Sir,
If you are going to travel in ice & snow often you need to get an all wheel drive. You come to realize that most places we drive have some sort of road base.
You can choose to have a full electronic locker on the front and rear axles like I've used on conventional solid axle off road vehicles like my jeeps or trucks but they would never get me to the same hike, hunting, or ski-slope locations a damn suburu or (new type) Landrover would do.
I now own a Land Rover for such purpose and it has no equal. Older Land Rovers have solid axles and they suck too.
Eventhough I had fully locked and cocked vehicles, the detroit trutrac is a better option for road use. I had these front and rear on some four wheel drives and the did pretty darn good and you can learn to manipulate their traction using the emergency brake trick that works small miracles.
You have to remember unless the solid axle 4x4 vehicle comes from the factory with lockers like some toyotas, its only a two wheel drive. One front, one rear.
Tires are a waste of money you soon learn when you slide off the road in your locked jeep with studded mud tires while a subaru drives right on by. All wheel drive.
http://www.eaton.com/Eaton/Products...tiveAftermarket/Differentials/PCT_221471Let me leave you with this. Ice is a liability with any traction system and the lability increases with speed and gravity.
