First time Jeep owner in the Snow.

[sad85XD]

Is there any tips or tricks to driving in the snow with these?

For example:

- The auto on the Climate control is trash. So is it better just to turn the traction control off, or are the automatic senses of the jeeps terrain controls pretty good?

- Would I see any benefits to using Offroad+ in snowy type conditions?

- Switching between 2HI and 4HI often?

Thanks!

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[PyrPatriot]

Following

 

[jrf]

- The auto on the Climate control is trash. So is it better just to turn the traction control off, or are the automatic senses of the jeeps terrain controls pretty good?

Assuming you meant traction control on both of those. I would not turn it off in the snow. That's where it actually the most useful.

- Would I see any benefits to using Offroad+ in snowy type conditions?

No. leave that for actual off-road. Not just snowy roads.

- Switching between 2HI and 4HI often?

I would run in 2HI unless you are on completely snow covered roads. 4HI is not designed to be used when all 4 tires have good traction. So yes, you may need to switch back and forth depending on conditions.

 

[sodak]

A good set of All terain tires and some sandbags for the rear..Jeep will work just fine...I carry 6 .. 60lbs bags of sand in the rear..I get around allot of places in two wheel drive before I have to shift to 4

 

[PyrPatriot]

A good set of All terain tires and some sandbags for the rear..Jeep will work just fine...I carry 6 .. 60lbs bags of sand in the rear..I get around allot of places in two wheel drive before I have to shift to 4

Would it be safe to presume the stock/optionsl Dueler A/T tires would work (Sport trims)

 

[jrf]

Would it be safe to presume the stock/optionsl Dueler A/T tires would work (Sport trims)

They should be fine. There are dedicated "snow" tires (Like Blizzaks) that some in the very heavy snow areas (I live in one of the worst) will put on an extra set of rims and only run in the winter. They are a very soft compound and wear out quickly on hot dry asphalt. But do very well on Ice/Snow.

If this is your first time driving in snow. First, practice driving in the snow! It's underrated. Learn what a vehicle does on ice/snow. It will help you prepare for when you do get into trouble. (Find a very large unused parking lot for your practice) Second...SLOW is your friend.

The sand in the bed is to help get weight over the rear tires since in 2HI you only have the back wheel driving you. This is obviously not needed in AWD and Front wheel drive vehicles as the primary driving wheels are under the engine.

 

[PyrPatriot]

They should be fine. There are dedicated "snow" tires (Like Blizzaks) that some in the very heavy snow areas (I live in one of the worst) will put on an extra set of rims and only run in the winter. They are a very soft compound and wear out quickly on hot dry asphalt. But do very well on Ice/Snow.

If this is your first time driving in snow. First, practice driving in the snow! It's underrated. Learn what a vehicle does on ice/snow. It will help you prepare for when you do get into trouble. (Find a very large unused parking lot for your practice) Second...SLOW is your friend.

The sand in the bed is to help get weight over the rear tires since in 2HI you only have the back wheel driving you. This is obviously not needed in AWD and Front wheel drive vehicles as the primary driving wheels are under the engine.

I have driven in the snow before. My Honda Element is great in the snow. My civic sucked. We rarely get bad snowfall here, but I may be spending time in the mountains visiting in-laws this winter. Is it bad that I actually want there to be some snow to drive through?!

 

[sad85XD]

They should be fine. There are dedicated "snow" tires (Like Blizzaks) that some in the very heavy snow areas (I live in one of the worst) will put on an extra set of rims and only run in the winter. They are a very soft compound and wear out quickly on hot dry asphalt. But do very well on Ice/Snow.

If this is your first time driving in snow. First, practice driving in the snow! It's underrated. Learn what a vehicle does on ice/snow. It will help you prepare for when you do get into trouble. (Find a very large unused parking lot for your practice) Second...SLOW is your friend.

The sand in the bed is to help get weight over the rear tires since in 2HI you only have the back wheel driving you. This is obviously not needed in AWD and Front wheel drive vehicles as the primary driving wheels are under the engine.

I'm used to driving sports cars in heavy snow. So the game plan is usually turning off the Traction Control and driving down the roads sideways. Looking for more specifically for "just jeeps things," like the window not defrosting on the sides and the Auto climate blasting cold hot air in your face when set to 60°.

 

[TennesseePA]

With all of that said I would add that even thought your Jeep will go like crazy your 4wd does not add anything to your braking performance. You van go out and climb trees but you still can’t stop.

 

[jrf]

I'm used to driving sports cars in heavy snow.

