snow...... and some icy roads

[That_4.0_ranger]

Couple thoughts…

We all were dumb kids once but we all learned. My dad used to tell me when I was learning to drive a manual that after awhile you won’t think about shifting, you’ll just do it. I thought he was full of shit at the time. Then I learned he was right.

I spent a few years in college in the snow belt. Good old lake effect crap. They plowed the roads once a day, never salted, and at the end of winter used heavy equipment to peel the ice off the roads. I learned a lot about winter driving then. The only truly effective thing on ice is chains. Unfortunately you don’t always have warning ahead of time, your speed is really restricted, and not all areas like chains. Studded snows are probably the next step down but I never owned a set. That said, aggressive AT tires seemed to be the best all-around for me. Worked good on and off pavement and good in snow, especially deeper snow.

Not all AT tires are equal. Hankook Dynapro AT tires are about equal to slicks in snow. Not much better in rain. Remington Rimfire XT was great (no longer available). Sport King AT was also great (and also no longer available). Mastercraft Courser AT works good, it’s what my parents run. Mastercraft Courser CT/CXT works well, it’s what I’m presently running.

Limited slip can make the rear come around quicker in bad weather. A locker is actually a little more controllable, same goes for a limited slip with extra clutches. Down side is a locker can push you straight, so having the front tires digging to pull the front around bends is important.

speed and brakes aren’t your friends. But, there’s a cheat with 4x4 that I use at times in the winter, especially when the driveway is icy. I’ll use 4x4 or 4lo to back down the driveway because with both axles linked by the transfer case, the front disk brake power gets transferred to all 4 wheels. Drums don’t work as well in reverse, and often the front will lock up and start sliding before the rear. In 4x4 it doesn’t happen.

I turn the radio off when it’s really bad out. I want to be fully concentrating on what the vehicle is doing and what sounds it’s making. I have learned over the years to sense the start of a lot of problems just before they happen and can usually react in time. Like sensing the rear start to kick out and come off the go juice before it happens or the road noise from the tires changing when you hit a slick spot even if the vehicle doesn’t react because you pass over it quickly. I also back off the throttle going over bridges in bad weather. More than once I’ve coasted across an icy bridge.

Weight. The more aggressive the tires, the less weight required. Except on hard pack or ice. Then it depends more on the tire itself (soft, hard, etc). Don’t use solid objects for weight unless they’re secured so well you could roll the truck off a cliff and it would stay. The last thing you want is for the heavy object to come in the cab with you during a wreck.

i cant run any chains on my pickup because of my over size tires but whats on it right now are aggressive ATs and i have a set of sutded snow tires for it but thanks for the tips

 

[That_4.0_ranger]

im

There was recently a thread about snow tires. M/T's are terrible in Snow, as snow tires are terrible in mud. You might want to consider snow tires for the winter, if you are not running them already.

running AT/ snowtires or whatever you call them when they have that little moutian with a snowflake on them the tires are called Falken Wildpeaks and they have some numbers on them idk

 

[That_4.0_ranger]

I always recommend finding a big empty lot to get the feel for how any vehicle handles when its slick out, short wheelbase vehicles are not your freind, that back end can come around quicker than you can react. Proper weight over your drive axle (esp if your a 2wd, dont want too much either. 200# seems about right) , good tires, watch your speed. Its easy to forget its slick out until you hit your brakes or make a turn then the back wants to keep going. Back when I had a 4wd ranger Id always have the hubs locked but I would start out in 2wd so I would know just how slippery things are. Yes you can go much better with 4wd, but stopping isnt any better.

yea ive also noticed that even the really long wheelbases can get you to because yes they are more stable but once they start to go around they wanna keep going no matter what you do.

 

[racsan]

yes, had that happen with a full size longbed, had too much weight in the butt and once it started sliding it didnt want to come out of it. but at least theres a little more time to react. A short wheelbase gives you less reaction time.

