Driving in 2 feet of snow

[Gatorized]

i used this fine toro on a driveway with a 10% incline

What ramps are those and how do you like them? Are they pretty stable attached to the tailgate?

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[FrankFrqnkFrank]

What ramps are those and how do you like them? Are they pretty stable attached to the tailgate?

Harbor freight tri fold 1000 lbs rating. I think the price was under $100 when I bought them. They work well for this purpose and are easy to store and haul.

https://www.harborfreight.com/automotive/ramps/6-ft-x-9-inch-tri-fold-load-ramps-1-pair-96513.html

 

[Free2roam]

Nice!...Do you find any use for OFF-Road+ in 4wd in this kind of snow? I would think it would help as it detunes traction and stability control, but it has only snowed once here since I got my Mojave and it was too new -lol, for me to test it then, I was still learning to (constantly) put it into 4wh/4wl back then - LOL.

Sport S Ecodiesel no off road + has the traction control but I turn it off when I get into deep snow. Found it doesn't help all that much. Plus I can hammer the throttle if I need to and keep forward momentum.

 

[legacy_etu]

What ramps are those and how do you like them? Are they pretty stable attached to the tailgate?

I’ve seen similar ones at Tractor Supply.
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/p...um-ramp-arch-center-fold-1500-lb?cm_vc=-10005

 

[Curt Oz]

I'm in a similar situation.

I just replaced a 25 year old blower with a 2 year old Toro that I stole. Not really. It didn't run. I was 99% sure the carb needed to be cleaned. So I scooped it up for $350.

I drained and replaced the gas, cleaned the carb, and replaced the spark plug and it fired on the first pull once I put it back together.

That was a great deal.

 

[jn18]

Imagine having 40s and having to ask this question.

No need to imagine

Did you give ‘em coffee and let them stay in the warm until the tow truck arrived. ?

Grabbed a neighbours shovel and passed it to them. Hung out chatting for 10 minutes or so and then it got pretty awkward as a women came out from the house that called them in the first place. She didn’t want to talk in front of me so I told them where I live and to come knock on the door if they need anything or some help.

Really good dudes.

 

[Jeffjk]

I wanted to share some observations and experience after driving many miles in very deep snow in the mountains. I have a lot of snow rescue & recovery missions under my belt volunteering with a non-profit. It can be very slow going and sometimes it’s taken hours to go a few miles.

I know it’s obvious but less deep snow is easier to drive through so start by clearing the snow manually with a shovel or with a machine if you can. Sometimes it’s not possible or impractical.

As you mentioned, you could air down (release air out of your tires) so you have more surface area of the tire in contact with the snow for both more traction and “float” in the snow. Most non-beadlock wheels are fine to about 13 or so PSI without much risk of debeading the tire (but avoid sideloading). You can choose a PSI you are comfortable with & experiment going lower as you become more comfortable.

Chains only help with traction, otherwise they’re just going to weigh you down and cause you to sink into the snow. As someone mentioned, while rare, they can also break and quickly cause a lot of damage to wires, brake & fuel lines, fenders, body, etc. if you hit hidden objects or obstacles or drive too fast.

As someone mentioned previously, wider tires are going to give more surface area of tire & help you float…”like a snowshoe”. How well you float depends on weight and other factors too, it’s way harder or impossible to float if you have your payload maxed out. Remove weight from the vehicle or redistribute the weight if possible and practical. Wider tires and more surface area only go so far.

Once you’ve aired down, it goes without saying but make sure you are in 4 wheel drive. High range makes it easier to gain speed and keep momentum, low range allows you keep a more consistent speed and may help with traction. If you have them, lockers can help keep the tires spinning equally. Lockers reduce steering capabilities and are more useful in straight lines. You can turn them off and on as needed during turns and on straightaways. Turn them on before you need them, use ‘em if you have them.

You should drive in the intended direction until you meet resistance then slowly stop before getting stuck. Next, drive in the opposite direction using the same tracks you packed down. Drive back in the intended direction in the same tracks. Keep repeating and keep bashing until you create a path by packing the snow down with your vehicle.

While driving you want to keep smooth momentum to try to keep moving & staying on top of the snow as much as you can. The depth of snow, type of snow and how much the snow is packed also makes a big difference in how much mire & resistance you will experience. Conditions can also vary in the sun versus shade. Sometimes the snow is so deep or heavy you will experience your suspension “hopping” because you are “framed out” in the snow and your tires cannot get any traction because your suspension cannot downtravel anymore.

If you get framed out or stuck entirely then use a shovel and/or traction boards as needed to gain traction, dig, or pack snow. Different techniques are needed to get thru ruts versus very deep drifts. You can try to get back onto the top of the snow & float again by using boards for packing snow down or ramping ruts. Sometimes you need to winch if it’s very steep or very stuck or too deep. A pull pal can help if there are no suitable anchors nearby.

 

[Jeffjk]

Nice!...Do you find any use for OFF-Road+ in 4wd in this kind of snow? I would think it would help as it detunes traction and stability control, but it has only snowed once here since I got my Mojave and it was too new -lol, for me to test it then, I was still learning to (constantly) put it into 4wh/4wl back then - LOL.

Off-road plus gives you back first gear, as you said it also adjusts throttle control & traction control. It does seem to adjust the shift points a bit to higher RPMs for each gear. It can be useful in my experience. I find it helps to gain speed and keep momentum. Traction definitely feels a little better.

 

[joeym7]

Off-road plus gives you back first gear, as you said it also adjusts throttle control & traction control. It does seem to adjust the shift points a bit to higher RPMs for each gear. It can be useful in my experience. I find it helps to gain speed and keep momentum. Traction definitely feels a little better.

Yea, I've used it in deep sand many times, in deep sand in 4wd but without OR+ on sometimes the truck doesn't track straight as well and more driver attention is required to make it do so. Hit the OR+ button and it just blasts through "anything"...I'd have to say as it is probably my favorite feature on the truck - at least when it comes to O.R. performance.

 

[Chief_jeep]

I have a similar setup to you. 39" KO2s with Dana 60/70. It snows a ton where I live and they are terrible at plowing. I run my tires between 28-30psi. 34psi sounds like too much for a 40. To get out of my unplowed drive way and cul-de-sac I use 4hi, turn traction control off and engage the rear locker.

 

[jn18]

I have a similar setup to you. 39" KO2s with Dana 60/70. It snows a ton where I live and they are terrible at plowing. I run my tires between 28-30psi. 34psi sounds like too much for a 40. To get out of my unplowed drive way and cul-de-sac I use 4hi, turn traction control off and engage the rear locker.

Thanks for chiming in.

 

[RudeJeepin]

Went for a quick drive today, wanted to test the offroad+ and duck mode out.

Seems to help. I had more of an issue climbing the hill on my own than the Jeep did using all the tools at hand. With the snow quality, the only way I was going up that hill was to crawl up it. The duck mode was better at holding the throttle just right.

 

[Deleted member 52392]

4 Lo and Offroad+ and you'll walk right out of there AFTER you lower your tire pressure.

Offroad+? Duck mode?

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