towing heavy in snow and ice....

[rob10858]

besides the logical answer not to do it in the first place, any suggestions would be welcome. after 20 years, we've been lucky enough not to have to deal with this. sometimes the best thing to do is "just say no" but with our season getting longer and longer, we have trucks going out for the next three weeks. to make the decision not to venture out into bad weather is easy, but once your traveling, and caught in it, you have no choice... .

 

[JLinder]

I haven't towed a bunch in the snow/ice, but I can tell you that if you don't chain up the trailer don't be on the road. Not sure if you have 4x4's or not, but I have towed over mountain passes with just chains on the trailer in 4x4 and not had problems. If a 2wd, I think you would prolly have to chain up for grades or else you could spin out half way. I have spun the tires most of the hill before, but luckily I hammered down and kept moving.

 

[jerryrigg]

I've done it many times... . just SLOW down and make sure you ease the setting on the trailer brakes so they don't lock up, when slowing down ease off the pedal and let the engine slow you down as much as possible, avoid the exhaust brake on ice, but keep your eyes on the mirrors, if the trailer starts to come around be prepared to give it some #2 to straighten it out

 

[fkovalski]

Dittos on what JLinder said. Many times on the grade up to the Eisenhower Tunnel at the Divide the 2WD’s will not make it up without chaining in certain conditions. Chains are good for traction for 2WD’s on level grade in snow, but CO State Police are cracking down on vehicles that do not obey chain laws as all it take is one stuck vehicle to tie up a lot of traffic. Tractors and light duties alike. BTW, CO road conditions can be reached @ 303. 639. 1111

JERRYRIGG: where in Colorado are you headed? RMTDR will be having a get together tentatively set for 18 January 2003 with the setting TBD. Probably in the DVR area. Good luck- frank

 

[Bob Horrell]

I towed a lot of horse trailers in the Colorado mountains in the snow and I'll add one thing to what has already been said. Use the expensive chains with the X pattern that crosses the tire tread on the trailer tires. This really makes a big difference in keeping the trailer straight when braking down a slippery hill. Regular chains, although better than no chains, will still allow the trailer to slide sideways and once it starts on a steep hill it is hard to straighten out. Once I found out about the X pattern chains, I didn't have to change my underwear near as often.

 

[jerryrigg]

To add to Bob's comments:



Don't wear underwear, less cleaning later just have some good seat covers...



fkovalski:

Count me in if I'm there by the 18th... hoping to be there between 10th-15th just have to wait for all my retirement paperwork to be completed... and tow 18,000lbs up the mountains oh yea and down the mountains (IN WINTER)...

YeeeeeeeeeeHaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwww!!!!!!!



Currently hoping/planning for Elbert County Parker/Elizabeth/Franktown area... but eventually hoping to get land and build somewhere around Conifer/Evergreen maybe even Pine but time and $$$ will tell...

 

[klenger]

I almost lost it going up Wolf Creek Pass last March. .



The road was patchy ice, and I was climbing in 2WD with the cruise on. The CTD thought we should be going faster and said "you need more torque" I started fishtailing, turned off the cruise, and got it straightened out. Then I put it in 4WD, slowed down to about 35, and had no problems the rest of the way up or down. Moral of the story is "don't use cruise in the snow and ice".

 

[jerryrigg]

Originally posted by klenger

Moral of the story is "don't use cruise in the snow and ice".

Excellent Point should have thought about that...



Jan 1st, 91-92ish just got on the 25 headed south around Fort Collins area, been snowing all night, had the cruise on, typical CO snow storm right lane had been plowed left lane had not, tapped the brakes to pull into left lane to pass a truck, once there stupidity kicked in and I hit the frickin' resume button, might as well have floored it, had it in 2wd spun right into the median headed for north bound lanes, reached down jerked the transfer case into 4wd cranked the wheel right and goosed it... came back on the southbound right next to the truck I tried passing in the first place... . the driver called me on the cb and asked if I had a good time playing in the snow... yes I was wearing underwear and needed to check them afterwards...



If you do use cruise don't touch the resume button!!!!

 

[JJW_ND]

Siped Tires

Packman... . If your talking snow and ice on flat roads (midwest every winter) Run good rubber and have it siped.



I pulled stock trailer doubles (triple stacks, etc) for five years from KS to ND. Winter of 96-97 was a very memorable one. Did 20K Nov - Feb. More hastles with blocked roads the anything.



The loads I pulled might not be as heavy as yours but the wind catch from two 22' trailers in tow works the truck pretty good.



The best tire I found was a Toyo M55 and siped. I could run through continous snow covered roads upto 6" deep (once rolling in 2wd). I tried to run in 2WD as much as possible as I wanted to feel the slippage to better determine the road speed. If I could run 60 or more in 2wd pulling 60'... . I would let'er rip!



