Recommondation for Ice, Snow, Slush driving
10-17-2010, 04:19 AM
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Recommondation for Ice, Snow, Slush driving
I believe my truck in four wheel drive will only turn one wheel in the back (no lock or limited slip with 11.5 diff.) and one wheel in the front. Also I think it will only be the free wheel the opposite of the one gripping/traction. last year my truck in 4wheel did a 180 with some ice and snow on the ground. I see other trucks hauling @ss with no concern. Whats needed?
10-17-2010, 08:02 AM
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Limited slip in front or rear or both, lockers in both if you have to put up with ice and snow quite alot. I would think that a 07 would have at least limited slip, but I could be wrong. Or move to where they don't have to put up with that at all..........
10-17-2010, 08:04 AM
#3
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some sort of limited slip is a huge help for slippery conditions. It makes a night and day difference. There are many different types from clutch type limited slips to lockers. I've heard lots of good stuff about the detroit truetrac. Pretty cool design but very expensive. My buddy bought a rebuilt limited slip on ebay for around $300 that is still doing great and he is rough on it. Maybe someone will chime in about where to get a good deal on one.
For the front, you don't want any type of locker unless you can disengage it. If your fronts are locked together you won't be able to turn very well. Basically, you don't need one for street driving. If you feel like you do, you can get electric or air lockers but be ready to empty your pockets.
Also tires make a big difference.
For the front, you don't want any type of locker unless you can disengage it. If your fronts are locked together you won't be able to turn very well. Basically, you don't need one for street driving. If you feel like you do, you can get electric or air lockers but be ready to empty your pockets.
Also tires make a big difference.
10-17-2010, 08:23 AM
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First of all, just because you see people doing it doesn't mean that it should be done!
A second consideration is that a limited slip rearend is actually your enemy when you seek forward travel stability because having both wheels driven and rolling is similar to breaking traction and the back end of your truck will want to walk sideways if the resistance to forward movement is greater than the resistance to sideways movement. A limited slip rearend can also provide enough traction to over drive your ability to steer and you could end up going straight when you infact want to turn.
A couple of things that will help you are weight in the back, my truck empty will easily light up the tires on wet roads, no ice, slush, or snow necessary. I'm sure that your's will too. The front end of these trucks is heavy enough. BTW, ALWAYS secure the weight you carry in the bed, a good friend of mine became a quadripalegic when fire extinguishers he was carrying came flying through the back window when he went off the road in a heavy snow.
The second thing that makes a big difference is your tires. You need good channeling abilities in the tread pattern and a softer rubber compound to grip the road. Some tires are harder to start with and slip on every road surface, other tires seem to get harder as the tread wears down.
You might also want to consider tire chains for the more severe conditions. We've always chained the big trucks in deep snow or off road with good results, I'm going back to a more "highway tread" type tire and chains for all four corners for those same conditions myself. Probably diamond pattern chains, that's what I run in the woods on the front for stability and traction, as long as I can more or less keep the front pointed where I want to go I can get there regardless of where the back might go, `course it's a little different if you're driving in traffic, hence the rear chains for the pickup.
A second consideration is that a limited slip rearend is actually your enemy when you seek forward travel stability because having both wheels driven and rolling is similar to breaking traction and the back end of your truck will want to walk sideways if the resistance to forward movement is greater than the resistance to sideways movement. A limited slip rearend can also provide enough traction to over drive your ability to steer and you could end up going straight when you infact want to turn.
A couple of things that will help you are weight in the back, my truck empty will easily light up the tires on wet roads, no ice, slush, or snow necessary. I'm sure that your's will too. The front end of these trucks is heavy enough. BTW, ALWAYS secure the weight you carry in the bed, a good friend of mine became a quadripalegic when fire extinguishers he was carrying came flying through the back window when he went off the road in a heavy snow.
The second thing that makes a big difference is your tires. You need good channeling abilities in the tread pattern and a softer rubber compound to grip the road. Some tires are harder to start with and slip on every road surface, other tires seem to get harder as the tread wears down.
You might also want to consider tire chains for the more severe conditions. We've always chained the big trucks in deep snow or off road with good results, I'm going back to a more "highway tread" type tire and chains for all four corners for those same conditions myself. Probably diamond pattern chains, that's what I run in the woods on the front for stability and traction, as long as I can more or less keep the front pointed where I want to go I can get there regardless of where the back might go, `course it's a little different if you're driving in traffic, hence the rear chains for the pickup.
