Snowbashing with the Silver Cloud

[JHansen]

Finally we got enough snow around here to test out the Silver Cloud's capabilities. I put the 315's on at the start of winter specifically for clearance when we got "the big one". Now, we haven't seen that yet..... but we got enough over the weekend and a wind to push it into a few places I normally have to drive to do my job. I got a chance to make a few observations on the truck's snow-smashing qualities!



1. Very impressive in snow! The 1st back road I broke trail down, I was kinda upset when I got stuck the first time... . until I backed up and saw at the end I was pushing about 3" of snow with the front bumper! I took a run in 3rd gear-around 2000 rpm or so and just chugged along until I couldn't chug anymore. Then it was just a matter of backing up a ways, and letting 'er rip again! My 315's are reasonably aggressive-that and the extra clearance they offer I'm sure were the main factors in the ease I could break trail. But the truck's weight sure helps to punch through the stubborn stuff.



2. I need some sort of traction bar setup though..... lots of wheel hop especially trying to back out once stuck. I'd love a set of Steve's bars... but by the time I pay the exchange and shipping I'd have to sell a kidney to pay for them ! So I'll have to go to the drawing board and see what I can figure out for myself...



3. The engine compartment is a long ways from sealed..... you can kick up quite a bit in there. I assume most of it is coming from underneath as I have the full winter front inserts in the grille and the screen ones in the bumper. Doesn't look that hard to fit a couple pieces of light belting on each side of the motor similar to what the old D/W trucks had to seal the frame to the inner fenders-on my list of mods to try to accomplish before next winter which will probably never get done... My BHAF isn't suited for this-I'm gonna slam the factory airbox back in now for winter while I save my pennies for a Scotty Air System.



4. The alternator acts just like every other vehicle I've driven when it gets wet-it quits working. Only on this truck it won't charge again after it's dried out until you shut the truck off and restart---assuming that's something to do with the PCM's control of it. Kinda unnerving when it wouldn't come back and wouldn't come back-finally I took the chance on shutting it off and restarting and PRESTO we had life again.



5. If you choose the right gear there's nothing wrong with a stick for snow-bashing... . automatic is maybe a little handier but I got along just fine. The LSD helps quite a bit too in maintaining forward progress.



I ended up having to go back the next day to rescue a YJ that saw the tracks and figured they could short-cut that way too. A YJ with 215 street tires and a 2. 5 can't go where a smoke-snorting Ram on 315's can... . . So I got the chance to tow him through... . again no problems. Tightened the strap and then just basically had to pop the clutch a couple times to get him going-then away we went. Probably a good thing he came along-we managed to clear enough snow with his axles that the Chevs could run the ruts after! Man those things are low... .



Jason

Snow-Smasher Extraordinaire!

 

[Lil' Dog]

You crazy bugger!!!! Sounds like you have too much fun!:-laf



The belting of the engine area would be alright in the winter, but you will need the room in the summer to get the hot air from the fan/rad out of the engine bay. . Maybe make them removable???



I had a similar experience with the 99 gasser at work, nice to have only the diffs in the snow, the Shovveys had their bumpers full of snow... LOL.



J-eh

 

[Swamp Donkey]

Did a little snow bashing myself yesterday. Went to go get some firewood. With my auto, transmission temps stayed around 140 for the 2 mile trip. Snow was not as deep, maybe about 18 inches. But when I stoped and tried turning around and was getting into deeped snow and ditches transmission temps jumped to around 205 in a matter of a minute. By this time I was backed up to the wood pile! This is with Amsoil ATF + 4 and a DTT TC & VB. No harm done, the trip out was uneventful with all the weight in 4wd low range, temps never got out of control. Snow was almost up to the door in places. No bucking, just took it cool and easy.

 

[JWhitcomb]

How much for the kidney?

 

[JHansen]

Lemme get back to you JWhitcomb after I phone Enterprise and calculate the exchange rate and shipping out !



