Question about Driving in the Snow

Exactly!!! Smash those brakes down to the floor and just slide right into whatever's in front of you. But it might be the only chance he will get to lesson to his anti lock brakes. Then wonder why they don't have an off button.

 

Something thats not often talked about but is very useful - use your transmission to brake - if you come from a manual background you should know this, but most people driving an auto do not know that you can shift down into lower gears and let the engine brake the truck, this helps you stay in control and slow down while still maintaining traction. Works the same in mud or loose soil going down hill, any off roader should know it... but many don't. If you find yourself on a slippery section of road keep the truck in a lower gear with the revs higher and let the engine slow you instead of the brakes. If there are people behind you it still helps to lightly tap the brakes or keep the brake light on cause most people wont realize you are engine braking and will run up your ass and realize too late that they are going faster then you. Also by keeping the revs up a bit it will give you the power you need when you need it, and if in an auto help keep it from dropping to gears and slamming on the power if you hit the gas a little too hard.

As for Cali regs - I carried chains when I was there just in case, but the reality it by the time they require 4x4 AND chains they will close the road.

Duratracs are pretty good in the snow but not as good as a true snow tire, but you should be fine. Light movements- gas, brake and steering - anticipate and take things easy.

 

Honestly the best thing for winter driving in this particular tacoma is disabling the traction control and abs. I dont know what it is about my second gen tacoma, but the abs seems to do more harm than good 95% of the time for me. I live in erie pa and am no stranger to driving in snow and lousy conditions. Been doing it for the last 28 years. With my abs functioning, thr truck refuses to stop in slush and any moderately slippery conditions. The abs just kicks in and it keeps going. With it disabled, it stops no problems. I have experimented with this numerous times on the same road minutes later with it functional and again disabled. Every time it stops with no problems with the abs off. Abs on, i slide right past my driveway. All you have to do is pull the abs fuse innthe panel. You get 3 idiot lights as long as the fuse is pulled, but they go out as soon as you re-install it. My old 01 tacoma didn’t have this issue, but for some reason my 2010 does. It has done it with the stock tires as well as the more aggressive ones i have had on since the original ones wore out. Just my personal experience with this truck. My wifes pilot doesn’t have this characteristic and i am not against abs at all.

 

The OP mentioned his tires are nearing the end of their life, little to no tread is going to suck snow wheeling, definitely bring your chains, and a shovel, and if you're by yourself in the bush a sat locator device so your buddies can find you.

 

This. Stayed at home most of yesterday until the roads melted a bit in town. Won’t catch me going over the mountain unless it’s an emergency during a snowstorm, too many idiots out there that think they can do highway speeds in 4wd during the snow.

 

With my newish duratracs (impressive in the snow) if i start to slide out while im driving i like to slam the gas a little, helps straighten the truck out as the front wheels will catch and usually set me up where i need to go, unless there is snow over ice of course. Just remember brakes dont do jack shit and its probably better to give it some semi controlled gas on a slide than an ABS lock up. Learned that in my first storm. I will admit, we got some crazy mofo's out here in Massachusetts when it comes to the snow

 

ABS killswitch is on my list of shit to do in the summer. Its super scary in winter and can be scary on the trails too. Almost sent it into a tree because i was on soft mud after a fresh rain. Came like a foot or so from the tree.

 

Buy new tires are keep yourself and everybody else on the road safe!having chains won’t hurt if you’re going off the paved roads but aren’t needed with a 4x4 just to get to Tahoe

 

Prepare for this shit(pic below) for sure. Chain sign is 50yrds before this turn witha big ass pullout and everyone drives right by it. Dodging tards is where you will find yourself in trouble. Nothing like trying to safely pass stranded cars with people standing around on their phones when a big ass diesel comes around the corner sideways rolling coal and having fun.

And yes that is a RWD BRZ with summer tires in the ditch that started all this chaos. Lol



Chain sign is just out of view on my pass side.

 

Its crazy what so little snow can do with shit tires on. Wrangler RTS is probably right next to the rugged fails in terms of snow traction, or well all around traction. Thats what i had on and as soon as they hit like 6-7/32nds they would hydroplane like a sonofabitch. Duratracs are the good shit.

 

Yeah, those four little patches of rubber are the only thing holding all that steel and plastic on the road, and people run them to the chords and then go buy horrible quality cheap ass chinese tires.

 

Like my dirtytracs in the snow not so much in the rain.
They clean themselves of snow very well compared to the bfg kos.
New tires for sure if your towards the end of their life you need them now more than later.
Slow and steady no jerky movements and watch the slush build up on the edges and center line.
That shit will send you in a heartbeat.

 

Find an empty parking lot with some snow on it and "play" a little bit. The education you learn from 15 minutes of "playing" may save your life.

 

I totally second this. I lived and worked in the mountains in Tahoe and even though I had an obvious 4WD F150 I did get asked to show chains a few times. The highest level of chain control is called R4 meaning even 4WD vehicles had to have chains ON. I only ever saw that once and trust me you do not want to be out in those conditions. I eventually hung my chains in plain sight on the headache rack right behind me. To this day (now in my Taco in Utah mt roads I take it out of 4WD when going downhill. Have fun, my son lives there and they have tons of snow.

 

Excellent advice for the newbie in the world of snow!

 

If you have the time and money and you know snow is in your future, dedicated rims with dedicated snow tires is the way to go [at least for me]. I traverse the Rockies in central Colorado every year and nothing improves your underwear like real snow tires. https://gearpatrol.com/2016/10/27/best-winter-tires/#nokian or https://www.tirerack.com/tires/Tire...7&autoModel=Tacoma+4WD&autoModClar=Double+Cab

 

I know it's a moot point now but keeping a shovel in the bed is a must. When it starts snowing around here, I shovel a bunch of snow into the bed for added weight.
Years ago, a buddy of mine and I were out doing some shooting and backroading with a lot of snow on the ground. We got stuck in a fairly out of the way place. We were in one of my dad's work trucks so it had a couple of shovels in the back. We got out and started digging. In about 15 minutes, we were able to drive back out of the drift we were stuck in.
To this day, I just keep a good flat shovel in the bed of my truck. I also use it to pick up skunks after I shoot them.

 

Why pick them up,you skinning them?

 

Best advice like everyone else said is to slow down!!! Remember you will not be able to stop on a dime, especially if you get too much momentum. Engine braking is helpful on grades. 4x4 does not help you stop in any way, but I don't understand the guys saying it doesn't help you turn? If you start to turn and realize you aren't actually turning, a *gentle* tap of the gas in 4x4 will allow the front wheels to "pull" your truck into the turn. Probably a move worth practicing before you do it, as it's easy to over gas it and swing the back end around.

 

Then there's time where getting off the gas and brake let's the tires dig when sliding. I'm a fan of sliding around in a large parking lot to learn, just evaluate the lot to avoid any hidden dangers that might be hidden under snow.