Driving Tips for the FJ80 in Snow (1 Viewer)

[Iceaxe]

Hey Guys,

Ok, tonight I just lost my back end for the second f-ing time coming around a turn during a snowstorm. Last time I lost the backend on ice, I hit an 80 year old apricot tree and totaled my rig (bent the A-piller).

Tonight, I felt it go, and I steered the rig into a snow pile. A bit frustrated, as I wasn't going that fast (~20 miles/hr) but the rig just doesn't seem to do well on snowy / icey roads. Anyone have bright ideas? Lots of experience? Tips?

Thanks

 

[Douglas S]

Slow down.

 

[Wrench]

Is your center diff locked? Or open?

 

[Wrench]

My 80 is a champ in snow. I never had an issue. It goes through anything.

 

[Douglas S]

My 80 is a champ in snow. I never had an issue. It goes through anything.

Going through is not usually an issue with any 4x4. It's people thinking that because they have a 4x4 they can take corners at speed and not leave adequate stopping distance. If you don't have true winter tires you need to leave a lot of extra space and slow yourself way down.

 

[Wrench]

Going through is not usually an issue with any 4x4. It's people thinking that because they have a 4x4 they can take corners at speed and not leave adequate stopping distance. If you don't have true winter tires you need to leave a lot of extra space and slow yourself way down.

That's not entirely true. I've gone places where other 4x4 got stuck. I even pulled out other 4x4 stuck in snow I easily drove through.

 

[Wrench]

Also I've never use snow tires in the snow. I find mud tires work much better.

 

[Iceaxe]

Taking it slow is certainly the obvious issue, of course. The diff was open, and I was in basic AWD. I have found that if I lock the center diff or use my lockers, the truck does not do as well. Seems to do better in AWD with the anti-lock brakes on. Just checking to see if the the FJ80 has any known issues with snow-on-road performance.

 

[Wrench]

No known issues. Taking a corner at 20mph is risky.

 

[Stevesnj]

had 5 inches of powdered snow and left it in AWD, had to pull out a Jeep up an incline and locked it in 4Hi and 2nd gear start and worked awesome

 

[Michael Hanson]

Hi, Our 80 is getting around Dallas ice really well. We use Mich. mud and snow tires. Mike

 

[Douglas S]

Also I've never use snow tires in the snow. I find mud tires work much better.

Mud tires work great off the road in snow, they are awful on the road on packed snow and ice. Any thoughts otherwise indicate a serious lack of experience.

 

[Hoosier Daddy]

You guys think airing down a bit will help?

 

[Mixelplix]

You guys think airing down a bit will help?

I think it would hurt.

For the road you're looking for high pressure contact to the road.

Airing down lowers the pressure by increasing surface area.

 

[Flank]

First order of business, your tires - lots of mud tires are not good for ice.
Second order - F-around with it to learn how it handles - bring it into an icy lot and do some doughnuts, drive out of them. If you don't have the time to do it, at the very least right when you hit the icy roads try some brief full power starts (for a second or two) to see what kind of traction you have, then try some "panic" stops (at like 5-10 mph) and LEARN how the roads are working with your setup. If in doubt, SLOW DOWN.

A very heavy truck can be very sure footed if properly shod, unless too much inertia for the conditions keeps your truck moving when it should not be.

We had some nasty ice storms this week in Texas, and I was out every evening in it for various activities, I found my truck to be very sure footed, even shod with KM2s, which I though would suck.

 

[hadmatter]

Been experimenting with the 2nd gear start myself over the past week. Our truck has 4-yr old Michelin Latitudes with around 50% tread remaining. I keep the tank near full and it does pretty well. The only times I'm disappointed are when I try to drive it fast, turning. Maybe you've got an alignment issue?

 

[badmuthatrucka]

Flank is spot-on above. Test your vehicle's abilities each time you start driving in the snow. The best rule of thumb is this: rapid changes in speed and/or direction, of substantial magnitude or degree, are bad on anything but a dry road. This has saved my butt many times.

As stated in previous posts, 'driving through snow' (indicating linear travel) is quite different from 'driving around in snow' (indicating more curvalinear travel). You can drive through snow and ice at highway speeds. Driving around in snow and ice requires a reduction in speed, depending on initial speed and comparative change in direction.

Just my $0.02...

 

[peteinpeb]

. A very heavy truck can be very sure footed if properly shod, unless too much inertia for the conditions keeps your truck moving when it should not be.

With the weight of these trucks, inertia is the key. Especially with a lift these trucks do sway, and you don't want the weight of the car to be reliant on the sidewall of the tire. Depending on the type of winter conditions, these trucks will perform differently. The type of tire makes a huge difference, especially on these trucks. I like to use the 2nd button to keep from shifting gears at lower speeds. Lockers won't help very much if your just driving on highways with snow, unless you get into a situation where they are needed. And remember these trucks have technology in them that's 15 years old, they will never be an Audi quatro.

 

[Iceaxe]

Guys,
Thanks for the insights. What happened: came down the mountain in D2 / D1 in high gear, diff floating/AWD. Was lured into thinking the road condition improved, so I put it back into regular D, O/D off. Hit the slightest turn, which is where I lost the back end. Could have tried to coast it out, but deliberately pointed it inside of the turn to spin it into the snow drift. Had I kept it slow, in D2/D1, I doubt it would have happened. Yes, I have off road tires, stud less.

 

[peteinpeb]

Guys, Thanks for the insights. What happened: came down the mountain in D2 / D1 in high gear, diff floating/AWD. Was lured into thinking the road condition improved, so I put it back into regular D, O/D off. Hit the slightest turn, which is where I lost the back end. Could have tried to coast it out, but deliberately pointed it inside of the turn to spin it into the snow drift. Had I kept it slow, in D2/D1, I doubt it would have happened. Yes, I have off road tires, stud less.

Are your tires sipped? Cause there is a big difference in off road "mud" tires that are designed to sluff off debri and snow rated tires that are sipped and actually trap the snow between it and the road giving the tire it's traction. I have heard kmt2 are terrible in snow and great for mud. Duratracs are snow rated and great in the snow as an AT. Sounds like you just took the corner a bit quick and hit ice. Really slick ice is tricky, studded tires are really it's only kryptonite.