# does anybody actually have a 2WD NISMO?



## Centurion (Sep 5, 2002)

All right, the deal fell through on the Nismo that I was supposed to buy on Saturday. I went to another dealer and they located a version that I really want, a Nismo 2 WD (but it's 120 miles away).

My question is, With the locking differential, and being 2 WD of course, how well does it go in the snow? I don't expect 4 WD performance of course, but with the locker engaged can it "go anywhere" within reason?


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## Q-Tip (Sep 10, 2005)

I have one, but I have never driven it in snow. Sorry.

I can tell you that the diff lock works, and the truck doesn't like to turn corners when it's engaged. Drags the tires. :thumbup: But it should be OK in snow or soft dirt/grass/mud, just not on pavement.


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## sighter (Jul 12, 2005)

I have a 2WD Nismo. The LSD works better than any I have owned before. I made a sharp right hand turn in the wet under hard acceleration the other day from a stop. This usually results in horrid wheel spin on other vehicles but the Nismo pulled right through it with the traction control light blinking away and the clutches in the limited slip worked great, I was up to speed as if it were dry pavement.

I used the locker the other day. I had pulled off a steep incline onto some grass and parked the truck. It then rained and when I put it in drive it began to slip / lock / slip so I flipped on the locker and pulled right up the hill.

I think the truck would do OK in the snow.


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## Argo73 (Oct 31, 2005)

There's been only a little bit of snow where I live this winter, but I haven't had to put it in 4 wheel for the snow yet. I have the ABLS, which has worked very well for slippery conditions. I had a '02 dakota before and that had the anti-spin diff.; that truck would just spin around once you hit the gas in snow, even though it had the 3.9 in it (which was a dog btw).
I would really like to drive a Frontier that didn't have the ABLS in the snow to see the difference.


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## scuba91ta (Aug 19, 2005)

Forget goin much of anywhere in the snow even with the locker on - i've driven around in the snow plenty - in 4wd and in 2wd... i have the abls, and it doesn't do great.... better than one legging it, butif there is much snow down, ur not going far

find some patience and stick it out for the 4wd - it's more than worth it IMO


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## mainerunr (Jul 30, 2005)

I think the issue would be, how fast will the locker stay engaged and how crowned are the roads where you live. If the roads are crowned, you can expect to slide down the crown (so I've read about most lockers and snow...but I've also read that you can learn to adjust to it...ie dont mat the gas and expect to go straight).

I would expect ABLS to help more in snow than the locker.

On a side note, I got behind a slow car going up a rather icy hill tonight and even at 25mph in 4th gear I was slipping like crazy. I think this is where ABLS would have helped if I had it. Instead I took my foot off the gas and turned the dial, front end engaged and away I went, no more slipping. I think I would rather have 4wd, no locker than 2wd w/locker.


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## bender031 (Aug 30, 2005)

I thought the locker only engages if you are in 4low? is t available on a 2wd nismo?


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## Markus77 (Jan 16, 2006)

well when i asked my local nissan service guy he told me that when the locker is engaged, you should not exceed 12-15 mph because the back end will slide around alot easier around turns which will cause probs. Also the manual says not to exceed 12 mph or you will damage the drive line. I would assume that driving in snow with the locker engaged would prob give you some probs around turns. 
Markus.


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## 05 NISMO 4X4 (Jun 4, 2005)

Markus77 said:


> well when i asked my local nissan service guy he told me that when the locker is engaged, you should not exceed 12-15 mph because the back end will slide around alot easier around turns which will cause probs. Also the manual says not to exceed 12 mph or you will damage the drive line. I would assume that driving in snow with the locker engaged would prob give you some probs around turns.
> Markus.


I agree, and doesn't having the locker engaged disable the ABLS? Or maybe it's the VDC, I don't recall. But either way, taking a corner with the locker engaged will force the inside tire to spin due to torque build up because the inside wheel does not travel as far as the outside wheel. On snow and ice, this equates to loss traction. I would think the ABLS would be better in the snow because it will apply the brake to the wheel that looses traction, shifting power to the wheel with traction. I have experienced this in 2WD, and it does a pretty good job, but nothing like 4WD though, so don't get lulled into thinking 2WD with ABLS and a locker will keep you on the road as well as 4WD will. Of course the best bet, regardless of whether you have 2WD or 4WD is to slow down and take it easy around corners!


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## avenger (Oct 7, 2005)

sighter said:


> I have a 2WD Nismo. The LSD works better than any I have owned before. I made a sharp right hand turn in the wet under hard acceleration the other day from a stop. This usually results in horrid wheel spin on other vehicles but the Nismo pulled right through it with the traction control light blinking away and the clutches in the limited slip worked great, I was up to speed as if it were dry pavement.
> 
> I used the locker the other day. I had pulled off a steep incline onto some grass and parked the truck. It then rained and when I put it in drive it began to slip / lock / slip so I flipped on the locker and pulled right up the hill.
> 
> I think the truck would do OK in the snow.


there aren't any clutches in our diffs, the "limited slip" was the brakes being applied to the slipping wheel... we have a standard open diff with an electronic locker


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## avenger (Oct 7, 2005)

The locker is only designed for use when you're absolutely stuck. It is fickle about engaging (even if your light glows and it says its locked, it may not lock. it also auto-disengages itself at higher speeds to protect itself. just read the manual)

Plus driving with a fully locked rear end on snow is not always best practice... good if you're stuck, but it's much better to have a 4wd when turning...


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## MrFancypants (Nov 18, 2005)

05 NISMO 4X4 said:


> I agree, and doesn't having the locker engaged disable the ABLS? Or maybe it's the VDC, I don't recall. But either way, taking a corner with the locker engaged will force the inside tire to spin due to torque build up because the inside wheel does not travel as far as the outside wheel.


Turning on the locker disables both ABLS to the rear axle and VDC. ABLS and VDC both use the brakes, so if you figure you just locked your diff, braking on one side isnt going to slow down just one wheel. Youre definitely only supposed to use the locker in a straight line and at low speeds.


- Greg -


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## Q-Tip (Sep 10, 2005)

MrFancypants said:


> Turning on the locker disables both ABLS to the rear axle and VDC. ABLS and VDC both use the brakes, so if you figure you just locked your diff, braking on one side isnt going to slow down just one wheel. Youre definitely only supposed to use the locker in a straight line and at low speeds.
> 
> 
> - Greg -


On the 2wd trucks the ABS and SLIP lights come on. Since the SLIP is essentially a brake function I assume that the electronic brake controls are the only thing that gets disabled. Don't have VDC.

As for the low speed only, I engaged the diff lock at a stoplight one time (do it occasionally just to try, you know it doesn't engage every time) and when I turned it off the DIFF LOCK light stayed on and the diff didn't unlock. Ran up to about 40 mph before it disengaged itself finally. Don't think I tore anything up because I was going in a straight line and no strange symptoms since. Has happened a couple times since, that the diff wouldn't disengage.


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