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Snow driving??

BigRed1

Here comes trouble...
The 4 letter word (snow) is being mentioned here in the Deep South on Monday. I hope it happens because driving in the snow with a large, V8 powered Ford product is one of life's great pleasures. 1993 was the last time we got to drive in the snow in our area.

I envy you guys in snow country - I realize too much of it can really be a pain, but I sure would like to have more opportunities to do it here.

Do you think a deep lug mud tire is best for snow (just snow, not ice) or an all terrain tire? If some of you snow guys don't mind responding, I'm really interested in your answers and snow driving tips.

IF the snow even materializes and Alabama doesn't get it, it appears the TN guys would be having fun on Monday. I may have to drive up there and have some fun myself. :)

Thanks in advance for your time and opinions...

-rp-
 

john112deere

caffeine junkie
Staff member
10,807
405
central Vermont
Snow without ice...probably the mud tire.

As for tips: if you want to get where you're going safely, go slow. Don't hammer the throttle, don't steer fast, don't brake hard, and don't touch the brake pedal while you're trying to steer. In fact, the biggest snow-driving trick I know is basically that the brake is NOT your friend. A locked tire will skid in any direction, and you can corner a hell of a lot faster without going into a ditch if you get your foot offa the middle pedal. Also, it's better to be stuck than wrecked, IMO...momentum is key to getting where you're going, but it's what wrecks you, too.

If you wanna have fun...get some space, cut the wheel, and give'r hell! Just make sure there's nothing around to hit, especially other people.

EDIT: Snow without ice I'd say the mud tire, but I doubt that's what you're gonna get. Even way up here in the frozen north we end up with ice when it gets packed and/or melts a little and refreezes.
 

Fellro

Moderator
Staff member
Typically I prefer a good open tread, but not the point of mud cleats, it just throws the crap, doesn't help with traction that much. Heavy slushy stuff needs to just get out of the tread, but not really so much dig into it.
 

ameritaz3038

New York Chapter Leader
here in snow belt of the north (buffalo NY) i have found over trial and error., that the best tire in this area was a good all seasonal tire. great in snow, but ice , hell lets be honest nothing will do well on ice, except some type of steel claw lol.

as for tip i tend to drive at a steady speed, and hardly ever use my brakes, but i have a manual, the clutch and downshift will get you stopped. also leave a large gap between you and others helps, you see a problem with plenty of time to react without panic setting in, that is when your brake ( your enemy ) comes into play.

also if you have a large lot that is empty with virgin snow, by all means , turn in and cut a few donuts. what is even more fun is have a front wheel drive and do donuts in reverse.
 
Wide open mud tire type tread is awful in snow!!..had an old blazer on TSL's, that's like putting skis on a tank.....now if you wanna go snow wheelin in say 5 feet of fresh powder, thats a different story, but for average street driving a more closed tread is better.....the best tire i ever had in the winter (33 years living in Wisconsin qualifies as a bit experienced in this area.....lol) was General Ameri-trac all-season......front wheel, rear wheel drive vehicles, good set of tires, Bridgestone dueler A/T's on the expy last winter, decent tire in deep snow as well....purposely plowed into a snow bank about headlight high just to test the tires and 4x.....gravy....lol
 
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All terrains are all I ever want in the snow. You need the closer tread lug spacing so that you get the BITE. This design has better holding power on slightly packed snow. Remember, the snow is going to pack down under the weight of the truck so you want something that will grab BEFORE or as that happens.

On roads that have already see traffic, truckin4life's comment about packed snow being as bad as ice is a very good point. No matter what kind of snow/ice you must drive through, NO SUDDEN MOVEMENTS is the key to keeping the truck pointed the direction you want it. Quick steering, braking or acceleration movements will only serve to destroy what small hold any tire has in these conditions.

Now the thing that makes this fact FUN is that you can find a nice wide open area and after coming to a dead stop, stand on the gas in 4HI and watch all four tires spray snow in the air!smiliepeelout
 

BigRed1

Here comes trouble...
Great info, fellas! Thanks for taking the time to share the experience.

I have Goodyear MT's on one of my trucks, Goodrich AT's on the other, and mud tires made in Taiwan on the Bronco. :) Guess I'm covered!

-rp-
 

95F350XL

Master Junk Tech
Mud tires will get through everything, its just that they slide alot and have like 0 traction. My F350 with 36's is also my plow truck in the winter, and its like I can never get stuck, but I can get through everything. AT's are garbage in my opinion. They get clogged and what not. My tires never clog. Snow driving is like mud driving id say. Ive got stuck worse with AT's then with my MT's
 
3,121
67
Michigan
after driving in snow for a couple of years now heres my take on it. Tready tires aint worth a damn when driving on a road. Only time they are good if you are in deep snow, any snow thats not packed down. Once you get on a ice road you better know what your doing or you will end up in the ditch.

Im sick of driving in the snow, whens spring gonna get here....
 

95F350XL

Master Junk Tech
We have had some lame ass snow storm here, cant even call em storms. Like dustings. It rains right after and melts it away, then its like 10* at night and freezes it. So annoying.
 
3,121
67
Michigan
We are expecting Blizzard like conditions this wednesday. Cant wait for the ride to work that morning ::)
 

95F350XL

Master Junk Tech
Ill move to where u are, and u can come here lol.
 
3,121
67
Michigan
hahahaha i love the snow, just hate the single number temps...
 

95F350XL

Master Junk Tech
Yea bro, i and 10* is cold to me.
 
3,121
67
Michigan
Its 39 degrees here today. Im out side workin on my sled because its not so cold that i cant stand being outside!
 

95F350XL

Master Junk Tech
It was 52 sunday and I was sweatin lol, its like 45 today, i was out in a tshirt lol. Supposed to snow tomorrow or wed as well.
 
Something ive learned to do in order to figure out what yer up against, is wait till you have a good straight stretch, and while moving, give it some gas. If it don't spin, try a little more. Its a good way to gauge how slick it is.
As for tires, my BFG A/T's do well on the packed snow, and in snow in general.
 

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