Air down for driving on snow?

[NDanecker]

In sand its best to air down to increase the tires contact patch and distribute the load over a greater area preventing the tire from digging in. On snow (for example, on a frozen lake pulling a 4k# trailer with 3 or 4 inches of crusty snow), would it help to air down similar to how it helps when driving on the beach?

 

[BColburn]

If it's only a couple a inches it couldn't hurt to air down. I know it helps when your talking a couple of feet deep.

 

[Dieselram]

A good rule, 0-5 inchs don't air down as the tires will try and ride on top of the snow instead of cutting down to the road, Anything more and i air down, yes the truck will ride ontop of the snow but by then the snow is deep enough that stopping is about the same due b/c when you hit the brakes the truck digs into the snowpack.

 

[rbattelle]

I totally agree with Dieselram. Although I've never aired down even in the deepest snow, his 5" rule seems pretty sane.



-Ryan

 

[Nate]

I don't normally air down the truck, but the Jeep I'll bring it down to around 10psi when I'm playing in the snow.

 

[JVantreese]

It seems to me that a 7000 plus pound vehical with E rated 10 ply tires will not float on snow if its one inch or 100 feet deep. I find that snow traction depends on tire design and age. This is true on my Jeep wrangler or on my Ram 2500. If you drive in severe winter weather, I would suggest looking at buying snow tires for the winter months.

 

[Lips]

airing down is good for driving in the sand, or driving in snow OFF road. Don't bother airing down for snow on the road. Unless it's a freak blizzard and the roads are buried with a crapton of snow, you're much better off letting your tires try and dig down to the pavement below.