2wd in Snow

[mercury89]

Hey guys, first post on here. I am looking to get a Ranger as a DD, 4cyl, 5spd, reg cab, 2wd. So heres the deal, I live in MA and need to know how well these trucks do in the snow.
Does anyone have any experience with these 2wd trucks in the snow? Do they do okay? I am perfectly fine with adding weight to the bed or buying snow specific tires (may be studded) but I would like to hear anyones personal experiences.
Thanks!

 

[Mark_88]

My 2wd Ranger could handle just about anything a Canadian winter could throw at it...just depends on whether you're used to driving rear wheel drive...

And a five speed certainly helps...only had to rock mine a couple of times...but that was in my driveway when the landlord couldn't get over to clean it out...

 

[stegomon]

slap some cynder blocks in the back for some added pounds over the rear axil...should be fine

 

[Sevensecondsuv]

I'll give you my experience.

If it has bald tires and an open differential, it'll get stuck on a flat road with 2" of snow on it.

If it has good all season tires with good tread and a good tight limited slip differential, it'll drive through 6" of snow up hill no problem.

So in my experience, tires and differential make a huge difference.

 

[177CIOfPureLove]

If you put a significant amount of weight on the axle and can understand shifting you will be fine. dont do anything crazy and the truck will do anything you want it to, within reason. I have an open rear and a 2.9 v-6 with a 5spd...the 4 banger is better off with less lower tourque. The key is weight over your axle, say 200- 300 lbs. At least.

 

[86ford]

limited slip and some ATs will do wonders for a 2wd

86

 

[rangerbum]

It's exciting, but not bad. Just be aware of when to be in and out of throttle.

 

[Southern3.0]

I have no experience driving in snow but when I used to live in Chicago my Dad had a 91' open diff 2 wheel with a 3.0 and a 5 spd. He said he never once got stuck with it in the snow, even going out to his job sites and all. He did have a flat topper on the bed and probibly 200 lbs of tools in the truck all the time though.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

slap some cynder blocks in the back for some added pounds over the rear axil...should be fine

NO CINDERBLOCKS!!!

You want to add weight over the rear axle, but you don't want to use ANYTHING that could become a dangerous projectile in the event of a wreck. I've seen what damage a couple cinderblocks can do to a pickup bed just by sliding around and it ain't pretty. IMHO, I wouldn't want to chance a wreck and have them cinderblocks join me in the cab. No thanks.

Sandbags, snow (if you don't use your bed much or at all, just pack in a load of the fluffy stuff), bags of salt or kitty litter, bags of lead shot, etc. Something that woln't move a whole lot or be damaging (the bags of lead shot surprisingly don't move much and take up minimal space, thus my preference). You'll want to protect whatever you use from getting wet (except snow of course) and freezing into a solid lump, however, because then it could be just as bad as the cinderblocks.

I've never run official snow tires on my Ranger, nor studded tires (around here the law states that you have to buy 4 snow tires or studded tires and run them on all four corners, you're not allowed to have just studded rear tires or just snow tires on the rear.

I ran mud tires on the rear and aggressive AT tires on the front a couple winters. They did great in deep snow as long as I had minimal weight over the rear axle (100-250lbs). They sucked on hardpack and ice, however. With a set of V-bar chains on the muds, it was like having a set of tank tracks on the thing, I had awesome traction on ice, hardpack snow, fresh snow, deep snow, etc. Of course, running chains all the time, especially over mud tires, is a bit of a PITA. I got away with it cuz I only had about a mile to go to campus and I could stay on roads that were always covered in hardpack snow or a thick layer of ice.

Then I ran a set of aggressive AT tires with factory siping on all fours for one winter and they did surprisingly well. Didn't handle deep snow quite as well, but made the truck driveable on hardpack and ice or a couple inches of fresh stuff. I ran Sport King ATs then. Had to up the weight and run 250-400 lbs though.

This last winter I drove my choptop most of the time.... locked front and rear makes it a bit interesting sometimes though.

 

[mercury89]

Well it seems like Ill be okay as long as I dont drive like a crazy person and get dedicated snow tires and some weight over the rear axle.
Now I just have to start looking for a truck!!

