Hey all,

Well yesterday I had the pleasure of driving for the first time in some snow and lets say that sure was interesting. I don't know how you guys do it. With 2wd only, I am all over the place and yes it's fun but I don't think it's safe anymore.

The first time I slipped I thought I was going to die. I was just going about 90 km/h and I gave it some gas to go up the hill and I started to sideways on a major highway. No other trucks I saw seems to be having the problems I was. Just everytime I would start going from a light, I would start sliding sideways even sometimes while switching into 5th gear, it would start going sideways.

First off, I know i can put stuff in my bed but how do I do it? Do I just go buy some sand bags and throw them in the back? What else can I do. I mean driving with 4high was fine but damn I can't drive with that on when we get some snow.

Any help would be great. Thanks

 

i use 200 lbs of sand and i have it locked over the rear axle with 2x4's, Never had a problem yet and i only have 2wd. Also make sure you have a good set of tires on there

 

Haha well. The 1st thing to remember about 2wd in snow is that more gas = *** end out farther. What I mean is, once your rear wheels start to spin, they will slide out to one side or another. You steer your front wheels where you want to go, and control the angle with the throttle. If you want to straighten it out, let off the gas and steer out of the slide as the *** end begins to come back into line. Reapply the gas when it's straight, and then be prepared to steer when the *** end slides out the other way.

The best thing you can do is go to a parking lot and get used to making turns with your *** end out. It's like drifting, and as long as you don't lose traction to your front wheels you'll be fine.

As for adding weight, everyone has a different opinion on how much to add, but generally you put your weight over the rear axle, and maybe build a frame of 2x4s to hold it in place. This is what I made up for my truck.



The shovel has become a very good friend of mine.

Also I must mention that your ability to stop is greatly reduced by snow. The best offense against hitting things or sliding into the road is going slow.

 

Well if you dont want to worry about putting weight in the bed and just taking your time, 4hi is your only other option. Winter driving can be much easier than most make it if you just slow down, take your time, and are smart about things.





Oh and do a search....

 

Go to Home Depot, walk over to the garden section. Ask where their bags of 1/2inch gravel are and buy about 200-300 pounds.

I have 4 bags (about 250lbs) in the back of my truck. The big gravel works wonders when you need to break one open for traction as well (better than sand). They are about $2 a bag. Ohh, yeah, and keep a full sized shovel in the back too, you will apprciate it when you need it. I just keep the one i use for my driveway in the back.

I made a box with 2x6 wood that keeps the bags right over the axle without sliding around.

 

1st, you need weight in the bed over the rear axle.
2nd, try reducing your speed to suit the weather conditions. I know you said you were on a highway, but just because the posted speed limit says 100 km/h doesn't mean you HAVE to do that ALL the time. Drive to suit the weather conditions.

3rd and foremost important key to learn for new winter drivers......know what your vehicle CAN and CAN'T do. Best place for this is an open parking lot......preferably out of site from traffic. I'm a strong believer of practicing donuts and spins in a semi-controlled environment. To know how to handle and control your vehicle is YOUR responsibility as a driver on the pubic roads.

If you find a quiet, unpopulated place that you can practice in, I recommend it. Just don't do it in a crowded Walmart parking lot on a Saturday afternoon and you'll be o.k.

Welcome to winter driving in Ontario......LOL

 

I think he has 4wd, he says something about 4high in his post. I don't have any weight in the back of mine and i've driven in snow a lot this winter. You just have to get used to know when and where its going to break lose and steer against it.

 

I just drive, no extra weight or anything, Just take it easy, if you feel it slip be gentle and don't panic.

 

Hey all and thanks for the suggestions. First off I don't really get scared when I go sideways and I can usually tell when I am going to go sideways but when I was doing around 90 km/h and the back end started to slip, it was really quick but thank god I counter steered. I spent most of last night driving around and getting used to it. I was also doing some donuts and all that fun stuff. I am not too worried when I am doing 30 and the backend slides out, it's more when I am going 80 or 90 km/h that worries me as it's alot quicker.


Yes I have a 4x4 and when I engaged that, I didn't have any problems but it's too expensive to drive around with that everytime we get 3 cm of snow.

I am pretty good driver and I thought I was going slow doing 90 in a 100 zone in the slow lane while most people were doing 110 or 120. I had a truck infront of me and I was watching him as well and when we had to slow down because of somebody in the ditch and then speed up again, he would fishtail at the low speeds but not the high speeds like I was.

I am wanting to put sand or gravel in the back as it seems it would help but it seems like I have to build something which isn't a problem but I don't have the saw or anything to cut the wood. I will check with a friend to see if he can help.

Would winter tires help? Like I picked up a friend and he saw how bad it was. Every turn, every time I go to take off, I am sideways. I always had fwd so I am still learning.

 

cereal.
Like you I have 4wd but I rarely use it this winter. I also have no weight in the bed unless you count the snow that I don't take out of it. I only engage it if I have trouble starting on a hill or somthing similar, when I am in heavy stop and go traffic or when the girl yells "stop playing!!". I usually just stay out of the gas when the 3rd one occures or just play a little less.

