A little fun in the snow.

[klb]

We had a pretty good snow here in Hickory overnight.
It gave me a chance to try out the new to me GMC
truck. Kept it in 2wd. I never made it up this hill to
my house in all the ford or dodge trucks I have owned
without being in 4wd. I like the GMC.

https://youtu.be/2mn-4tH248I

[Jess from VA]

I'm about to get out my snow flinger. 

After about five minutes, it's not really fun anymore.  Esp with high winds.

The plows are already putting their usual berm across my driveway.

Let the games begin:
http://www.weather.com/weather/radar/interactive/l/22309:4:US?layers=radar&baseMap=r&zoom=7

[Rams]

We had a pretty good snow here in Hickory overnight.
It gave me a chance to try out the new to me GMC
truck. Kept it in 2wd. I never made it up this hill to
my house in all the ford or dodge trucks I have owned
without being in 4wd. I like the GMC.

https://youtu.be/2mn-4tH248I

While I don't mean to suggest one brand is better than the other, traction is normally tire related and not truck brand related.

[DirtyDan]

fun in the snow



check

dan

[Patrick]

We had a pretty good snow here in Hickory overnight.
It gave me a chance to try out the new to me GMC
truck. Kept it in 2wd. I never made it up this hill to
my house in all the ford or dodge trucks I have owned
without being in 4wd. I like the GMC.

https://youtu.be/2mn-4tH248I

Sounds to me like your new truck probably has limited-slip/posi-traction.  I think thats a good thing regardless of any truck.  Good luck with the new truck.

[The emperor has no clothes]

We had a pretty good snow here in Hickory overnight.
It gave me a chance to try out the new to me GMC
truck. Kept it in 2wd. I never made it up this hill to
my house in all the ford or dodge trucks I have owned
without being in 4wd. I like the GMC.

https://youtu.be/2mn-4tH248I

Sounds to me like your new truck probably has limited-slip/posi-traction.  I think thats a good thing regardless of any truck.  Good luck with the new truck.

I can't remember the last truck I've had that didn't have it. Haven't  they all had it for years ?

[cookiedough]

GM's rear locking differential is pretty darn good, works well in 2wd, but like said, good tires are the key.  I also like in 4wd GM's auto 4wd button feature which is in 2wd until wheel spin occurs and automatically in an instant switches back and forth from 2wd to 4wd and back and forth without having to think. 

My newer toyota tundra, although tons more powerful than the GMC, is horrible in the snow in 2wd.  There are so many nannies (electronics) that cut power from the engine and spin, spin, spin plus stock OEM tires suck for the most part in winter traction.  IN order to disable traction control and limited slip differential (LSD), I have to be in neutral or park and push one button twice in a row to be able to get going off the line in any amount of snow in 2wd only.  the electronics they put on these vehicles are so intrusive they don't allow human judgment anymore to drive thru the snow, just spin tires not going anywhere.  The nannies on my tundra did save my butt once though when I was dumb enough to be using cruise control in spotty icy conditions and going up a hilly corner doing 60 mph,  I started to spin out on the ice and the nannies shut off my cruise control and instantly automatically applied the brakes to correct wheel spin and my truck straigtened right out no problems.  ON older vehicles, the cruise would not have dis-engaged and when my vehicle would downshift to get more gas going up a hill on cruise,  I would have been in a ditch possibly? 

[Patrick]

We had a pretty good snow here in Hickory overnight.
It gave me a chance to try out the new to me GMC
truck. Kept it in 2wd. I never made it up this hill to
my house in all the ford or dodge trucks I have owned
without being in 4wd. I like the GMC.

https://youtu.be/2mn-4tH248I

Sounds to me like your new truck probably has limited-slip/posi-traction.  I think thats a good thing regardless of any truck.  Good luck with the new truck.

I can't remember the last truck I've had that didn't have it. Haven't  they all had it for years ?

Its still an option on the trucks I buy.

[Jess Tolbirt]

took my ford out yesterday and the traction control works really well,,8 inches of the stuff with ice also and hardly ever slipped a tire,,but on the other hand you cant have fun in it like we used to do..you can disable the traction control but when one wheel loses traction it lets off the gas so you cant do do-nuts

[cookiedough]

It may be an option of about 300 bucks or in a package deal, but an option that proves some value to owners for sure and GM has one of the best rear locking differentials in trucks,  works well.  

