Snow in 2wd w/ No Chains?

Good luck OP! I'd buy the snow chains just to be prepared (and practice putting them on before you have to) Add weight to the rear and if there is snow drive in the tracks don't be a trail blazer

 

Thanks! I should start considering snow chains, then . . . it might come in handy

 

I was born and raised in Riverside brother. I live in Boston now and use wild Peaks AT3 but if you've never driven in snow it's like ice skating for the first time. I also have 4x4 and couldn't imagine being in 2 wheel drive without chains or a dedicated snow tire

 

I have 4wd and I carry a set of chains because I like to be prepared. Don't understand why someone would be planning on driving an expensive, basically new truck in those conditions and not want to at least prepare ahead of time by getting chains.

 

Yeah, I think I'm gonna go out and get some chains. Snowy or not, it's nice to be prepared!

 

Not a suggestion for better handling, but if you need to put chains on then waterproof insulated work gloves!

 

Hmm. I'd never think of that--BUT, I always have a good pair of gloves in the bed cubby!

 

I bought these for my 33's. Really easy to mount with the cams.

https://www.etrailer.com/Tire-Chains/Titan-Chain/TC2828CAM.html

 

Get the chains. I have the same truck as you (2WD TRDOR) and hit some black ice going up to Wrightwood during the last snow fall in November. Nothing more sketch than sliding sideways towards oncoming traffic. I pulled over and put chains on and had a much better experience the rest of the way up.

Last year the locker helped getting into Mt High resort; not sure if you're familiar with the long uphill to get to the main parking lot but it helped in that icy drive up. But the locker only really helps going straight. Any turns on ice and you'd better be ready to catch the rear end.

 

Thanks for the advice. I'm unsure of the 'parking lot driveway', but I'm sure it's pretty sketchy with ice. Great to hear from a successful (mostly) 2wd-er!

 

Maybe if you're already sliding, but the probability of one is less in 4wd. Plus starting from a stop is many, many times better in 4wd than 2wd. But, as you said, skill of the driver is the most important.

 

This^. The snow and ice freeze/thaw conditions on serpentine roads here are much more mercurial than a lot of places in the country where it just snows and gets compacted and nothing melts until spring. Buy and use chains. Drive slowly. Brake lightly at the onset and earlier than you normally would. Give lots of space to other drivers. A year or two back some dude "trying out crawl control" in his 4x4 TRD slid into a row of parked cars next to me in the lot at Mt. Baldy. You guessed it -- he didn't have chains. It doesn't matter if you have a locker or a 4x4 when you're sliding on snow or ice. (My Prius with chains worked totally fine, in comparison.)

 

I'm definitely getting chains now. Being a 2wd, I want all the traction possible

 

Emergency supplies incase you get stranded.

 

Yup. I think that's a no-brainer

 

so a case of beer and some beef jerky?

 

(30+ years of living/driving in snow.. DEEP snow) ... As Kairo says ... And I can't over-emphasize enough ... WEIGHT in the back end makes/breaks it.
I live a few miles south of the Canadian border, and now .. This time of year .. I have 8 bags of 'Tube Sand' stacked in the rear corners of my 4x4... Cheap ($5.00 a bag) .. Heavy (50 lbs per bag) ...and stack easy in the bed, without taking up a lot of room.
And of course 'Decent' tires a must. Not necessarily specific Monster Super Grip Snow Tires .. Even those are useless without the weight on them. I run Plain-Jane 'All seasons' on every rig I own, but it's the weight that makes all the difference.

 

This is coming from somebody who lives up at 7,000 ft. Put those gloves in the cab on a trip like this.

Gloves are handy, but they suck real bad if you have to put your hands into them when they are ice cold! Especially if your hands are already cold. Blah.

 

I'm going to big bear also for NYE.....just spend the few bucks and get chains. this is what i got.

$110 SCC QG3229CAM Quik Grip Wide Base Type CAM-DH Light Truck Tire Traction Chain - Set of 2

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KQ89LE/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I took my 2WD up to big bear last year. Tried to make it up the mountain without chains and had to turn around (it was pitch black and just started to storm) I went to the local Walmart in Redlands and got some chains. Night and day difference! With the chains and my Wildpeaks there was nothing I couldn't handle