Winter Driving - Fishtailing

[Sigz]

Lovr my JT Sport S - but man, I have been disappointed in the snow performance.​

I live in WI (grew up driving here) and have driven everything from a small sedan to a Jeep Grand Cherokee, to now my JT.​

I know I have a truck - and they drive different than a AWD vehicle of an SUV, but man I am not impressed with the constant fish tailing around town for now it’s third winter.​

I don’t drive fast. Really… I don’t​

I have p285/70/17 Falken AT3W tires. 36 psi​

​

I have x2 70lbs tube sand bags in the bed over the axles.​

I’ll shift it into 4hi sometimes to go on snow covered roads, but a lot of my issues are in 2hi and with turns.​

I went to pickup my son from daycare today with my wife, and turning onto a road from a stop - I slipped multiple times and also saw the traction control light flash on.​

Im not really sure what to do or if this is just how it is. My pregnant wife made a comment “isn’t this thing supposed to be good in snow” and I couldn’t really even answer her.​

Any ideas or tips?​

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[OVERLORD]

I pop three 18 X 18 X 2 paving blocks in the bed, held in place by a backer board in the bed slots, at the end of the bed, no issues.

Wide tires don't help narrow and tall work best.

 

[DailyMoparGuy]

Personally, I’d try airing down to 32 psi. When it comes to turns from a stop…little to no throttle when you start turning the steering wheel. That’s just how it is with RWD vehicles unless it’s rear heavy.

 

[MassMopar]

In order of cost - Get used to using switching in and out of 4WD high more frequently, add more weight over the rear tires, or buy dedicated snow tires. I love shutting off traction control and stepping the rear end out, but I don't call it fishtailing, I call it oversteer or when I'm really having fun, power sliding. Here are some donuts to remind us why winter driving is so fun.

 

[Vtur]

With SFA and steering gear setup, it's not ideal to hold the steering wheel longer than is needed it when exiting a turn as it can easily oversteer. Try returning it to center a little early than usual and see if that helps.

 

[Gvsukids]

I have x2 70lbs tube sand bags in the bed over the axles.

More weight. I have 2 sandbags, an extra spare tire, and a tub filled with recovery gear and tools.

 

[LouisvEarlleJT]

Just an observation but the T/C light coming on isn’t an indication that your truck is struggling, that is it using the tech it has to keep things from getting worse.

-More weight in the bed (like 300 lbs min.)

RWD in the snow fishtails, especially in a truck, just nature of the beast.

 

[Volt0]

Wish we had some of the white fun stuff in the St Louis area. I love snow wheeling before all of the salt/sand/coal is tossed on the roads. Heck, I even save a few PTO days, just for some snow wheeling.

 

[Freems]

How many miles on the tires?

 

[Brojave22]

traction control in 2WD, AWD and 4WD only work when you are hitting the gas pedal, if your going around a turn while hitting the brakes, coasting not under power or giving to much gas the tires will slip. when you are heading to a turn, brake in a straight line without turning, then use constant throttle during the turn, if you accelerate or brake you'll slide. constant throttle low revs, like most said the weight in the bed helps, plus severe snow rated tires are helpful, the falken at3s on the mojave are great in the snow.

 

[Blade1668]

As others have said more weight in the bed and over or behind the axle. Prime example is my Comanche PU with empty bed you spit on the road it will break loose in the rear end. My JT in the 6 inches plus of snow was blasting though. But it has a few hundred pounds of gear at least in bed.

That was driving to E. KY 2 years ago. 4 high from Nashville TN. on. I had knocked the snow buildup of already a few times. Now that dang rain / sleet after Thanksgiving in IL. / IN was a little slick.