Toyota's traction control/limited slip differential,  in my opinion, is not as good a product in snowy winter driving, but on ice works well in some situations only.  If I want to spin my wheels uncontrollably to attempt to get some traction,  I should be able to vs. the engine totally cutting rear wheel power and braking select wheels for me thinking I need help to drive.  

100's of times at a stop sign in even 1 inch or less of snow on the ground in 2wd,  I am unable to pull out into an intersection on my toyota truck since if ANY wheel spin is detected, my engine cuts power like 90% and does not allow me to spin my tires and sits there NOT moving forward.  When I disable my nannies fully (LSD/traction control) by pushing that button twice,  I can spin my tires all I want to gain traction and can get going forward again on snowy roads.   VERY annoying in most of my driving conditions.  

[0leman]

I spent a lot of years, more than I want to remember, driving on ice/snowy roads.   Some hwy and some gravel roads.   The tires were the main difference in my opinion.   That and ground clearance.

4wd also makes a difference.  It will get you stuck further in on a road with out track on it than 2wd.   

[big d]

Years ago I had an Isuzu I mark, with front wheel drive. It had a 1.8 high output 4 cylinder engine. I had almost bald summer tires on it when I was on my way home in a snow storm. I made the trip home on winding hilly roads. No traction control. Drivers ability with the right tire makes all the difference. The other part of getting better traction is having the right position of tires, that is one of the reasons jeeps are known for having excellent traction in most if not all conditions. A more square stance and pushed out to the corners of the vehicle.

[sandy]

Raised on Long Island and spent 4 years in Kansas fighting the commies. You guys can keep that stuff. It might hit 70 today, so I'm going to see some hot cars at the opening show for Barrett Jackson later.

[Gryphon Rider]

While I don't mean to suggest one brand is better than the other, traction is normally tire related and not truck brand related.

Tires and weight distribution.  When we get a big dump of wet snow, I shovel it off of my sidewalk and into the back of my 2WD truck.  It makes a huge difference.  When that's not enough, tire chains will finish the job.

[Jess from VA]

Just in from 5 hours of blowing and shoveling snow around.

I looked real hard, but could find no fun.

Cracked some vinyl siding corner trim, sucked up a nice outdoor extension cord on the blower paddle, broke one of my shed doors so the critters can move right in, lost some keys, four foot drift blew off the roof down my neck, dared the plowman to cover my driveway again (didn't work).  Blowing so hard now a near white out, and no let up in the snow. 

Three guys having fun doing 4WD donuts in my big intersection (I suppose their wives are shoveling the snow). 

I'm sore and thinking about a heart attack (which mercifully should have happened hours ago).

[The emperor has no clothes]

Just in from 5 hours of blowing and shoveling snow around.

I looked real hard, but could find no fun.

Cracked some vinyl siding corner trim, sucked up a nice outdoor extension cord on the blower paddle, broke one of my shed doors so the critters can move right in, lost some keys, four foot drift blew off the roof down my neck, dared the plowman to cover my driveway again (didn't work).  Blowing so hard now a near white out, and no let up in the snow. 

Three guys having fun doing 4WD donuts in my big intersection (I suppose their wives are shoveling the snow). 

I'm sore and thinking about a heart attack (which mercifully should have happened hours ago).

Well when you put it that way. 

[Patrick]

Just in from 5 hours of blowing and shoveling snow around.

I looked real hard, but could find no fun.

Cracked some vinyl siding corner trim, sucked up a nice outdoor extension cord on the blower paddle, broke one of my shed doors so the critters can move right in, lost some keys, four foot drift blew off the roof down my neck, dared the plowman to cover my driveway again (didn't work).  Blowing so hard now a near white out, and no let up in the snow. 

Three guys having fun doing 4WD donuts in my big intersection (I suppose their wives are shoveling the snow). 

I'm sore and thinking about a heart attack (which mercifully should have happened hours ago).

Phew, you had yourself a heck of a day.  Seems like a nice fire and a drink are in order.

[cookiedough]

While I don't mean to suggest one brand is better than the other, traction is normally tire related and not truck brand related.

