Winter Driving Tips

[06RangerXLT]

ok heres my canadian winter advise.

~weight in the bed, no more the 100-150 lbs is that. (i run 0lbs)
~very good tires. cheap out here and its the ditch. when its your tries keeping you on the road, you never cheap out. I run BFG at ko and always have in the winter.
~ easy starts save tires gas and time
~coast to a stop
~if you have to, run the yellow. better then sliding off the road trying to stop
~learn to drive in snow.

{find a parking lot. get up to 25, then hit the brakes hard and turn hard left or right. then, do the same thing, hit the brakes for 2 seconds, turn then let off the brakes. seriously. then learn to slide the vehicle with the gas. practice over steer and under steering. practice correcting a slide. i go out "drifting" for a good hour when the snow first hits, so im ready for the coming season}

 

[Sunk]

Automatics can downshift too, I drop down to second quite often to slow down.

Starting off in second also helps reduce slippage.

Ahh good point. Somehow I missed this.

 

[Will]

Just drive however you want. If you suck, Darwin will weed you out.

 

[88SXT]

+1 will.

growing up in MI i learned the hard way how easy it is to end up in the ditch. (a RWD rice-rocket is not the greatest winter beater)
eventually i got the hang of steering with the throttle when necessary.

 

[06RangerXLT]

Ahh good point. Somehow I missed this.

putting an auto in 2, still starts you from a stop in first. it just keeps you from going to third.

 

[LearjetMinako]

Just drive however you want. If you suck, Darwin will weed you out.

Cruel, but true.

No matter how good of a driver you can be, always prepare for the worst. Pack 1 or 2 tow straps, water, blankets, shovel, MREs', flares, first aid kit, etc. This way when you do get stuck off in a ditch, you have the means to survive afterwards.

 

[RatDog8o8]

My best winter driving advice.......

If you don't have to go, then don't go.

I keep trying to convince them at work that I can't get out of the driveway when it snows....but with a 7'6" Jeep and the 4x4 Ranger......they're not buying it.

 

[daniel3507]

When in doubt, power out!
Just kidding. That's not always smart. Ypu can read all you want on winter driving but it wont help much if you've never practiced. Get behind the wheel in an empty SAFE parking lot, and just drive. Learn how you and you're truck operate in winter conditions. Reading how to react and being able to react that way ate entirely different.

Sent from my LS670 using Tapatalk

 

[JohnnyO]

putting an auto in 2, still starts you from a stop in first. it just keeps you from going to third.

Wrong. Many Ford automatics, when you put them in 2nd, will start out in 2nd.
What you say IS true for GM and Chrysler automatics, AFAIK.

 

[Andy D]

Snow happens , pack a shovel. No ,not one of those folding plastic jobs, but an honest to gee-whiz flat spade with a D handle.

 

[JohnnyO]

My best winter driving advice.......

If you don't have to go, then don't go.

I keep trying to convince them at work that I can't get out of the driveway when it snows....but with a 7'6" Jeep and the 4x4 Ranger......they're not buying it.

This is why the best winter vehicle is not a 4x4, it is a Ferrari, Lamborghini, something like that with 2' wide lo-pro tires and 3" ground clearance.

 

[adsm08]

Wrong. Many Ford automatics, when you put them in 2nd, will start out in 2nd.
What you say IS true for GM and Chrysler automatics, AFAIK.

I start in second a lot in the winter anyway.

 

[LearjetMinako]

Wrong. Many Ford automatics, when you put them in 2nd, will start out in 2nd.
What you say IS true for GM and Chrysler automatics, AFAIK.

Not really true for a 96' Chevy Blazer. If I put it in 2nd (automatic), it will start in 2nd gear and stay there. Same for 1st gear too.

As for when I ever used the 2nd gear start, never (auto or manual). I know how to feather touch the gas pedal and clutch.

 

[racsan]

i like to go out to a big parking lot with nothing in it during the first snow, get the feel of things, learn how far i can push the vehicle, found out that a S-blazer isnt something you want to delibertly do a powerslide in. i like about 200 pouds in the back for weight, even with a 4x4. also i always start out in 2wd and only go to 4x once ive gotton a feel for the road and know how bad it really is. its easy to think its not so bad out, but like its been mentioned before, you can really go in 4wd, but you aint stopping any better, in some cases its worse, a stock 4x will weigh more than a 2wd with the same body/engine setup. too much weight can be a problem also, when you go into a slide and the back wants to keep going because of the weight. i have a dedicated set of tires for winter, its a very worthwhile investment. my last oil change before winter i went over everything good, made sure my t/c and axle fluid were up to level. found the blazer was 1/2 qt low, and it only holds a little over 2 qts. guess i have a seal to replace come spring.

 

[adsm08]

Not really true for a 96' Chevy Blazer. If I put it in 2nd (automatic), it will start in 2nd gear and stay there. Same for 1st gear too.

As for when I ever used the 2nd gear start, never (auto or manual). I know how to feather touch the gas pedal and clutch.

I know how to feather the throttle too. When you are on ice, or slick grass, or mud or some such, all the feathers in the world won't get you moving. Low range second gear just might though.