the amount of force was not what i was talking about. my old sunfire stopped better than my jeep could ever dream of. i was talking in means of traction. ive seen more 4wd in the ditch than anything cause they try to drive normal highway speeds when there is snow on the ground.
I'm talking about traction A vehicle in PT-4WD has more braking traction (braking force) than the same vehicle in 2wd or FT-4WD/AWD. Yes, I've seen 4wd vehicles in the ditch, but I've seen FAR more 2wd in the same circumstances. I've seen RWD vehicles come to a complete stop, then slide sideways into a snow bank because while the front brakes are holding, the rear brakes are allowing the wheels to keep turning, unsticking the rear wheels, and letting the rear end slide all over the place.
The idea that a 4wd vehicle has the same braking traction as a 2wd vehicle is simply false in the case of part-time 4wd ("standard" 4wd). The 4wd vehicle has more because it's braking power is inherently balanced among all 4 wheels instead of overpowered in front and underpowered in the rear. (Anti-lock brakes narrow the margin significantly, though)
I think it's a good idea to make sure that you keep some blankets/warm clothes in your trunk. You never know when something may happen and you get stranded for some time. Especially if you run outta gas/fuel line freeze up. Hypothermia is nothing to mess with. Could just save your life.
I think it's a good idea to make sure that you keep some blankets/warm clothes in your trunk. You never know when something may happen and you get stranded for some time. Especially if you run outta gas/fuel line freeze up. Hypothermia is nothing to mess with. Could just save your life.
On that same line of thinking... I go to the gas station almost twice as much in winter as in summer. Getting stranded on the interstate for a few hours with insufficient fuel on board to keep warm? Bad day. In the winter, I fill up at the half-tank mark, instead of 1/8th. I'd rather have 8 gallons in reserve than 2.
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Drive slow when in snow careful bridges freeze first find a quiet neighborhood or large parking and get used to steering out of of skids. I do it ever year just for practice and its fun.
We tend to go North from Cincy in the winter and just got my wife an AWD SUV... for the record she is a pretty good driver, but I still want to get her used to the snow and an AWD vehicle. We also keep an emergency kit in both cars with thermal blankets, water, shovel sand, first aid, jumper cables etc... you never know.
In the winter, I fill up at the half-tank mark, instead of 1/8th. I'd rather have 8 gallons in reserve than 2.
This is also a great idea because with more fuel on board, you have less room for water to condense in the tank. If you tend to use generic fuel, it may not have as much of the additives to absorb water into the fuel and get burned off. Instead it can become enough to get into the fuel lines and freeze.
Remember those old Sohio commercials when winter rolled around? Fuel line freeze up! Yes, it can still happen.
Diesel heads - be sure to use the proper additives (Stanadyne, Power Service, etc.) to reduce your chance of gelling. Again, branded fuel pays off in the winter time!
For you rear wheeled drivers out there. Get some weight in the rear as soon as it starts to snow! I like to buy 300-400lbs of water softener salt around this time of the year, throw it in the bed of my truck, then take it out come spring.
Also, extra clothes and hand warmers in your vehicle never hurt anybody. : )
I'd rather be stranded and warm then stranded and freezing.
I keep putting off buying new tires, for the Tundra, but it is time, I think. The Michelins I have are great on highway and do well in the rain, but with close to 50K on them, they are ready. I still have a reasonable amount of tread on them, but they were lousy last winter, so why deal with them again? I'm thinking some BFG All Terrains, but haven't decided for sure yet.
Oh, and I also suggest blankets (I keep a poncho liner or "whoobie" in a stuff sack, along with a recovery strap (NOT a tow strap, two different things), an MRE or two, flashlight, first aid kit and jumper cables in my truck.
As was previously mentioned, slow down and keep the tank as full as possible.
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For you rear wheeled drivers out there. Get some weight in the rear as soon as it starts to snow! I like to buy 300-400lbs of water softener salt around this time of the year, throw it in the bed of my truck, then take it out come spring.
Also, extra clothes and hand warmers in your vehicle never hurt anybody. : )
I'd rather be stranded and warm then stranded and freezing.
I used to do exactly this, using a heavy tarp and a plastic drop cloth (in the paint aisle) to protect the salt from moisture and the truck bed from any salt that spilled out of the bags. It's a great idea for anyone with a pickup and a water softener.
Water softener salt is usually cheaper than rock salt, and works as well - or better - on sidewalks and driveways.
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We work together every damn day. --Jon Stewart
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