Tires and weight distribution.  When we get a big dump of wet snow, I shovel it off of my sidewalk and into the back of my 2WD truck.  It makes a huge difference.  When that's not enough, tire chains will finish the job.

You do know that they make 70lb. bags of tube sand for around 4 bucks each, very compact and only need 4-5 of them which will provide tons more compact weight than any amount of snow you shovel in the bed of your truck taking up much more valuable bed space.  


As far as shoveling or blowing snow for 5 hours, that is a TON of weight you are moving around and a VERY long time, especially if by snow shovel.  After 1 hour,  I take an easy and slow down a TON since you can have chest pains (as I have had a few times) if overdoing it too long.  TAKE AN EASY AND AFTER 2 HOURS TOPS, TAKE A BREAK.  NOT worth it EVER.  

It's nice to go out and do it in layers though say every 12" of snow so it is NOT as bad vs. all in one fell swoop say 20-30"

I'd like to see some snow pics and wouldn't mind me sending 1/2 of what MD/WV/PA, etc. are getting right now that is do-able and manageable since only been 2 snowfalls all of this winter so far, one being 7-9" or so the biggest..  I think over 20" is just NUTS have had 18-20" snowfalls, but much over that not so sure I'd be enjoying it much.  

[Jess from VA]

Most of the work was with blower, but you cannot get the machine into the entryways, corners, stairs, and the plowman's compacted 4 feet tall (by 8 feet wide) across the drive cannot be moved with my harry-homeowner Toro.  I went out last night and did 6 inches.  Then today, not counting drifts, probably 24-30 inches everywhere.  It is a real chore to push the Toro through two feet plus on the first pass, thereafter, you shave slices off the edges and it's not too bad.  As the day progressed, I slowed down, esp with the shovel.  I never stop, except for a minute or two, but I do slow down.  And fortunately the snow was medium light and not wet, except where you have blown snow on top and punched it down.

Came in too tired to even get a shower, ate some food, and just woke up from a 5 hr nap.  I have always prided myself on being able to work all day nonstop, but somewhere after 60 the flesh gets weak even if the spirit is willing.

The snow has finally stopped.  Can I get a Hallelujah.

[Jabba]

Working in the snow is A LOT harder than working anywhere else. The cold really saps it out of ya.

When it snows a lot here, which is a little more common... I pay someone to plow the drive. I shovel the 30' walk to the detached garage for the wife. I keep swearing that I am going to concrete the drive someday, and when I do I am going to put heat in at LEAST the walk between the house and the garage. I already have hydronic heat in the garage, and it'll just be the tube and some valving to do snow melt in the concrete.

 

Jabba

[Patrick]

There was a time I loved the winter. Been towing and pushing snow since my preteen years. I still love a snow storm and moving it, but, I don't shovel much of it. I like playing in the snow. Its great being somewhere on a beautiful day or night on skis or a snow machine. Airplanes fly great in the cold dense air. Its the rest of the winter that I don't like, like the gloom or lack of leaves and greenery.
If its going to snow, I want it to really snow or if its going be cold I want it to be cold.

But, those days are not the norm, so, thats why we now prefer spending the winters in our flip-flop sipping on mojito's.

[Jess from VA]

Another 4 hours with machine and shovel this morning, to finish what the whiteout did after I quit yesterday.  I am now officially sore.  And helped a few neighbors (that are helping themselves).

Saw a near homicide down a couple doors.  The wife is digging out the family car with a metal snow shovel.  The husband is like WTF OVER????!!!  When you heard the metal scraping the paint off, did you not have a clue????!!!

I went inside, 'cause I don't want to be a witness at the trial. 

[The emperor has no clothes]

Another 4 hours with machine and shovel this morning, to finish what the whiteout did after I quit yesterday.  I am now officially sore.  And helped a few neighbors (that are helping themselves).

Saw a near homicide down a couple doors.  The wife is digging out the family car with a metal snow shovel.  The husband is like WTF OVER????!!!  When you heard the metal scraping the paint off, did you not have a clue????!!!

I went inside, 'cause I don't want to be a witness at the trial. 

You may not be called as witness. But now you might be charged with accessory to murder.

[Patrick]

Another 4 hours with machine and shovel this morning, to finish what the whiteout did after I quit yesterday.  I am now officially sore.  And helped a few neighbors (that are helping themselves).

