FWD step vans.

gman042

Been around the block a few times
It occurred to me as I was mucking around in 8" of new snow today that front wheel drive would be a plus. The rear wheel drive is outdated and inadequate. These new trucks are so light in the rear that getting traction is a losing battle in loose snow. With front wheel drive you have the weight of the vehicle that would assist in traction.
Perhaps it is an engineering impossibility with weight of the trucks but it sure seems plausible to me.
 

Brownslave688

You want a toe? I can get you a toe.
It occurred to me as I was mucking around in 8" of new snow today that front wheel drive would be a plus. The rear wheel drive is outdated and inadequate. These new trucks are so light in the rear that getting traction is a losing battle in loose snow. With front wheel drive you have the weight of the vehicle that would assist in traction.
Perhaps it is an engineering impossibility with weight of the trucks but it sure seems plausible to me.
We have some trucks that get around decent in the snow. Others are terrible.

The workhorse p57 man I can get out of about anything in those. The diesel p700 a dusting and it's tow truck time.
 

cosmo1

Perhaps.
Staff member
Borrow a FWD van, load a ton of crap in the back, and see how well it gets around in the snow with the front wheels un-weighted.
 

soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
The front wheel drive transmission has not been made that would hold up to the abuse of a UPS delivery route for 200,000 miles. Front wheel drive transmissions have half the lifespan of rear wheel drive units, and cost 2 to 3 times as much to overhaul when they fail. A better way to gain traction would be for pkg cars in snow country to be equipped with locking rear differentials. That, plus good tires and chains, would be far better and more affordable than trying to design an entirely new transmission and drive train.
 

gman042

Been around the block a few times
The front wheel drive transmission has not been made that would hold up to the abuse of a UPS delivery route for 200,000 miles. Front wheel drive transmissions have half the lifespan of rear wheel drive units, and cost 2 to 3 times as much to overhaul when they fail. A better way to gain traction would be for pkg cars in snow country to be equipped with locking rear differentials. That, plus good tires and chains, would be far better and more affordable than trying to design an entirely new transmission and drive train.

Yeah.....these limited slip diffs are the worst.
 
...A better way to gain traction would be for pkg cars in snow country to be equipped with locking rear differentials. That, plus good tires and chains, would be far better and more affordable than trying to design an entirely new transmission and drive train.

One winter I had a unique P1000 with a full locker that could go anywhere. That truck is long gone.
 

Old International

Now driving a Sterling
How long do you think the CV joints would last under a package car drivers full throttle starts? Hard High rpm shifts? I knew a driver that dropped the clutch at 2000 rpm during a standing start......all the time....
 

rod

Retired 22 years
How long do you think the CV joints would last under a package car drivers full throttle starts? Hard High rpm shifts? I knew a driver that dropped the clutch at 2000 rpm during a standing start......all the time....

You ain't working fast enough if you don't get a little wheelie going on every start-up.
 

bbsam

Moderator
Staff member
I'm sure any mechanic being honest would tell you clutch replacement is really a simple job. Actually dropping the transmission only takes about a half hour. That's no reason to abuse, but the fix is easy.
 
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