SNOW NO GO!! Woe, woe is me

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UNLIMITED_FUN

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This last January I researched and bought some DuraTrac 315/70R/17 x 5. Yeah, some $$

Then I drive in snow twice, and both times were abysmal failures. (insert long string of explicative here)

In about 1 foot to 1.5 foot of snow, I all but got utterly stuck and all of the tread depth was solid compacted snow\ice.

My tires were giant floaty popsicle and pretty worthless.

I still have some ginormous V-BAR chains from the 35' on my Expedition, but my god, these weight 25#s each and take me about an hour and half to put on.

I could buy cables for the streets, but they're still around $135 pr and not rated for the snow on logging roads where I want to be.

I've spoken with folks who make chains and cable, who sell chains and cables, 2 tire stores.

The answer is "spend more money and buy snow tires and they'll kinda work for you"

I just don't understand how some wrangler on a utube video can plow through deep snow and I float and spin in place.

Do I need narrow tires?

So now I'm angry, and I can't seem to pull together any better solution.

I'm hitting up a couple of forums to see what ideas folks have.
 
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After having our first actual snow fall lastnight and running the same tire size as you, i found out this same thing this morning. Slipping and sliding in my jeep wasn't as enjoyable as it used to be in my subie.
 
UNLIMITED_FUN said:
This last January I researched and bought some DuraTrac 315/70R/17 x 5. Yeah, some $$

Then I drive in snow twice, and both times were abysmal failures. (insert long string of explicative here)

In about 1' to 1.5' of snow, I all but got utterly stuck and all of the tread depth was solid compacted snow\ice.

My tires were giant floaty popsicle and pretty worthless.

I still have some ginormous V-BAR chains from the 35' on my Expedition, but my god, these weight 25#s each and take me about an hour and half to put on.

I could buy cables for the streets, but they're still around $135 pr and not rated for the snow on logging roads where I want to be.

I've spoken with folks who make chains and cable, who sell chains and cables, 2 tire stores.

The answer is "spend more money and buy snow tires and they'll kinda work for you"

I just don't understand how some wrangler on a utube video can plow through deep snow and I float and spin in place.

Do I need narrow tires?

So now I'm angry, and I can't seem to pull together any better solution.

I'm hitting up a couple of forums to see what ideas folks have.
Click to expand...


I had duratracs (I think they are snow and ice rated) on my 2 door and had no problems at all in the snow and we had some good storms here in MN last year. Are you saying you had trouble driving in 12 to 18 inches of snow?
 
If you got stuck in 1-1.5" of snow, you're doing it wrong.

If you got stuck in the freezing rain that occurs in the pnw then there is not much you can do about it. I ran the duratracs in the Sierras without incident. Same with my Nittos. Never chained up.

Edit: Feet. Read that wrong. :cheesy:
 
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Once you guys try to go into deep snow- NOT highway driving- you need to run way lower psi.. I run 10 or lower in my jeep. I have iroks, so I actually drop to like 5 psi- but then I can go anywhere.

Also- there are different types of snow.. When it first falls you can plow through several feet and it'll even build up Over your hood sometimes- but after it has packed in and refrozen. It's another story.. You can wheel in deep snow one weekend, and get stuck in the same spot the next weekend if conditions have changed.
 
It was more the combination of icey roads and my crappy shot khumos. Putting on nitto exo grapplers on in a couple weeks so that should help.
 
I've had no problems wheeling in snow with my nitto trail grapplers.

image-2449570072.jpg

We did wheeler lake trail in a whiteout.
 
Thanks for the replies!

I've never taken tires down to 10lbs or less, I might try that. I generally run at around 34lbs.

Most logging roads have snow that is already compacted to ice because someone has already driven over it, and what you have are solid ruts.

For winter I don't care what the wheels look like, but I really don't want to sink another grand in to wheels and tires and have to try and store these in the garage.

Some folks suggest different chains, some have even tried manila rope. I'll try anything as long as it works.

I have a small portable compressor so I'll air down to 10 and see what happens.

Those V-BAR chains have awesome grip, they're just such a PITA.
 
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When I first read this, I read an inch to inch and a half and thought "is this guy for real?" Lol. Yeah, for snow wheeling you really need to be way down there in tire pressure. With the E range Duratracs you may find you need to go even lower, like 5-8#. There's less of a risk of blowing a bead in the snow but it's definitely a possibility at that pressure.

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I too read inches lol and was like WTF?!

Duratracs are a great snow tire so definitely lower your air pressure and try again.

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Thx for the replies. I edited the post to reflect foot and not the ' symbol. :D :beer:

I guess I'm going to try a combination of airing down to the scary and trying some lightweight chains.

Looks like today I'm going to double check that I have all the tools and socket to change a behemoth 315 from my tire carrier arm.
 
Another thing that I found out while driving in deep snow (over a foot) is to turn off the traction control. The Jeep is almost undrivable with that turned on (I have an 08 so maybe the newer ones are better). I ran the OEM Rubucon tires and then MT/Rs in 35" and now Terra Grapplers in 37" with no issue at all. I also ran the duratracks on my Nissan Pathfinder and that was almost unstoppable in snow and ice.

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Could also be the moisture content of the snow. Light powdery won't pack up a lot, but if it makes great snowballs it'll pack in like a Bears home game. Well, maybe not this season. This is a shot of KM2's with 30k miles in semi-powdery white stuff. Thirty psi all around. They worked OK.
Driveway.jpg
 
JKMag said:
I had duratracs (I think they are snow and ice rated) on my 2 door and had no problems at all in the snow and we had some good storms here in MN last year. Are you saying you had trouble driving in 12 to 18 inches of snow?
Click to expand...

Sounds strange right? I was driving with 18" of snow with my 315 duratracs in 2WD. :thinking:
 
Oh, and one thing not mentioned yet....if the snow is that wet melty crap we get in the north east, you are paying the price for running floater tires. I run floaters as well but there are certain times where pizza cutters are superior, and certain snow is one of them. This creates more pressure on the ground, adding friction, and helping you move. There are times where floaters are superior, and times where pizza cutters are better. Can't have it all.
 
David1tontj said:
Once you guys try to go into deep snow- NOT highway driving- you need to run way lower psi.. I run 10 or lower in my jeep. I have iroks, so I actually drop to like 5 psi- but then I can go anywhere.

Also- there are different types of snow.. When it first falls you can plow through several feet and it'll even build up Over your hood sometimes- but after it has packed in and refrozen. It's another story.. You can wheel in deep snow one weekend, and get stuck in the same spot the next weekend if conditions have changed.
Click to expand...

I want to add that in some conditions, you just need to idle over it.. I've been in nasty stuff where as soon as you gave it any gas you sank... But as long as you just idled, you just stayed on top.

Totally depends on the snow condition/ what time of year it is.


Also- not to insult anyone- but remember to be careful on anything off camber in the snow! Your rig will always want to go downhill when you give it gas- it's the effects o gravity and low traction... So, if downhill is off the side of the trail, be very careful, and cautious of the throttle. I've gotten through some of these conditions by idling through- and in a worst case scenario- you can always dig a small rut to keep from sliding off the trail.
 
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