So not much experience driving in the snow. Been wanting to go to the local mountains this winter for the kids but not sure what the correct way to pull it off.

If the roads require chains, will I have to use 4wd and chains or will 4wd work by itself?

Also, is 4wd High also better for the snow or 4wd low. I would assume 4wd High for the handeling?

maybe none of the above, stick with 2wd and chains? or 4wd High with chains on front and rear?

Thanks in Addvance, Dube2

I live in the high country and we get lots of snow every year. I have never run chains and rarely use 4wd. Just need to learn how to drive in it. Generally its not your driving you have to worry about...its the other fools you have to worry about.

I have driven in snow my whole life, never used chains but NY loves the salt and sand. Duallys suck in the snow, all that surface area in the back with no weight on it acts like a snow shoe and you get no traction.

4 wheel is a must, as light as the back end is the front is very heavy and provides excellent traction. The key is being slow steady and smooth. These truck are heavy and carry a lot of inertia, so rapid changes are not good. Slow gently to a stop, accelerate slowly and "feel" the traction conditions. Pay attention to what the truck is telling you. You will also learn that the appearance of the road is important. Deep snow is actually safer than wet heavy snow, the colder it gets the better the traction. 32 degrees and sunny is about as slippery as it gets, a glazed looking road is very slippery.

Go slower than you think you need to and pay attention to what is happening WAY down the road. It may take you that long to stop.

If you do use 4wd, stay away from 4lo theres no need, unless your crawling and going slow off road in hill terrain. 4 hi will engage as your driving just be sure not to engage with throttle, and if your rear tires are spinning and you try to engage that could be bad.. And never never never... drive with 4hi on the freeway if your over 45mph.. it will cause you to get in a wreck if your doing 70 with 4wd and you come up on a corner. Basically all 4 wheels are trying to grab and can put you out of control very quick.. Wouldnt be a bad idea to get some sandbags and throw em in back.. Youd be suprised what a good driver can do in 2wd.. Just becareful about the the people on the roads is the big thing.

If you do use 4wd, stay away from 4lo theres no need, unless your crawling and going slow off road in hill terrain. 4 hi will engage as your driving just be sure not to engage with throttle, and if your rear tires are spinning and you try to engage that could be bad.. And never never never... drive with 4hi on the freeway if your over 45mph.. it will cause you to get in a wreck if your doing 70 with 4wd and you come up on a corner. Basically all 4 wheels are trying to grab and can put you out of control very quick.. Wouldnt be a bad idea to get some sandbags and throw em in back.. Youd be suprised what a good driver can do in 2wd.. Just becareful about the the people on the roads is the big thing.

Are you being serious with this statement about 4x4 over 45mph? If you are serious, I respectfully disagree. I generally do 70ish when there is snow on the highway in 4x4, I promise it would not go as well in 2x4. Besides, all 4 tires are not grabbing, at most there are 3 with power, and that is only if the govlock in the rear end is locked because your sliding. I would say 80% of the time, you are getting 2 wheels with power.

Yes i am serious.. it depends if its just straight freeway then your fine and if its hilly thats fine.. ive been to a lot of wrecks because people are in 4wd and goin doin a windy freeway or whatnot.. well.. either way you have wheels grabbing up front and rear.. I dont see any reason to use 4wd on the freeway unless your going uphill truthfully .

X2 on bags of sand. I prefer gravel though. If you (or someone else) gets stuck you can always break open a bag and use it for traction. Gravel tends to not freeze as solid as sand in low temps.

Any type of weight in the rear is fine. Hell, a couple winter's ago I rolled around with firewood in the back of the truck (not the one I have now) and it worked just fine. People looked at me like I was crazy, but whatever.

Practice is what you need. A lot of practice. I made it through Snoqualmie pass in WA the winter before I deployed about an hour before it closed for a few weeks, I saw plenty of people with their 4WD's stuck or crashed throughout the pass and along I putted in a 2WD Dodge with no chains or weight in the rear.

You may say that was dumb, but caution and skill go a long way when it comes to driving.

(Dang, I sound cocky as can be, don't I?)

Wes, I totally agreee with you.. Back when i had my ford escort there were times i was the only one who didnt get stuck going up to the ski slopes because of how nasty and how poor people can drive.. just because you have your4wd on doesnt mean everything is ok.. Even all chained up can get scary. Just be aware of all of your conditions.

Living in Oregon for 30+ years, I must agree with those advocating a slower and careful approach to driving in the snow. Some with four wheel drive tend to overlook the fact that while gaining traction is improved, it does little to help you stop. But I too have a question. If I recall correctly, my owners manual says not to run chains. I guess I would question why. I am running the stock 215's so there seems to be room. Any answers? Thanks.

I spend a lot of time in Tahoe in the winter, and lived there for a few years in the recent past. I'm not sure about other states, but in California you are required to carry chains if road restrictions are in place even if you have 4x4 and snow tires. You will probably never need them unless you get stuck, but if you do need them, throw them on the front. CHP will probably never check to make sure you have them, but they will most likely check if you were involved in an accident or stuck off the side of the road.