With a rear wheel drive truck...your driving skills will be well equipped to handle it! It will be like your sports cars but probably better because of the tires.....and the fact you can use 4wd if needed.

 

[sad85XD]

With a rear wheel drive truck...your driving skills will be well equipped to handle it! It will be like your sports cars but probably better because of the tires.....and the fact you can use 4wd if needed.

Yes! Feels very similar.

Last year I was more or less dared to go down a unplowed road after a snow storm in my 2 seater. I made it, but the snow was so deep that it started coming over the top of the hood. won myself a crisp $50. Dont think anyone will be making that bet this year

 

[jurfie]

I would run in 2HI unless you are on completely snow covered roads. 4HI is not designed to be used when all 4 tires have good traction. So yes, you may need to switch back and forth depending on conditions.

My understanding is 4hi should be avoided on DRY pavement, but if the road is wet (rain/snow/slush) then 4hi is fine (leave 4lo for off-road situations). Though I'd only recommend using 4hi when necessary, and as mentioned by @TennesseePA: remember that 4wd does not help you stop; that's the job of the tires and most M/Ts suck for that (A/Ts and YMMV).

 

[DarkAardvark]

Just to reiterate things people said:
- 2HI on normal pavement, 4HI on completely snowy roads
- Slow is good. Fast is bad. Your car might be fine to get up to speed, but you'll still slide in the corners and when stopping
- watch out at intersections for people who can't stop in time because they want to go fast

I haven't checked for the gladiator, but on my TJ I can go between 2HI and 4HI while moving under 35mph

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I was told under 50 you could shift the transfer case on the Gladiator (sales guy said that)
My wife's Grand Cherokee is automatic, we never have moved that dial, and my Silverado can be shifted but I generally leave the knob in automatic as well. The traction control gets us where we need to go for the most part.
Our driveway is a pretty good hill, about 120 feet, to get to the road. I was driving my truck in deep snow (I get lazy when it's cold - didn't plow) and noticed that the truck was manipulating the brakes and I made it up the drive without doing a thing.
My Eagle SX4 with the NP129 can be driven on any surface in 4x4 mode so if it's iffy, I shift to 4x4. I have to stop to shift because the vacuum motors not only shift the transfer case but also break and reconnect the front axle on the right - that is not synchronized and can get messy if you shift while moving and one axle is moving a bit faster than the other. Bad, really bad.
So I'm used to vehicles that can be shifted to 4x4 and left there - other than my 95 F250 which you did NOT want to drive on dry pavement in 4x4 mode as things would wind up like an old clock and you'd never get it back out again!
So - this is a very interesting thread - not because I don't know about snow (I've driven through feet of snow with my first Eagle - it was hood deep!) but because this Jeep system will be like a step back in time for me with the transfer case it has.
Heck, I drove my AMX with rear window louvers backwards almost a mile during a blizzard when the 2 lane rural road was blocked by a jack-knifed semi and the only way home otherwise was a road we had passed almost a mile back. That was FUN!
The best vehicle I have ever driven in snow, deep snow, was my Eagle - only time I ever got the Eagle wagon stuck I was goofing around in big drifts and went up onto a drift and felt this sort of - well, uh-oh, and the car settled down onto the floor pan. Scooped under the car and drove out. I think the drift was about 3 feet deep where I drove up onto it.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Just to reiterate things people said:
- 2HI on normal pavement, 4HI on completely snowy roads
- Slow is good. Fast is bad. Your car might be fine to get up to speed, but you'll still slide in the corners and when stopping
- watch out at intersections for people who can't stop in time because they want to go fast

I haven't checked for the gladiator, but on my TJ I can go between 2HI and 4HI while moving under 35mph

To expand a bit on that, I have had several truck driver types help, too - one was my boss who ran a 24/7/365 towing service - he said that change in speed or direction is bad - don't change direction suddenly, don't change speed suddenly, and physics will help.
The other truck drives were delivery truck guys and they also kept their vehicles in the highest gear possible without lugging the engine. Automatics, well, that's different.
Like they said - remember, you can go - but like any pilot knows, the most important part is landing - in our case, stopping.
IF you do slide or start to lose it, depending on the situation, a rear wheel drive vehicle you want to let off, with a front wheel drive or a 4x4 IN 4x4 mode, a light throttle can pull you out of a slide - depending on circumstances.
I've driven everything from Javelins and AMXs and other fun high HP cars in winter - they were my daily driver get to work cars - the worst ones on ice were the limited slip differentials. Those tended to slide or lose control more easily. They may go more easily, but they also liked to go sideways more often.
These days I park the good hi-perf and show cars and will only drive a Jeep or my Silverado in the winter.

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