RIght after I commented... noticed some fuel smell, walked outside to find my tank leaking. Faaaaaaaaaaaaaack. Me.
Land Cruiser Snow
- Thread starter shoover115
- Start date
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I don't like 100 series A Track in the mud/snow. Sometimes you need wheel spin too get you out. I wish it was selectable like my 4 Runner.
IF you find only a small hole (dime size or less) there are some pretty good epoxy products that will seal small holes and tears and actually last. But IF you have rust issues (thin metal)..........then you know what!
Already ordered a Spectra from RockAuto, hopefully will get here Friday. I'm just hoping its seeping down from a leak on the topside (currently has almost full tank) and it'll stop leaking once it gets low and I can run it empty. But I think it may be right square in the bottom.....
My 2 cents. First after having most models of LCrs since a teenager, I'm 62 and have just added a super clean 2002 to my current herd and will be putting new tires on it soon. My 2004 Dodge 1 ton Cummins that weighs 0ver 8,000lbs with my ATV in the rear loves Wrangler Duratrac's. I live in both the Sierra near Tahoe and Salida, CO. and have driven every kind of snow and ice known to man. Ice is just scary as #$%t. Does anyone have experience with the Duratracs on a 100? By the way in my previous life as an employed person I had the opportunity to train on the 'Skid Pan' with decommissioned rear wheeled bald tire police cars. You are taught to drive with your gas pedal and don't even think about touching the brake pedal.
As have been said before, if you live in real winter country (which you do) the dedicated winter tires are worth their weight in gold. All AT, MT, all season, all weather, commercial, what-have-you are not going to cut it. It is not very specific to 100.
I too had many hours on the Skid Pan at Quantico teaching New Agents how to drive offensively. The long skinny pedal is your friend and a high visual horizon can provide narrow escape routes and save your a$$ in many cases.
Growing up in Western New York under the heavy hand of a New York State Trooper father, I learned Neutral will also save your a$$ in many snowy/icy conditions. Regaining/Maintaining rolling friction in any weather condition is the key to control.
A few inches of fluffy snow on a solid layer of ice in the hills is a treat to drive in 
Nokian studded tires.
Nokian studded tires.
ITT:. Everyone who will be asking about rust remediation in the future.
Get lockers
Yeah, as much as I love this thing, I gave up on it being a 'forever' car when we got our house in VT. You wouldn't believe the amount of salt they put down.
I'm in the mid atlantic and I'll cosign on what someone said above... if you can get on top of it... it'll go... I've got a picture somewhere of when we got 2ft of snow in silver Spring a few years back. I got up at around 3 am... 2ft on the ground... drove out of the parking space without digging out, drove all over Silver Spring and into to DC an back, before they plowed... never thought about getting stuck
I drove it home from work yesterday... maybe 2" of snow and mush and frozen stuff... it pulled fine... but did feel like the back end was pulling to the right and that, if I had given it more gas I might have slid off to the curb ass end first
2 things you have to remember with a cruiser
1. 4 wheel drive is not 4 wheel stop and while you can get to highway speeds on the highway in 12-20" of snow... forget about stopping quickly and you need to plan lane changes and off ramps for miles in advance.. no sudden lane changes... nothing close to a quick lane change... your managing to much weight... as long as all that weight is in a straight line it's happy... once you try to change the direction of all that weight... it's going to want to help you, momentum is going to want to push you... and you can't do anything with all that weight to stop it...
So even on dry pavement if you try to swing around a curve to fast you may lift a wheel or at least all the weight will come off the wheel... in the rain, ice, snow you could tip or slide and it's going to keep going till it hits something big enough to stop it.
I drove it home from work yesterday... maybe 2" of snow and mush and frozen stuff... it pulled fine... but did feel like the back end was pulling to the right and that, if I had given it more gas I might have slid off to the curb ass end first
2 things you have to remember with a cruiser
1. 4 wheel drive is not 4 wheel stop and while you can get to highway speeds on the highway in 12-20" of snow... forget about stopping quickly and you need to plan lane changes and off ramps for miles in advance.. no sudden lane changes... nothing close to a quick lane change... your managing to much weight... as long as all that weight is in a straight line it's happy... once you try to change the direction of all that weight... it's going to want to help you, momentum is going to want to push you... and you can't do anything with all that weight to stop it...