A couple additions for snow driving, I will often use a lower tranny gear to keep better control of the truck. Braking can get ugly and a lower gear will help minimize the braking. I also like to get a 'feel' of the conditions by jamming on the brakes at a low speed in a safe area. Some snow conditions are grippier that others, sometimes there will be a layer of ice under the road. If I give a brake check and it is really slick, I take it even slower on the road.

That does raise another thing you may want to look into. State laws. In WA you can run the studded snow tires during certain months, and in some areas you are required to run chains at certain times (I.E. Snoqualmie Pass). But in my home state of MO, the only vehicles that are allowed chains are postal trucks.

Lower gears sometimes work, the only problem is it also puts more torque to the wheels and can cause you to spin them easier if you hit the accelerator too quickly. You also have to watch your RPM because they'll increase a whole lot quicker in your low gears and - again - spin your tires. (Not as big of a problem in an auto.) I've always skipped the low gears when it's icy... as long as the trucks idle won't make it speed up too quick (like the current truck).

I definitely agree with you rydawg about testing the conditions. I normally see how quickly I can safely accelerate and brake and make sure I stay under the slip limit.

A few more things to add to the list too. One thing I've noticed with a lot of snow novices is that they love to brake when they lose control. DON'T! If you brake during snow you will effectively reduce your traction and could start to slide. I spun an old Blazer I had 360* going about 10MPH in the snow (empty parking lot, I'm not that stupid. lol) If you lose traction, let off the gas, once you get the truck straight, then you can slowly brake.

Sorry to get so far off the topic of 4WD and snow-chains. It's just they're really not required most of the time for a normal car or truck. As I said before, experience and caution and the keys to safe snow and ice driving.

X2 on bags of sand. I prefer gravel though. If you (or someone else) gets stuck you can always break open a bag and use it for traction. Gravel tends to not freeze as solid as sand in low temps.

I've never heard of gravel in sandbags, but that's a great idea, especially for traction.

Don't quote me, but this is what I remember: In CA, there are 3 levels of chain controls in snow conditions. R1 is anything with snow tires is OK, everything else needs chains or cables. R2 is 4X2 needs chains/cables, 4X4 is OK. R3 requires chains/cables on everything. The signs will be turned according to conditions.

Typically, I drive in 2WD and don't lock it in unless it gets slippery. I carry chains just in case and rarely use 4 Low unless I'm off road and it's nasty. 4 High will do everything you need, especially if you're on pavement.

Pretty much I agree with all that everyone has said prior- the only thing that I have to add is, yes drive to YOUR skill level, not others; but even when you think you've "mastered" it, don't "up your skills" when that little moron in the ??????? (cavalier, toyota, Geo metro) flies by you speeding like a BOH when it is snowing, blowing, and icy/slick. Don't try to keep up with them- you can laugh at them later because they are in the ditch down the road because they were impatient and are dumb enough to put themselves and others at risk on the road (yes I know sometimes these cars will get around not too bad, but there are certain conditions where I don't care WHAT you have- be it a little front wheel drive, big ol' 4X4, or even a tank, it doesn't make it "safe" to drive "normal" speeds). I see it all the time....... On the flip side, if you are driving slower than a LOT of others, still not a big deal- pull off occasionally and let them pass you and then continue on your way. You will be fine- just use common sense and your best judgment and you will have a good trip!

Lots of good ideas and tips. I have found that momentum going up a hill is your friend. I always let the car in front of me either get up the hill or give up before I go. Nothing like getting half way up the hill and the clown in front of you stops!! :eek:

I have also found that when going down a hill that is really slick shifting to neutral helps to prevent sliding. Our trucks, unless modified, do NOT have a posi/locker in the front, so when you are in 4wd you are really in one front wheel (right) and one rear wheel (right) drive. That is until the gov-lok in the rear engages then you are in 3 wheel drive. Good tires are worth their weight in gold in snowy conditions.

I would not be afraid of 4-wheel hi on the highway, unless the roadway is dry, then there is a chance of doing damage to the truck. As mentioned above, 4-wheel Lo is for knarly off-road crawling or pulling someone out of a ditch, etc.

Slow and steady (key word steady) will get you where you are going. Also, here is anothe tip, if the road has a shoulder, dropping the right-side tires off on the shoulder can give you better traction as it is usually gravel. I am not suggesting you do this at 70 mph (!)...use common sense. Happy motoring. :D

All good ideas here. The momentum on the hills is a good item to take note of. In addition to that, do not shift or let the vehicle shift while going up a hill in slick conditions. That will break traction on the back wheels and you are done if you are in 2WD. (Lived at the bottom of the only hill out of our valley for years. :-) )

Weight in the back is going to help as you drive. It will help keep some traction on the ground. As someone else suggested, when you start to slip or slide going down a hill, slip the transmission into neutral. What is happening is the engine braking is causing the rear wheels to slide on the road and you are not going to have any traction.

