How do they handle in icy and snowy weather?

They do fine on snow and ice. Last winter I shoveled my driveway and put the snow in my truck bed for weight. It wasn't much but it helped.

 

It will give the effect of more weight on the rear wheels, but it will also take weight off of the front .. think about it. That coupled with the trucks already being easy to fishtail, I would leave the weight directly over the rear wheels.

 

Agreed

 

My 4x4 '07 did great in the snow and ice (not sheet ice, but packed snow with freezing rain). I added a Rubbermaid bin with 200lbs of sand in the back (directly over the rear axle as already stated) and I could really tell a difference.

Just be sure not to let the 4WD get to your head. It's like dudes carrying concealed thinking they are untouchable. It's more about your driving than it is about your truck - 4WD is just an aide. The second you start thinking, "Hell yeah...I can get through that," is when you will get stuck, or worse, injure yourself or others.

That's all just my $.02,

Fink

 

my two daughters, combined, weigh about 200 pounds. To save MPG, I don't allow them in my truck.

 

its a simple fulcrum idea... you put the same weight farther out on a see saw... it takes more force on the pivot point and more force on the opposing side in regards to movement.

the same weight will do more farther back from the axle.

also.. in snow, ice, crap winter conditions... downshift downshift downshift.

stopping takes much more effort to do safely. dont use 4wd unless its packed ice and snow and there is no question you need it.
i got around just fine in rochester ny in my 89 pickup that was generally in 2wd. same story with my ranger that was 2wd only. if you slide, let off the brake, steer with the slide... and dont panic.

panic and mashing the brake is prolly what messes up more people driving in slick conditions.


oh.. and snow donuts are so much fun. i miss ny winters.

 

No , you've got it all wrong .

They can ride in the truck but make sure they are directly over the rear axle .

 

this was my tactic. packing it in, packing it in.. letting it melt a day then freezing to ice at night.. packing it in, packing it in.. lather rinse repeat.

man i love winter.

 

Tire chains are always a good idea.

Just remember, more this: and less this:and you should be ok.

Just watch out for all of the other idiots on the road .

 

I always make sure I take a shit before I drive longer than 5 miles. MPG FTW.

Fink

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vu7Z3XNt5UQ

 

Ok. I'ved modified my policy. On snowy days, they can ride in the back - sitting directly over the rear axles.

I bet that little stunt costs me 1/2 my net worth.

 

haha they should broadcast your post to everyone in the 757. i couldnt believe how many people were out and driving like idiots last xmas. me and my little ranger made it from colley ave way out into hickory that one day it put down like a foot and a half.. tons of people flying past me... and tons of people in the ditch on 464 hahaha

these two pictues... one is me on the 168 bypass after the 64 interchange headed south.. the second is some dude in greenbrier who mashed the brakes and slid into the intersection.. lighting his truck and the bobcat the other guy was pulling on fire. it was a nice little show.

 

Bottom line, it has been said many times, go slow, use your head, & watch out for all the other idiots on the road... Up-sate NY winters hit hard & fast. Learn your truck, thats how I was taught growing up here, know how to react with what you're driving. We used to go to big open parking lots or fields & practice in bad weather to see how it handles, test run

 

4x4 will help, but tires are very important too. We pretty much just get ice here in GA during the winter and that combined with our hilly topography makes for interesting driving. I will say that the 4x4 does help on ice. There were many instances when I was driving in an ice storm where I began to lose the rear end on the ice and I switched into 4x4 and the truck straightened right up. The one thing to make sure of when driving on ice and snow is to use your brakes as little as possible. You want to keep the wheels turning (i.e. use the engine to slow the vehicle) A little too much pressure on the brakes can easily lock them and start a slide, even with ABS.

 

Brakes? LMAO Just kiddin...

 

shazam! go play. find out what works and what doesnt... then.. just be smart about it.

mac, im hoping we get something in the way of snow this year.. that way, i can learn this truck a little before making the drive to upstate ny for xmas..

 

Yeah, Virginia drivers are idiots.

You'll notice that when driving on poorly cleared roads, the roads develop tracks, where everyone likes to drive, and line of snow running down the middle. When breaking, its important to remember that the tracks tend to become packed snow/ice and you will usually get better traction if you shift over a little to put your tires into the snow in the middle of the road. Just dont "shift" off of the road or into oncoming traffic.

Again, chains are highly recommended.

 

Here's my experience from being stationed in Fairbanks, AK for three years with my Tacoma.

The roads are all ice up there. Being Interior Alaska, rather than Coastal, it's very dry and there isn't a lot of snow. The little we did get would accumulate over the course of the six months of winter, get compacted, turn to ice, and stay until Thaw. That being said, I was in 4 Hi the whole winter driving all across the state and I never once had a problem with 4WD on ice (or snow depending on the location).

The only time I did have an issue was when I made up a little frame to put about 200 lbs worth of sandbags in the bed over the axle to see if it made any sort of difference. My handling ended up being worse because the weight in the rear of the truck would make me fishtail while turning. Once I took the weight out, my handling came back, and I drove on. Take it for what it's worth.

 

Easy on gas, easy on brakes. Coast well before you have to stop and use brakes.