So even on dry pavement if you try to swing around a curve to fast you may lift a wheel or at least all the weight will come off the wheel... in the rain, ice, snow you could tip or slide and it's going to keep going till it hits something big enough to stop it.
Couvi
SILVER Star
We’ve had ice and snow for a week here in Memphis, about 8 inches to be exact and freezing temps as well. I’m pretty impressed with how easily the LC handled it. Granted I drove slow and was careful, but never lost traction. I had just put on a set of Toyo AT3s, they gripped with ease.
I just got my stock 1998 out for the first time - it was my first time in an LX / LC 100 in snow. I just moved over from a Jeep Commander and there is no comparison. The LX seems as if it's in it's natural state when you ask it to drive up a snow covered incline. It just does it. Like a well trained pulling horse. It also has street tires and it doesn't seem to mind. I'll upgrade the tires later with a slightly more aggressive tread, but won't go full on trail tire - we tow a boat and camper more than anything - we may hit a "rugged road" once in a while but for the most part will tow to remote areas. We sail, a lot. And pull a 22 foot sailboat and occasional put one on top! The 100 really checked all the boxes and it performance in snow was inspiring.
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Couvi
SILVER Star
That's good to hear. I had the same experience on snow covered, inclined roads – drove up with ease. You should check out the Continental Terrain Contact AT, great ties and sounds like they would fit your needs perfectly. I had them as my last set.
Spun the '99 into a guardrail this morning, so that's nice. Banked turn with an icy spot, and when it lets go it lets go. No sudden inputs on brake, throttle, or turning, just a gradual release, and realized I was along for the ride.
Just tore off the front bumper, which was already cracked from a deer hit. Tagged the rear bumper in the same place I backed into something else before. No biggie, always meant the LC to be a winter beater.
I'll see if I can zip tie/ratchet strap the front bumper back on to get me by a while.
Anyone near southeast Ohio have a gray front bumper they need to get rid of?
Just tore off the front bumper, which was already cracked from a deer hit. Tagged the rear bumper in the same place I backed into something else before. No biggie, always meant the LC to be a winter beater.
I'll see if I can zip tie/ratchet strap the front bumper back on to get me by a while.
Anyone near southeast Ohio have a gray front bumper they need to get rid of?
All about the tires.
I always run Nokians on all my cars (Rotiiva AT+, no studs on my '99) both here in Michigan and when we lived in VT. Was down in TN last weekend during the ice storm and had no trouble... Just wish I had remembered to replace my wipers before I left!
I always run Nokians on all my cars (Rotiiva AT+, no studs on my '99) both here in Michigan and when we lived in VT. Was down in TN last weekend during the ice storm and had no trouble... Just wish I had remembered to replace my wipers before I left!
2006 LX with KO2’s
I’m also in Memphis with 8-10” of snow/icy mix and below freezing for a week which is pretty atypical for us. Short 3 mile drive to work. I had no issues in snow as others have mentioned. I had a couple times where the tail end out came out while turning onto side road to work, probably over an icy patch but was fortunately able to recover. Starting up hills no issues with sliding or losing traction.
For me, going slowly, manual shifting with no hard braking, coming slowly to stop all seem to help me out the most. Glad the snow will be gone tomorrow!
I’m also in Memphis with 8-10” of snow/icy mix and below freezing for a week which is pretty atypical for us. Short 3 mile drive to work. I had no issues in snow as others have mentioned. I had a couple times where the tail end out came out while turning onto side road to work, probably over an icy patch but was fortunately able to recover. Starting up hills no issues with sliding or losing traction.
For me, going slowly, manual shifting with no hard braking, coming slowly to stop all seem to help me out the most. Glad the snow will be gone tomorrow!
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