By far the best thing I've done to improve snow and ice driving is having my tires siped.
Much better than studs plus improves dry road tire wear, tires last a lot longer.

 

hey thats neat, what tires are you running?? and where did you have that done if you dont mind me asking, looking improve the tread life and traction of my tires.

 

Discount tire does siping.

 

I'm running Toyo HT on my 2500 and Toyo M-55 on the the 3500.
Large northwest tire chain, Les Schwab, does siping, $10 each for a new tire, $12 for a used.
Used tires cost more because they have to remove rocks that would damage their machines.

Siping info> http://www.lesschwab.com/siping.asp

 

and remember to get a good all terrain tire when you get new ones. i don't just get the ones that look mean, make sure they already have siping. they are not always the most aggressive looking tires but will out-perform the meaty mt's

 

Its not always the vehicle that has anything to do with how well it handles in any condition. My 2500 4x4 can be a tank in the snow when I am driving it because I know how to drive it. It could also be as useless as a crotch rocket in the snow if you put someone behind the wheel that has no idea how to drive it.

 

dittos- I love seeing suv's in the ditch-they usually have factory ground effects on them that buries them quicker lol. That & these morons never consider changing the summer tires for something more agressive

 

Know your vehicle and SLOW DOWN

 

I had a ram 1500 4x4 before this with 360 v8. Lifted and whatnot, never got stuck

My current 2500 4x4 CTD is a beast in the snow. Haven't been stuck yet.
Haven't really tired to get stuck either. lol

As long as your not going to fast for conditions, a 4x4 Cummins is excellent in the snow... IMO

 

Coming home from work about 3:30AM on a back country road in a blizzard the snow was heavy and drifting. It had filled in the ditches which were gradual and about 6 feet deep so you couldn't see where the ditch was. I entered the ditch at about 80kph (50 mph) I kept the power on and was doing OK until I hit a run down to a farmers field. The truck came up in the air in a hurry and it flattened one of the front rims completely. Although the tire was flat and the rim flatter and would not turn as it hit the ball joints I was still able to drive out in very deep snow to a spot that I could change out the wheel. Luckily it was only about minus 20C.

That's how good our trucks are in snow.

 

I definately agree with some weight over the back wheels. The cummins is a heavy engine and if you dont have much fuel or nothing in the back of the truck, they fishtail all over. I put about 500 lbs in the truck looked leveled out. The weight helped a ton to keep the truck on the right path. I know that this is pretty much a repeate but I figure that most people will go with what the majority says. Also, off road I have never had trouble other than sinking with all the weight. Of course as others have said, know your limitations. These arent mud machines when stock.

 

I didn't completely read all the posts in here but I'm going to say again 4wd doesn't help you stop it helps you get going faster than you should be and will hold the road a little better. I haven't driven mine at all yet let alone in the snow but I've driven enough different vehicles that I pretty much know it's got a lot of weight over the front end and will probably suck in 2wd around town but be rather tank like in 4wd on skinny tires. That said I drove a lot in winter conditions in a ford escort, and new it's limits very well it the only time I ever got past was in deep slush and never put it in the ditch.

 

I read a little more and will also add I hate adding weight in the bed of a truck it's dangerous as hell in a wreck because most people don't mount it to the truck. It helps get you going from a stop but just adds momentum once it starts to spin around making it harder to save.

 

Weight in the back will help keep it from swinging since it helps keep traction in the back. I'd also venture to bet that it would help cut braking times in poorer traction since it will help keep back from locking up due to more traction.

 

So what is the proper way to drive safely on snowy roads in these rigs?

With my limited experience in snow, I've noticed that these trucks are pretty good. The part-time 4wd is the best you can get. It's an actual 4wd, not the AWD, Honda Ridgeline (or Chevy) front differential bs. The rear is a limited slip... But what more can you reasonably ask for?

Now as far as stopping... The 4wd helps a bit but these rigs are big and heavy. The maneuverability and weight are disadvantages imo (on public roads at least). Ice is the enemy. One time I nearly slid into the parked car next to me in a parking lot because my rear end rolled over some super thin ice and began sliding sideways. Scary situation.

Overall, I think these trucks can be good in snow, but if you're going to get a vehicle JUST for winter driving, there's probably better options. I'd look into a smaller, more lightweight vehicle with part-time 4wd. Toyota Tacoma or Jeep comes to mind.