2wd in Snow

[alaskan155]

i live up here in cheyenne, got my 2wd f150, and it came with factory michelens that had the M+S rating on them, my new tires have that on it from Big O,so i hope they handle just as well as me michelins, so far on wet roads they wont even loose traction, if they do good this winter, just gonna start recommending an M+S rated tire, as for wieght last year my grandfather put about 10 80# bricks in the bed of my truck, the truck would almost go anywhere in the snow, this year im gonna just put sand bags in it, and maybe build something to hold them between the wheel wheels, that is depending on how the truck handles.

 

[aogden001]

The rack is similar to what I plan on building, where do you live?

'bout halfway between Rochester & Syracuse NY

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

You will need more than chains to get a 2wd Ranger thru snow 2' deep, it is going to get snow packed under it and pick itself off of the ground. Even a 4x4 wouldn't fare much better. If another car has bald tires don't worry about it because they are stuck wherever they were parked anyway.

After a severe winter storm when I was off at college, where we had over 2' in the low spots and it went as high as my hood line in the drifts, I had to go to class. Because it was quite cold with a biting wind, I wasn't inclined to walk to campus or ride my mountain bike (yea, I did take the bike out in the snow several times) as I had about a mile or so to go. I also wasn't too inclined to want to try to shovel it all out of the driveway (nor did I have the time required to move that much snow by hand). I had my V-bar chains wrapped tight over my mud tires on my Ranger with the open rear... I just let it warm up a lil, looked as far as I could down the street both ways, slipped it in first and let my right boot do the work. I was probably doing 10-15 mph when I hit the pile of pushed-in snow at the street.... BOOOOOFFFFFFF!!!!... hit the brakes an let all the snow slide off the hood onto the street cuz I couldn't see shat after hitting all that snow. Once it settled a lil, I was on my way to class. When I returned from class I used the front bumper to plow the snow in the driveway down to a manageable level, much to the entertainment of the neighbors.

And 4x4 in snow with chains....

My BII I sold in the process of pulling a stuck Jeep, drove through over a foot of snow all day playing around out there. I dragged everything from the bumper down through the snow all day. Only time I got hung up was when I broke through some ice. Almost made it out, but needed a locker or somethin. Going home after that was a trip, I forgot about the snow "hubcaps" and when one went flipping up in front of me while doing 50 down the road I got a lil excited, until it disintegrated on the road in front of me, lol.

 

[mercury89]

Nice pic.

 

[AllanD]

Chains are great, but check the local regs... I know they are illegal in some cities to run on the streets.

I use my 4x4 only when 4x2 fails, so I keep a handle on what the conditions are. If I can't get going in 2wd, or need to turn on questionable surface I slip it in, otherwise I try to keep it in 2wd so I don't get overconfidant... it is really easy to do.

I run A/T's on my F-150, they do great... keep in mind nothing but steel will be very good on ice/packed snow, and since chains (and I think studs) are illegal in Omaha, that is about all I have to work with.

My M/T's on my Ranger are very goofy on packed snow or ice, but will dig thru the fluffy stuff without blinking. It has been retired from snow duty to protect it from salt anyway so it isn't a huge deal for me. If I drove this thing everyday in snow conditions these tires would be sitting in the shed while some A/T's took over.

My opinion on this matter is if it is bad enough to warrent chains, screw the law, I'm chaining up - my safety comes before the law.

For example, a time when we wake up and there is 2 feet of snow and the plow hasn't gone by yet. I will put my personal safety first and challenege the ticket if I get it. Obviously I would only go out if I absolutely, positively had to. And had no other choice. And chains are not just for getting from point A to B ---- but to avoid the car out there with bald tires and can't stop or steer to avoid hitting me from behind.

I would not use them to go to the grocery store, I am talking extreme situations. Plus, how many cops out there will be chasing me down in those conditions?

I am happy my province made winter tires madatory - they make a difference. Thats why I bought BFG's, they are rated for severe snow conditions.

I was explaining to someone recently, (Illinois or Indiana) that when conditions are at their absolute worst chains will allow you
to move even when tracked vehicles and snowmobiles get stuck

They said that chains were illegal where they lived, I replied
if conditions are that bad how would they catch you?

When I can do 35-40mph AND turn AND stop
and NOBODY else can it's like being able to walk through
walls while your persuers must follow a maze path.....

Fight the ticket? this presumes I'd actually be bothered to stop

As for running 2wd to keep a handle on "how bad conditions are"
I agree, but I lock the hubs in the fall when I SMELL the first
snowflake.



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[codeman2468]

I agree with most of the posts on here. If you know what you're doing you can get by on paved roads with a few inches of snow with some decent tires (or chains if it's too bad, or a lot of ice). Obviously I don't recommend going up in the hills for serious "4x4ing", but if it's a daily driver that may encounter occasional snow... go for it!! My first ranger was an 84 2wd. I later bought an 89 which I got stuck when it ran in to a ditch on some snowy logging roads, and as it ran off the road it went long ways up a log and got high centered and stuck. After getting a long COLD ride down about 7 miles on the back of a passing 3-wheeler, it was my 2wd that I drove back up with my dad to rescue my 4x4.

The point is, a 2wd isn't made for the serious off-roading, but if you're careful you can get just about anywhere you NEED to go.

That's my humble opinion.

 

[codeman2468]

no chains?

