Mods for Northern States?

Came to say this, now I’m just emphasizing it!!

 

I don’t think Michigan allows chains as the roads are horrible enough as it is

 

according to this thread, how i survived driving a rwd sports car in the snow for 2 years, i'll never know!

sand tubes will help, but only to an extent. no more than 4. my brothers dealerships would get them for free with trade-ins, so my parents old ranger became a demo vehicle. at one point, we had 12 sand tubes in the back.

as far as rwd in the snow, biggest thing is to have great tires, and understand the vehicle dynamics. snow tires are spectactular, but the majority of traffic around you will still be running oem-spec tires, which on some models like the prius, are 'low rolling resistance, summer-only' tires. those grip like smooth pvc on the snow... so you're still watching for others to barrel into the back of you...

the benefit to rwd in the snow is simply that you have direct access to controlling the front and rear axle independently(front with brakes, as oem brake bias is something like 75% to the front axle, rears with throttle application), something that any awd/4wd/fwd option doesn't have. this makes manipulating the axles to go the way you want much easier in my opinion. a big thing for me is that SLIDING ISN'T BAD. there's good sliding, and there's bad sliding. in the snow, i always turn traction control off, it just gets in the way.

4wd is nice, don't get me wrong, but it's brutish. the old rally adage 'when in doubt, power out!' applies. rwd can be just as nimble, but you just need to use more finesse.

 

Lol, all these 2WD owners trying to convince themselves and everyone else that it's just as good as a 4WD when you toss a few sandbags in the back. It's not!

Back in my navy days, I lived in way upstate New York for 5 years and drove a 2WD Hilux. It sucked driving that thing in the winter! You can have all that white shit!

 

I drove my 2wd 2nd gen for 11 years in Iowa as my daily. It was fine.
I'd actually pass a lot of pansy asses in 4x4s creeping along because they'd see white on the road and assume it was crazy slick when it actually wasn't. It's the ice you don't see that gets you.
I may try a set of dedicated snows if doing it again.

Things I'd add:
Heated seats.
Remote start.
Fluid Film.

 

THIS!!!!
Snow driving is a skill....You don't want to feel your truck get squirrly and slam the brakes...sometimes you need to accelerate out of a skid in snow..but most times just releasing the gas and coasting lets you get control back...
It's really a slow and steady...Your biggest issues will be dead stop to moving traffic in a 2wd...Rear end will want to swing out in front of you if one tire grabs and the other doesn't. I would throw mine in 4wd at the same stop sign onto the highway every snow storm...that's really the 1 place I needed it...
This bastard right here...

 

Chains not legal. You can mostly get though 2 or 3 inches of powder. Roads are mostly plowed but you can get that much in an hour. Keep your speed less than 40 mpg on snow and slower on icy roads. Home improvement store sell sandbags for rear end traction. Read about lake effect snow. You can do it.

 

40 yrs of driving in Maine. Tires are the #1 factor and then it's all driver experience. Snow type and amount all make the vehicle react differently. Too many variables to say "do this" or "do that". Experience is pretty much the only thing that allows one to be a good driver in snow.

 

Step 1: Undercoat / protect your Taco.
Step 2: Buy a used Subaru and put snow tires on it.
Step 3: Park the (insert Taco, H-D, jet ski here) in your living room and mod it all winter long, and post pictures on forums.

Yeah, I grew up in Ohio winters, then lived in NC and never saw so many flipped cars after a 1/2” snow.

Yes, you ‘can’ drive RWD in the winter, just take heed of the sage advice here. Good snow tires applies to all vehicles; extra weight applies to us truck owners. And after your first winter, you can decide about the Subaru advice.

 

The best advices in my opinion, stated, 1 dedicated snow and ice tires mounted on separate rims, for get about the tpms light for 5 months. 2 tow strap, 3 weight in tube sand. 4 carpet rems or traction pad. 5 in a empty parking lot up north learn how to control slides, with or without turn off Trac control to get used to it. 6 your truck might have the rear locker, understand it's usage.7 drive for conditions and keep your glass and hood clear of snow. 8 Carry survival kit. Blankets, protein bars, shovel, flashlight, you'll do fine. I didn't have a 4x4 till 04 or 46yrs old I got along just fine for 30yrs just being smart and having my stuff in good condition and a full tank of gas. Never getting below 1/3 tank of gas when traveling and a 1/2 tank in town it also adds to weight. Lots of good stuff here for you.

 

Had 2 Subarus for many years now. I think I was spoiled in the winter with those things. Interested to see how I will adjust having a 4WD pickup again after all those years.

 

Good winter tires, and a Subie, if the Subie won’t make it, it’s not worth it.

 

Always good to get a solid undercoat put on plus a set of good tires. Either a dedicated snow set to swap or at least some really good hybrid A/T's. Driving 4X4 will be easier but you can do fine with 2WD with some weight in the back, patience, and practice.

 

They pour so much salt on roads that 4x4 isn't needed. Just get WINTER tires, not the M+S non sense, the actual winter tires. Also why would you move north? Do you hate your truck and the life?

 

My son has worked as a snow-maker during the winter in the mountains of Vermont for the last few years. He has a 2005 2WD 5-speed Tacoma long bed Access Cab. He has 4 Toyo winter tires on it and he puts five of those 70 lb. yellow sand tubes in the bed. Having the bed filled with heavy snow most of the winter helps too.

He has never been stuck on the main road to/from work, or on the access roads leading to the various places at the resorts. You can do it too. "Slow" (speed) is your friend. Just take it easy and you'll be fine.

I don't have any sand bags in the back of my truck, but fill up my bed in the winter from the snow blower every time it snows even though its 4wd. Along with helping the traction, it also gives the truck a nice ride: takes all the unloaded jitters away. I usually only have to select 4wd to get through the snow barrier left by the overnight snow plow guys.

Oh yeah: and don't do this: The Cops hate it and you'll get in trouble and a huge ticket.

 

what if i got the subaru with rwd?

 

Take the truck

 

Make sure to change your washer fluid to a low temp one so it doesn't freeze.

 

Additional insight in case OP is unfamiliar with ‘dedicated snow tires’.

Dedicated snows are optimized in tread, construction and chemistry for ice, snow and low temperature. They are legit better in ice and snow than any AT.

Bridgestone Blizzaks are a good one, there are other good ones.

Swap your regular tires back in the spring. Once it warms up the dedicated snows wear quickly and perform poorly as a summer tire.

+1 On adding a remote starter.

 

I "second" the Fluid Film/Wool Wax thing.