed a
winch and something to pull against.
I'm hoping to get something a little better than that without spending a
lot of money to replace the truck or axles.

If the going gets so bad I need lockers, I might want to find a different
path. I still use the "stock" (factory "heavy duty") suspension and leave
the receiver hitch in as a "feeler gage"... if it starts hitting rocks, I
know to back off (I lost an exhaust system before I figured this one out).
Likewise with 4 wheel drive... if I need it, I want to use it to back out
of whatever I did in 2 wheel drive to get in there. Many of the roads I use
during hunting season are forest or fire roads and tearing them up is NOT
"treading lightly".
As it is, this truck will not live forever; I recently had to repair the
frame where the transfer case supports broke through the frame (found this
after I got the fuel injection on it...). It's been used hard (and pulling
that big Case 400 diesel from Yuma was a bit over its rated GVW).

Thanks for the help!

Ken in AZ



On Fri, Dec 6, 2019 at 10:31 AM Mike M <meulenms at gmx.com> wrote:

> I am a huge hater of traction control in the snow, it doesn't allow for
> any wheel spin to gain momentum. My wife's car has been stuck in our
> driveway several times, and even with my foot to the floor nothing
> happens, just a shudder. Take traction control off and suddenly I can
> rock the car and gain enough momentum to make it up our small incline.
>
> Mike M
>
>
> On 12/6/2019 11:22 AM, Steve W. wrote:
> > Ken Knierim wrote:
> >> Steve,
> >>     This vehicle was my tractor hauler for some time but since I got
> >> the Cummins-powered rig it's relegated to less pulling duties. On
> >> highway usage will be to and from the 4 wheeling areas (hunting or
> >> whatever) and whatever snowy and muddy roads throw at it. I've long
> >> been a believer in understanding the vehicle limits and staying
> >> within them and focusing on how to work with what I have (read: too
> >> cheap to buy limited slip axles... learn to drive without them). This
> >> hunting trip showed me what new vehicles can do as my hunting buddy
> >> took his 2012 Ram diesel down some pretty hairy stuff and it rarely
> >> slipped a wheel. Some was due to the traction control, some was
> >> tires, some was driver (he's good). I wasn't sure my Blazer could
> >> have gone where he took that beast.
> >> In short, I'm looking for a slight upgrade over the (worn out) stock
> >> axles this half-ton chassis has. I have to rebuild or replace them
> >> anyway due to wear and I don't want to splurge for 1 ton axles with
> >> lockers (and gears and brakes and rims and tires and springs and...).
> >> I can get a set of used axles in way better shape for a couple
> >> hundred bucks, put in the gears I'm looking for (around 4.10's for
> >> the 33" tires and slow/bumpy terrain) and limited slip if it's not
> >> too expensive. I've seen kits with the clutch plate style from $260
> >> to over $600 depending on name/manufacturer and style (with Detroit
> >> Lockers and the other top shelf stuff way more expensive) and I'm
> >> wondering if there's a real difference or if it's mostly marketing.
> >> I'm looking at the Auburn, Richmond Gear and Eaton versions currently
> >> and they're $370 to $500. There's a bunch of what look like China
> >> built ones for less but I'm hoping to stay away from "guinea pig"
> >> status on those. A breakdown 3 hours from town would more than pay
> >> for the difference.
> >>
> >> I appreciate your insight.
> >> Ken in AZ
> >>
> >
> > Modern traction control is a great thing, until the sensors have issues.
> > When they first shipped the Prius out they discovered that you had to
> > allow for some wheel slip, the initial programming on them was so
> > tight that you literally couldn't move them on a slick sloped area. As
> > soon as a tire slipped the TC would clamp the brakes on. Sort of
> > embarrassing if you can't even park your new car in the driveway!
> >
> > Since you are not looking for a daily driver set up you could go with
> > a true locker for the rear. There are a few out there. I'm not a big
> > fan of the mini units that replace the spider gears in a stock open
> > unit as they are not as strong as a purpose built housing, but they work.
> >
> >
>
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