I find it really interesting to hear that there are so many places where studs and/or chains are illegal. After growing up in Montana and now living in Oregon, they have always been a part of life and it's odd to even think about them being outlawed. Especially considering that in many places I regularly go they are not only allowed, but during many months of the year, REQUIRED!

Now that I think of the geography of the land, it probably makes sense in some areas. And as someone who is from a place where studs/chains are legal, I will admit that it takes a detrimental toll on our roads. It's not so much from the chains, which are only used when necessary, but from the people who use studs for the entire legal months of november to april, even when they are only necessary for a few weeks of that time.

I guess it's because there are so many liberal SUV drivers who drive their "trucks" with studded tires, and never have actually been off-road. I could go into a huge rant about this but I won't. I'll just mention this: I spend a lot of time off-roading... but I don't see as many Hummers in the mountains as I do in the city. Get what I'm saying?

 

[Carlos Murphy]

2X

I drove a 2wd truck one winter, had better luck with 4 studded snow tires on my Buick wagon...

My advice on the truck would be NOT to have any loose weight in the bed but something you can tie down like sandbags or even the "water bag" designed just for that purpose, check JC Whitney truck catalog.

And for the best results, a posi or locking diff AND 4 studded snow tires.

 

[Crunchy]

if they do good this winter, just gonna start recommending an M+S rated tire

The M+S designation has no meaning. Any mfg'r can put that on their tires with no regulation, take it with a grain of salt.

My g/f's Corolla wears M+S tires in the summer months - those are reg. goodyears.

Its the little mountain with the snowflake inside you want - thats what all the cool kids wear.

Also, I laugh when people drive by in the summer and you can hear them a mile away because they have studded tires on (legal hear in winter). In fact, for shits and giggles, I walked through the parking lot in my building the other day, and over half the vehicles wear winter boots all summer long. Ohh, and one car is missing 3 lug nuts. Some poeple.

Anyways, I live in Quebec, Canada, starting November 15 this year, until April 15, winter tires are the law. Now winter tires = fine, get in an accident = don't even bother calling your insurance company, you might as well have been drunk.

 

[Mark_88]

Unfortunately, good tires do not make good drivers...interesting that Quebec enforces a snow tire law...not sure if we actually have that in Ontario...but our weather is very similar so I don't see why not...

On another note...a good swimmer, even the best swimmer, does not try to swim into a tidal wave...if the roads are so messed up that driving is hazardous, the best thing is stay home unless it is an absolute necessity to go somewhere...

We had an incident in Barrie last winter where a girl had an appendicitis attack and her parents called an ambulance...weather was heavy snow and it took the ambulance over an hour to get there even though the station was only ten minutes away...when they finally picked her up they got stuck just down the road...the father had to go get the daughter and drive her to the hospital himself...in a 4x4 I belive...

Emergency vehicles should have little or no restrictions on their abilities to service extreme situations...like 4x4 ambulances with big ass tires and chains if needed...

For that matter, how about a hovercraft?

 

[Kona]

The coast guard has 2 hovercraft out here in BC unfortunately just for marine emergencies.

 

[AllanD]

The M+S designation has no meaning. Any mfg'r can put that on their tires with no regulation, take it with a grain of salt.

My g/f's Corolla wears M+S tires in the summer months - those are reg. goodyears.

Its the little mountain with the snowflake inside you want - thats what all the cool kids wear.

Also, I laugh when people drive by in the summer and you can hear them a mile away because they have studded tires on (legal hear in winter). In fact, for shits and giggles, I walked through the parking lot in my building the other day, and over half the vehicles wear winter boots all summer long. Ohh, and one car is missing 3 lug nuts. Some poeple.

Anyways, I live in Quebec, Canada, starting November 15 this year, until April 15, winter tires are the law. Now winter tires = fine, get in an accident = don't even bother calling your insurance company, you might as well have been drunk.

That M&S rating DOES have meaning.

here in the states (in most jurisdictions) there is a a thing called a "winter storm emergency", bacically those "winter storm warnings" you see on the TV news are a LEGAL notice.
In MOST jurisdictions if you get STUCK without winter tires (or chains) during a winter storm it's a ticket offense.

you'll also see signs on some roads "winter snow emergency route" (or similar) traveling on those roads when snow covered is again a ticketable offense.

So when you hear that NOAA has issued a "winter storm warning"
Or that a "winter storm warning is in effect" it is a legal notice that road rules are "different", how different varies on specific state laws.

That little "M&S" label on the tires is your "get out of jail free" card.

Beyond that it truely doesn't have any meaning at all.

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[Dishtowel]

I can' believe this is still being talked about. I was surprised this thread filled up one page, much less 3.

 

[AllanD]

This happens every year, usually three or four seperate identical threads.

But it's six weeks early this year.

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[86_cookiemonster]

I have an 86 ranger with the 2.3 liter and a4ld, it doesn't do half bad in the snow. I just shovel the snow off my drive way, and away it goes. It has the open rear end so it can be a little squirly if your not carefull.
We had a blizzard hit in columbus last winter, and I was still in school. 6 inches fell just before we where released.(yea i know 6 inches isn't that much, but people in columbus shit themselves when they see a snow flake). So i ran to the hardware store that was close by and bought a snow shovel. Loaded up the bed, and scooted on out of the parking lot.
Note I know driving in a blizzard in a 2wd drive truck, with a bed full of snow, may not be safe or smart, but it did work pretty dang good.