Well, I have been quite for a while since I have been getting ready to move but I finally got adjusted to the new area. I moved a total of 1,000 miles northeast to Laramie, WY to go to Wyo-tech for diesel. I am a little concerned about dealing with snow driving since I have lived in a desert my whole life and was wondering what advice any of you could pass on to me. I have already dealt with the windows getting iced up and bought me a scraper to help with that. Hopefully I don't run into any problems with The Dodge while I am up here since it originally came from cold weather. Thanks in advance

 

^I worked and commuted in Iowa, Nebraska, Illinois, Ohio in the winter times. I ran my 4 wheel drive many a time in 4 hi, always less than 50 mph. Your tires look fine for snow. I always had to shovel off a spot for the driveway since the plow truck usually blocked the drives in. Then there's the salt build up on your truck.

I always kept a cold weather kit that included lights, blankets, food source and water since blizzards could occur on I 80. Watch out for white outs, keep a tow chain on the truck and it probably would not hurt to have some weight over the back axle. Sounds like fun. K.

You might want a low profile bolt in tool box also.

 

I think some of the biggest things to remember when snow driving is to allow a much greater distance to stop and do not get heavy on the brake pedal.

Avoid using too much throttle, although there are some times you may need exactly that.

Doesn't hurt to have some weight in the bed of the truck too.

 

Good job getting up to Wyotech up there. having been in CO for 10 years, here would be my additional tips.

Get sand bags, they have there in the stores, to put in the pickup for weight. Make sure you secure them though so they stay in place.

Have a supply bag ready for clothes and food like what was mentioned.

Allow the truck to warm up for 5-10 minutes beforehand. But if you're scraping, then by the time you're done it's good.

Have a big push broom in the pickup bed. It's easy to push the light snow off, especially since it is drier, thus ligher snow up there. You can push the snow off the cab and right into the bed. Always remove from cab and completely off windshield and cowl.

Snow wiper blades are the shiz. Clean inside windows regularly.

Have a snow shovel too.

Make sure your wiper fluid is ok for below freezing.

Enjoy!

 

Actual winter wipers compared to regular wipers is like actual snow tires compared to all terrains!

Keeping weight in the back end is crucial. no weight = spin city.

Whatever you do when you're turning in snow don't freak out and hit the brakes. Even if you feel like you're about to start to start sliding becuase then you will be sliding.


You'll get a feel for it! It's more an art than science

 

Drive like you've got a full mug of coffee perched on the dash and don't want to spill it. Once it's good and cold and there's plenty of snow on the ground, find a vacant snow covered parking lot and practice sliding around without losing control. But because you will lose control make sure it's a lot with no parking stops or light standards, or at least no parking stops -- sliding sideways into a parking stop can cause truck breakage even at low speeds.

Keep some sand or salt on board for when you get stuck. It'll happen in the silliest places, like parking in a diagonal space on the street where it's shady. Get some tire chains and keep them on board, too. Myself, I keep the snow shovel in the garage but carry a flat shovel in the truck all winter -- it's more versatile. Try to keep the fuel tank mostly full to limit how much condensed atmospheric water vapor ends up in your gas.

Rain-X is teh 5h17.

A recovery kit can be really handy. Jumper cables are a must. Get yourself some Stabilicers Maxx so you can walk around on solid ice. Somehow or other, get 300 pounds of weight secured right over the rear axle.

Be sure you've got fresh coolant in the cooling system, and run it at 65:35 or even 70:30. 50:50 does not cut it in this part of the world. Keep up with the oil changes, especially during winter. The cold makes it harder to get heat enough in there to evaporate out the water and gasoline.

Optional: A block heater can be really nice to have, as can a small permanently mounted trickle charger. I've never bothered with a battery heater mat, but it couldn't hurt to have one.

If you have the option to park in a garage, do it. Otherwise, do your very best to avoid parking on the street where idiots will slide into your truck, snow plows will hurl stones and debris at it and bury it, and you'll do a lot more shoveling. Also, southern Wyo-why is a windy mufker and random 5h17 blowing down the street will hit your truck. (That's why all they have there for big game is antelope. All the deer and elk blew away.)

When the weather warms up, drive a bit south and dig the excellence of Colorado.

 

I agree with everyone else, especially living in ND the winter here is crazy. Just keep weight in your bed, two 60 lbs sand bags will do. Always give yourself distance from other vehicles and ALWAYS watch for the other idiots out driving (if you can safely watch others). Keep a blanket in your truck in case you get stuck. Learning to drive in winter is just some thing you have to learn, it'll take a little time to figure it out....what I always do before I leave home, I go down the street and hit my brakes enough to see how bad the roads are(just checking how good braking distance is) before I head on to the highway.

 

<<<@!1!@>>>


Don't go where the huskies go and don't you eat that yellow snow.

 

Under your seat it would be wise to have: a Shovel, Tire Chains, Flairs, spare blanket and coat, winter gloves, tow strap, lighter.

I never loaded down with sandbags, I just used 4hi a lot never had any issues. Give all your U joints a look over on your Spicer and front axles befor winter hits, 4X4 can eat these U joints up.

Be alert, in places where it's wide open range, cross winds can turn a few flurries at your home into a full on white out once your out of town. Low mounted fog lights are helpfull because your headlights or brights can make night time snowy driving an eye sore.

As for rubber to the ground... I can let you know in the spring! I am going from the BFG all-terrain wich was great to the BFG siped Mud Terrain. I live in a hilly neighborhood where the plow trucks come last and spend a lot of time on back roads after a big snow so I was looking for something I could air down and keep on truckin where the All Terrains would eventually pack out and loos grip. My BFG A/T were awesome last winter though when we had alot of snow! I only got stuck in my driveway once!

 

My mother had a propensity for getting stuck during winter driving (1975 Chrysler New Yorker) and her winter kit consisted of a small shovel, bag of lime, and a bag of kitty litter. All three items together will guarantee a driver won't be stuck for long.