Moved to Washington, snow advice?

Moved to Washington, no real experience driving in snow/ice. I've asked a few people here and got some advice but would like to get some from you.

First off, Im already replacing wipers and some new wiper fluid. My main concern is the salt or chemicals they use on the roads eating away at the under body. Are there places that coat the underbody to help protect it from corrosive?

I plan on hosing down every week to help get that crude off, is that sufficient enough?
What about tires? Will my Wildpeaks be okay? Am I going to have to get them studded?

Any other info would be greatly appreciated.

 

Braking would be my biggest advice. Four wheel drive don't mean squat for stopping. Never follow anyone closely when it's bad out. If others are going faster than you are comfortable with, let them pass you. Give yourself more than enough time to stop. Try to ease on the brakes lightly. Just because you have a 4x4, don't think you won't be sliding around everywhere if you don't use your head, especially when stopping, always drive with caution.

I see idiots all the time here, that just because there isn't ten inches of snow they think it's ok to go 75 on the interstate. You usually see them in a ditch further up the road.

I'd spray the underside of your truck off at least once a week if they are laying down heavy salt(Do they use salt in Washington?) Look into coating the frame/underside with Fluid Film (or something like that), every fall.

It's really not that bad, you'll get the hang of it quickly. Two wheel drive will probably get you most places you need to go, on normal, well maintained roads. We don't get the snow here like they do in Minnesota or Alaska etc, but we can have pretty crappy winters. Ice is a different beast all together then snow, so be really careful if you have to go out in Ice.

 

First time it snows, go to a big, empty parking lot and practice in both 4wd and 2wd. You'll see how different it is braking and stopping. Learned how to drive in so Oregon in a camaro that way.

 

Go slower than 40 mph.

 

Good idea to treat the underbody. As for studding tires and worrying about driving in snow. You are ahead of half the people there by having a 4x4. And you won't even need that most of the time. Don't worry about it. Your neighbor will probably own a Prius. Enjoy

 

What they said ^. Use common sense and a couple hundred pounds of sand in the bed over the axles and you'll be fine.

 

Bring a jacket

 

Don't eat the yellow stuff.

 

First, where are you moving from? Given that you live in Spokane Valley, WA, you will probably get snow and potentially given the year, a lot. Snow in the PNW is not the same as the Midwest Snow or the East Coast Snow. Closer to East Coast Snow. There is what you call "wet" snow and "dry". Wet snow is slicker with slush and Dry snow, like in the Midwest, drifts a lot more and blows around like crazy. Don't get me wrong, in the PNW, when we get enough snow it does blow around. Lol. Waiting to get shit for describing it like this but as I have lived in the Midwest and East Coast for the past 15 years, this is what I have noticed being a native of Oregon and living here for 18 years. Another big difference between the different parts of the US is here in the PNW, we don't use Salt. We use mostly a sand mixture verses a salt, unlike everywhere else that uses salt. Now given the winter, given your location, a bad enough winter could call for both. Sand raises hell with your paint jobs so space between vehicles is ideal. Some great advice above but I would not rule out studs on a 4x4 or chains until you've had a couple winters here. Go with what your have but do the research now on both options because I do know a lot of people in the mountains that use all of the above: studs, chains, and 4x4. We do not have flat ground as much as Midwest or the East Coast. Again, living in all areas myself. The sand mixture, however, isn't as bad on your vehicle as the salt. So your frame will last you twice as long here verses anywhere else. With that said, I would still do undercoating on your truck. I'm actually going to take mine over to Line-X and get this done this Fall before Winter hits. They do something similar to Fluid Film for like $200. Well worth it. Having just purchased my truck and having gone through one winter, not even a bad one on the East Coast this past year, you can see some corrosion buildup already started. Not too happy. I even washed my truck once a week if not more because of this. I was the truck that always looked clean on the road because I was afraid of the damage to the body and frame. Again, just one winter over there with my new truck. Needless to say, I'm glad I'm back on the West Coast. I would say practice and go slow. Don't be stupid. There are a lot of stupid people that think they have it under control and then bam. Don't ever think going 20-30 mph is ever too slow. There could be times for even slower. Again, take into consideration the wet snow and slush. We get hit hard enough, you have the slush under the dry so when you get that mix going on, it's dangerous. If I think of more I'll let you know but this is a good start. Feel free to PM me but practice and go slow. You'll get the hang of it. I would say practice out of control in a big open area too.

