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The stable 2WD


AMiller

AMiller

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Hey Guys,

I am new to the automotive world so please bear with me.

Just wondering if there is anything I can do to make my Ranger handle better in bad weather. I have a great set of winter tires on there now, but the truck keeps slipping when the roads get really snowy. I have also put some weight in the back (about 180 lbs). Just wondering if there is a better fix than alot of sand bags.

Thanks in Advance,

Andrew
 
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ILLEGALCONCEPTS

ILLEGALCONCEPTS

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I remeber the first year I put "real" snow tires on my truck. I went everywhere. I was heading home one night from work taking my time waiting for some moron to go up a hill when a 4x4 passed me up. Once the "unable driver" was clear of the hill I started my run w/o issue only to find the 4x4 guy off on the side of the road from going too fast. Then I got a LS rear end and what a difference that made.

You have to take your time and learn how the truck responds to slipping around. I use to leave work (which is a 1/2 mile series of bends and hills) with one side or the other hanging slightly out. As long as you are in control and still moving, you'll make it home. My truck liked 2nd gear at about 2500RPM. It gave me the right about of spin to keep the tires clean but not enough to sink through to pavement and burn the rubber. There is a fine line that you must find and the only way to do that is to get out there. Get a set of chains incase you do get stuck and through a bag of salt in the back for those "ice" situations that can pop up.

The 180lbs was all I liked to carry once my truck was lowered. Before the drop, I would carry 300lbs centered over the wheelwells. Now I have a cap on my truck and it seems to work just as well as anything else I tried.

James
 

broken2wd

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a 2wd drive ranger is probably one of the worst vehicles in the history of the world to drive in the snow. its all wheel spin and sliding. good tires and weight will help cut down on the wheel spin. so will limited slip. sliding for me is the best part of winter. i don't have any weight in the back except whatever snow is in there and my tires are about shot. no ls either so i get to drift everywhere. way more fun then having traction. and i've never been in the ditch. 4x4 is good for winter but it lets people get going faster than they really should be. 2wd i think can be safer because you definitely know when you are going to fast.
 
rickcdewitt

rickcdewitt

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get a set of wheels to put studded tires on if they are allowed in your area.
 
ILLEGALCONCEPTS

ILLEGALCONCEPTS

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I tried studded tires on my truck and didn't like the results. I had used them in the past with mixed results but I really hated them on my truck. The "real" snow tires I got worked better than anything else I have tried to this point.

James
 
Capt Jay

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Go slow. Any other questions.
 
Simple_serf

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But do not go too slow. You need to use inertia to help you. Chains can be good too. I have always driven 2wd trucks. I live about an hour south of Buffalo, to give you an idea of the amount of snow I am used to. Driving a 2wd in alot of snow takes good equipment and some skill, but I have driven through snow that some 4wd people were afraid of going out in. I run a set of Cooper Snow tires (will be going over to Firestone this spring, as my coopers are about shot), 500Lbs sand, and a collapsable shovel, just in case, for most conditions. Rough conditions, throw the chains on. Get used to sliding around a little bit. Lean how to use the sliding to your advantage, and learn how to control it.
 
2002edgeplussupercab

2002edgeplussupercab

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I have a full set (4) of Firestone Winterforce studded tires I have used the past 6 winters. The studs are wore about half but the rubber isn't worn hardly at all. They are all I need on my 1 wheel peel.
 
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