(Home) 4WD. Winter driving

Anyone have any tips for driving the townie in snow, what a shock today ! and so different driving the rear wheel drive townie to the other cars i have driven all front wheel drive - (#1684) Ron, 22 Dec 01

use 4x4!!
seriously, though, be gentle, and watch some old rallys to learn about opposite lock... Try getting it into a quiet and slippery carpark, and learning through experience.
cd OK, BTW? - (#1686) david miller, 23 Dec 01

Ron, if you have a 4x4 Townie, then put it in 4 wheel drive, apply the locks on the front freewheeling hubs, and if your really stuck use the low ratio in the box, this is fine on snow & ice & will give you valuable traction & control, remember though, to switch off the 4 wheel drive & switch the freewheeling hubs back to 'FREE' when you get onto good road, as you could damage the diffs if you run in true 4x4 on tarmac. If you have a 2 wheel drive model, get yourself COLIN MCRAE RALLY 2, for you PC and have a go on the snow with a 2 wheel drive car, then you will learn all about opposite lock & steering into skids etc, this could then be followed up with a trip to the car park as Dave suggested. Even better, book yourself on a driving day at Silverstone & do the skid pans & rallying, I did this last year and this is the real way to learn about slides & car control. I also did the Institute of Advanced Motorists course a few years ago & that also teaches you car control in emergency situations. Be careful though, the Townie has a much higher centre of gravity than you average Subaru Impreza, therefore it could topple over if you were sliding in fun and clipped a kerb say. HTH. Regards Rob. - (#1687) Rob Drinkwater, 23 Dec 01

then it does perform suprisingly well in the snow.
I was in the Lake District last new year when it snowed really heavily, and while everyone was struggling on the main roads I was on the minor ones, and it didn't miss a beat, or slip anywhere... really surprising, but pleasing that I acually got to use the 4x4 in anger so to speak - (#1688) skippy, 23 Dec 01

Yeah, I am waiting for the snow that the forecasters have promised us, as I want to try out the 4x4 on our Townie properly, having only had it just over a month, however I shouldn't hold my breath as I ;ive not far from London & let's face it, it never snows around Christmas. On that note, Merry Christmas to all you Townie, Master, Surf & Spacey owners out there. Regards Rob. - (#1690) Rob Drinkwater, 23 Dec 01