10-17-2010, 08:54 AM
#5
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4wd mainly helps with getting moving (or NOT getting stuck) when it comes to stopping/turning general stability in the snow the extra drive wheels help far less than most people think (hence seeing many many 4wd`s spun in the snow). Instead of installing a limited slip, try slowing down, your truck/passengers and everyone else on the road around you will thank you.
10-17-2010, 10:20 AM
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I find the worst snow is hard packed and then it rains a fair bit on top of it ,so now the packed snow is pretty much ice with slush on top,that might as well just be water. My Toyo M55s are good for just about anything except that.But I still need 4 wheel in almost all snow conditions.
10-17-2010, 11:50 AM
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Check your build sheet and see if you have a limited slip diff in he back. When I was looking on dealers lot here in CO, I found a lot of 4x4 trucks with an open diff. Didn't make sense to me to build them that way, but they did.
The LSD that Dodge uses is a worm gear, there are no clutch packs. This is a good thing, because they don't wear out as easy. But if they're not setup right, they can direct all the power to the wheels that's spinning on ice. That makes it worse than an open diff.
If yours just spins on the ice and snow, you may have a problem with your set up. Take it to a pro and have them adjust it properly.
Eaton gear says you can safely use their TruTrak diff on the front.
The LSD that Dodge uses is a worm gear, there are no clutch packs. This is a good thing, because they don't wear out as easy. But if they're not setup right, they can direct all the power to the wheels that's spinning on ice. That makes it worse than an open diff.
If yours just spins on the ice and snow, you may have a problem with your set up. Take it to a pro and have them adjust it properly.
Eaton gear says you can safely use their TruTrak diff on the front.
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10-17-2010, 01:06 PM
#8
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First of all, just because you see people doing it doesn't mean that it should be done!
A second consideration is that a limited slip rearend is actually your enemy when you seek forward travel stability because having both wheels driven and rolling is similar to breaking traction and the back end of your truck will want to walk sideways if the resistance to forward movement is greater than the resistance to sideways movement. A limited slip rearend can also provide enough traction to over drive your ability to steer and you could end up going straight when you infact want to turn.
A couple of things that will help you are weight in the back, my truck empty will easily light up the tires on wet roads, no ice, slush, or snow necessary. I'm sure that yours will too. The front end of these trucks is heavy enough. BTW, ALWAYS secure the weight you carry in the bed, a good friend of mine became a quadripalegic when fire extinguishers he was carrying came flying through the back window when he went off the road in a heavy snow.
The second thing that makes a big difference is your tires. You need good channeling abilities in the tread pattern and a softer rubber compound to grip the road. Some tires are harder to start with and slip on every road surface, other tires seem to get harder as the tread wears down.
You might also want to consider tire chains for the more severe conditions. We've always chained the big trucks in deep snow or off road with good results, I'm going back to a more "highway tread" type tire and chains for all four corners for those same conditions myself. Probably diamond pattern chains, that's what I run in the woods on the front for stability and traction, as long as I can more or less keep the front pointed where I want to go I can get there regardless of where the back might go, `course it's a little different if you're driving in traffic, hence the rear chains for the pickup.
A second consideration is that a limited slip rearend is actually your enemy when you seek forward travel stability because having both wheels driven and rolling is similar to breaking traction and the back end of your truck will want to walk sideways if the resistance to forward movement is greater than the resistance to sideways movement. A limited slip rearend can also provide enough traction to over drive your ability to steer and you could end up going straight when you infact want to turn.
A couple of things that will help you are weight in the back, my truck empty will easily light up the tires on wet roads, no ice, slush, or snow necessary. I'm sure that yours will too. The front end of these trucks is heavy enough. BTW, ALWAYS secure the weight you carry in the bed, a good friend of mine became a quadripalegic when fire extinguishers he was carrying came flying through the back window when he went off the road in a heavy snow.
The second thing that makes a big difference is your tires. You need good channeling abilities in the tread pattern and a softer rubber compound to grip the road. Some tires are harder to start with and slip on every road surface, other tires seem to get harder as the tread wears down.
You might also want to consider tire chains for the more severe conditions. We've always chained the big trucks in deep snow or off road with good results, I'm going back to a more "highway tread" type tire and chains for all four corners for those same conditions myself. Probably diamond pattern chains, that's what I run in the woods on the front for stability and traction, as long as I can more or less keep the front pointed where I want to go I can get there regardless of where the back might go, `course it's a little different if you're driving in traffic, hence the rear chains for the pickup.
10-17-2010, 05:59 PM
#11
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Wow. Light 'em up. I don't think he said anything about him driving fast.
Now back to the OP. Check your build sheet and glove box label for info, you might have limited slip.
