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I need advise from SERIOUS snow drivers

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Another mind that thinks like mine. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif Everyone always asks why I carry so much crap in the back of my truck. Survival is a mainstay of life, and I kind of like to stay alive, so I carry alot of stuff. I try and be prepared for just about anything.

Another KEY in the above statement is ASSWIPE. I have one nasty roll in the back of my truck that has tranny fluid on it and God knows whatelse and people tell me to throw it out. I have to tell them, if they need it they will damn sure appreciate not having to wipe there arse with there hand. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

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LMFAO!!!!!!!! I keep my asswipe in a plastic bag.. I actually did wipe my ass with a roll of crappin' paper that HAD tranny fluid on it. The plus to this technique (besides having to explain to a proctologist that it really WAS tranny fluid and not red dyed KY jelly) is that you have somethign to put dead grouse in when you're out in early september "grouse hunting"

Grouse hunting is what we tell our gal's we're up to when we're really driving around in the woods guzzling beer. Accidently, once in a while... Somebody actually SHOOTS one!!!

I'll tell you another great survival trick that snowdiggers have learned. Plumb in a petcock valve in your fuel line PAST the pump, BEFORE the carb with about a 6" hose off the end of that. Pop your hood, turn a valve, undo the coil wire on your HEI, stuff hose in beer bottle, turn key, dump gas on wood or a dirty hippy, light match, and you have FIRE to cook the accidently shot grouse /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

Oh, just for the record. My truck rifle is a Bushmaster AR15. I'm Bushmaster Dan over on AR15.com. I call it my "Sport Utility Rifle."

On a serious note. It doesn't hurt to get into communications. I've got the CB/10 meter radio, 2Meter/440 radio, and a cell phone (which NEVER works when you need it) Just remember, you need a license to OPERATE on those frequencies, not to OWN those radios. If it saves your bacon, let the FCC give you a ticket. If you do have a license and operate in these frequencies, then you know plenty of odd people.

In Montana, its only illegal if you get caught. Its right in the preamble of our state constitution /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
 
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I hate trying to steer by using the gas pedel!

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Gas pedal? Is that the one on the right? I thought it was the "rate of spin" pedal?
At least thats what it becomes on ice with a detroit. I still wouldn't give it up. At least its predicatable and I won't end up stuck with a single rear tire spinning. I like driving sideways a little too much for my own good.

Not that I do it when there are other cars around though.
 
What I don't tell the person about the TP with ATF on it is I have my own seperate roll that is clean. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif If I like you or you are a hot chick then you can use my roll, if not you get the ATF roll.

I keep my custom riot 12 gauge with me when I am out. I worked in the hunting industry for awhile, and I figured out that a 12 gauge with an 18.5" barrel (mine has been custom choked to MOD) is the perfect trail gun. I can kill dove with one shell, and it can kill a bear with another. With the tube extention and carriers on my shotgun I can carry 17 rounds in and on the gun. It makes perfect sense to me. You also have plenty of fast follow up shots should you need to engage a bear or something with more rounds.

I always figure it is better to have it and not need it, then to not have it and need it.
 
i havnt been on this world for long...but ive learned 2 things


lwb vehicles handle like a dream in ice/snow
and
sliding backwards down a hill just once, is more than enough reason to use 4wd even with the slightest doubt.
 
Actually, Twenty below0 did mention the studded tires.


Twenty Below0, I have only been in Sac for 2 years, I have been driving in the snow for 20 years to go to job sites (construction managment).

Now for the people that are talking about lockers are better for plowing in snow:
I have my K5 locked Fr/Rr with big MT tires for playing in the snow and I wouldn't trade that setup for anything.
But I believe we were talking about driving on the streets in snow, which is different, and as most people that do that on a daily basis stated, the best is selectable, but if not open is better/safer. True you could get stuck but you will not shoot out of the road because the locker kicked in on a corner.
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I have been stuck before in a 2wd Van mind you, and with some airing down, a come along and some pushing we got out. The same day we saw a few 4x's shoot out of a corner I took elegantly with my open.
/forums/images/graemlins/deal.gif /forums/images/graemlins/crewcab.gif /forums/images/graemlins/truck.gif /forums/images/graemlins/burb.gifrule on ice, /forums/images/graemlins/k5.gif is scary /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif
 
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Pack enough gear to start a war with a 3rd world country, and you'll survive.

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Yep, I do that... I can live for 2 weeks out of the truck, plus have ham radio (Yaetsu 100D with auto tuning HF antenna and separate dual band antenna), CB, cell phone, 4 gmrs radios, snow shoes, -20 rated bag, food, heater pads (body and hand warmers), boots, raingear, snow clothing, sky flares, GPS (and manualgear) rappelling gear, complete camping gear, 12 gauge, lots of TP and very large first aid kit. Everything is in waterproof bags. Have tools and extraction gear as well.

Truck is pretty darn heavy, but I like being prepared.

Thought I'd post a list of everything at some point, but then thought peeps would think I was nuts once they saw the list...decided to post it anyway, in the TEST forum /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif
 
Most states don't allow studded tires. I'm pretty sure you can't run them at all in Michigan but I've been told that farmers that only run on gravel roads can run them.

Studs are nothing more than glorified pop rivets. All you do is stick them in the tire and use a gun that looks like a pop rivet gun but leaves the stem. Due to the wear characteristics of them they always stick out 1/8" to 3/16" out of the tire as the tire wears.

