I dont care what you drive, FWD RWD 4WD, if you`re loosing traction, you ain`t got sh*t...PERIOD..!!!!!
Snowy climate, run SNOW TIRES, not FLORIDA street skins like GY HP`s...Thats a no brainer ther folks.
But, then again, ther`s ALOT of people with absolutely NO common sense on the road today.

 

Well i have ran ****ty tires in the snow before, but i grew up driving in the snow, how ever the prson driving the truck hates driving in snow(yet we have it form oct-may...), so i was debating if i should toss snow tires on for her, guess i will lol. There is A-LOT of people with out common sense these days as you stated. All the new trucks/cars/suv's have the fancy stability control and all this jazz. I rather not have abs and not have any of that stuff. I was driving a 2005 for explorer a couple winters ago and i started in to a slide around a corner, i was in 4wd and went to give it a little gas to help straighten me out(works and i have done it lots.. screwing around and in actual slides) and when i gave it gas.. guess what? nothing! it shut of power to the wheels because it freaked out. I ended up slidin in to a curb because of it. So from then on any thing i drive with that stuff i always shu it off if possible. I even disabled my abs fully in my truck since i was RWABS. Hell even our new fire engine has some fancy traction control and ABS. Whats wrong with hitting the center diff lock?

 

For the most part yes, but the fact that you are using your drive wheels to steer as well will help you out causing a "pull" effect. I had a FWD jetta before my truck, I definitely found that driving a strait highway a FWD was the best. It would go where you wanted to go, and you didn't have to worry about loosing your rear end.

I do agree with you too LU229, the trick is to prevent your vehicle from loosing traction. Easiest way of doing that is, yes snow tires. But I think it has to do a lot with your driving style and what your driving. I have seen guys drive their FWD drive cars on almost pure ice, they handle it fine and can correct pretty easy. Ive seen guys with a 2WD truck, they load it up to the top of the box thinking traction will be best, but most of those guys I see end up in the ditch because as soon as they want to turn in any direction (to pass someone etc they loose their back end. I have also seen 4WD trucks hit the ditch because they think they can get through anything. Fancy guys with lifts and 34in mudders, not saying that everyone is like this. But there is common sense, and I know here in Alberta many those guys don't have it. Then they want help out of the ditch after they passed you at 100 while your doing 70.
Its definitely heavily based on how you drive, and yes common sense. But I think it has a little to do with what you are driving and how confident you are in driving it.

As far as the whole ESP thing goes I love it! I had an 08 before my 07 and 11. It was an SLT without any of that, not to mention only front ABS and no auto 4WD. I rolled that truck, due to a lot of circumstances. BUT as soon as I got into my 07, I found it much harder to get that rear end going. My 08 would fishtail like crazy, there is 350HP under that hood and if your not careful you can find yourself going anywhere but where you want to go. My 07 great! I agree you have to make sure that it is off when you are going through 2 feet of snow, but if you don't it was great! I don't know if it had anti-stability on it but I felt like no matter what I did it would stay strait. I don't think I would have rolled my 08 if it had it!

Im sure in these new trucks that system has gotten so much better, but I guess I will see as winter is soon approaching!

 

Wow, didn't expect this to blow up! I grew up in Montana and Alaska and have seen my fair share of snow as well. I traded in an '04 GMC for my Ram. In places where I wouldn't even notice it slippery in my GMC, I wouldn't stand a chance in 2WD in the new truck. I am thinking it is a combination of tires, gearing and open rear diff. I also understand a FWD car has the weight over the drive wheels unlike an empty box in a P/U, but hell, as far as the truck doing better in 2 feet of snow, I am not too sure it would be able to get that far!

 

didnt mean to sound like I blew up folks...sorry if I did, but I have not been a truck guy all my life so I can definitely tell the difference. And will admit sometimes I do want my old jetta back...However it was a lot easier to get high centered on a drift, the ram would blow right through them!

Guess there are just different perspectives...

 

YUP, no argument here Nate769, common sense DOES go a long ways.
Driving habits are the BIG PLUS, if you dont know how to drive, stay off the road and just let the experienced people drive. (well, THAT would eliminate about 99% of the people...hehehehe) I`ve seen more idiots in the ditch because they had no common sense. But most that i`ve seen, are dumb retards trying to drive with pretty much bald tires and wonder why they ended up in the ditch because of it. The ones i LOVE the most, are the stupid ones on their cell phones either talking or texting and in the ditch they go. (hehehehe, i love seein those kinds of people wreck their cars/trucks) I ALWAYS stop to make sure they`re ok. Then they see my truck and ask me to pull them out of the ditch... uhhhhhh nope, this ain`t no tow truck, BUT, you can use that fancy telephony gadget you got, to call yourself a G_D D__M tow truck or wrecker to get you out. Then maybe you`ll shut the dam thing off and pay attention to your driving from now on. Guess you know i DONT feel one bit sorry for stupidity.

YUP, here`s your sign..!

 

^^^ yup! I was responding to a fire call one time and reached over to grab the mic for my radio and talk to someone and as i did that a tire grabbed the ditch and in i went!!! I usually won't even answer the phone while driving.

 

I prefer rear wheel drive. I can use the throttle to help steer when needed. On ice, it really doesn't what drive system you have or tires (except studded tires), you are gonna slide. Easy driving with no sudden moves is always your best bet.
I owned a 4x4 for 7 years and used it maybe 5 times. Went back to 2wd for reduced weight and power loss thru the transfer case. I drive 80 miles round trip to work daily and had no problems last year in a snow/ice storm getting to work. I leave the house at 4:30am before any traffic s out there to help clear off the roads. Just gotta have some sense when driving.
As for the original question, the GY's are fine until they get down to about 1/4 tread.
Mine cupped too as mentioned above. Dealer says it's the tires. I disagree. They only cupped on the outer edge which tells me maybe a tow-in issue. I know that the OEM shocks are very weak. Basically no rebound pressure to keep the tires planted to the road. I put Bilstein shocks on at 36K and the cupping hasn't gotten much worse since then. I also found that they ride better @ 36psi then they do at 44psi.

 

eeeeeeek`s THAT had to suck bro...!!! dammmmmmm..!
Well, i`m glad you wern`t hurt. Bet ya wont try THAT stunt again though huhh...lol

 

HAHA it sucked bad since i had the engine go right by me :P The next day though chief put an engine in the ditch while turning around :P