It is a standard winter scene in Northern Michigan: A massive blizzard blankets the highway. Cars are sliding into ditches. Traffic is crawling at 30 MPH. Then, in the left lane, a heavy-duty pickup truck roars past doing 65 MPH, pulling a large enclosed trailer. The driver looks confident, perhaps even relaxed. After all, he has a 4-Wheel Drive (4WD) badge on the fender and aggressive all-terrain tires.
Five miles down the road, you see that same truck in the median. The trailer has swung around and smashed into the driver’s side door. The rig is folded like a pocketknife.
This scenario is tragic, but it is not bad luck. It is physics.
There is a dangerous misconception among drivers in the Snow Belt that 4WD is a safety shield. We are taught that it gives us traction, and traction equals control. But when you attach a 5,000-pound pendulum (a trailer) to the back of your vehicle, 4WD becomes a deceptive liar. It masks the true condition of the road until it is too late, creating a false sense of security that often leads to the dreaded jackknife.
The “Go” vs. “Stop” Disconnect
The fundamental flaw in 4WD logic is that it only helps with acceleration. By sending power to all four wheels, the truck can claw its way through deep snow and find grip on icy inclines. It prevents you from getting stuck.
However, 4WD does absolutely nothing to help you stop.
When you hit the brakes, every vehicle is a 4-wheel brake vehicle. Your truck has the exact same braking ability as a 2-wheel drive sedan. The friction between your tires and the ice is the only thing slowing you down.
Here is the trap: Because 4WD allows the driver to accelerate easily without spinning the tires, the driver assumes the road isn’t that slippery. They feel “planted.” So, they drive faster than conditions allow.
The Physics of the Jackknife
The danger arises when that speeding truck needs to slow down.
When you touch the brakes on a patch of black ice, the truck loses traction. But the trailer, which has no engine and often less sophisticated braking systems, still has momentum. It wants to keep moving forward at 60 MPH.
If the truck slows down faster than the trailer, the trailer pushes against the hitch.
If the truck and trailer are perfectly aligned, the trailer pushes the truck straight forward. But the road is rarely perfect. If the truck is slightly angled, or if the road is crowned, the force from the trailer pushes the rear of the truck sideways.
This is where 4WD fails you. Once the rear tires of the truck break traction and start sliding sideways, sending power to the front wheels won’t save you. In fact, if the wheels are spinning, you lose what little lateral grip you had. The trailer swings around, overtaking the truck.
The “Sled” Effect
Trailers in winter are essentially giant sleds. Even if they have electric brakes, trailer brakes are notoriously difficult to modulate on ice.
- Gain set too high: The trailer wheels lock up instantly on ice. A locked wheel has no directional stability. The trailer slides sideways into the other lane.
- Gain set too low: The trailer doesn’t brake enough, pushing the truck from behind and causing the jackknife.
Finding the “Goldilocks” zone for a brake controller in variable winter conditions—where dry pavement turns to slush, then to ice—is nearly impossible.
The “Rudder” Problem
The safest vehicle in snow is one that provides feedback. In a 2-wheel drive vehicle, if you hit a patch of ice, the drive wheels spin. You feel the loss of traction immediately. You instinctively lift off the gas and slow down. The vehicle “tells” you the road is dangerous.
A 4WD vehicle masks this feedback. It suppresses the slip. It allows you to drive onto a sheet of black ice at highway speeds without realizing you have zero friction. You are piloting a missile with no guidance system.
When you are towing, you need that feedback. You need to know that the road is slick so you can reduce speed before the emergency braking event happens.
Conclusion
Driving in the Alpine Village during winter requires a respect for momentum that goes beyond vehicle specs. No amount of technology can defeat the laws of inertia.
The only thing that prevents a jackknife is speed reduction. If you are towing on snow-covered roads, ignore the badge on your fender. Drive as if you have no brakes at all. Assume that any sudden input—steering or braking—will send the trailer swinging.
For many residents and visitors, the safest option during the harsh winter months is to avoid putting their own equipment at risk entirely. Utilizing a reliable trailer rental in Gaylord MI allows you to select a unit that is maintained specifically for these conditions, with inspected brakes and tires, rather than relying on a personal trailer that has been sitting in a snowbank for six months. But regardless of whose equipment you pull, remember: 4WD helps you get into trouble; only slow, cautious driving helps you get out of it.