 

Ice is worse than snow. The single best thing I do to make a difference is tires. Lived in the upper Midwest for 60 years and a spare set of cheap wheels for winter with Blizzaks on them is the way to go as they greatly improve your ability to get traction stopping or accelerating.
If you anticipate much more than 4-6" snowfalls then go narrower in your winter wheel and tire combo.

 

Agree!

 

Melt the snow and ice off your drive and steps with hot water. The same technique can be used on the windshield and side windows with hot or even lukewarm water too! NOT!!! Don't even atempt it- these experiments have been tried by yours truly with unholy results.

Drive as if you have an egg between your foot and each pedal. Have fun on the hills, especially if you have a manual! Suggest a couple of sand bags in the back of the truck for weight. If you cant get traction on sleet, ice or a freshly plowed road with packed snow still on it, spread a bit of the sand under the wheels to get moving. Drive as if you need 5x the stopping distance you normally do, because that's what you will minimally need on ice. Get a metal short snow shovel for the truck, spades are not as useful for ice and snow. you didn't mention where you are living, but if it's Inland Washington, concsider studded tires for winter driving.

 

There is a ziebarts in Spokane that does an undercoating. I just moved here too and was thinking of this instead of the fluid film.

 

Good info, Im looking to relocate next year to Spokane as well.

 

Get ready to want to punch our governor Jay Inslee right in the face, other then the politics of the west side running the state it's a pretty good state to live in

You should check out the boat races in tri cities next summer and Leavenworth is well worth the drive for a nice weekend. If your into beer October fest up there is an absolute blast!!

 

Fact on the Prius. Both my Seattle neighbors owned a Prius and a Subaru. I lived in Seattle for 2 years (was recruited to work up there) and loved it. Until it snowed and I owned a modified racing BMW Roadster. Awesome.

I went to get some sandbags for my truck to get traction up the hill where I lived. The guy at Lowes saw my face and said "Son, guess they didn't tell you it snowed up here eh? Just rain right?" Yep. LOL. Had to park my roadster at the bottom of the hill most of the time..sweet.

Grew up in Kansas with some brutal winters. I second the idea around practicing in a large, empty parking lot. Braking and cornering will be the issue, just don't drive like a maniac like most people do. And even if it looks clear (plowed), go slower than you think. Ice is no fun.

 

I carry a piece of old carpet in truck. I have used it to put under a tire when stuck. It takes up very little space in the bed. Also I keep an extra hat and gloves and hoodie. The first snow fall everyone has to learn how to drive again.

 

Get some good windshield washer de icer fluid. Shoot for -45. Winterized wiper blades help. Be careful when using the wipers when starting the vehicle. If they are frozen to the windshield the arms will tear the rubber (happened to me on my 2015 Yota) good idea to run the windshield heater or just raise them a second before jumping into the vehicle.

Stay focused on the road and what's in front of you. Black ice is your worst enemy but that is rare. If you start sliding do not brake just coast it out. Two hands on the wheel (duh lol). Command start is a nice option if you are lazy on those cold ass mornings. I have always ran "all weather" tires up here in Canada. The prairies get hit hard with snow. Put some weight in your truck bed. Patio stone or anything flat that is heavy (so you can still load hauls if needed. Sandbags are uneven). Just my 2 cents

 

If your cursing along on an icy highway and your back wheels loose grip and the car starts to go sideways, do NOT hit the brakes. Let off the gas and don't overcorrect to keep it stright.

Studded tires make a big difference on ice.

 

I don't believe you can stud used tires.

Watch out for bad advice, like loading up your bed with sand. That was good advice for a two wheel drive truck, that didn't have enough traction until there was sufficient weight over the drive axle. You have four wheel drive, you will have traction from front and back. By overloading your rear with sand, you will increase your stopping distance which is stupid.