Skip to Content

Can You Drive a 2wd Truck in the Snow? (Read This First!)

Usually, a car owner will not think much of anything when he/she just needs to go from point A to B. Their terrain or region will impact the vehicle they have. However, it will not make any difference if they do not go off-road and just stick to the main road.

Vehicles have three different modes when it comes to giving power to the wheels. Yes, there are different cars and trucks out there whose engines give power to different sets of wheels. A normal civilian wouldn’t pay attention to such detail.

Although if you happen to live in a remote icy region or somewhere where the road is not well, where you might need to go off-road a lot. Then you need a specific type of system for the vehicle. 

Keep reading below as we differentiate and elaborate on the 2WD, AWD, and 4WD as well as discuss which will be best suited for your needs.

Can you drive a 2wd truck in the snow?

It is known that 2WD trucks are not the best choice to drive in a snowy area. They are less reliable than the 4WD trucks. However, if we have the right skills of driving and good precautions while in the snow then it will rather be a smooth experience. So, you can drive a 2WD truck in the snow.

The topic of 2WD trucks being able to or not able to be driven in snowy areas is a controversial one. Some people swore by their years of experience of driving a 2WD truck in a snowy area without any issues. 

Then there are others who have some of the worst experiences with a 2WD truck in a snowy region.

These days many passenger cars are 2WD since that is cheaper to manufacture. However, larger vehicles such as pickup trucks rely on the RWD to help with better traction. 

So, it is not uncommon for 2WD trucks to be used, it is just that they are not the most efficient ones to have in a snowy area.

2WD trucks with an RWD system, in other words, a Rear Wheel Drive mode are considered to be performance vehicles. They offer many features and flexibility. 

However, most of the trucks have an FWD or a Front Wheel Drive that helps them have more control if the roads get slippery or icy.

This is because the bulk of the weight of the truck is over to the front and that assists with traction. Furthermore, the other advantage is that power is being put to the road in the same direction that we are steering. Thus, making the 2WD truck viable even in snowy areas.

Is a 2wd truck good in the snow? How bad is a 2wd truck in the snow?

No, a 2WD truck is not good in the snow. However, that does not mean that you are not able to ride one in the snow. It is bad, yes, but with the right preparations and steady hands with the vehicle, it is possible to traverse the snow in a 2WD.

These vehicles have a high risk of sliding out in snowy areas since they do not have good traction. So, if we insist on having a 2WD in a snowy region we need to make sure that at least the weight distribution on the trunk is good enough. 

That way we will have enough traction to at least not spin out.

Why are 2WD trucks bad in the snow?

There are not many reasons as to why 2WD trucks are bad in snow apart from how the vehicle operates in conjunction with the driver. Let us have a brief look at this topic.

RWD:

In the case of 2WD trucks there are two variants. One is the FWD or Front-Wheel-Drive and the other is the RWD or Rear-Wheel-Drive. 

If the truck is in FWD then it is possible to drive them in snowy areas although it should be driven in a careful manner in order to achieve proper results.

RWD trucks on the other hand are more suited for traversing in areas where there is little to no snow at all. So, if the 2WD truck we have is an RWD then it is bad in the snow.

Weight:

In the case of a truck being 2WD and as well as FWD then there is less likely that the truck fail in snow terrain. However, if the truck does not have proper weight distribution, then there will be great difficulty in operating the truck. 

Therefore, making the 2WD truck bad in the snow.

Driving Skill:

Apart from the proper tires and weight distribution of a truck during snow, we also need to be experts at navigating such terrain. 

The main thing here is that we are going to be driving a 2WD vehicle that is already handicapped as it is not suitable for snow navigation.

How to drive a 2wd truck in the snow?

In order to be able to drive in a snowy region. There are several precautionary steps that we need to realize and put forward before even going for a drive. We discuss the necessary steps on how to drive a 2WD truck in the snow below.

Weight distribution:

This might be different for different trucks. However, the idea is the same for all of them. The first thing we need to make sure the truck we have has good weight distribution.

Some trucks might need something around 200pounds on the back. On the other hand, some might need something between 400 pounds. But the main to make sure here is that the trunk of the car has proper weight.

Tires:

Second thing we need to have prepared beforehand so that we can drive a 2WD in the snow is tires. To elaborate, we need good tires that with the addition of having good traction also has compatibility in snow navigation.

Tires that are old and not good can get hard during the cold season especially. This happens because they lose all their treads.

Drive safely and simply:

This is by far the most important step of all, always remember to drive safely and simply. 

Drive carefully and skillfully, steady throttle and steady handling, as well as braking, will yield the best results when it comes to driving a 2WD truck on snow.

How to improve 2wd truck traction?

There are a few things we could do in order to get better traction when driving a car. Some of the things might come down to just driving skills, but skills can only get you so far. Down below we discuss how to exponentially improve your truck’s traction.

Tires:

This is a no-brainer when it comes to improving a car’s traction on a snowy road or off-road. Bald and worn-out tires with minimal tread often make the driver lose control of their vehicles.

Therefore, to have the best stability while driving a truck we need larger tires with a deep tread to ensure the best traction.

Brakes:

Sometimes a powerful brake system can act as a double-edged sword. If we are not careful with the car and cannot maintain our vehicle’s system properly, we will be more likely to lose traction and slide out when trying to stop.

Weight:

This is a trick that almost all truck drivers in areas of heavy snow do. They will deliberately put sandbags on the rear of the truck beds. 

They do this directly on the rear axle that in turn adds weight to the trucks and thus they get more traction with a 2WD truck in the snow.

This is one of the best ways to get more traction in snow. However, be aware doing so will lower your fuel mileage by a little.

Final Thoughts

We cannot deny the fact that the 2WD is not a good choice when it comes to snow-covered areas. However, we also cannot say that you are not able to drive a 2WD truck in the snow. If you have the required skills and good tires as well as weight on the trunk, then you can get through most snowy roads.