BennyTRD

What makes a truck driver in the winter nuts????

Gangus2006

I packed up my spare blanket in the back of hte 4Runner the other day, along with some extra clothes. Im going to be keeping recovery gear handy. And, one very important thing Ive found, more important than a snow brush or whatever, is a bucket. 2 (a big one and a small one) would be even better, so you can get hot water at whatever facility and dump it on your windshield and on your tires to get that junk off of there. Make sure you have a small shovel also.

I might be searching around soon to find this Tube Sand stuff to keep int he back of the 4Runner.

northfacer581

this is shaping up to be a very informative thread...

from my experience in charlotte's "huge" storm 2 years ago with 15" of snow and plenty of power outages ya da ya da...make sure you only go out if you need to...seriously...4wd isnt god's answer for snowy roads

ChickenLover

methanphetamines (duh).

mike_d

that's true, this is god's answer for snow:

SnoViking

my best advice is simple.... if its snowing that bad, dont go anywhere if youre at home... if youre somewhere and you have to get home... find the snow emergency routes... these will be plowed early and often... and watch out for other drivers... the majority of accidents are caused by someone not paying attention or knowing how to stop... and rememeber... you always have 4 brakes... even in the summer... jsut because you have 4wd doesnt mean you stop faster... i knew a kid in highschool who swore that 4wd helped him brake... untill he slid down a hill into a creek...

and just use common sense.... no job is more important than your safety.... and the line i love best.... "theyre not paying you enough to risk your life"

Chenedog

If you drive like everyone here suggested then forget the sand in tube crap....you have 4wd and can use that when in deeper or drifting snow. They plow the roads out east so chains are not required unless you are planning on driving into the logging roads.

Wash your rig whenever you can and keep it waxed....like was said by many

token7888

Hi guys,
Thanks for all the great advice.
I bought a little ceramic heater that you plug into the cig lighter outlet to warm/clear up the windshield. Anyone ever use one?


My tires are in good condition, but they are just regular all season mud and snow rated ones, not special winter tires or anything. Are the Blizzacks winter tires?

Will have to stop by a surplus store and buy a shovel, bucket, brush...

Is there anything special about the blue washer stuff, won't it freeze?

Great tip on keeping the gas tank full, never knew that about water accumulation. Or about freezing doors shut! Or frozen emergency brake!

How do you use the gears on an auto for engine braking etc.?

One vote for chains, anyone else?

I'll definitely try the smooth driving style, braking, and turning in a parking lot. Sounds like fun actually.

Should I get a tow rope? (so someone can pull my ass out of a ditch) he he

Thanks,
J

FilthyRich

You should always have a tow rope. And not one with a hook on the end.

If you are looking for snow tires, do a search. There was a recent thread about which tires to get

oly884

Yep the Blizzaks are winter tires. From what I've heard, they are amazing in the snow.

I would say chains though, much cheaper route, and definitely get a tow rope.

Intrepid

Skip the tow "rope", get a good 2x20 10-20k tow strap, as was already said, no hooks on the ends, they can become projectiles if the strap snaps. Definitely keep it on you all the time.

What exactly are your tires? Blizzacks are supposed to be awesome in the snow but you can get by with AT's. If you are really concerned, get them siped. Skip the chains, they will make the vehicle worse on tar, they are great if you are going around on all ice or unplowed roads, but otherwise, don't bother.

Something to think about, once every month, dump a bottle of Isopropyl based dry gas into your fule tank, it absorbs the water in there and allows it to harmlessly burn off. If you want more info about it search google for "Isopropyl gas line antifreeze". It is only a couple bucks and worth the peace of mind, IMO.

I keep the regular blue washer fluid in year round, just check the bottle when you buy it and make sure it is rated to a very low temp. (I don't know what is available where you are)

To use engine braking on an auto tranny, just shift it down into 2 and when you slow down more, down into 1 (or whatever the two lower gears from "Drive" are called). Very simple, just don't overdue it, the whole key is smooth and easy.

I don't know what this "bucket" deal is, but you can skip it, sounds like a Khanh-ism, what kind of a dumba$$ tells you to dump water on your rig in FREEZING weather?? Hot water freezez faster BTW. I do not and I don't know ANYONE that dumps hot water on their windsheild and tires.
Just use the defrost in the truck, you go out, start your truck, turn on the defroster, put the heat on, scrape the ice/snow off the windsheild, let it sit for 10 minutes and your windsheild is perfectly clear.

Intrepid

FYI, after asking multiple people around here and on NE4ROC, the general consensus is that dumping water on your vehicle, hot or not, is the worst idea ever. So once again, skip that peice of "advice".
A quote that basically sums it all up:

Perhaps he will sit the water next to the truck and, "let physics do its thing"... :pat:

PirateFins

I spend alot of time on the roads when it snows, as I am partner in a plowing buiss. So some observations. First and for most when it snows don't worry about not being experienced in driving in it, 80% of the people that will be on the road will act like they have never driven in it either. Forget the chains, forget the winter tires no need for them as the roads get plowed and your 4wd will be enough. Like everyone else has said, Slow down, leave room, allow for extra time (the roads will become parking lots). Allways be alert to your surroundings, find the "out", pay attenion to the cars around you and the openings. I have had to many idiots from out of now-where just loose control, and you need to know where you can go. A trick I learned driving an automatic Mustang in the snow was when I went to stop, if I started sliding I would shift into neutral, This kept the trans applying power and from pushing the wheels, so the only thing memoving was momentum. I'm not saying do it every time, but it helped some. Like every one else has said, find a parking lot and play. That is the only way you are going to get comfortable driving in the white goodness!