I like the gravel idea for the weight. That makes sense. Another option for traction material is cat litter. Not the clumping kind, the old coarse kind.

I was in a small pickup with 2WD on an interstate here in Iowa one time headed to the home town and the weather was bad. Probably 6 to 12 inches of snow on the road and the plows had been pulled but it was a holiday. Get home to Moms home cooking kind of thing. Anyway I am putting along about 35 or so and look in the rear view mirror to see a little car coming up behind me like I am sitting still. He changes into the left lane and goes past me then slides into the median.

As I drive by I just shake my head and keep on going. Looking in the rear view again he is getting out of the median and back on the road. "Wow, he got lucky."

Here he comes again. This time he goes past me on the left again and as he pulls into the lane in front of me to keep going he just keeps on going over the shoulder and down into the ditch. Buried it hood deep in the snow.

I waved as I went by this time.

Made it home without any problems even though it took about twice as long as normal.

Once though you are on black ice, don't even try to drive. Find someplace to park it and get over there and wait it out for the sand trucks to come by. If you put chains on and go in those conditions you may be able to go, but there are going to be a lot of other obstacles to get around on the road and next to the road as you are driving.

If someone tells you that you are being wimpy with going slow, smile, look at them and say, YUP, but the ditch is over there.

1. Drive to your capabilities.

2. If you don't feel that you can drive safely, DON'T!

3. Weight in back is good.

4. Don't break traction in slippery conditions.

5. If your ABS is working, and your brakes start "buzzing", follow the directions that are in the owners manual for your vehicle. A lot of times the way to handle this is to push hard on the pedal and ride it out. The brakes are being locked and unlocked a lot faster than you could pump the pedal.

When you get into the snow, go find a BIG parking lot and have some fun seeing what it is like. Try accelerating and stopping in a hurry. Try making some turns in a hurry. Better to do that somewhere that is not busy and where you won't bump into things.

Good luck and have fun on your trip.

Yes i am serious.. it depends if its just straight freeway then your fine and if its hilly thats fine.. ive been to a lot of wrecks because people are in 4wd and goin doin a windy freeway or whatnot.. well.. either way you have wheels grabbing up front and rear.. I dont see any reason to use 4wd on the freeway unless your going uphill truthfully .

Not many curves severe enough on freeways to throw people off the road...when it's below freezing and there sitting slush/snow I always use 4 hi when on the freeway and have done it for years...i switch to two wheel during low speed manuvers on salted parking lots.

Certainly bags of sand or gravel are essential for diesel pickups which are so nose heavy if the bed's empty.

Buy the best snow tires you can afford. That is 90 % If you want to get adventurous. Get chains. You will never get stuck with chains. If you can use studded snow tires in your state, use them.

First thing for winter is good tires I have run Michelins M/S for alot of years and they are great! If you have weigh scales around that you can run over after they are closed do so write down your front and rear weight. My 99 Do_g_ I ran about one ton per tire. So this reduces the likelyhood of doing donuts in the road ( veryscarry I only did the back and forth bit and that was bad enough) Start to train your self only to turn the steering wheel maybe 30 * when turning out of a skid. Instead of sand bags I have been using the old rubber inner tube and fill them with gravel. I have been buying 3/4" crush the last two winters $9.46 for 500 kg's. I took some out and can use it on my driveway. Put it in two tarps with a piece of plywood over it and it works well. Let the engine slow you down for most braking. Your traction gets better after -20C/ -30F. One more get some kind of winter front and if it is cold for longer periods a battery warmer.

Just take you time for road conditions and dont slam on you brakes!

banshee1973 reminded me of something I learned while driving charter bus.

When the road is slippery drive like you have a raw egg strapped to the bottom of your shoe and try to not break it.

Easy on the throttle and easy on the brake.

Well, I put 200 pounds or so of sand (bagged) by the tailgate and run 4 Hi if it's slippery. Being cautious and aware of the fools around you will help keep you out of trouble. Just remember, 4 wheel drive is easy to get going, but doesn't help much slowing down.

4000LBS of specmix is my sollution for rear weight, i dont use chains;)
http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/garageimage.php?do=full&p=103534&d=1261269116

I add weight in the rear of my 2wd. and dont drive like an asshole. Ive never had any problems, just have to think ahead for hills and turns etc. I do have chains but Ive never put them on. Those tires in the back do like to suck up the snow though. Just be careful and drive it like its pappys pride and joy, its worked well for me. Just watch out for the guy in 4wd going 75 with 10 inches of snow on the ground drinking his mocha choca coffee shit.

Put that Eaton E-Locker in the front diff. and see the difference just by turning on a switch. Posi front end is big go helper when you learn how to use it. Tony Burkhard sells them and uses one on his Sled puller truck so they hold up to abuse. Talk to him if you think they won't last. Mud is a killer on duallies too and posi makes a big diff too there.

One easier way to help the back end traction is a super single wheel and mud tires that you can deflate even more if you need extra traction. Turns out traction better than 4 street tires in slick mud or snow conditions. For 2 wd it is a viable option some did here.