What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

Locker+Snow..?

shaun89

shaun89

1/2 ton status
Joined
Aug 7, 2005
Posts
1,939
Reaction score
1
Location
center of CT..ish
Alright with snow very quickly coming up in CT, and im about to put a rear end in my truck w/ a detriot in it.. its my DD.. so what can i expect? Its not something that like just randomly will throw me sideways will it? Basically just have to learn how to drive it? Anytime the snow is actually on the road i'd be in 4wd as well. But say for like the smallll amounts (dusting) of snow/wet on the road this winter. What should i expect my truck to handle like? i know gasing around turns is BAD news but what else should I do to prevent sudden spins and what not. Thanks for any tips!
 
I've heard that the best thing for snow is a limited slip like the Detroit Trutrac or an ARB. I'm sure guys who know more will chime in. I have an open front and Trutrac in the rear and it's done well so far. Tires matter too. Tall and skinny for roads, wide and floaty for deeper stuff offroad. So guess it depends on your application. 4WD doesn't help with stopping, so driving-wise, no sudden acceleration, hard stops or braking in the turn (brake before the turn then let up) is your best solution to avoiding accidents.
 
If you have a locker you'll find youreslf in a lot of fishtailing slides.I have an Eaton posi in mine and it's doing great.Going around corners with a locker,even if off the gas can send your rear end around you.If yuor tranny downshifts at the wrong time it can break the rear tires loose causing a slide.I would go with a posi if it's a dd that sees snow,or maybe an electric or air locker that you can use only when needed.
 
4wd does help you stop if you know how to drive it properly. If you properly use compression braking then you have the front slowing yo as well.
 
When I feel the rear starting to drift (on the highway) I just let off the gas and correct my steering. It's not that bad. First few times it might be alittle of a surprise. This only seems to happen in 2wd and it doesn't happen often (glare ice or on a nice polished snow patch). At city speeds I don't think it's an issue. Slippery city streets in 4wd it's a zero issue.

Basically be carefull on those slippery icy highway days and you should be ok. If it's real slippery your probably in 4wd and driving at a safe speed, right? I"ve had my Detroit for 15 years with no regrets.
 
With the locker this last year was the first year that i did not need 4wd to get arround, and we had more snow than the previous years. My K5 does better in snow now in 2wd with the lockright than it did in 4wd and open front and rear. Drive with your head and it will do great. Drive stupid and you'll pay for it.
 
The detroit is not as bad as a lock right. The detroits seem to have more lock and less unlock to them so to speak. It is when the lockrights engage that send you into the other lane if you are on the gas. That is not fun in the snow. The detroits don't do this as often if at all. I have driven spooled, detroit and lock rights in the snow and lock rights are worse than the others.

Take it out to a parking lot and get used to how much you can give it without the rear coming around so it doesn't surprise you some day.
 
it you drive regularly in snow and ice it will not be a problem.most of the people i see that say lockers and spools are bad in the winter are from places that get very little snow.between all my rigs i have everything from opens to welded diffs andthe welded-locked rigs get around far better than the limited slip-open diff rigs.go practisin a empty parking lot to get used to howthe locker acts on the snow.after a bit you will like it much better than a open.besides being able to steer with the throttle is lots of fun,.
 
sledheadak said:
between all my rigs i have everything from opens to welded diffs andthe welded-locked rigs get around far better than the limited slip-open diff rigs.
Click to expand...


I agree. I ran spools front and rear for 3 yrs in Montana and it just takes a little getting used to but once you do WOW is it nice. :grin:
 
I live in Lake Tahoe so I know a little about snow.Obviously if he's wonder how it would work in snow then maybe he should start with a limited slip or something.I would hate to see somebody put that much money into there daily driver just to total it the first time out in the snow.I also drive really twisty roads so maybe it's just me.
 
Take it out to a parking lot and get used to how much you can give it without the rear coming around so it doesn't surprise you some day.
Click to expand...

That's the best advice right there. My first car had a posi in the rear and I drove it every day, snow or not, and you get used to it pretty quickly after the first couple of snow banks. Here we are 5 years later, with a detroit in the back of my truck, and it would be wierd for me NOT to have the charecteristics of a locker back there.
 
ah ok thanks for the advise.. im pretty good at uhh.. drifting u would say.. like the small jap cars do. haha i only really go on the highway for a mile or 2 till work.. 1exit basiclly rest is back roads. i def. plan on just messing around in the parking lot to see how it reacts.. i was more concerened with the random lockin or spinning out just going down the road straight.. didnt know how bad it would be. but seems pretty good. i like to think of myself as a cautious driver.. so def. no stupid moves.. but thanks for the advise! guess ill try it out soon! haha.
 
I can see how a locker would be good in the snow.I just wonder about all the steep curvy hills around here.
 
hmm this winter i will have detroits front and rear :eek1: might get ugly since its my dd
 
just lock one hub. you will not be able to turn on snow if you have a detroit up front. if you lock one hub its like an open diff. i know your stressing that one axle but you got a 60 recently right? shouldnt be that big a deal, especially on snow. also rotate which hub you lock to not always stress one axle. (on a side note) This is how i got out of the sand hill that claimed my 10 bolt u joint. i u locked the hub and then jamb a piece of metal in the knuckle (so the shaft wouldnt spin) this in turn made the non broken axle spin and it got me out :D
 
K5Steve said:
I can see how a locker would be good in the snow.I just wonder about all the steep curvy hills around here.
Click to expand...


i dont have any experience with detriots, but i have f/r arb's in my truck. the only time i didnt like the axles locked was sidehilling in deep snow. with the rear axle locked you lose lateral traction.i was putting along and the rear started sliding down the hill. this was on a really tight trail so there was no room for error. turning the arb's off it straightened right out.

im not sure how much throttle it takes to lock a detroit. maybe they act more like an open with your idleing along. woulda definatly slid off the trail with a spool.
 
hey, na i havent wheeled out in manchester... kinda stick to areas i know are "safe" to... i think i've seen pics of it though. looks like fun. I can put my axles in once i save up for ubolts/add a leaf though! hopefully after xmas..
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom