Posted: 11/19/2009 10:15:22 AM EDT
So I'm driving across the state tomorrow and the passes are getting royally shit on. Assuming they stay open, I'm most likely going to need to put chains on since my Ford Ranger is only 2wd. I already have about 400 pounds in the bed to help with traction. Any tips about driving with chains/ in heavy snow in general? Let me learn from your mistakes 
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Slowdown, leave yourself extra time and dont rush. +1 , don't slam your brakes, correct in direction of slide, yadda, yadda.... and pull off to the side and let the jackasses with the invincible 4x4's roll on bye. (A few miles down the road, their flipped over cab will let you know where to slow down. hehehe) |
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What kind of speed should I aim for with the chains? I don't really want 'em to fly off and hurt my truck They will tell you over Snoqualmie if that is where you are headed. They limit speed limits all the time on that road based on weather. Anyways, if I needed chains on I wouldn't be going over 30 myself. Edit: Doesn't look too bad right now Link |
| I've never used chains, but I would follow the standard advice for driving without chains. Slow down, brake early and easy, leave plenty of room between you and the car in front of you, and accelerate slow to avoid spinning. Staying in low gear may help, too. Even though I use 4x4 in heavy snow, I still follow these tips. 4x4 does help a lot, but it is not a substitute for safe driving. Same goes with chains. |
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What kind of speed should I aim for with the chains? I don't really want 'em to fly off and hurt my truck They will tell you over Snoqualmie if that is where you are headed. They limit speed limits all the time on that road based on weather. Anyways, if I needed chains on I wouldn't be going over 30 myself. Edit: Doesn't look too bad right now Link I'll be going westbound over snoqualmie around 1 tomorrow as long as there aren't any avalanches tonight 
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that sounds like a good way to get pulled over
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So I'm driving across the state tomorrow and the passes are getting royally shit on. Assuming they stay open, I'm most likely going to need to put chains on since my Ford Ranger is only 2wd. I already have about 400 pounds in the bed to help with traction. Any tips about driving with chains/ in heavy snow in general? Let me learn from your mistakes I think what you need to do is learn from your mistake, only a fool lives in Mountain country with a 2wd truck. Hope you have good tires, drive carefully and good luck. |
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So I'm driving across the state tomorrow and the passes are getting royally shit on. Assuming they stay open, I'm most likely going to need to put chains on since my Ford Ranger is only 2wd. I already have about 400 pounds in the bed to help with traction. Any tips about driving with chains/ in heavy snow in general? Let me learn from your mistakes I think what you need to do is learn from your mistake, only a fool lives in Mountain country with a 2wd truck. Hope you have good tires, drive carefully and good luck. Never been to WA have you? Also, truck is a 2004 and was free from my father, so I can't complain. ETA: I have these tires 
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So I'm driving across the state tomorrow and the passes are getting royally shit on. Assuming they stay open, I'm most likely going to need to put chains on since my Ford Ranger is only 2wd. I already have about 400 pounds in the bed to help with traction. Any tips about driving with chains/ in heavy snow in general? Let me learn from your mistakes I think what you need to do is learn from your mistake, only a fool lives in Mountain country with a 2wd truck. Hope you have good tires, drive carefully and good luck. Never been to WA have you? Also, truck is a 2004 and was free from my father, so I can't complain. ETA: I have these tires http://www.hspnnews.com/images/uploads/Falken_High_Country_Tire.jpg Nope, but I lived in Denver. Good Luck |
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THE BEST advice was already given: SLOW DOWN.
Even with 4WD you need to drive slow. You WILL get there, most likely. 4WD DOES NOT help you stop if you're already going too fast. My ex-GF and I used to go to Flagstaff,AZ in the winter and it is common for it to snow like hell up there. We'd take her 2WD GMC Jimmy and when it would snow heavily I'd put a set of FULL CHAINS on the back tires, DRIVE SLOW, and we NEVER had any problems other than idiots going too fast around us. |
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Word of advice OP borrow a FWD car.
Depending on the conditions things may be ok with a RWD pickup, compact snow...or not so good, ice and or powder. You won't have problems moving forward but your problems may be stopping and turning. Go slow until you get use to how to drive on snow. Grew up in Seattle as a ski bum mostly skiing at Stevens, Snoqualmie, Baker and Crystal. |
