Quote:
Originally Posted by t walgamuth
4WD makes a huge difference in driving simply in a straight line on icy roads. ... here is why....if it is very slick, if only two wheels are driving it is able to lose traction with the driven wheels and the vehicle will slew to one side or the other. If FWD that will mean it will simply begin to plow off the road and a total loss of steering capability as soon as the front wheels lose traction. If RWD the car will fishtail.
I have driven my Montero on slippery highways in windy conditions I stopped and engaged 4wd high range and straight line stability improved markedly. My car was fishtailing just traveling on a straight road because it was icy and windy.
I think the author overstates the reality in the article above.
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The author explicitly stated and explained the exact situation that you experienced:
Quote:
Some disagree, saying AWD helps bad-weather handling because it quells power on oversteer, the fishtailing rear-drive cars experience when a ham-footed driver is too rough on the accelerator. It is true that AWD is excellent at preventing the tail from stepping out under power. But this is not "improving handling." It's really aiding acceleration.
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The author is correct regarding the physics of the situation. However, I would also agree that the vehicle has "improved handling" in such a situation. The fact that the tail does not slide out or get forced out by the wind is not necessarily "aiding acceleration", because the vehicle can be traveling at a constant speed.
The point that I disagree with, and the only point in this lengthy discussion, is the statement that the 4wd vehicle has
"improved cornering".