Second is the weight issue. You could hide two tons of sand in the back and no one but you would know it's in there. You don't need that much but my point is that the *** haulers might have some weight in there. These trucks are gophers and love to dig. So a locking diff will definitely push the truck straight through a turn. Some of us blip the throttle to break the tires loose through tight turns in deep snow. This unloads the diff and eases torque in the frame. This also allows the front end to "pull it around." There's more weight up front and the back will break loose first, hence the 180 you experienced. Tread and compound are HUGE factors. Cooper SST's ran awesome all winter with minimal tread. Knock off's on there now are horrible and need to be replaced before the snow flies.
Recommendation: Unless you mud, skip the diff upgrade and invest in tires. Constantly think "gentle input" to all controls and you'll do fine.
Tirerack.com has the biggest set of comparisons and reviews. Plus you get a good reference price. They seem to be in line on NON-sale prices locally.
Now back to the OP. Check your build sheet and glove box label for info, you might have limited slip.
Second is the weight issue. You could hide two tons of sand in the back and no one but you would know it's in there. You don't need that much but my point is that the *** haulers might have some weight in there. These trucks are gophers and love to dig. So a locking diff will definitely push the truck straight through a turn. Some of us blip the throttle to break the tires loose through tight turns in deep snow. This unloads the diff and eases torque in the frame. This also allows the front end to "pull it around." There's more weight up front and the back will break loose first, hence the 180 you experienced. Tread and compound are HUGE factors. Cooper SST's ran awesome all winter with minimal tread. Knock off's on there now are horrible and need to be replaced before the snow flies.
Recommendation: Unless you mud, skip the diff upgrade and invest in tires. Constantly think "gentle input" to all controls and you'll do fine.
Tirerack.com has the biggest set of comparisons and reviews. Plus you get a good reference price. They seem to be in line on NON-sale prices locally.
10-17-2010, 09:05 PM
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For winter driving the single biggest factor (my humble opinion....) is traction so make sure you've got tires that are good for winter - regardless of 4X4 or limited slip issues - 'most every vehicle has '4 wheel stop' and '2 wheel stir'. With good traction then all the other suggestions help make things even better.
I've used Nokian winter tires on a number of vehicles and they are outstanding for winter conditions. I get set up with an extra set of wheels so I can change from summer to winter tires without a stop at the tire shop each time. Seems expensive but costs less than even a minor crash - plus I never feel as good about a vehicle once it's been wrecked & repaired. Other brands also have good winter tires - just sharing my experience with Nokian..
Interesting thread - I learned a lot about limited slip that I didn't know - thanks everyone!
I've used Nokian winter tires on a number of vehicles and they are outstanding for winter conditions. I get set up with an extra set of wheels so I can change from summer to winter tires without a stop at the tire shop each time. Seems expensive but costs less than even a minor crash - plus I never feel as good about a vehicle once it's been wrecked & repaired. Other brands also have good winter tires - just sharing my experience with Nokian..
Interesting thread - I learned a lot about limited slip that I didn't know - thanks everyone!
10-22-2010, 06:47 PM
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As mentioned, Limited slip can cause a side ways walking, or can be a great benefit. I have limited slip in my Ram and have had it in other vehicles for many years. With this said, NEVER consider any type of locker in your vehicle UNLESS its selectable. By selectable, I mean you can run with the locker not engaged or lock at your will. ARB air lockers are this type. I run ARB Air Lockers on front and rear axles on
my Power Wagons and M37. If you run a NON SELECTABLE locker on ice/snow/slush you can walk off the road sideways easy. USe it to get unstuck, but never for normal driving on slippery surfaces.
8Valve
my Power Wagons and M37. If you run a NON SELECTABLE locker on ice/snow/slush you can walk off the road sideways easy. USe it to get unstuck, but never for normal driving on slippery surfaces.
8Valve
10-22-2010, 11:29 PM
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for one don't drive in 4x4 unless you HAVE to. driving in 4x4 only puts you in the hole deeper. when it is really cold out and there is snow on the ground (if you could see your tires) the tread is white. white = KILLER TRACTION! black = NO TRACTION AND SLOW DOWN! old trucker trick. we call it ice racing. just like when your hands are damp, reach into the freezer for ice and the ice sticks to your hands. same with driving. your tires have heat built from driving, that heat slightly melts the ice and sticks to the ground hence having killer traction but if it is greasy, you better watch yourself. I am on of those hauling a*s in winter but grew up in northern Idaho and having 6 plus feet of snow you either learned or you were one that was getting yanked out of the ditch all the time
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