I wouldn't have been having that much fun Jase if I'd have gotten buried-that thought was going through my mind a couple times... . but then you don't know where the limits are if you don't cross them once right? Even discounting the extra ground clearance, I think it goes a lot further than my Cherokee would... . must be the weight. Wheelbase probably don't hurt either!



And SD you've probably got 18" of snow on the flats eh? We've probably only got 2-3" except where the wind has pushed it up. I really had to look around to find enough to play in .



Jason

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

HEHEEEEEE - we FINALLY got enough snow to go drift busting! Yesterday we had NO snow at all on the ground, had a light dusting when we went to sleep last night. Overnight we got a solid 10 inches of snow with drifts up to 3-4 feet!!!! Can you say SCHWING!? #ad
Most of the businesses were closed in Lansing (including my wifes office and my daughters day care) but I had a couple of clients that were open that I had appointments with. Got those appointments done early and then hit the backroads for a little fun (and to earn a little extra money pulling people out). One of the dirt roads I went down had a minimum of 2 ft of snow with drifts to 4 feet for 10 solid miles!! I had my box turned off and was pulling down 20 psi of boost 4th gear at 2000 rpm (4 high) - had to keep it at WOT to maintain that speed!



I came across a 4wd S-10 with 3 teenage kids in it that was stuck right in the middle of the road - he couldn't move at all. So I of course offered to help them out. I had to do a 3 point turn to hook up to them because I knew I'd have to drag them about 2 miles to the nearest cleared road. Well as we've all learned a time or two the front end of our trucks are HEEEEEEEAVY. We had gotten some freezing rain first, followed by the snow, and then about an 1/8th inch of freezing rain on top of that. When doing my 3 pt turn I got the front tires just off of the edge of the road (corn fields on either side with a crowned road). Guess what - I was stuck (temporarily at least) - couldn't move backwards and when I tried to move forward the rear end was just coming around - the ice under the snow was killing me. I figured out real quick I wasn't going to be able to back up onto the road again - so I got out and stomped down about 4 inches of snow in front of each tire. Meanwhile the 3 teenagers are snickering a bit. Got back in the truck and motored right on out into the corn field!! Turned around in the corn field and back up onto the road (all the while flinging snow about 30 feet in the air! They were looking like this: :--) ! Hooked up to them and one of them noticed my license plate (CMNSPWR) and said "great plate"! Dragged them the 2 miles to the nearest cleared road and said goodbye. Since they were kids I didn't even charge em. All told I pulled 8 vehicles out and made $250 on the drive home - plus had a blast!



BTW, still had a slight amount of wheel hop but I mean very slight. The wheel hop I was getting I think anyone would get - it was because of chunks of ice where being ripped off of the top of the snow causing wheel spin and then it would hook up. I know that under the same conditions without the ladder bars I wouldn't have been able to get down some of those roads. The only other vehicle I saw moving on that road other than me was a farm tractor - and he stopped me to ask about my truck, he was taking the tractor to the store because his PSD couldn't get out of the driveway!



Jason - I don't know how far you are from the border but do you know someone on this side that you could have them shipped to and then just drive them back across? BTW, I also pulled my BHAF and put my stock airbox in - having drift busted MANY times before I know that the engine bay is usually filled with snow when you get done.

 

[JHansen]

You know Steve I hate to admit it but I've never crossed the 49th parallel! One of these days I'll make it across I guess... . I should phone Enterprise and at least find out what they're worth and then do some calculations. UPS's freight is retarded though... . my Blue Chip pump plate was $43. 68 CDN to get here from New Hampshire with all their fees in there! I shudder to think of what those ladder bars would cost to get across... .



My XJ (downsized Cherokee in non Jeep-speak!) was the best vehicle I've ever owned for keeping the engine compartment free of snow-you could push a ton of snow and get hardly any in there. Only got the alternator wet once-and it's on the bottom of the engine just above the oil pan rail! Think I'm gonna try to rig some belting to seal up the sides for winter anyways-can't hurt anything!



Jason

Backyard Engineer!