 

Adding weight in the back will help, but good set of winter tires will make the most difference.

 

winter tires would help alot, get some nokians it will turn your truck in to a tank. i just use 4x4 most of the time.

 

Just remeber, you have 4x4.....Just because you got the "Go" 4 wheel drive dont give you the "whoa"


By me saying that means that, just because the *** end stops fish tailing etc, just remeber you have to slow it down also...

 

^ and just because you have 4x4 doesnt mean you can stop either.

just go slow, i almost took out a mailbox yesterday because my rear and slipped out on me but ive gotten very good and getting it to check back up quickly and control it so it just takes time

 

The main thing to do when you start sliding is take your foot off the gas and steer your truck in the direction you want to go. Also, if you are coming to a stop at an intersection and you are sliding on ice, steer over to the side of the road where there is snow, you will get better traction.

 

I myself had a 4x4 ranger, and with no weight in the bed I never had any problems and very rarely used the 4x4. Just pay attention, be carefull, SLOW DOWN, and keep your foot off the gas, the faster you push the pedal the faster you will spin. While 4x4 helps alot try not to use it unless you absouletly have to because by using 4x4 you will have tendancy to drive faster because you can-but you can not stop any faster. Play around in an empty parking lot and get used to it, and build your confidance in your self. Alot of it is haveing to be confidant in yourself on your driving skills, if you are afraid to drive in the snow and afraid of spinning, going sideways and all that you will over react in situations and make them a big deal and thats when bad things happen.
Also when stopping, if you start to slide or lock up your brakes release the brakes and reapply, you cant stop if your brakes are locked up so if they do lock let them go and reapply-kinda like pumping old air brakes-pump and release
Just build confidance in your driving skills and be carefull and you will be fine

 

i use 4x4 all the time if the roads are snow covered. no weight in the back. no problems

hey cereal what part of ontario you in. pm me if ya want. I am just south of barrie. oh if ya live close i will go practice with ya in a parking lot .....snow coming friday......]8-)

 

......and to that I say "WHAT?!!"

Too expensive?? What is?? 4x4 doesn't use any more gas then turning on your A/C...that's right up there with "THAT" argument.

I totally missed that in the first post that you HAVE a 4wd Ranger. Sweet Jesus man, put it in 4x4, put some weight in the bed, and be done with it already!!!!

If you can't keep it on the road then, I say park it for the winter and get a Ski-Doo. LOL

 

Hey all,

Well I went out for another drive this evening and I am pretty comfortable with going sideways. I can handle it pretty good.

I wasn't aware that 4x4 was only a little bit more gas, I thought it would be double but if it's only like using A/C, then I will use 4x4 as much as I can.

I called a few places for winter tires today but nobody any any decent tires, only the cheap stuff so I have to call a few more places. I am going to work on some weight in the back bed and hopefully that will help a ton also.

Thanks all for your tips and suggestion. I was pretty freaked out yesterday but today I am fine.

I guess last question, Is using 4x4 ok when there is snow only in certain spots but dry pavement in others or like after some snow and it stop, there is snow in the middle of the lane but where the tires go, the snow is gone and it's only wet?

Thanks again

 

Well, in North Carolina, we had like a half inch of snow and I was the ONLY vehicle on the road besides the sand/salt trucks, and I used 4x4 in a few spots, but it DOESNT really help on ice, but yeah, turn in the direction of the skid, and/or the direction you want to go, and dont lock em down.

 

Actually. 4x4 EATS up your gas..!

I got roughly 120 miles on 3/4 of my tank this last big snow we had.. was forced to 4x it the entire time with over a foot of snow.

 

u getting very bad mileage. last tank i had was 420km all on 4x4. I dont think the 4x4 has anythign to do with it


as for cereal the nice thing is you can switch the 4x4 on off with ease now adays (just not 4lo) I knwo waht yo are talkign about those patchs that are from blowing snow.

Usually until i get onto hwy 11 (yonge) or 400 i use 4x4 on the side roads. I have had the *** come out on a 2wd truck on those spots

as for winter tires i assume that the truck came with the goodyear crappy tires. I would suggest getting a set of BFG A/T KO for all year use

 

Actually.. factually, it does eat up yoru mileage.. it forces yoru engine to run at much higher RPM's to produce the same amount of movement you would in 2wd.. and higher RPMs means your using up lots of gas.. if your drivin gat 25-40MPH on city and slight highway driving in 4-High, then that woudl equat to running about 50% the distance in normal 2wd...

Anyone who runs a 4x truck offroad coudl tell you just how bad the mileage is.. and it only gets worse in snow

 

^^I'm not sure what your trying to get at Mike, the gear ratios in the transmission are the same. If I run 2500 Rpms in 2wd, I run 2500 Rpms in 4hi.

I run a 70 mile trip sometimes in 4wd the whole way, still getting above 16 MPG while going 65-70mph. If I hit a dry spot, I leave it in, why take it out to put it right back in. My tires are all the same size and I'm not having any binding going around the large sweeping corners, this is my own experience, I have no problems, it doesn't worry me one bit.

 

1/2"? And you needed 4x4? What would happen if you woke up to 15-16" of the stuff?