 

[PuddleJumper]

Lovr my JT Sport S - but man, I have been disappointed in the snow performance.​

​

I live in WI (grew up driving here) and have driven everything from a small sedan to a Jeep Grand Cherokee, to now my JT.​

​

I know I have a truck - and they drive different than a AWD vehicle of an SUV, but man I am not impressed with the constant fish tailing around town for now it’s third winter.​

​

I don’t drive fast. Really… I don’t​

​

I have p285/70/17 Falken AT3W tires. 36 psi​

​

I have x2 70lbs tube sand bags in the bed over the axles.​

​

I’ll shift it into 4hi sometimes to go on snow covered roads, but a lot of my issues are in 2hi and with turns.​

​

I went to pickup my son from daycare today with my wife, and turning onto a road from a stop - I slipped multiple times and also saw the traction control light flash on.​

​

Im not really sure what to do or if this is just how it is. My pregnant wife made a comment “isn’t this thing supposed to be good in snow” and I couldn’t really even answer her.​

​

Any ideas or tips?​

​

​

​

​

​

​

I had this issue on my falkens as well. Its not so much snow, as it is wet/frozen asphalt. I went to Mickey Thompsons Baja Boss and can easily book it 80mph (if i wanted too) down frozen hwy 48 in WV. That being said there were plenty a trip i took to WV where it was so covered in snow that many of the roads weren't plowed. I just stayed in 4HI and kept it a safe speed and didn't have any butt pucker issues with the falkens then. I also drive exclusively with traction control off. Not cus its actually off but because in normal form its intrusive to the point of causing or making slides worse. one click off and it only steps in when it notices your ass getting too far ahead of ya. and tbh thats the only time i want it too. the only crap vehicle in the snow is the one with wrong tires. with the right tire, even a R1 piss missile is fine in the snow. Granted if your nuts are big enough/ your dumb enough.

 

[Gvsukids]

Wish we had some of the white fun stuff in the St Louis area. I love snow wheeling before all of the salt/sand/coal is tossed on the roads. Heck, I even save a few PTO days, just for some snow wheeling.

Going out today in some fresh powder.

 

[Redfour5]

Lovr my JT Sport S - but man, I have been disappointed in the snow performance.​

​

I live in WI (grew up driving here) and have driven everything from a small sedan to a Jeep Grand Cherokee, to now my JT.​

​

I know I have a truck - and they drive different than a AWD vehicle of an SUV, but man I am not impressed with the constant fish tailing around town for now it’s third winter.​

​

I don’t drive fast. Really… I don’t​

​

I have p285/70/17 Falken AT3W tires. 36 psi​

​

I have x2 70lbs tube sand bags in the bed over the axles.​

​

I’ll shift it into 4hi sometimes to go on snow covered roads, but a lot of my issues are in 2hi and with turns.​

​

I went to pickup my son from daycare today with my wife, and turning onto a road from a stop - I slipped multiple times and also saw the traction control light flash on.​

​

Im not really sure what to do or if this is just how it is. My pregnant wife made a comment “isn’t this thing supposed to be good in snow” and I couldn’t really even answer her.​

​

Any ideas or tips?​

​

Sand bags will help a great deal. You need weight in back. BUT, if you get hit like this guy did, you will be darn glad you have a Gladiator. Those other people aren't driving that day.​

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Oh, I also recommend auto 4WD. I learned the hard way with a 2013 Ram 1500 with the basic 4WD not even limited slip although helps a lot itself. So, over four vehicles since 2013, Auto 4WD called selec trac on Gladiators was a required box to be checked off. So, IF you can get it do next time. Our roads are clear at the moment so I was tooling in 2WD yesterday then came up to the mail boxes and the bottom of our road that still has ice on it and did like you. I put it in auto 4WD while moving and instantly straightened out traction all round.​

 

[Riverdog]

Yeah the JT are very light. If I need to pull out in traffic when it's raining....I put it in 4 Hi just so I can punch it and not spin. If the roads are really snowy I just leave it in 4 Hi. When I was younger I used 4x4 as a last resort or to get out of a ditch if need be. I guess I'm just getting old

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