Saw a near homicide down a couple doors.  The wife is digging out the family car with a metal snow shovel.  The husband is like WTF OVER????!!!  When you heard the metal scraping the paint off, did you not have a clue????!!!

I went inside, 'cause I don't want to be a witness at the trial. 

Karma ?

[Jess from VA]

You may not be called as witness. But now you might be charged with accessory to murder.

https://youtu.be/UmzsWxPLIOo

[The emperor has no clothes]

You may not be called as witness. But now you might be charged with accessory to murder.

https://youtu.be/UmzsWxPLIOo

Your secret is safe with us Jess. 

[cookiedough]

glad you all in that 20" plus of snow did not have a heart attack doing all that blowing again and again and yet again.


I hear the Winchester WV and north heading towards Hagerstown WV got hit one of the hardest around 40".  Really though, much after 30" does it really matter?    UNREAL.

My wife always nags at me for NOT brushing off our vehicles fully with the brush side of the snow scraper.  I only do the windshield in front and side windows and use the brush side for the hood so-so not entirely cleared off of snow.  I figure aFter a few miles the wind force pushes the rest of the snow off the hood going above 45 mph on the hwy., good enough for me.  Good windshield wipers are a must along with plenty of -20 below windshield washer fluid.

[gordonv]

I only do the windshield in front and side windows and use the brush side for the hood so-so not entirely cleared off of snow.  I figure aFter a few miles the wind force pushes the rest of the snow off the hood going above 45 mph on the hwy., good enough for me.  Good windshield wipers are a must along with plenty of -20 below windshield washer fluid.

I actually had a LEO pull me over and talk to me about that. Said he could give me a ticket when all that snow blows off or onto my windshield, obstructing the vision of drivers. I forget the actual citation he quoted, it was a few years ago. I spend an extra 2 minutes and get all the loose stuff off the car before moving.

[Gryphon Rider]

I only do the windshield in front and side windows and use the brush side for the hood so-so not entirely cleared off of snow.  I figure aFter a few miles the wind force pushes the rest of the snow off the hood going above 45 mph on the hwy., good enough for me.  Good windshield wipers are a must along with plenty of -20 below windshield washer fluid.

I actually had a LEO pull me over and talk to me about that. Said he could give me a ticket when all that snow blows off or onto my windshield, obstructing the vision of drivers. I forget the actual citation he quoted, it was a few years ago. I spend an extra 2 minutes and get all the loose stuff off the car before moving.

I brush off all windows, hood, roof, and trunk, for the same reasons the LEO mentioned, plus if the snow is wet or melts later, I'd rather not have the moisture working on a pinprick in the paint, allowing rust.

[Hooter]

   Since "some" of y'all like it so much here is hoping all of what we usually get comes your way. I can see the grass here today and that is alright by me. I took the plow off my pickup last Saturday and it can stay there till spring.
   

 

[Dave Ritsema]

Personally I don't believe it is a Ford/Chevy/Dodge thing. It's a TIRE thing. Here in the upper midwest if you don't have the right tires you aren't going anywhere when the roads get bad. The Goodyear Duratrac's are hands down the best tires I have ever had on any of my trucks.
They self clean well due to an aggressive tread but their road manners on dry roads are astoundingly good. In the snow, awesome.

[cookiedough]

agree, tires are the key in snow for sure.  Thanks for the tip Dave will consider these Goodyear tires next time I need a set of truck tires since the factory Bridgestone Duelers A/T's are pretty slippery on snow but provide o.k. wear otherwise being more of a passenger truck tire vs. LT tire.

NEVER EVER would have thought having 2 sets of snow tires on our car and SUV both FWD would provide that much stopping/braking power and traction NOT sliding around at all in all snowy conditions besides ice of course.

too bad I did not get them on both vehicles until AFTER that 8" freak snowstorm in late November about 2 days too late.

Whatever anyone does, do NOT get Kumho Solus tires for snowy driving.  GREAT long distance mileage tire as an OEM tire on some Hyundai vehicles from factory allowing 50K miles or so, but absolutely the worst traction tire on snow I have ever experienced too hard a compound in cold winter is like driving almost on ice skates it has NO traction whatsoever.  I had to do something for good chance both of our vehicles would be in the ditch wrecked both vehicles worth 40K fairly new.