4x4 vs. 4x2 in midwest??

[roadranger]

Originally posted by laketex

Studded tires are what??? and when do you use them?? Don't you guys run chains? Btw, I never understood chains very well, if you run them all winter or take them on and off all the time or what. Also, I guess i need to find my block heater and get a screen right?

Studded snow tires get put on in the fall, and taken off in the spring. Buy yourself two extra wheels to mount them on, then you can just swap 'em in your driveway.



Chains are a lifesaver with 2WD. Combined with weight in the back, you can plow your way thru most anything.

Chains go on at the beginning of the trip in the storm and come off at the end of the trip/storm.



The block heater and winterfront will help to keep the heat up, in order to keep the windshield from freezing up.



Last--get yourself some winter wiper blades--they are completely wrapped in rubber and won't fill up with packed snow like regular wipers, and stop wiping the windshield clear, until you crawl out and bang them clean for about 5 minutes.



You can survive winters with 2WD, you just got to get prepared for it.

 

[laketex]

Thanks guys, you've helped me out more than I can imagine. I've just got a couple more questions. If I have chains will I not need studs? Or is it progressive? Studs all the times, and break out the chains if needed? Do studs come with tires or are they removable? Seems like they'd wear down mighty quick. I guess my Michelins aren't stud capable...



Also, there's a ton of different chain/cable styles. Can anyone tell me from this list, which ones I'd want for my truck and then what we'd need for my wife's Front WD Prism?



http://www.tirechains.com/16INCHTRUCKCHAINS.HTM



Sorry for all the dumb questions. It's just that we Texans dont really have any reason to know all this. 20 degrees is a VERY cold winter to us!

 

[Blakers]

Chains will get you through the VERY worst, but you may hardly ever need them. I think I've used them a few times in my life. There's different kinds out there, but I'm not real familiar with the types. I just had the old wrap 'em around as tight as you can type. They're not for everyday use unless you live back in the woods or have a mountain to climb to get to work.



Studded tires will help you all winter as they will grip on ice. Buy some dedicated snow tires and have them studded. The studs are carbide and will last as long as the tires.



Blake

 

[Excessive Force]

STUDDED TIRES/CHAINS

Laketex, Before you go out and purchase the studded tires/chains check the laws regarding the use of these items in IL. I know WI doesn't allow studded tires,and i don't think chains are legal either. I'd hate to see you spend the cash on an item you can't use,besides that'll leave more cash for BOMBING !!

 

[illflem]

I've run winter studs most of my life and have found that siped tires have much better traction plus you can run them all year. Another factor here is that the state charges $40 per studded tire tax to pay for the road damage they cause.

 

[Ted Constantine]

Laketex,



Chains are just kept in the vehicle for when the $%it really hits the fan. You will rarely ever need them and if you do it will be in a situation where no one will care because the conditions are that bad.



I do not run studded tires here in NY because they are illegal in canada where I own a house. I have in the past had them when i was living in WY. Studs work great but are not worth the hassel to me. Sipping i sthe ticket you are looking for. If you are getting snow tires, which I would suggest for 2wd, look at severe rated tires like the Cooper discoverer M&S or there are a number of others. They have softer compounds and are very extensively sipped from the factory. They grip as well or better then most studded tires and can even be studded as well if you feel the need. FYI, I believe that you can only stud a new tire not one that has been driven on already. I might be wrong on that though.



http://coopertire.com/tire_cooper/ltsuv.asp?id=206



Most importantly make sure the weight you are putting in you bed is well secured. Don't want it coming through you in an accident



Snow is no big deal just remember that most of the people around you on the road are instant morons when the flakes start flying. Even if they are not you should treat them as if they were.



Good luck

Ted

 

[jsnyder]

studs vs siping

One downfall to studs is that if you get on dry pavement, they can actually hinder the tires handling characteristics. Kind of like wearing your football cleats on the sidewalk. Siping does work very well on snow and ice, is cheaper, and will help keep your tires cooler in the summer.



Do yourself a favor and keep chains in your pickup. You may never need them, but the one time you do they'll be worth their weight in gold.



Ditto on the advice below about the OTHER drivers. Keep plenty of following distance and leave the road rage at home. You'll get the last laugh when you see the idiot who passed you and cut you off in the ditch waiting for someone to pull him out



Jason



edit: Keep some winter travel stuff in your truck, blankets, candles, road flares, heavy coveralls, shovel, etc.