PirateFins

Oh and bring enough Milk, Bread, and Toilet Paper from CA with you to last the entire winter. For some strange reason when they call for snow everone and their brother run to the stores and buy up all of those items. It is really wierd, like the roads will never clear. LOL

BADLNDS

-slow down and drive sensibly (according to the conditions)...
-get good winter tires (the rubber compounds of all-season and mudders freeze up at -20 degrees making the rubber too hard...thus more dangerous on ice) You don't need chains...or studs. (unless your going offroading in deep snow)

- lotsa windshield washer (blue rated down to -30)

-make sure u have a good battery (keep a set of booster cables in the trunk, just in case)

-keep a pair of warm gloves, hat in the rig (in case)

- a good brush/scraper (I found the "Oscar" brand brush useful and well thought-out)

-if u can plug your rig in...a block-heater is good to have on those extremely cold days

-gas line antifreeze is a good idea (it's just alcohol) and never let your tank go below 1/4

- and by all means...DO NOT pour water over your vehicle!!!

relax, use common sense and have fun...winter is a great time to drive and enjoy a 4WD vehicle.

-B

BennyTRD

Thats a very stereotypical statement. I know about 50 guys that drive truck (including myself), that have never taken benny's.

Driving in winter is no big deal. Make sure that your battery is in good condition and has enough CA to start your motor when is gets below freezing. The higher the CCA the better. Not sure how cold it gets where you are going to be, but where I live (Central Saskatchewan), it can get to below -40 C + wind chill. Last years low was -58 C with the wind chill. No amount of preparation can help you when it gets that cold.

Perhaps you may want to run some Gas line antifreeze, to keep your fuel system free from freezing up. Invest in some new wipers, if you need them, make sure all your fluids are up to spec, tires have the proper tire pressure, etc etc. The last thing you need is something to go wrong in the winter when its cold, a cell phone is a must aswell. Drive with caution and be very attentive to what your doing, and whats going on around you. Basically it boils down to commom sense. So use your head.

Swissdrums

Initial D... = anime film about drifting hondas...

the master drifter learned to be so good from putting a cup of water in his cup holder and drifting without spilling...

for LAMM

northfacer581

Amen! good lord its ridiculous...

key line: "when they call for..."

rowan

warm clothes, maybe one of those jump start box things, jumper cables, recovery strap, chains, depending on how far out in the woods u are.. food, water, spare gas.

good scraper, boots, and lock de-icer are good too.

sand in a tube is good stuff... ive got some big plastic tubes with screw on ends that i fill with sand in the winter. one of those and a bag of tube sand is all i would ever need. usually didnt have any weight in my pickup so in a runner i doubt ud need any.

if ur just commuting around you'll be fine with probably just a scraper and some warm clothes and some good common sense. goin off down logging trails is when u gotta be prepared.

edit; after reading the part about the water... wtf?

98LimitedCustomized

1. slow down.
2. slow down.
3. badlnds covered most
4. WD-40 on wheel wells, lower rocker panels, anywhere else
5. block heater
6. give yourself at least 5-10 extra minutes for everything
7. let it warm up and let the windows defrost... nothing worse than driving blind.
8. cell phone
9. 1 or 2 sand tubes... mostly are for 2wd's but sand is traction
10. shovel... either a metal scoop or a retracting plastic cheapy
11. whoever said tires are tires is stupid.... when tires get packed with snow they are like slicks, a good self cleaning tire helps a lot in snow
12. turning... maybe the biggest advice to a guy like yourself. With low traction your vehicle wants to stay in motion, forward. To take a corner in the winter you should damn there stop before you turn. Because vehicles are stopping and accelerating at corners they are often the most slippery spots, despite being sanded
13. bridges... because air flows below them, they freeze before anything else. I never touch my gas pedal over a bridge, that's where most cars lose it
14. cruise control... this is debatable, but most people don't use cruise in bad conditions cause when your tires slip they keep slipping
15. don't ever go faster than semis, and don't crowd them. They have a LOT of weight for traction, but in general they have a good idea of how fast you should go, MAX
16. Careful with boots... they keep your feet warm but some are so clunky you lose good control of the gas and brake pedal placements... i bring them but drive with shoes
17. ice scraper and snow brush... i like to have a scraper with a steel blade
18. i typically put in 1 can of gas line de-icer per fill up... it's only like 75 cents a shot...
19. gloves are good, but i've heard of dumb people having slick steering wheel from Armour All driving with mittens and their hands slid and they wrecked, get some gloves that give you a good grip
20. don't go if you don't have to
21. a flashing trouble light is helpful, in some conditions around here you can't see crap, should you get a flat you wouldn't want to be on the road
22. this is getting to be a rant, you get the idea.... the bottom line is to slow down and give yourself a bunch of room to stop
23. almost forgot, get some silicone lubricant (in a spray can) and spray a rag, then rub down all the rubber gaskets around your doors; this will help keep them from freezing shut