Uphill in snow with a manual

Greetings, longtime lurker--first time poster...
Figured you guys could help out here; I have a very steep driveway and now with the snow and ice it's becoming hard to get traction up the hill. The truck is a 16' manual TRD off road 6sp manual with terra grapplers. Should I be going up in 2nd gear to not lose traction? Also, should I be feathering the clutch at all, or just in gear and on the gas? Noticed when I use the clutch uphill it smells like burnt fluids???

Thanks in advance!

 

Welcome to the TW, that’s a tough one. I find myself staying in a lower gear so I don’t lug the engine or burn the clutch. Lose of traction,4wd.

 

Snow and Ice on a steep driveway typically don’t care what gear, speed, throttle, etc.
I too have a steep driveway, and when it’s icy I throw her in 4high, disengage the traction control and put down the boot.
There have been times where I could smell clutch, brakes or tyres. But (knock on wood) she’s still getting me up the hill.
If you frequently have ice, the only solution is studded tyres or more traction aides (sand/salt/whatever).

 

Back in my Upstate Ny days we had a steep driveway leading up to a county highway, if I remember right I would use 2nd to get up but there was a lot of wheelspin involved. It was 2wd ranger with 300lbs of sand in the bed. I would rather stay in 1st than feather it in 2nd, to reduce wear on the vehicle. Are you 4x4?

 

Yeah it's a 4wd. Thank you guys for the quick input. Using second it seemed that feathering the clutch made that smell.

 

If it’s snow covered and icy use 4wd Hi. You could throw sand bags in the back as well. I’ve been up some pretty steep icy hills so far in my MT I’ve found that sometimes if I use 1st gear and give it no gas it just crawls along on its own it takes a lot to kill this thing in 1st it’s such a low gear. Other situations call for 2nd gear because first is too low and any gas breaks it lose. But don’t be afraid to use your 4wd. That is what it’s there for it people freak out all the time that they are going to destroy the 4wd if they hit a dry patch of pavement or turn too sharp. It’s a Toyota drive the crap out of it it can take it.

 

The burning smell is the clutch friction disc over heating. You should be in gear, foot off the clutch.

 

Found that clutch operation in these Tacoma is not like anything I drove before. any start off on inclines forward or reverse has to be in 4low.if not, any resistance is going to make clutch smell. that is my experience with mine. I have read several post where pulling a boat out of the water, had to have a 4 Low but need to take tight turn at top of hill. if not smoked clutch all the way up hill

 

put some sand down on the driveway for added traction

 

Agreed, she always makes it up but then gives off that smell. Guess the solution will be keeping her in gear
(no feathering), 4lo for starts and 4high when already moving, sand and ice.
You guys rock!

 

I live in a very hilly area of the UP of Michigan and drive on snow for about 5 months of the year. I usually just put it in first or 2nd in 4 wheel drive and give it a little gas and it has not let me down. Some wheel spin is ok, should not be a problem unless it is black ice....we have about 180 inches of snow so far this winter

 

Have you tried using A-TRAC

 

Momentum.

 

No I haven't messed with ATRAC much, does it work good?

 

Use 4WD and turn off traction control. It kills engine power with wheelspin. Get all the way out of the clutch as soon as the thing moves and stay in first gear - let it crawl - no need to go faster than 5mph in the driveway. If you are having trouble with that - use 4Lo. Engage the locker if you have one.

If that does not work - buy better tires, put the chains on or clear the damn driveway ya lazy bastage!

 

Yeah!!- And pour hot water on that icy drive to melt it like I did the first time I moved to the mountains!!! Doh!!

 

The hardest way will probably save unnecessary wear on your truck..... A shovel and some manual labor.

 

I'd be doing it in 4Lo. The lower gearing is amazing in a manual. Try it in gears 1-3 and see what works best for you.

 

Winter tires weight in the end 4wd n 1st gear. Steep driveway usually ice packed.

 

Welcome to tw