My Cooper Weathermasters have holes for studs. So do a crappy (worst m/s tire I've ever seen) set of Remington tires I have.

I unlocked my hubs for the first time in two months today. I went on the highway and the asphalt was relatively clean so I unlocked them. I usually just drive with them locked and then put it in 4wd when I need to launch or the roads are bad. The nice thing about 4wd is that you have two front tires to pull the front of the vehicle over if you get a front end push problem. Once you drive in the slippery snot-snow for a while you get used to it. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about, that brown snow that is like grease and clings together in patches on the roads. Almost always at intersections and curves.
 
AHH....... BUT the Alaskan (me) did suggest the best tires were skinny AT. with "STUDS". Guess you didn't catch that....LOL . "EVERYBODY" uses STUDS in Alaska , ( which has the population of RHoad Island ) but still some of the most severe conditions in the country exist here . One other note that needs mentioning is NO BODY runs chains , cable or other types . UNLESS it's a 2wd wood truck thats beet . GO figure , usually there's a reason for these type of consistancies /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
I agree with this statement wholeheartedly.
when it starts getting to be deep the open guys are stuck.
 
I have the factory 10 bolts and after destroying a gov-loc in Mud I bought an Auburn Limited slip. The first one I got had problems. It clicked alot when turning. I pulled it out made a trip (they are close to me) to the Auburn plant. THey took it in to their test bench and replaced a spring and tighteden some things up and tested it right there. I took it home and it has wotked great for about 50K miles! Indiana has had something like 40" of snow and we have 6'+ drifts. I'm running Wrangler ATS 32x11.5x15 with less than 1/2 the tread left and I do pretty well in deep stuff and ice. Mud is also alot more interesting since the Auburn switch. I know alot of guys dont like them but mine has worked out great! Good luck.
 
Agreed that Alaska sees more snow than most anyone else who has replied /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif but I think the big difference between the driving conditions in Alaska and down here is the temperature. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

You're talking some pretty nasty cold where your snow is going to be very dry powder that eventually gets ice packed so yes; the studs will be a major help. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

But I think you'd also agree that down in the lower (warmer) latitudes; where Eric is talking; I don't think studs are going to do much. The typical road conditions tend to be a snowfall followed by a layer of salt form the local road crews which only turns eveything to a layer of slush which is so bloody slippery /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif that it is just as well they oil the roads!!

Either way; in slush; the studs do nothing to help! It's the tire's tread pattern (and width)that makes the biggest difference. As for ON ROAD driving; like I said before; open wins for handling. I know it may be a slower start from a stop sign but it's a much easier turn in the road at speed too with much less pucker factor than a locker!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
All the above is true. But in Montana, we see a lot of different conditions throught he winter. Tonight on my way home (from working on my Blazer in my bosses shop, which by the way is now de-Pussified) it was that "lots of drifted snow that had been snowpacked down into that lovely solid white ice..." The tempeture went from a balmy 41 degrees to 11 in about 5-6 hours (not counting windchill.) In this condition, you need a studded tire. Right now its -5, not counting windchill and there's snow drifted up in front of my garage enough that I'll probably have to shovel to get my truck out of it tomorrow... You gotta love these arctic fronts out of Canada, Eh??

Chains up here get used very little for driving on PAVED roads. You kind of need them when you want to plow snow with your grill. Three times living here (since I was 10) I've had to put chains on my truck just to get home. This is usually to get up a gravel road on a hill thats had sun on it and thawed, then had a sudden cold snap (200 miles east of here still holds the record in the "lower 48", temp went from like 70 to -25 in 24 hours.) Then you've got a solid sheet of ice that you can't even get up with a set of lockers and the best tires in the world. Usually chains are for driving in areas where you SHOULDN'T be driving. Like offroading
 
I spend a large ammount of time up at the slopes in the mountains...many mornings over passes that most cant make it. The biggest thing I've figured out its far more driver than vehicle competence thats important. If you take a half an hour in a big empty parking lot, and figure out the hard way exactly where the limit lines are in your truck, and what it takes to pull it out, That will help more than almost anything you can do.
 
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Agreed that Alaska sees more snow than most anyone else who has replied /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif but I think the big difference between the driving conditions in Alaska and down here is the temperature. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

You're talking some pretty nasty cold where your snow is going to be very dry powder that eventually gets ice packed so yes; the studs will be a major help. /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif

But I think you'd also agree that down in the lower (warmer) latitudes; where Eric is talking; I don't think studs are going to do much. The typical road conditions tend to be a snowfall followed by a layer of salt form the local road crews which only turns eveything to a layer of slush which is so bloody slippery /forums/images/graemlins/eek.gif that it is just as well they oil the roads!!

Either way; in slush; the studs do nothing to help! It's the tire's tread pattern (and width)that makes the biggest difference. As for ON ROAD driving; like I said before; open wins for handling. I know it may be a slower start from a stop sign but it's a much easier turn in the road at speed too with much less pucker factor than a locker!! /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

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Ehhhmmm.. SALT??? are you crazy?
Why do you think we have the cleanest trucks in CA, that's where Eric is San Francisco CA. No salt here, they just spray sand, which works and doesn't do much damage and it's ecologically safe.
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