Hey all, just got my 1st gen stuck in the snow for the first time. When the 4WD engages only my driver's side front wheel and passenger side rear wheel was spinning, thoughts?

 

Normal. The CR-V does not have locking differentials.

 

It's Honda's RTAWD, not a true 4x4 with diff locks. Momentum is your friend.

 

It's a 'soft roader' not an 'off roader,' keep that in mind....

You'll be able to travel up nice fire roads as long as they aren't rutted out, or clay mud, or snow banks that you don't have clearance.

Now if you're just getting stuck in the street...welp...did you have snow tires?

 

I was literally just messing around in the parking lot at work on a snow bank. Recently put on 215/75 Grabbers.

 

So you got two wheels off the ground, or at least took enough weight off opposite corners that they effectively had no traction in the snow.

If it's any consolation, this can happen with any vehicle that doesn't have lockers (many newer cars mitigate it with brake-based torque redistribution). I have been passenger in a 1st gen Forester when this happened trying to get over a big rock, even with the 50-50 split AWD system. It can even happen in a true 4wd with a transfer case, if the truck doesn't have a locking diff. A friend got his Jeep XJ stuck in a deep cross ditch because he tried to angle through and got opposite corners off the ground.

Since the CR-V has relatively limited suspension travel compared to a real offroad vehicle, it happens sooner. The best way to compensate for it is to pick your lines such that you always have at least 3 wheels solidly on the ground. If that's not possible, as KINgJ8 mentioned, you need to use momentum to carry you past the obstacle.