Best model for snow.

[bhbdvm]

The Overland has a different kind of 4 wheel drive that may be more conducive to driving in the snow.

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[LongTimeListener]

The Overland has a different kind of 4 wheel drive that may be more conducive to driving in the snow.

I know the Sahara JL has, basically, an AWD system. Is that also true for the Overland JT? I thought I read somewhere that it differed from the Sahara in this respect.

 

[noside85]

Pretty sure the OEM Falken ATs are snow rated

 

[Jonny55]

Driving the snowy mountains here in BC Canada on the Falken Wildpeak AT 33's in my Rubicon, they are mountain snowflake rated. They have excellent grip, and I would highly recommend them for all conditions, best tire I've experienced up here. The rubi rocks in the snow in 4H with off road+ engaged..!

 

[Murgatroid]

I live near Buffalo, NY and we spend half the year covered in heavy, wet snow. I chose the Sport S with the Max Tow package. This will replace a Toyota Tundra Crewmax for my daily driver/towing/hauling/etc. I don't know that one trim level will be more "snow ready" than another. Good tires, smart driving and weight in the bed will probably be more useful than a certain trim.

I never realized how good modern snow tires are. I hadn't had dedicated snow tires since they outlawed studded tires. Well several years back I bought a rear wheel drive convertible sports car with traction control. I have a very difficult driveway when it snows and every vehicle I've had including 4wd have gotten stuck to some degree, most vehicles I would have to get a running start up the hill and if there was traffic and I had to stop at the top of my driveway, I would have to back down and make a run again til I could drive, without stopping onto the road. Knowing this and fearing that the rear wheel drive light weight sports car was doomed, being a nurse I have to get to work so I bought some Blitztek (Sp?) and that car became the best winter driver I ever had, even better than a 4wd that got stuck at the top of the driveway with 4 wheels spinning on ice and wouldn't push through the snow plows pile. I figure if I get the same tires on my Gladiator, I would be able to drive in any amount of snow and ice, it would be un-stopable.

 

[giskard]

I live in nothwestern Minnesota (up near the Canadian border), so I have some experience with snow. We typically see smaller, drier snowfalls than you, but it's a lot colder here and I believe our winter lasts longer. At any rate, I typically buy a separate set of wheels just for winter for my vehicles. In the fall, I swap to the winters. In the spring I swap back to the summer wheels/tires. There's just no substitute for a dedicated winter tire. As @Murgatroid mentioned above it's amazing what a set of Blizzaks or Nokians will go through.

One thing to note, also, is the real benefit of winter tires is their grip when stopping or turning. Lots of weight and 4WD will get you going in pretty much any conditions, but it's the stopping and turning that gets you into more trouble.

As for which options will be best, I think one with the LSD (anti-spin rear axle) option will probably have a small edge over the others due to more even traction in slick conditions. This is only available from Jeep on the Overland and non max tow Sport or Sport S. The brake lock differential system mentioned earlier is standard on all JT trims, so I don't think any of them will be awful.

Note, also, that I have never owned a Jeep (my future Gladiator will be my first) - everything above is just my opinion based on experience with other types of vehicles.

 

[AKDrifter]

If you're stuck in deep snow the Rubicon lockers and a winch are going to be your best bet. If it's really bad then a friend too just like any other wheeling. If you're just on road only though I'd say a Sport with limited slip would actually be more useful than the Rubicon that has to be in 4low to lock the rear axle. You get limited slip all the time but can't lock the axles all the time on the Rubi.

 

[MF Comics]

Any, it's all about the tires, as the truck by default is rwd

 

[wooderson]

I live in nothwestern Minnesota (up near the Canadian border), so I have some experience with snow. We typically see smaller, drier snowfalls than you, but it's a lot colder here and I believe our winter lasts longer. At any rate, I typically buy a separate set of wheels just for winter for my vehicles. In the fall, I swap to the winters. In the spring I swap back to the summer wheels/tires. There's just no substitute for a dedicated winter tire. As @Murgatroid mentioned above it's amazing what a set of Blizzaks or Nokians will go through.

One thing to note, also, is the real benefit of winter tires is their grip when stopping or turning. Lots of weight and 4WD will get you going in pretty much any conditions, but it's the stopping and turning that gets you into more trouble.

As for which options will be best, I think one with the LSD (anti-spin rear axle) option will probably have a small edge over the others due to more even traction in slick conditions. This is only available from Jeep on the Overland and non max tow Sport or Sport S. The brake lock differential system mentioned earlier is standard on all JT trims, so I don't think any of them will be awful.

Note, also, that I have never owned a Jeep (my future Gladiator will be my first) - everything above is just my opinion based on experience with other types of vehicles.

I'll be moving in a few months and will be buying my JT then. I'll be an hour straight West of you. We will be experiencing the same winter. Go Sioux !!!

Thanks everyone for the great information. I plan to give the Rubicon with the AT tires a go and see what happens. I'll add some weight to the back. I've driven many cars last one being a F-150 in the snow for a lot of miles so I should be fine.

 

[TheSolarWizard]

I’d get an overland with the full time transfer case w/limited slip diff IF I was staying at 34” or below size tires, AND primarily concerned with snow traction. There’s tons of snow rated AT tires to chose from. WHAT I WOULD PROBABLY DO IS BUY SOME RUBICON AT tire/wheel takeoffs for the winter.

 

[wooderson]

I’d get an overland with the full time transfer case w/limited slip diff IF I was staying at 34” or below size tires, AND primarily concerned with snow traction. There’s tons of snow rated AT tires to chose from. WHAT I WOULD PROBABLY DO IS BUY SOME RUBICON AT tire/wheel takeoffs for the winter.

I hear that and was thinking that might be the way to go. But with BLD on all models and the Rubicon coming with the AT tires I think I should be OK. I don't plan to go larger then stock tires for a few years at least and never larger then 35". But I do go to the Montana mountains and would like to be able to take on the trails.

 

[Up venture]

I can't say I'm excited for winter but I'm looking forward to seeing how it handles the snow. The stock Bridgestone Dueler ATs don't look like much but there is plenty of siping that I'm confident that it should handle snow well. I had Cooper ATs on the Silverado which were pretty solid. I wasn't able to order my Gladiator with the limited slip and the manual. So I'm hoping the BLD functions really well.

I can't speak for how the system works compared to Chevy's but I did run into a few instances where with all the babysitters turned off there was still a yaw control that would remain on. This proved to be an issue while I was trying to back up a hill that was iced over with 18" of snow down. The limited slip would engage and the truck would start moving and because the truck would start to jog sideways the yaw control would go to work. This applies brakes to specific wheels to keep the truck moving straight. This becomes an issue when the diff is locked so stopping one side stops the whole axle and stopped the truck from getting out. Also happen while trying to jerk a plow truck out of a ditch. Had the system been able to engage the limited slip without interface other the yaw control it would have made recovery much more simple.

As of right now I don't foresee any issue come winter. I've driven plenty of open diff vehicles and various wheel drives in the snow.

 

[giskard]

I'll be moving in a few months and will be buying my JT then. I'll be an hour straight West of you. We will be experiencing the same winter. Go Sioux !!!

Welcome to the neighborhood even if you’re rooting for the “other” school in eastern North Dakota. Go Bison!

 

[wooderson]

Welcome to the neighborhood even if you’re rooting for the “other” school in eastern North Dakota. Go Bison!

Graduated from NDSU and have many Frisco trips under my belt. So Bison always but when in Rome. Also my wife went to schools at UND so....,

 

[MR GRANITE]

The one with tall skinny snow rated tires!

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