A friend has a 07 RWD Trailblazer that he wants to sell me. He's rebuilt the 4200 with all high quality parts and it's in beautiful shape. Motor was killed by a quick lube place. Anyway, he's in ATL and I'm in BTV. Am I crazy to consider a RWD Trailblazer for winter duty? It would haul the VW on its trailer rather easily though. Or the C3 to the 2025 Challenge!
That's what a good set of snow tires are for.
DeadSkunk (Warren) said:That's what a good set of snow tires are for.
This - we bought a 2003 new (2WD) and the wife ran it 15 years - don't forget we grew up in Chicago winters driving $500 beater Impala's and Delta 88's so it was no big deal.
Ours had the limited slip rear axle and we tried to have decent tires. Otherwise we had no issues.
I did it for some years without incident. RWD cars with proper tires are great snow vehicles.
I've always had, and currently, have a fwd with studded snows. I go everywhere with it. But it's a manual and the wife can't drive it. When I need to bring her car in for work she's basically stranded.
I mostly leave my Jeeps in RWD with studded snows. I usually only need to use 4wd for my 18% driveway
The OP is in Vermont, where they get a lot of snow - if you're in a rural area where the plows don't get out as quickly AWD would be preferred, if you're in the city it may not be as big an issue.
RWD Sonoma with G80 limited slip here, Detroit winters were no problem with proper winter tires and 100 lbs of ballast in the bed.
RWD Sonoma, far left
stuart in mn said:The OP is in Vermont, where they get a lot of snow - if you're in a rural area where the plows don't get out as quickly AWD would be preferred, if you're in the city it may not be as big an issue.
I've found that snow depth is mostly countered by ride height, not number of drive wheels. Last season we got 720" of snow and I only really used 4wd a few times, mostly going down the 10% grade leaving my neighborhood.
I have dailyed plenty of rwd vehicles in the snow and ice and snow tires are key, and along with a little weight in the rear.
Good snows and you'll be fine. When I was DD-ing the Jeep (on Hakka R2s) in the winter I rarely had a reason to put it in 4wd, although the rear on that does have an LSD. The last few years I've been DD-ing the E38 (on Blizzaks) through the winter and I haven't had a single day I've gone somewhere that it hasn't been fine. I occasionally wish for an LSD, but the open diff hasn't been more than a minor annoyance most days.
The thing about AWD is 98% of the time it isn't really needed, but for that last 2% it can be really handy.
I drove RWD vehicles in the winter in Upstate NY for a couple of decades. Good snow tires, preferably studded, and it's fine. However, 4wd is better.
I should mention I live at 1000 feet where you take a dirt road to a dirt road to get to my house. It's quite rural. It's plowed well as it's a bus route though.
I wouldn't consider anything but studded snows.
I need to ask if it's got an LSD.
vwcorvette (Forum Supporter) said:I need to ask if it's got an LSD.
My XJ has an open diff. My JT has a locker. The difference is pretty amazing but remember that on ice that diff can add to the fun(oversteer).
I would not just because they rust and rust and rust some more. I cannot remember the last time I saw a Trailblazer in the wild, the rear suspension liked to fall off.
They were also a complete pain to do any kind of work on at all, and usually pretty expensive parts wise too
No LSD. Womp Womp! Hard no.
Thanks for the input.
In reply to Pete. (l33t FS) :
Yes, like childbirth I forgot the pain of working on this vehicle. Ours did have a heavily rusted undercarriage too.
Probably way out of my reach, but as a southern boy, I might be interested.
BTW, in looking for a beater, I found a 89 Astro, cheap. Not running (bad engine and sketchy trans) but not rusty. And cheap! I might be able to find it again, if you were interested?
vwcorvette (Forum Supporter) said:No LSD. Womp Womp! Hard no.
Thanks for the input.
If its clean and a good deal, don't let the lack of an LSD deter you. Keep an eye out for one in the junkyard or have one installed.
A close friend with impeccable car control and a great driver said so what to the lack of an LSD as many of you have mentioned. Add one later if you really need it.
No rust on this one too. So i could treat it to protect it.
Argh, so flip floppy right now.
I'd have to sell Jean CLyde Damn Van too.
vwcorvette (Forum Supporter) said:A close friend with impeccable car control and a great driver said so what to the lack of an LSD as many of you have mentioned. Add one later if you really need it.
No rust on this one too. So i could treat it to protect it.
Argh, so flip floppy right now.
limited slip makes a rear drive car undriveable in the winter. When one tire slips, both slip, and the back of the car falls down the slope of the road.
My opinion is colored by cars with a wheelbase short and track width wide. My first experience with limited slip in the winter was trying to make a tight turn in a parking lot, and the rear tires could not turn at different rates, so the direction the car was pointed at stayed the same but it just went sideways to the left when I was just trying to creep around a fuel station island.
The highway was similarly fun. With an open diff, one tire might spin but the other gives you directional stability. Limited slip, falling to the inside of a curve on the Interstate at 40mph was butt puckering.
A lot of the later LSD's in trucks are "gov locks" that only function at low speeds, under 25mph maybe? Think crawl out of a ditch, not drifting and smokey burnouts. The Blazer is probably this type. They all have the same G80 rpo code.
Note: gov locks do not like the additives typical to LSD diffs. Just use plain gear oil. Check your owners manual.
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