Fancy, Modern Day, Off Road Drive Modes????

[galaxy]

Sooo, for all you guys that have newer 4WD/off road vehicles with fancy electronics and all these nice off road driving modes, just how much of a difference do they make? How good are they? Does it really matter or make a difference? I've got a 2002 4WD F150 with a 4" lift. Currently running 33" All Terrain KO3's on it. I have a LS rear end and normal open front end. No locker or anything. This truck absolutely kicks ass in bad winter weather. I've been out in some horrible, deep snow conditions upwards of 15" of snow. Pulling people out of ditches, driving around, plowing down the road, etc. I'm sure, and I would guess, tires are 7/10 of the equation, but this truck impresses me every winter. I'm currently out in the winter storm that's hitting midwest today and I'm just rockin it. That's what led me to the thought and the current question.

I can't imagine how much better it would be with something simple I could add like a front locker or something like that, but seriously, how much better or impressive are modern day electronics and drive modes? What do they bring to the fight?

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[Bob Lob Law]

I found them to be more of a hindrance if you actually know how to drive in the bad weather.

 

[Inthehighdesert]

Depends on the conditions, terrain, and vehicle. For example, my 20/550 is 12klbs, two wheel drive. In the slippery mode the truck has no issues on icey hills and roads. Tires aren’t the best for inclement weather and being a deisel bottom end torque and slick conditions don’t play well together. My wife’s bronco sasquatch in awd is amazing in the snow and slick stuff. It’s on 35’s/goodyears which are oem. He previous 4runner limited was good as well but the bronco is much better. Could just be the tires. It’s very good in off road conditions as well. By comparison our utv is rzr pro r with full active suspension. The switchable modes are a game changer to the previous non active. If it’s just general commuting in snowy conditions a decent four wheel drive with good tires and a knowledgeable driver is as good as driving aides.

 

[Vlad Soare]

I found them to be more of a hindrance if you actually know how to drive in the bad weather.

Exactly. Kind of like the various automatic modes on a photo camera - sport, night, macro and whatnot. If you know how speed and aperture work, you don't need them; all they do is pick a fast speed in one mode, or a small aperture in another, things like that, which you can easily do yourself if you know your stuff.
On a more familiar note, they're like our Mustangs' drive modes. You can use Sport+ to accelerate faster, but that's exactly the same as simply pushing the gas pedal a bit harder. Or Rain/Snow to keep safe in bad weather, which is exactly the same as not pushing the pedal too hard. Or Track mode when you want to play, which you can do by just turning off the traction control.

All you need off the road, or in snow, is ground clearance, a good 4WD transmission (preferably with a low range transfer case), good tyres, and driving skills. The less electronics, the better.
A 2002 F-150 ticks all the above boxes. That's why it does such a great job. You don't need any "modern" electronic aids. Quite the contrary, once you get them you'll most probably hate them and will quickly miss your old trusty proper truck, which did things when you wanted it to, not when a computer decided to.

 

[Cobra Jet]

IMO, it’s just more modules and hardware that will go bad or break over time with the newer vehicles and all the “fancy” shit being put into them. All one needs is 4x4 capability and you can really plow through anything, period. All this fancy 40-drive modes and 5 screens for this or that is nothing but a distraction and sensory overload…. Then you have all the damn bells and buzzers warning you that “hey, it’s cold outside”….

I’ve owned (2) Full Size Bronco 5.0’s (87 & 94), Explorer as well as a Toyota Land Cruiser (91), and there wasn’t one instance where ANY of those vehicles became stuck in ANY type of weather related event OR when responsibly off roading…. The Broncos would plow through anything in their way… I didn’t need any freaking fancy drive modes….LOL.

The more wiring, screens, and more modules being put into today’s vehicles are making them a lot more heavier than past vehicles of the same type. The heavier the vehicle, the more the roads and infrastructure takes a pounding. Bridges made 100 years ago were not designed to handle the excessive weights of today’s EV’s or even todays ICE vehicles that are now bloated pigs running amock.

 

[galaxy]

The only thing I can think of that I'd like to do differently, or try (just for the sake of being a gearhead), is I would like to have a locker or LS or something cool in the front diff. I'd like to see what difference that makes. Other than that, like we all agree...send it!

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