I have a good working LSD rear end and it was pretty controllable. The siped tires were like studs with out the noise on ice roads. Did allot of normal hwy speeds passing allot of other rigs after several 1K miles of practice (96-97). The only thing that stopped me was baracaded or blocked roads. When you drive all night in ND and SD in the dead of winter, when it is below zero in January and storming out, you can go more the 100 miles between vehilces (any sign of life!). You have the whole road to yourself. Sometimes that means you make the first tracks... ride the crown. I always hoped for a bullrack or grainhauler. They drove hard, fast, and left a big track to follow.



With a little practice it has to be just as easy as pulling through east coast rush hour!



jjw

ND

 

[Fireman]

Fortunatly we don't have much snow ad ice here, but when we do I have to drive in it no matter how bad it gets. Like jerryrigg said Go SLOW and don't make any sudden moves or corrections ie slam on the brakes. I usually run in a lower gear to regulate my speed and to keep from braking as often. Good luck and be careful out there.

Fireman

 

[rob10858]

i get everything said so far except not to use the exhaust brake. in the few times i've had to deal with towing in ice and snow, downshifting, even gradually, got the rig a little loose, but the e brake did much better, and i was watching it after some warnings.

 

[Speedo]

Driving on snow and ice

Don't do anything too fast; steering, braking and throttle. No

cruise or exhaust brake. Give yourself plenty of time to get where

you're going and drive like you have an egg on the pedals. Carry

cold weather gear with you, you just never know what might

happpen. I don't have a set of chains but some places make them

mandatory in any case there are times when they could be help-

ful. A shovel and a tow strap might also be things that you want

to consider having with you. Basically just think while you're

driving and keep your eyes open.



Gus

 

[Fireman]

What Speedo said. Don't gear down to slow down, pick a lower gear to drive slower. Drive at a higher RPM and modulate the throttle to accelerate and decelerate gradually. Finesse, man, finesse.



Fireman

 

[Steve Campbell]

Keep an eye....

on the tires of other rigs you are meeting and the outside air temp.



If you are driving on "white" (snow covered) roads and the tire tread of the oncoming traffic is coming up white (snow is sticking to the rubber) the traction is pretty good..... (kind of like when you were a kid and someone dared you to put you tongue on a pipe outdoors at 10deg. ) If there tires are coming up black, the traction is poor and all of the other posts about being careful should be doubly noted.



Outside air temp... . if it is rising, it is usually slightly above 32 deg. where the really slick conditions are incurred. If temp is falling it is usually slightly below 32deg where the problem begins to occur.



A lot of people I know say they feel the vehicle start to go in "the rear end" first. If I am really paying attention, that is secondary to the "slightly lighter resistance" feel I notice in the steering wheel.



I guess my reply does not just apply to towing, as these observations apply to loaded or empty vehicles.



One last observation, siped tires work better the more load is on them (up to a point).

 

[sheldon]

Some good suggestions here. One more thing, if you are going to areas with chain requirements be sure to practice putting the chains on and off a few times before you go. This will familiarize yourself with them and also find if you have the right sizes and no interference. It is easier than trying to do it at the chain control.

 

[rob10858]

what about the characteristics of the trailer? does it want to push, fishtail, etc. even before any emergency moves like hard braking?

 

[dpetre]

You need good tires, with studs if you are going to tow in snow country. You need to watch your speed and take your time. Chains are nice to have on the real steep grades. How a trailer reacts will depend on how much weight you have on it, the speed you are traveling, and the conditions you are trying to stop in. Most of the time it will try to push you. Going down hills it will want to pass you. When the roads are ice covered and snow covered I will run in 4 wheel drive the whole trip. I will try and keep it under 60 miles an hour while in four wheel drive. I have never had a 4 wheel drive unit failure in over 500,000 miles of winter driving.

 

[benhall]

Ice Skating

Here is why you don't set the cruise on ice.



#ad

 

[DiTrani]

4WD?

Not everyone will agree, but so long as I can get drive traction I'd much rather run 2WD on the highway. I think you have better control since your front wheels won't brake traction based on what you do with the accelerator.



Smart AWD systems are great for traveling in the snow at speed, but true 4WD systems are pretty bad at it. Gets a lot of SUV drivers in trouble all the time. Thankfully for the rest of us the trend there is toward AWD.



Also, the heavier the truck is compared to the trailer, the better off you are. If you're not already pushing the limits at the rear axle/tires, you might want to put some weight in the bed - in the front of the bed when pulling a trailer.

 

[benhall]

1 more thing

I wasn't towing or in 4wd when I did this.



Ben