 

[MN Cummins Lvr]

Laketex,



I agree with what everyone else has said. Here in MN, you cannot buy studded tires because they are not legal. Chances are, if it is so bad you need chains, everything will be shutdown and you won't be moving anyhow; but it may not be a bad idea to have them in the truck for an emergency. In the 3. 5 years I have had my truck, I have had no probs in the snow. Check out my signature



Good Luck!



Paul

 

[LSMITH]

If you put some sort of weight in the bed make SURE it is tied down well enough to not move during an accident, your weight could be the end of you if you don't.



With stock power the 2wd driving was not bad, but once bombed 2wd is nearly out of the question when it is snowing or slippery. LOTS of 2wd trucks in IL and WI, they seem to get around just fine.

 

[boonsur]

As mentioned, tires are probably the biggest factor. My first winter with the stock Michelins was pretty bad. I used 4WD a lot, especially when accelerating across traffic or passing. Last year, I had BFG 295/75 AT's and almost never used 4WD (only when I was really trying to get stuck, snow bank bashing, etc. ).



Also, there isn't that much snow in Illinois and most of the roads are well traveled, so accumulation should be minimal, barring one or two storms a year.

 

[swampfox]

Midwest Snow

Re: 2 wheel Drive in snow. Don't worry about it. Most pickups in northern Ill. , Wisconsin and Minnesota are 2 wheel drive.

3/4 tons are harder to drive in the snow and ice than 1/2 tons because of the heaver suspension. I'd get a good set of snow tires for the rear wheels and toss about 1,000 of weight in the back. Up in the Bativia area farm and home improvement stores sell 80# tubes of sand. If you go up to northern Wisconsin to play the farther north you go the better the plowing is. Generally I90, I94 and Highway 53 are well maintained. If you have to go into Chicago during or right after a big storm... good luck, however the roads are usually plowed by the next day. One cavet... watch out for ice storms. Not even 4wd works in an ice storm. The only thing that does is chains.

 

[Hohn]

Check roadranger's advice

No need to worry about having 2wd in the winter. You will be fine if you follow the advice of this thread. Tires and weight are the difference.



I would recommend sand tubes over all other forms of weight, because if you get stuck, you can use some of the sand for a traction aid, and that could be the extra help you needed. I would say you would want at least 500 lbs in the bed. Ideally, you would have enough so the front and rear axles had the same weight on them-- that's important.



You can't say enough of how important tires are. Buy the most heavily siped tires you can find-- most are dedicated winter tires. Bridgestone has made a rep for themselves with the Blizzak line, so that is probably a good place to start. The Michelin LTX M/S is one that a lot of people in the TDR like for all-around use, probably second to the BFG A/T KO.



Simply getting regular tires siped will help, but not like having a true winter tire. Real winter tires are designed so the rubber stays flexible in the cold. Some even use multicell compounds to further aid traction. Sipes are VERY important, just not the only thing to consider.



Stay away from mud tires. They have a smaller contact patch, usually almost NO siping, and are made of too hard a rubber for winter use. Others wil disagree, but I think that a dedicated winter tire is a much better choice unless you are driving exclusively off road.



Chains are only a good idea if you drive mostly on roads that aren't plowed clean. They are EXCELLENT on hard pack snow and ice, but can get squirrelly on clear pavement.



The money spent on weight and decent tires is worth the peace of mind.



HTH



HOHN

 

[illflem]

Originally posted by Hohn

I would recommend sand tubes over all other forms of weight, because if you get stuck, you can use some of the sand for a traction aid, and that could be the extra help you needed.

That is if the sand doesn't get wet and freeze into a chunk of rock frozen to the bed. The nylon mesh bags that sand tubes are made out of aren't waterproof and the sand will get wet and freeze. Trash bags work good.

 

[D6Diesel]

It's hard not to chime in with visions from my youth when I would help my Dad get the 2wd drive pontiac safari wagon back on track. A shovel is a must to free up the wheels for a few feet to get some momentum and into the clear. One item which is very handy is a "skid plate". it's designed to fit under the wheel that needs the most traction. The undersurface of the plate grips the road and the top surface grips the tire. The dimensions are 8- 10 inches wide and one to two feet long. The modern ones are a ladder type construction and fold into a plastic carrying case. A little patience (no wild tire spinning allowed) and common sense got us going every time; much to the delight of the one on the end of the shovel...

 

[Hohn]

what, Ill flem, no way to keep the sand dry? I buy the sand in PLASTIC bags, or wrap the mesh ones in trash bags.



There's more than one way to skin a cat.



Hohn