Snow tacos!!! Tips and tricks, A/t, winter or studded.

What’s all the snow drivers tips and tricks for driving these lighter then average Tacoma’s through the winter. This will be my first winter with mine after having a pathfinder. I’d say the difference is going to be huge.

 

Before winter I'd put winter tires on truck. Many people don't bother but l do. Plus I'll throw a few bags of soil in the bed over the wheels. Never had an issue no matter how bad the roads were. And drive smoothly.

 

I put 2 feed bags full of sand over my axle. Probably 150-200 pounds and if you do get stuck, you have sand for traction I run snow tires on all 4 corners.

 

You have a cap in the back, it makes a huge difference with traction.

Go with a good studless tire and you'll be in 2WD everywhere but icey subdivisions. Blizzak, GSI5 or Xice are all solid choices. Studded is overkill for most people, and few studded tires perform as well as a blizzak anymore.

Just use 4x4 when worried, your pathfinder likely had auto mode, which we don't have sadly.

 

I agree with you about the cap. Probably plenty of weight. I take mine off for the winter because of the blind spots

 

Yes I’m an Aussie living in Calgary so I live in the mountains during the winter. I’ve been told by friends to get a pair of sand bags that they work great. I don’t have winters though so hopefully the Grabber ATs that came with my truck will have some sort of traction that the ratings say they do.

 

Chains front and rear, I went through a pretty ugly last winter and I had to chain up front and rear every day for a month and lots of weight in the bed and bring a good pair of leather gloves that are warm but not to bulky to help put the chains on. Oh and if your tires rub in a normal day then chains are going to be really bad.

 

For me weight over the axle and studded duratracs. Gets me by in the winter fine

 

Nice I didn’t know how much the cap would add but that’s a bit more comfort thanks. Yes sadly no auto mode. That was a great addition in the pathfinder I don’t think I was ever in true 4x4 in that thing.

 

I've been on the highways in Alberta in the winter. Not alot of fun especially up around fort mac. Biggest thing to bring when driving out there is common sense and slow down. Alot of rig rats on the highway that think the speed limit is just a suggestion

 

I'm Calgarian, you need winters to go to the mountains with Tacoma, or you'll be going 50kph the whole time with hazards on. I have coopers (aus favorite) and they are winter rated but I would take my wife's car to the mountains with her real winters.

The Generals will do fine in the City, are they grabber at2?

 

Very very true moving to Calgary from a no snow country like Aus I was shocked at some of the speeds people drive here in Alberta especially in winter. I’m no expert but I don’t think anything will help you stick to road at 140kph

 

Shit hey that’s a worry I might have to get a tire brochure haha Yeh they are AT2

 

Drove my 2010 like a madman through many fierce Minnesota winters and snow storm driving and pulling people out is one of my favorite past times. It had a topper and Grabber AT-2 tires. Only once did I get her stuck in snow and that was due to a trail collapse and me being somewhere I probably shouldn’t have been; I was able to winch out.

This winter will be with a 2020 TRD Off-Road with tonneau cover and running Grabber ATx tires. I’m prepared to toss whatever amount of sand in the bed until that rear axel grabs at least as well as my 2010 did.

Snow Tacos are the best!

 

I pipelined out there for 5 years. I heard stories of guys getting a week off and each of them throwing a grand in the pot in fort McMurray and the first one to Edmonton wins.

 

I work at a Toyota dealer, I can help you out if you ever need it. I'm a tech so I dont care about the sales end of things. Message me if you ever need help in town.

If you want to do some review homework i'll list out my usual recommendations.

Yoko (cheaper but perform well, sister has these and she lives in mountains) Toyo, tall tire I own these on my rav4 Blizzak king of studless, Michelin longest lasting winter out there. All terrain winters are fine, but if you hit anything, insurance goes up way more than 800$ in tires is worth.

 

My dad told me awful stories about pipe fitters, said he had 2 guys die one year from chain recoveries.

 

Wow that’s always great to know thanks mate. What dealership do you work at? I bout the taco from country hills.

 

Alot of the job is in dangerous conditions... snow mud rain wind darkness. People will do pretty much anything to put cornflakes on the table. We make really good money for what we do. Unfortunately, alot of people aren't responsible with the money they make. I'm not here to judge.... you live your life, I'll live mine. But some of the winter driving that I have seen out there makes you question if its worth the money

 

It really is another world out on the highways here. Makes me furious when I see guys here driving like that. You know how the stats go if they fuck up they usually kill some one that’s innocent.