Hedsic
Full Access Member
:happy107:..
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Is kj the best winter vehicle?
- Thread starter kage860
- Start date
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dude1116
Full Access Member
Kinda. The wheel with the least traction gets the power. The rear right wheel is the primary rear drive wheel (notice if you burn out around a corner...that's the only one that will spin). The front left wheel is the primary drive wheel for the front. If the rear LEFT wheel goes in the air or on ice, it will get power. Same goes for the front. Hence people get lockers...which lock the wheels together fully or partially (limited slip) to assist with slippery/twisty off road (and on road!) situations.
Birdman330
Full Access Member
Climbed the Hill at my Grandparents with a slow start should have went further turned around for a run. I thought I wasn't going to make it up, but left it in second gear tapped it out at about 6K RPM's and just held it. The KJ knew that the command to go to work and finished climbing while flinging some snow.
dude1116
Full Access Member
6k? :emotions33: torque band ends at like 4-4.5k. That's SO overkill...AND redlined.:ROFLJest:
Birdman330
Full Access Member
Yeah been there tried 4K left me sitting in the middle of a hill that I had to back down and try again. Not enough wheel speed to keep the momentum going, especially my Grandparents Hill due to the top being broken asphalt/concrete so creeping up won't work unless you have 4WD.
Thats one issue with Destinations and mall tires like them, no grip when you need it . Reason I got rid of mine, OK on flat roads, etc Had to use 4WD too much
Birdman330
Full Access Member
But understand as I have said earlier they have ''winter tires'' for a reason but those too can fail to provide grip and this comes from experience, hence why I took Destinations because I didn't want to play the season swap game again. I made the climb in one shot with a bad choice not to make the run which still means victory over the hill and trust me it has beaten me several times, even with FWD. And with the winter beating we've taken, driving in a good snow storm, I haven't had any issues at all lacking the 4WD. I climb hills every day, where others and their FWD were getting stuck I just walked right up them this winter.
Hedsic
Full Access Member
You should come out to the trail with us some weekend. Haven't seen you at any events or anything. Get a little social, man :icon_lol:
ive owned 4 jeeps and I must say the KJ was the best in the winter. my wrangler was nice but wasn't a comfortable drive. the kj has the short wheel base and comfortable interior ( to some degree lol) but was a nice ride when I was snowing or even driving after the storm.
Birdman330
Full Access Member
I should and put the 2WD to the max test, its in the works though and I do need to get more social I agree on that. The Jeep group I haven't been active like I was in the Focus and G8 Groups.
tjkj2002
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Considering redline is 5600rpm's your not hitting 6k with the 3.7,the PCM won't let you.
One problem with a manual trans,***** for climbing steep grades.
Bushmonster73
New Member
I usually have to use 4HI whenever there is ice or a decent amount of snow <1". It does do better when I put some weight in the back but if conditions are as mentioned, I don't hesitate to put it in 4HI and pass everybody creeping along or off in the ditch.
Birdman330
Full Access Member
You'll end up in the ditch yourself if the conditions are like that despite 4WD. I watched a smart driver thinking his AWD Mountaineer could go faster than me during the time of my Focus in the partial immediate aftermath of a huge snow storm when I was heading up to Sioux Falls, SD. He even had the grin and waved as he passed me with his family. About ten miles later he was in the middle of the median with now way out but with a tow truck winching him. You're better off creeping with the others even in 4HI rather than try and think that 4WD will keep you out of the ditch at faster speeds. Sometimes though traffic does move way too slow and make it more dangerous because of that been in those situations and I hate them.
I understand that there are conditions where you're caught in a storm and have no choice. Been there done that in the KJ, my first winter I had it. What was normally a 45 minute trip home took two and half hours. Most of that was on an 11 mile stretch of four lane highway that was a pure and I mean pure sheet of ice. The KJ was sideways, the TCS working over drive and if it weren't for the roof I would have literally been standing up while driving. That was how tense I was behind the wheel, I kept vocally encouraging the KJ to keep going and not quit on me. Some of my words were very choice in the speaking. I watched cars try and pass me only to lose control quickly and nearly end up in the ditch themselves, trucks and SUV's the same way. When I made it back to town I had to detour multiple blocks to get around traffic jams due to people that were physically moving way too slow and were getting stuck on the main streets rather than try and be descent in their pace. I took a couple wrong turns thought I was going to have to ditch the KJ at one point and walk a mile back to the Apartment. But the KJ didn't quit and powered along up four inch snow covered roads, with worn out Wrangler ST Highway Tires. Once I was able to keep traffic OUT OF MY WAY I was able to push a hard run up the last hill on my journey home after four tries, leaving some people in shock that a vehicle was able to climb the hill (Gee speed does wonders in certain situations though rather than creep five miles an hour like an idiot when you know the hill is steep and most likely covered in ice).
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