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10 Tips For Driving in the Snow

Discussion in 'Recovery & Gear' started by jberry813, Jan 23, 2017.

  1. Dec 10, 2019 at 10:47 AM
    #61
    Ostrich

    Ostrich One bit me once.

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    I don't think people know how to drive in any condition.. I just saw someone in a jeep cherokee slide sideways into another suv on my way back from lunch and it's just raining. Also saw an old lady fish tail taking off at a green light. I can't imagine how people in central Texas would drive if it snowed any more than once every few years.
     
    Paul B likes this.
  2. Dec 10, 2019 at 8:04 PM
    #62
    T-Rex266

    T-Rex266 Elon approved Staff Member

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    I avoid idiots in big snow and drive when everyone else isn’t. I can drive fine it, but people around me.
     
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  3. Dec 10, 2019 at 8:10 PM
    #63
    Sas

    Sas Humor is everywhere

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    Lost track after #1.
    I drive in reverse so when I spin around on the ice I'm facing the right way.
     
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  4. Dec 10, 2019 at 8:28 PM
    #64
    Ely010606

    Ely010606 New Member

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    Awesome thread, very informative.
     
  5. Jan 9, 2020 at 1:11 PM
    #65
    dittothat

    dittothat New Member

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    Not sure if I’m the only one, but does anyone else have a song they put on before hitting the accelerator in deep snow?

    Wherever I may roam or saosin’s it’s far better to learn are my go to
     
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  6. Jan 9, 2020 at 1:45 PM
    #66
    Johnsonman

    Johnsonman New Member

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    Thought we had a cussing editor? nbd....
     
  7. Jan 9, 2020 at 1:58 PM
    #67
    Randy Morton

    Randy Morton Life takes its toll, please have exact change.

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    Wouldn't Paul Simon's "Slip Slidin' Away" be more appropriate?
     
  8. Jan 11, 2020 at 9:40 AM
    #68
    808Kaap

    808Kaap New Member

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    Here in SD its winter for probably 6 to 7 months out of the year. My personal tips: Be aware of what EVERYONE else around you is trying to do, throttle control, break early and gradually apply break pressure, and just know that just because you have 4 wheel drive, doesn't help with breaking. Pick gaps in traffic where no one else is and that's where you want to be, dont panic, and if you slide... turn your wheel (the right way) and make it look like you meant it! PS all the hooligans come out in winter lol
     
    NewImprovedRon likes this.
  9. Feb 16, 2020 at 6:03 AM
    #69
    codename607

    codename607 New Member

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    Most of these tips should be covered in some kind of manual. Instead of giving me a useless book on my xm radio Toyota should put something like a basic 4wd book together.
     
  10. Jan 18, 2021 at 3:12 AM
    #70
    70m4h4wk

    70m4h4wk New Member

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    What's the trick to driving in the mountains on hard packed snow and ice? With 500+ lbs in the bed of my truck I couldn't go faster than 40 without spinning my brand new blizzaks, even in 4hi. Meanwhile, 1 ton pick ups are ripping around me doing 70 with no issues.

    I've never had any issues driving around town, even in the worst snow and ice, but mountain driving at highway speeds is new to me.
     
  11. Jan 18, 2021 at 3:44 AM
    #71
    GODZILLA

    GODZILLA Hail to the King, Baby.

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    Adding the weight and having good tires are a good practice, and you've already done that. The BEST practice is to reduce speed. If the roads aren't dry, you should not be going normal speeds. If your vehicle is breaking traction you are either trying to accelerate too quickly, or you are trying to go too fast. 70 MPH on snow packed icy roads is stupidity.
     
    Wynnded and Cpl_Punishment like this.
  12. Jan 18, 2021 at 5:04 AM
    #72
    lonedrake

    lonedrake New Member

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    That seems odd. You should be able to run with them. I have never driven in Alaska ....but I would suspect those guys have studded tires. That would be the way to go.
     
  13. Jan 18, 2021 at 5:56 AM
    #73
    Wynnded

    Wynnded What MPG...

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    All you can do is drive according to conditions and within your vehicles and your abilities and comfort zone. I drive a commercial vehicle, and although I don't quite understand it, I can operate that vehicle at a greater speed (within reason/prudence/experience/common sense) than I feel I comfortably can my personal vehicle, and I have studded tires on the Tundra. I suspect that it may have a little to do with the weight per area on where the tires contact the road. There's more friction with a heavier vehicle, it's just physics.
     
  14. Jan 18, 2021 at 12:24 PM
    #74
    70m4h4wk

    70m4h4wk New Member

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    I figured it had to be studded tires or chains. I just wasn't sure if there was a way to do what they were doing or if they were just being dumb.

    Can't stud blizzaks, so I guess I will look into studded tires for my next set.

    Bigger tires and more weight in the bed might work better then?
     