 

[Snowdoogie]

Well I have 1999 2WD S/C with a topper, with alseason tires it wasn't the greatest, if there was a strong crosswind at 80km it would start to blow me off the hiway. Traction around town up little hill ect. was not all that good.
Last winter I put on some X-ICE radails what a differance, it was good in deep snow, Ice, intown, and on the hiway.
Now with that said I've driven 4WD for the last 20 years.
Like the guys have said weight in the back, and I recomend ICE tires.

 

[mercury89]

NO CINDERBLOCKS!!!

You want to add weight over the rear axle, but you don't want to use ANYTHING that could become a dangerous projectile in the event of a wreck. I've seen what damage a couple cinderblocks can do to a pickup bed just by sliding around and it ain't pretty. IMHO, I wouldn't want to chance a wreck and have them cinderblocks join me in the cab. No thanks.

Sandbags, snow (if you don't use your bed much or at all, just pack in a load of the fluffy stuff), bags of salt or kitty litter, bags of lead shot, etc. Something that woln't move a whole lot or be damaging (the bags of lead shot surprisingly don't move much and take up minimal space, thus my preference). You'll want to protect whatever you use from getting wet (except snow of course) and freezing into a solid lump, however, because then it could be just as bad as the cinderblocks.

I've never run official snow tires on my Ranger, nor studded tires (around here the law states that you have to buy 4 snow tires or studded tires and run them on all four corners, you're not allowed to have just studded rear tires or just snow tires on the rear.

I ran mud tires on the rear and aggressive AT tires on the front a couple winters. They did great in deep snow as long as I had minimal weight over the rear axle (100-250lbs). They sucked on hardpack and ice, however. With a set of V-bar chains on the muds, it was like having a set of tank tracks on the thing, I had awesome traction on ice, hardpack snow, fresh snow, deep snow, etc. Of course, running chains all the time, especially over mud tires, is a bit of a PITA. I got away with it cuz I only had about a mile to go to campus and I could stay on roads that were always covered in hardpack snow or a thick layer of ice.

Wow sounds like you have a lot of experience with the fluffy white stuff

I will build a rack to contain the sandbags that Ill use for weight. I figure if I build something that fits around the wheelwells it wont move while driving and it will contain the sandbags in the event of a wreck. The truck will get a hard locking tonneau because I need to use the truck for work on some weekends when Im not in school.

I believe I can get away with running studded tires on the back only if I need to. Ill probably try the truck out when I get it and see how it does on stock tires and weight. If it sucks Ill just buy some cheap wheels and some dedicated snow that Ill switch out for the winter. By the way...I was planning on purchasing some v-bars in case I get into a bad situation, they will probably never get used but better safe than sorry.

 

[ak96]

around here its not very possible, but i dont suppose many other places have the huge hills and large snow amounts we do.

i cant get out of my driveway with 2wd and new studded snow/ice tires(cooper M+S) and weight in the back. i have to run in 4x4 from october to april.

but weight, good tires and a light foot will def help alot! goodluck!

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Wow sounds like you have a lot of experience with the fluffy white stuff

I will build a rack to contain the sandbags that Ill use for weight. I figure if I build something that fits around the wheelwells it wont move while driving and it will contain the sandbags in the event of a wreck. The truck will get a hard locking tonneau because I need to use the truck for work on some weekends when Im not in school.

I believe I can get away with running studded tires on the back only if I need to. Ill probably try the truck out when I get it and see how it does on stock tires and weight. If it sucks Ill just buy some cheap wheels and some dedicated snow that Ill switch out for the winter. By the way...I was planning on purchasing some v-bars in case I get into a bad situation, they will probably never get used but better safe than sorry.

I spent 3 years going to college in a frozen northern wasteland.

When it snowed up there, expect 4-14".... Yes, that's my 2wd and yes, it was parked on the street for the first pic... they seemed to believe up there that plowing the roads once a day whether they needed it or not was good enough.

 

[mercury89]

.... Yes, that's my 2wd

Im impressed you made it through that with your 2wd, thats a shitload of snow.