JunkCrzr89
Competent Ignoramoose
Your focus group of 1 is biased. Durajunks is a better term.
Best mods to improve snow capability (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter ramangain
- Start date
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Winter tires are not only for driving in show, but for low temperatures as well. Regular tires get very hard when under 4C (~40F) which affects handling, breaking, cornering even on clean tarmac. It's why lots of modern cars have a warning light on the dashboard below certain temperature.
Fun fact - in my country winter tires are mandatory from November to April, but the law states that the tire has to have at least 4mm of thread with no other requirements. So MT tires are perfectly acceptable winter tires?! In Germany on the other hand, the tire has to be M+S rated.
Parts of Canada have similar laws. Coming from Michigan, I wish northern parts of the US would do the same. Folks in their big pickups on garbage/bald mud tires thinking 4wd will save them...
Random note for the K02 fans/owners: They make two versions: the standard and the DT. Standard is a softer rubber, less durable, no mileage warranty, but has the 3 Peak Mountain Snowflake (3PMSF) rating. DT is harder tread and I think carries a 50k mile warranty, no 3PMSF due to the less pliable rubber. Obviously, I think the softer one is a better choice for anyone dealing with the possibility of snow.
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Snow shovel, tracks, studded winter tires, winch, sorel's.
KO2s are dangerous on icy logging roads. Nokian studded provided better grip and less seat pinching.
I also a keep the 6000+ lb sled in the garage and drive a more nimble and lighter vehicle during the winter months.
KO2s are dangerous on icy logging roads. Nokian studded provided better grip and less seat pinching.
I also a keep the 6000+ lb sled in the garage and drive a more nimble and lighter vehicle during the winter months.
Forgot the real best mod in the snow; VSC off switch install! Man this truck handles great and can hold some impressive angles!
forum.ih8mud.com
VSC OFF switch install.
This thread will describe how to install a switch and turn the VSC off on a 100 series that is equipped with VSC. I have performed this on my 01 LX470 with success, there may be differences between the models and years that I'm not aware of. I have found a few threads describing issues with VSC...
forum.ih8mud.com
We 98-99 owners are doing our best, OKAY? Realistically if I air down a bit deep snow is a breeze, but I do wish i had atrac in the packed snow sometimes - not gonna lie
Air Down Gear Up
Supporting Vendor
2.5" lift, 33" KO2s and Triple Locked did the trick with about 2feet of snow over the weekend!
TL;DR, some idiot in Wyoming opted to drive a mini cooper to test the road. Ended up causing an major issue and got a bill for the mess he created.
I got caught in the blizzard in Monument. Stock LX on Michelins was quite amazing. The locked center diff makes a big difference. I feel like I need to buy the car a gift for how well it performed. You know you’re not where you’re supposed to be when you share a parking lot with a storm chaser.
guardcompany
Shea
Man you guys are making the Texas drama last month look like nothing...
Lots of worse places to be stuck!
That is the 100 series equivalent to putting a medium rare t-bone behind a piece of plexiglass.
We ended up staying at a Red Cross shelter in a school gym. There were quite a few people in the gym, but my family and a guy in a modded Taco were the only people that drove there. Everyone else was dropped off after rescue.
I specifically modified my '98 for snow-covered pavement.
1) CDL-tied ABS kill switch
2) Narrower tire, LT265/75 r16 Nokian Rotiiva
3) Oem shocks for a softer ride
4) High range rear locker (I've forgotten what the modification is referred to in this forum.)
5) Amber fogs
Of the aforementioned, the ABS kill modification is by far the most impressive, and the one modification I would take over everything else.
Because of this, I question the assumption that the traction control models are better in the snow than the rear-locked '98/'99. On snow-covered pavement, stopping is much more important than going. None of our Cruisers have a problem with the latter; it's the former that needs greater attention, and the one in which greater performance through modification can be achieved. Locking the CDL and killing ABS can result in stopping distances around 50% of that demonstrated by AWD and ABS on.
1) CDL-tied ABS kill switch
2) Narrower tire, LT265/75 r16 Nokian Rotiiva
3) Oem shocks for a softer ride
4) High range rear locker (I've forgotten what the modification is referred to in this forum.)
5) Amber fogs
Of the aforementioned, the ABS kill modification is by far the most impressive, and the one modification I would take over everything else.
Because of this, I question the assumption that the traction control models are better in the snow than the rear-locked '98/'99. On snow-covered pavement, stopping is much more important than going. None of our Cruisers have a problem with the latter; it's the former that needs greater attention, and the one in which greater performance through modification can be achieved. Locking the CDL and killing ABS can result in stopping distances around 50% of that demonstrated by AWD and ABS on.
Worth noting that stopping distances might improve with ABS delete, but ABS exists to allow braking and still maintain some steering/vehicle control. I've had many instances where ABS was annoying and increased stopping distances coming up to a stop sign at 20 mph. It's annoying and it'd be great to have a button to disable it in those instances. That said, I've never hit anything because of ABS.
Going back 15 years in my 91 Accord with no ABS, I spun a 360 at ~40 mph because I locked my brakes on black ice and didn't even realize until I was about 20 degrees off axis and it was too late. I was coming off a highway ABS likely would have prevented that entirely. I eased into the brakes very gently and just had no idea I had zero grip. ABS would have been a helpful indicator and I bet it would have disallowed that spin.
I guess my point is just that ABS does more than change stopping distances. The other things it does may outweigh the annoyance for some folks.
Yep. Dedicated snows aren't really needed down in Denver. Good AT tires are really all you need. Living in the mountains is a different story, though.
loeky
SILVER Star
Unless you're driving 70 weekly for ski trips
Don't end up on i70 Things or jerryoftheday!
I echo everyone else's comments. Dedicated snow tires stay pliable at below freezing temps and have the most traction on ice, packed snow etc.
