Traction in the snow

This is my first winter in Idaho and I have a 2wd with 31s general grabbers I've added weight in the bed 5 sand bags 60lbs each and I'm still struggling to get traction on take off. Does any one have any suggestions on what I can do to get better traction on take offs or how to limit my sliping.

 

Better tires. That's pretty much the most you can do.

 

4X4, what else did you expect from this thread?

 

Having a manual it can be good to start in 2nd as long as you arent too hard on your clutch. Its an old trick can help

 

Just good meaty all terrain tires? And I'll try taking off in second and see how that does.

 

Try airing down some, do people run chains/cables out there?

 

Proper winter tires. Blizzaks, Nokiens, Michelin Ice, etc.

And remember, just because you can get moving doesn't mean you can stop.

 

People mainly run studed tires out here because you can have chains or cables on the highway. I would need a different sent of rima to run those because my tires and rims are a lot wider than what the stock truck would have. Mostly everyone keeps the vehicles mostly stock up here. the tires are aired up to about 40lbs right now do you think 20 would be a good air down number.

 

Trade in for a 4x4.

 

If I could I would I'm upside down do to a previous truck loan

 

studs, 4x4, chains, bed weight

 

I believe those grabbers can have studs put in them.

 

Take your time and ease into the gas slowly. Just give yourself plenty of time to pull out in traffic.

 

Buy chains.
Keep stuff in the back like a shovel, and things to put under your tires for traction.


Seriously, buy chains for your tires.

4x2 is dangerous in the snow.

 

Sipe your tires. Its about $10/tire around here.

 

Sipe your tires and drop air pressure. 40 psi is way to high. Start with 25 psi in the rear. Im thinking 15-25 psi in the rear and 30-33 up front.

With 40 psi in my 4x4, on street snow covered roads, I'm all over the place.

 

this.

air down for a longer tire/road contact patch front to back. Get a set of winters on take-off wheels if you can swing it. Like said above... if you don't have the traction to get started how are you going to fare out when you need to stop quickly.

Also, you can add more weight. The more weight the more traction. If your tires really suck and you can't get better ones for winter, add another couple hundred pounds of sand. The only noticeable difference will be better traction. It's not like 500 lbs is a lot of weight in the back of your truck if you need the extra traction. If you had a couple chubby friends in the back of your truck laying down do you think it would impact your ride or fuel economy that much? Lots of trucks in BC leave their snowmobiles in the back of their pickup for 80% of their daily driving in winter because it's handy to not have to load and unload, but the extra weight makes for phenomenal traction.

I'm also a fan of skinny tires over fat tires. Better for cutting through slush rather than floating on it and losing your traction. I'd keep that in mind if you buy winters.

 

What he said ^^^ you don't need 4x4 to get traction - my family gets around fine in Maine without throwing their vehicles in 4wd in all but the worst conditions on unpaved (and never plowed) roads. Tires really are the answer though - all of their cars / trucks get snow tires put on in the late fall until late spring when there's no chance of snow anymore. I had a set of studded tires for my old Saab when I was in high school and that thing was a tank - made it up my parent's 1/2 mile inclined unpaved driveway every time no matter what the conditions were like provided it had enough clearance. We never aired down or added sand bags to our old pickups but that could be an advantage I suppose as well.

 

Used OE rims are cheap. Any kind, steel or alloy will do.

Then proper winter tires, again, Nokian, Blizzak, etc. Good chance the other mechanical hardware (chains, cables) won't be needed, unless you have a lot of grades with heavy ice.

Understand not going after a 4wd truck. Debt stinks, and being out of it should be the goal. But also know that people have successfully driven in RWD for decades. However, it's foolish to not invest in a wheel/tire package that can save your life. And that of others.

When they are mounted up, get out in an open paved area and practice starts/stops/turns.

 

I would take a 2wd manual over a automatic 4x4 any day

The 40 psi is to high for winter driving

Unless your always loaded with 800 pounds plus

You do have your sand Bags right over the rear axle

For a few years because of a very expensive divorce I drove my 83 Celica out of my Bobsled run of a driveway