Driving on deep snow - Relate your experiences!
03-01-2017, 12:08 AM
#21
Senior Member
Thread Starter
True that Angus!
After that speed mark it'll be all praying for the brakes not to heat up too much.
But won't turning off TC stop the 1WSCS from working? That would mean in 4x4 we'd have 1 wheel on each axle pushing the truck through?
After that speed mark it'll be all praying for the brakes not to heat up too much.
But won't turning off TC stop the 1WSCS from working? That would mean in 4x4 we'd have 1 wheel on each axle pushing the truck through?
03-01-2017, 12:21 AM
#22
Senior Member
Thread Starter
My experience:
Freezing rain: Forget about it. Unless you've got studded tires there's nothing you can do for traction. Stay home.
Powder snow: As long as it's below the front bumper, 4-high and drive on like it's not there.
Wet snow: Most I've driven in was about 18" actually on the pavement, and the truck did great with open diffs. However, this is with aftermarket all-terrain tires. Not the OE highway tread junk.
If I do slide off and get stuck, which is extremely rare, then it's 4-low because it eases stress on the driveline while trying to free youself, and it also turns off more of the traction nannies built into the vehicle so you can get the wheel speed that you need.
Freezing rain: Forget about it. Unless you've got studded tires there's nothing you can do for traction. Stay home.
Powder snow: As long as it's below the front bumper, 4-high and drive on like it's not there.
Wet snow: Most I've driven in was about 18" actually on the pavement, and the truck did great with open diffs. However, this is with aftermarket all-terrain tires. Not the OE highway tread junk.
If I do slide off and get stuck, which is extremely rare, then it's 4-low because it eases stress on the driveline while trying to free youself, and it also turns off more of the traction nannies built into the vehicle so you can get the wheel speed that you need.
This last Sunday we had some freezing rain overnight and in the morning the news channels were repeatedly showing images of sliding and smashed cars all over the city. Had those folks any need to be out there at that time? I highly doubt all of them were priority services staff...
03-01-2017, 12:22 AM
#23
FORD lifer
I live in Billings - we got hammered with snow this year.
My snow tires were down to the wear bars, I had Firestone snow tires for 5 winters mounted on their own set of wheels.
On Oct 1st, the first legal day, I had a new set of studded snow tires mounted at Staley's tire. It didn't snow for 8 weeks, and I joked that I was personally responsible for the good weather.
Then Winter showed up - lots of snow, lots of slick streets, and I drove circles around people everywhere in town.
My daughters car broke down in Butte, at Mt Tech, so I loaned it to her for a week, and she wanted to keep the truck.
Mine isn't your average F150, if you look at my old posts I have an Eaton TrueTrac in the back, and I consider it the best $1k mod you can do to one of these.
I did however, run into a guy with TrueTracs front and rear, and that thing is like one of those AA powered little 4x4's the kids used to play with - it just crawls.
I'm convinced enough that I'm ordering a 8.8" 31-spline TrueTrac for the front too - a poor mans raptor !
Deep snow - IMO have good tires, and all the traction you can afford !
My snow tires were down to the wear bars, I had Firestone snow tires for 5 winters mounted on their own set of wheels.
On Oct 1st, the first legal day, I had a new set of studded snow tires mounted at Staley's tire. It didn't snow for 8 weeks, and I joked that I was personally responsible for the good weather.
Then Winter showed up - lots of snow, lots of slick streets, and I drove circles around people everywhere in town.
My daughters car broke down in Butte, at Mt Tech, so I loaned it to her for a week, and she wanted to keep the truck.
Mine isn't your average F150, if you look at my old posts I have an Eaton TrueTrac in the back, and I consider it the best $1k mod you can do to one of these.
I did however, run into a guy with TrueTracs front and rear, and that thing is like one of those AA powered little 4x4's the kids used to play with - it just crawls.
I'm convinced enough that I'm ordering a 8.8" 31-spline TrueTrac for the front too - a poor mans raptor !
Deep snow - IMO have good tires, and all the traction you can afford !
03-01-2017, 01:11 PM
#24
Snow Engineer
Driving in Freezing rain or over ice is the same as praying to the gods for protection!
This last Sunday we had some freezing rain overnight and in the morning the news channels were repeatedly showing images of sliding and smashed cars all over the city. Had those folks any need to be out there at that time? I highly doubt all of them were priority services staff...
This last Sunday we had some freezing rain overnight and in the morning the news channels were repeatedly showing images of sliding and smashed cars all over the city. Had those folks any need to be out there at that time? I highly doubt all of them were priority services staff...
03-01-2017, 10:50 PM
#25
Senior Member
Thread Starter
LOL!! You better be very far, far away from their trajectory indeed!