 

[Jazzer]

Sometimes light and judicious use of the e-brake ( with the release kept pulled) can straighten out a rear end that wants to swing out.

 

[Blmpkn]

Learning how to drive In the snow without ABS isn't a bad thing.

Some abs systems are far too touchy. Years back I had a crown vic that I bought without functioning ABS. Drove it around for the first winter having fun scaring my passengers by locking up the back wheels and making the car go sideways while coming to a stop in the snow.

I had to fix the ABS for an inspection sticker right before my 2nd winter with the car.. and what an awful thing that was. The car honestly stopped better in snow without ABS. The stupid system was so overly touchy I could of swore it was going to CAUSE an accident.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

Sometimes light and judicious use of the e-brake ( with the release kept pulled) can straighten out a rear end that wants to swing out.

E-brake just barely on can help too if you have drums, they can take the heat and a little friction from the brake can help with keeping a limited slip rear locked up so it’s more predictable.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

i cant run any chains on my pickup because of my over size tires but whats on it right now are aggressive ATs and i have a set of sutded snow tires for it but thanks for the tips

Biggest thing that helps is experience. I have driven a wide variety of trucks and SUVs in the snow and a couple cars. Some work better than others. The start of my college experience in the snow belt was with a 2wd extended cab Ranger with an open rear. I got to be pretty good with it and I don’t think I’ll ever forget following a Mustang up he highway in a snow storm with, plodding along in the slow lane and watching numerous 4x4 and AWDs blow past in the fast lane to end up in the ditch a mile or two later.

I do prefer a 4x4 though for bad weather, because I also remember going to a fire department sportsman night thing and coming out at like 1am to a blizzard and a good foot or so on the ground. Wasn’t even flurries when we went in. I got on the road we wanted to go back on before a cop closed it only because his cruiser was barely moving in the stuff. We were plodding along in the 89 Bronco II Eddie Bauer I had at the time in 4lo, busting through drifts higher than the hood. That night was when I learned a strong love for the Bronco II.

 

[Snoranger]

I wonder if you can get these for smaller trucks like our Rangers.

It’s a snow chain system that we run on our big wrecker. The arm is air activated and presses against the tire. That spins the chains and throws them on the ground in front of the tire. You can instantly turn the snow chains on or off.

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

I wonder if you can get these for smaller trucks like our Rangers.

View attachment 69225

It’s a snow chain system that we run on our big wrecker. The arm is air activated and presses against the tire. That spins the chains and throws them on the ground in front of the tire. You can instantly turn the snow chains on or off.

You know, I’ve wondered about that before. Would be a nifty solution

 

[sgtsandman]

I wonder if you can get these for smaller trucks like our Rangers.

View attachment 69225

It’s a snow chain system that we run on our big wrecker. The arm is air activated and presses against the tire. That spins the chains and throws them on the ground in front of the tire. You can instantly turn the snow chains on or off.

That's the first picture I've ever seen of one deployed. I wondered how they worked. Probably a lot more user friendly than traditional chains too.

 

[Snoranger]

That's the first picture I've ever seen of one deployed. I wondered how they worked. Probably a lot more user friendly than traditional chains too.

It’s nice that they’re “on demand” and not always on, like regular chains. There’s less wear on the roads, chains, and tires. I can just replace the chains themselves as they wear... there’s plenty of benefits to these.

 

[racsan]

Ive never seen such a thing, very cool!

 

[19Walt93]

yea and thats why i love my truck its got no abs but a down side is if i do wreck i dont have working seat belts or air bags.

My truck was built with ABS but most of it was missing when I got it so I removed the rest. I don't have airbags but I did install seat belts and shoulder harnesses.

 

[That_4.0_ranger]

yes, had that happen with a full size longbed, had too much weight in the butt and once it started sliding it didnt want to come out of it. but at least theres a little more time to react. A short wheelbase gives you less reaction time.

yea that is true