Winter Driving Tips

[LD1]

Regarding tires....

Understanding a tire tread design is important. I can just look at a tread pattern and tell if its gonna be good or not. And have had alot of experience with alot of different tires over 15 years of plowing.....and plowing with ~20 other guys and seeing what they use as well.

For starters....NOTHING will beat a true snow tire. They have a real soft compound and designed specifically for snow and ice. And even better if you stud them. But I cannot imagine Nebraska's winters get terrible. And winter tires wear out FAST when not on snow and ice.

But some GOOD all seasons......Look at mastercraft courser HXT, and Michelin Defender LTX. These are two of the tires I'd rate near the top for winter driving on hard pack and ice.
CooperMastercraft - Courser HXT
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Both similar. Lots of siping and biting edges, which is what you want on hardpack and ice. Just look at the tread pattern and design of an "actual" winter tire......

Regarding ABS.....

this topic seems to come up alot also. Boggles my mind the number of people that "claim" they hate ABS.
Sure, back in the 1990's......With some only having real wheel ABS, or 2-3 channel ABS....while better than none....wasnt that great. But about everything made in the last decade has true 4-wheel ABS. All 4 wheels have sensors.....and the computer knows the split second that a wheel locks up.....and releases brakes a little to JUST THAT WHEEL. Something you just CANNOT do without abs.

On ANY modern vehicle.....I'd bet thousands of dollars that on snow and ice......you CANNOT stop the vehicle faster if you were to disable the ABS. And ABS is GREAT for maintaining control when stopping.

People that claim to "hate" ABS.....just dont understand how it works.

And automatic vs manual........give me the automatic. Driving on slick dangerous roads....you have enough to worry about.

I have a saturn sl...5-speed manual.....no ABS. Also have a Nissan sentra....automatic/cvt......and 4-wheel ABS.
BOTH cars are equipped with Mastercraft SRT touring tires. I'd take the Nissan everyday over the saturn.....mainly because of ABS.....but the automatic is good too.

 

[fried1765]

Move to Florida!

 

[Thomas]

Leaving early if need to travel,good snow tires w/weight in rear,shovel my come in handy,extra warm gloves,tow strap or chain,set tire chains,good wipers.stay calm.

 

[Gem99ultra]

Best advice is to Go Back To Texas!

 

[turnkey4099]

SLOW DOWN

Then SLOW DOWN some more! My advice to most drivers I know is "slow down", now cut that speed in half and you'll be about right".

 

[Sigarms]

Considering the fact he is driving a 2wd pickup; probably the worst vehicle on snow/ice unless equiped correctly he should heed what has been said about weight and tires.

His truck without the right tires and weight is a sled and not in a good sense of the word. Put 800 lb of sand in the back and get good all season tires; not M&S. I don't know about Nebraska winters like I do Ohio winters but a M&S tire on ice or hardpacked snow are about worthless and frankly scarey.

Missed the part with 2WD pick up truck.

When I moved to Syracuse, it was with a Chevy S-10 2wd truck. Have to admit, I was an idiot as I would never do a 2wd pick up truck again. Depending on the snow and where I lived, I would NEVER make it up some of the hills back to where I was living.

Then, some years later, ended up kayaking in Idaho with a local and he had a dodge 2wd pick up truck. We started talking about winters out there, and he told me with chains on the tires and proper load in the bed, he had no problems with the snow in Idaho. Never done it myself, don't see a reason why he'd be yanking my chain.

 

[Redlands Okie]

Salt for weight in a vehicle turns into a long term problem when the salt container leaks. Same for fertilizer.

 

[shaeff]

Just gonna drop one hint on weight over rear axle- cat litter is great weight but not great for getting you unstuck. It's usually clay based and turns slick when added to snow. Much better off with sand. May have been said already, didn't read the whole thread yet.

 

[RoyJackson]

Missed the part with 2WD pick up truck.

When I moved to Syracuse, it was with a Chevy S-10 2wd truck. Have to admit, I was an idiot as I would never do a 2wd pick up truck again. Depending on the snow and where I lived, I would NEVER make it up some of the hills back to where I was living.

Then, some years later, ended up kayaking in Idaho with a local and he had a dodge 2wd pick up truck. We started talking about winters out there, and he told me with chains on the tires and proper load in the bed, he had no problems with the snow in Idaho. Never done it myself, don't see a reason why he'd be yanking my chain.

I doubt if I'd buy a 2WD truck, but a few decades ago, 4WD vehicles were a rarity. Growing up in the 1950's and 60's, most vehicles were 2WD, rear wheel drive...and people got around. Chains were normally kept in the vehicle and installed when necessary.
I grew up in suburban/rural Baltimore County, 10 or so miles outside Baltimore, MD. Suburban areas, at least where I lived, were not near as crowded as they are now...
But the point is, 4WD is great, but not necessarily a necessity.

 

[Ken]

Missed the part with 2WD pick up truck.

When I moved to Syracuse, it was with a Chevy S-10 2wd truck. Have to admit, I was an idiot as I would never do a 2wd pick up truck again. Depending on the snow and where I lived, I would NEVER make it up some of the hills back to where I was living.

Then, some years later, ended up kayaking in Idaho with a local and he had a dodge 2wd pick up truck. We started talking about winters out there, and he told me with chains on the tires and proper load in the bed, he had no problems with the snow in Idaho. Never done it myself, don't see a reason why he'd be yanking my chain.

Had a foreman that would say the difference of 2 whl and 4 whl drive was 10 feet and dug in deeper.
ken