  15. Jan 18, 2021 at 12:31 PM
    #75
    Wynnded

    Wynnded What MPG...

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    I don't know if it scales up quite like that. More weight makes it harder to change directions. If your tires are too wide, you'll float all over the place, that's how snowshoes work. Just drive within your vehicles safe limits, it's not a contest/race.
     
  16. Jan 18, 2021 at 3:39 PM
    #76
    GODZILLA

    GODZILLA Hail to the King, Baby.

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    Running chains at that speed would be a very bad idea. As a general rule, if conditions are bad enough that you need chains, then you shouldn't be going anything close to highway speeds.

    It is one thing to get traction to get up to speed. It is quite another to be able to turn and brake once up to speed. Just leave early and drive slowly.

    Bigger tires would increase your footprint, and that spreads the weight more. This would be a reduction in weight per square inch of tire on the road.
     
    MS22 and Wynnded like this.
  17. Jan 18, 2021 at 3:52 PM
    #77
    Cpl_Punishment

    Cpl_Punishment Young men never die.

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    Some folks actually run narrower tires in the winter to get better traction.
     
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  18. Jan 18, 2021 at 5:25 PM
    #78
    Wynnded

    Wynnded What MPG...

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    I see this here. Oftentimes the dually trucks remove the outer wheel on the rear. Small tow trucks and one-ton trucks normally. Cuts down in the deep stuff, but then they can't really haul as much payload.
     
  19. Jan 18, 2021 at 6:30 PM
    #79
    bmc02

    bmc02 New Member

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    You want narrower tires in the snow. Lots of info online about the science behind that.
     
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  20. Jan 18, 2021 at 6:38 PM
    #80
    bmc02

    bmc02 New Member

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    I second item #6. Mud terrains are god awful. My truck with bfg KO2 all terrains are better in 2wd then it was with toyo MT in 4wd. And my wife's Camry is just as good with blizzaks (not counting deep stuff).
     
  21. Nov 18, 2022 at 10:18 AM
    #81
    rocsteady

    rocsteady New Member

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    Any consensus on what you all Tundra folk think is the right amount of weight to have in the bed when the roads are snow covered and 4WD is the choice? I would guess a hundred pounds of sand, 50 over each wheel would be a good place to start?
     
  22. Nov 18, 2022 at 10:20 AM
    #82
    Cpl_Punishment

    Cpl_Punishment Young men never die.

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    I was wondering if I should just throw my summer tires in the bed. Would save storage space in the shed, too.
     
  23. Nov 18, 2022 at 12:42 PM
    #83
    FirstGenTundra

    FirstGenTundra R2R

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    I put about 350lbs of sand bags over my rear axle. I cut a pallet in half to prevent the bags from sliding forward when braking.
     
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  24. Nov 19, 2022 at 12:52 PM
    #84
    Solid Snake

    Solid Snake New Member

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    This was my problem last year. I put four 50 pound bags of sand in the back. Every time I'd hard brake, I'd hear and feel a THUNK. This winter, I'm going to cut a 4x4 post to size and place it behind my wheel wells to keep those pesky sand bags from wandering.
     
  25. Nov 19, 2022 at 2:21 PM
    #85
    FirstGenTundra

    FirstGenTundra R2R

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    Yes, having them slide forward like that was a massive pain. I love my half pallet. The added plus is I have a place to keep the sand bags off the ground in the warm months.
     
  26. Nov 19, 2022 at 6:05 PM
    #86
    70m4h4wk

    70m4h4wk New Member

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    I usually go for 200 to 400 lbs depending on the weather. Either in plastic totes or PVC pipes. Cut the pipes to length so they wedge between the wheel wells, then you don't get sand loose in your bed
     
  27. Nov 19, 2022 at 6:44 PM
    #87
    DZ_

    DZ_ New Member

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    I've been putting sand bags in a plastic equipment locker and then ratchet strap it in the bed against the cab.
     
  28. Nov 22, 2022 at 2:45 PM
    #88
    Solid Snake

    Solid Snake New Member

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    I think this turned out decent and should work well...

    sand.jpg
     
  29. Nov 22, 2022 at 4:09 PM
    #89
    PermaFrostTRD

    PermaFrostTRD Tumescent Member

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    If you don’t have a bed cover then let the snow fill up in the bed for your weight instead of those 4 projectiles back there.

    If there isn’t enough snow to fill your bed, then there isn’t a need to worry about “weighing it down to drive in the snow”
     
  30. Nov 22, 2022 at 5:50 PM
    #90
    Solid Snake

    Solid Snake New Member

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    I'm in Tennessee. We don't get much snow, but ice can be a problem in the winter, as we don't have salt trucks. A little extra weight in the bed can help on icy roads when used with proper driving. I used to live in Michigan, so I know how to drive on snow and ice. In Tennessee, the biggest threat on icy roads is....other drivers.
     

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