I use some shoe clamp-on studded rubber on icy days to walk around. like these
I use some shoe clamp-on studded rubber on icy days to walk around. like these
03-01-2017, 11:01 PM
#26
Senior Member
Thread Starter
montanaman,
have you ever considered installing the Eaton e-locker in the front axle instead of the truetrac?
I read somewhere about the e-locker on an F150, our gen, and for the occasional use seemed to be also a good option, but I'm not really that knowledgeable of the side-effects of either mods to the longevity/handling of the front axle. The info was not that detailed.
Price-wise the cost seems similar...
have you ever considered installing the Eaton e-locker in the front axle instead of the truetrac?
I read somewhere about the e-locker on an F150, our gen, and for the occasional use seemed to be also a good option, but I'm not really that knowledgeable of the side-effects of either mods to the longevity/handling of the front axle. The info was not that detailed.
Price-wise the cost seems similar...
03-02-2017, 12:34 AM
#27
FORD lifer
The e-locker has advantages off road particularly, if you get a wheel in the air it doesn't care, just keeps climbing. I wouldn't want one for the street. The TrueTrac requires no turning on, it's always there.
The F150 with the TrueTrac in the front - you never know it's there, other than you've got another wheel pulling. Perfect road and trail manners.
Think about it - with your stock truck, if your RR tire starts spinning, the traction control kicks some brake to that wheel, and sends the power to the other wheel, and hopefully that one has some traction. One wheel at a time pulling.
With a good LS, you have two tires pulling, and no back brake action wearing out your pads.
The F150 with the TrueTrac in the front - you never know it's there, other than you've got another wheel pulling. Perfect road and trail manners.
Think about it - with your stock truck, if your RR tire starts spinning, the traction control kicks some brake to that wheel, and sends the power to the other wheel, and hopefully that one has some traction. One wheel at a time pulling.
With a good LS, you have two tires pulling, and no back brake action wearing out your pads.
03-02-2017, 02:00 AM
#28
Senior Member
Thread Starter
montanaman just found and read your entire thread about the truetrac!
Man it's addictive info! I gotta go get some rest now, or I'll need to chew coffee beans to stay awake later at work LOL!
But now I know better how the truetrac behaves with our trucks' braking system.
Tomorrow I'll search some more about the front Eaton E-locker...
Man it's addictive info! I gotta go get some rest now, or I'll need to chew coffee beans to stay awake later at work LOL!
But now I know better how the truetrac behaves with our trucks' braking system.
Tomorrow I'll search some more about the front Eaton E-locker...
03-02-2017, 09:56 PM
#29
Senior Member
Thread Starter
The e-locker has advantages off road particularly, if you get a wheel in the air it doesn't care, just keeps climbing. I wouldn't want one for the street. The TrueTrac requires no turning on, it's always there.
The F150 with the TrueTrac in the front - you never know it's there, other than you've got another wheel pulling. Perfect road and trail manners.
Think about it - with your stock truck, if your RR tire starts spinning, the traction control kicks some brake to that wheel, and sends the power to the other wheel, and hopefully that one has some traction. One wheel at a time pulling.
With a good LS, you have two tires pulling, and no back brake action wearing out your pads.
The F150 with the TrueTrac in the front - you never know it's there, other than you've got another wheel pulling. Perfect road and trail manners.
Think about it - with your stock truck, if your RR tire starts spinning, the traction control kicks some brake to that wheel, and sends the power to the other wheel, and hopefully that one has some traction. One wheel at a time pulling.
With a good LS, you have two tires pulling, and no back brake action wearing out your pads.
Unfortunately - or fortunately - (here) I did't have high amounts of snow these past 3 years, nor had a chance to go out to really test the stock system in my truck. That's why I came here with answers, but now that I read your findings these past years and knowing of the durability you prove to exist on the truetrac I'm way more comfortable to know I really did the right choices on my truck and have an option to optimize it further if one day I see the need.
Thanks for sharing your experience!
03-03-2017, 09:07 PM
#30
NCgraywolf
Just for info....tires will burn if you spin them on ice! It sounds crazy but they will get hot. But a spinning wheel has lost its traction on any surface.
Another piece of helpful info is to let about 1/3 of the air out of your tires if you get stuck in sand. This is another case, as the man said before, NOT to spin your wheels. A spinning wheel loses most of its traction and in sand or loose soil, will just dig you a deeper hole to have to climb out of.
Another piece of helpful info is to let about 1/3 of the air out of your tires if you get stuck in sand. This is another case, as the man said before, NOT to spin your wheels. A spinning wheel loses most of its traction and in sand or loose soil, will just dig you a deeper hole to have to climb out of.
The following users liked this post:
WildernessLVR (03-04-2017)