Question about driving K5 in the snow?

[Gamma]

we have snow since end of november over here in switzerland, and today it snowed again.
well, i wonder anyhow if any of your tires mentioned are REAL WINTER TIRES like the normal cars have...if so, there shouldn't be any problems at all, it's just the weight of the truck and there's no ABS or any electronic devices helping you out of trouble.

...that's why I'm taking my Audi quattro for a daily driver in the snow...

but i'm in when you're saying "slow down, take it easy", that's just the key to it!

 

[DK5]

We're talking about the deep stuff though Gamma. The "unplowed roads" where no vehicle has gone before... the white stuff showed up.

I was wondering about tread too though... what would be the ideal tread for the deep stuff? Are mud terrains better than all terrains? or vice-versa? On that arctic trucks site it looks like they are using 38"+ all terrains aired down. The width looks like 14" ++ they are huge!

I guess its safe to say bigger is better and air it down.

 

[rufusbooth]

i wonder anyhow if any of your tires mentioned are REAL WINTER TIRES like the normal cars have...if so, there shouldn't be any problems at all

You are absolutely correct with regards to a true "snow or winter tire". They look amazingly like an all terrain tire when you just look at the tread pattern. the big difference in a true snow tire is that the rubber is actually semi permeable to water. When you are driving on an icy road or a thin layer of snow you really are not sliding on the slick ice, you are actually hydroplaning like you were driving in the rain. The pressure of the tire pressing on the snow/ice almost immediately melts it due to friction and creates a sheet of water. A snow or ice tire actually channels the water away from the tread and and actually through the rubber in order to restore traction. This is definitely the kind of tire you want for normal winter road driving.

In fresh snow conditions (a significant quantity of it) where you are breaking a new trail there are 2 schools of thought.

1. Break through to hard surface.

2. Float on top

Number one is the theory of pizza cutter tires. A narrow, tall tire that can "cut" through the snow to the pavement or other hard surface. This is fine as long as the snow is low enough and tires are tall enough to get you over the tall snow and not become a snow plow.

Number two is flotation. In this case your goal is to have as much tire surface area on the snow to distribute the weight of the truck as possible. In this method "wider is better" is the mantra. Wide tires, tall tires, aired down will give you the largest contact patch and allow the vehicle to "float" on top of even 20 feet of snow.


Is one method right or wrong? definitely not. It is all about which method is most appropriate to the current situation.



Cheers,

Rufus

 

[Gamma]

Yes Rufus, you got it to the point!

i'm sorry to say that we never have that massive snow over here (which is a pity)...so that's why i thought of "Real snow tires" with different rubber type. Because with my 35" MT Baja Claws i can't ride on the plowed roads, i'm just sliding around with no hold whatsoever, and don't even think about hitting the brakes...

I would like to dash thru the fields loaded of snow, but over here, as soon as you move just one f***ing inch from the official roads, the cops for sure will catch you in 5 min., as your friendly neighbours will call them anyway, welcome to Switzerland ;-))

Well guys, have fun out there, wish I could be with you dashing round in the white powder with my K5, but I have to wait until end of March, when spring is coming back to the country...

 

[hammermachine]

Snow

My K5 is great so far in the snow, we got hit by 12 inches and she pulled through pretty good (in 2wd too). I really don't use my 4wd (the locker is in the front with makes turning a bitch). So whenever I pop it into 4wd, it's for short climbs out of the driveway. Not street driving.

 

[sleeperv8]

I live in south central pa ...we got from what i heard just under 20" of snow ...but with the drifting it more like 3' in certain parts.
on a 2 lane road you could only get one car through. i didn't have any problems if I kept the tires spinning, i could keep going.
I tried in both 4hi and 4low, i seemed to drive through the snow better in 4hi, in 4low she just spun to much and dug ruts.
This is how we plow the driveway.

 

[hammermachine]

Snowed again.

Just a FYI, we got hit again last Friday with another ton of snow. This time it was so bad I had to use the 4HI all the way to work. It wasn't bad, I just drive with respect to the snow and everything was perfect.