Snow in 2wd w/ No Chains?

Thanks for your generosity! And yeah, if it's bad enough, I sometimes see the Cal-Trans people stopping vehicles. Thanks for the tip!

 

Tire tread composition also plays into traction. High mileage tires tend to be of harder composition which doesn't translate to good traction in snow & ice. A 'softer' tread 'sticks' better to snow & ice but won't yield a lot of miles before replacement. This is why I have 2 sets of wheels for my Taco - Summer tires for quiet ride and higher miles, Winter set specifically for best traction on snow & ice. The winter set are on steel wheels so the alloy wheels can avoid the caustic deicing shit used on New England roads and only enjoy Summer weather.

My experience has been that the right tread composition and pattern will get ya thru almost all winter conditions. But coming from SoCal you wouldn't experience this unless you do a lot of driving in the eastern high elevations.

 

Do you have any experience driving in snow?

If not, then when you encounter snow it'd be best to turn around. Wait a day for the roads to clear, then go.

 

I see! I think the weather's tame enough up here to the point that I need 2 sets! Thanks for the advice!

 

Shit. That's 5 foot in before stopped cold. lol

To be fair, most sane people don't go out looking for hood depth snow. They don't air down to 5PSI and not give it a second thought. Deep snow wheeling is really fun. Until it isn't. I've yet to have to walk out but I've been close more then a few times. lol

 

I do have some experience! Plus, if I never practice, I'll never have any--you gotta start somewhere! We went on a trip to the Grand Canyon a couple years ago with my brother-in-law's family. He's also a SoCal person, so I don't think he had much experience . . . which is why he crashed the rental van into a guard rail. It can partially be blamed on the tires, though

 

I definitely know the limits of what I'm driving now. I've had big float tires with lots of horsepower, and blasting through hood depth snow is amazing fun.

For the average dude, with a normal truck, generally better to punch the weight down into the snow.

I fell kinda bad that I'm older and boring now. Maybe I'll go get another wrangler and throw it up on 37's with Dana 60s.

 

Duratrac’s deep snow

 

you didnt mention braking. Give yourself more braking room.

 

Not the same at all. Rear locker depends on two rear tires just 5 ft apart having different grip levels. Whereas 4x4 depends on the front and rear axles 10 ft apart having different grip levels, which is a lot more likely. The front axle also has ~800 lb more weight on it.

 

Whoops, forgot about that part! I'll keep that in mind

 

Wait, wait, wait. Are you telling me, you've never sunk up to your window frames in the middle of the night by yourself and haven't slept in the in the back of your rig waiting till morning to dig / winch out?

Do you even sierra nevada snow wheel????

I'm so glad I'm not that stupid anymore.

 

^^^ Lol
On the serious note, that sounds pretty scary

 

Par for the course around here in the winter if you have a built rig and want to go play. Usually people aren't as stupid as old me, and they stay in groups.

 

Nope. My front locker has saved my ass 90% of the time. The other 10% some creative winching has got me back on top of the snow. I try and keep 2 local trails cut in through the winter. The only time I failed was winter 2017/2018. It was all perfect until February. Then it snowed 20 feet in a month. The Army Corp of Engineers would have had a tough time keeping them open that year. lol

 

I've spent a couple cold nights out on my lonesome busting trails alone at night in my locked up, floaty tire, winch enabled XJ or TJs. When you're young and stupid, it's all a grand adventure. Looking back at it now, it's a definite, "what the actual fuck were you doing, idiot?" kinda moment. Have music? Have beer? Have no fear? Tally-ho!

 

As someone who grew up in those mountains and still works there, I will tell you to always carry chains in the winter if there’s any chance of snow. It’s the law and for a good reason. Every time it snows the highways are littered with dumb assholes stuck all over the place in 2wds (and even 4x4s driven by people who have no business driving in those conditions). They always end up blocking the roads for all the locals and people that know how to drive in it and need to get to/from work and it becomes a clusterfuck. Every. Single. Storm. Nowdays. The San Bernardino mountains are unlike almost anywhere else when it snows, our roads are unusually steep and winding, it’s not the same as getting around in the snow in a 2wd in 99% of other towns. Even 4” will fuck up the most seasoned local in a 2wd, locker or not (but locals know better and will always chain up a 2wd).

 

Are you going up to Big Bear to ski/snowboard or are you going up to off road in the snow? Makes a difference.

 

Probably get some scenic driving, maybe a dirt road. I've been itching to get a picture of the Tacoma in the snow!

 

If you want practice driving in snow/ice conditions then move to the midwest around December 1 and stay until April 15.

You'll be skilled in 1 winter.