Winter Driving - Fishtailing

[jac04]

As others have said, in the wet/damp, accelerating briskly from a stop while turning in 2WD will almost always engage traction control.

I've got Selec-Trac, so I just put it in 4AUTO whenever it is wet or snowy. No need to worry about loading up the bed with weight. It's a fairly impressive system. You can literally just mash the gas pedal and it figures everything out.

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[LouisvEarlleJT]

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

It does crack me up that I find myself chirping tires more in my JT than my camaro just due to the weight distribution

 

[MainePure]

Trade up for one with the full time 4WD (auto). I did and it made all the difference.

 

[CPTRVB]

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.

I work in Hazelwood but drive an hour to get there from Illinois. I have been patiently waitiong for an appreciable amount of snow to liven up my commute. Six, 60# tube sand bags do ok for me. Do you have any favorite trails or just hit the roads?

 

[Janster]

For pickup trucks….. It’s the nature of the beast……. Similar situation as 2WD (rear wheel drive) cars have. Even in 4WD, the tires can break loose and the ass-end can swing a bit. Adding additional weight and/or better tires can ‘help’ but it’s not perfect. When you add additional weight…. You sacrifice gas mileage (if that’s a concern). BlizzakS are probably the best tires for snow.

In the snow, I always put it in 4WD…… and if I’m making tighter turns, I’ll flip it back to 4Auto or 2WD. I use 4Auto in rainy conditions and/or in partially snowy conditions.

It really has nothing to do with driving fast or slow - but everything to do with your pedal pushing. You gotta be ‘gentle’ and ’ease’ on the gas ….. Too much gas can cause the tires to break loose. So…..in the winter, you’ve gotta drive it like an old Chevy Chevette….… and in the summer, you can go back to trying to drive it like a Corvette.

 

[berb]

some people will build a box around the wheel wells. So you have 2 X 4s along each wheel well and then a cross 2 X 4 across the width of the bed and screw the 2 X 4s together. Then you take your sand bags and fill inside the wood. this distributes all of the weight across the rear axle giving you maximum traction.

Then make sure you have good tread on your tires. Once ice and snow fill the tread you might as well be in slicks, like a NASCAR.

 

[AyeCantSeeYou]

Tires!!! Get better ones that are made for winter weather.

 

[Wheelin98TJ]

Do you have a limited slip diff?

 

[DJPodratz]

If it's slippery put in 4H.

Easy peasy.

 

[Dave D]

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

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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.​

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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.​

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I don’t drive fast. Really… I don’t​

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

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

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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.​

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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.​

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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.​

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Any ideas or tips?​

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I got 4-auto in my Willys.
It works amazing no delay it just goes in the snow lile my Cherokee did.
Main reason I didnt get a Rubicon.

 

[wolfdog]

I have stock Brtdgeston "HT's" on my JT and it "fishtails' in corners with just a touch too much of the gas in just wet roads! Have a JLU with same tires same wet roads no fishtailing same throttle or more!

Just the weight distribution, nothing in an empty JT, rear wheels back from HT (cab) weight! Sucks!!! Pick ups are like that I guess, add weight rightover axle!

Go Jeep!!!

 

[krabito12]

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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I have the Sport S with the Max tow package which has a limited slip differential. I run LT 285/75R17 Falken AT3W which is a snow rated tire. First, driving a pickup, it's going to handle different than other vehicles. It's lighter in the back. Other recommendations given like adding weight in the back is a good thing to do. January, I was driving back from Minneapolis to the east coast and hit a pretty good snow storm. Was suprised how well the Gladiator did compared to other pickup trucks I've owned. Yes, a little fish tailing will happen, happens with other vehicles too. You have 4wd, so it's ok to use it. Just think of the ones that don't have it . Hope this helps.

 

[Mightytalldude]

Manual transmission makes all the difference, and narrow tall quality tires, and weight over the rear axle, and non-icy roads. Just give into the dark side. Donuts! You wanna do them.

 

[GWolgamott]

I pop it in and out of 4hi when needed, mostly just in 2hi with a few bags of river rocks and sand over the rear axle. It helps the fishtailing, but then I'll turn off traction control or pop it into 4hi if it spins at crossroads or turning. To be honest on road my wife's renegade is far better in icy and slushy winter roads then the gladiator. But yeah add weigh then you just get used to it eventually. I always feel like first icy day it drives like crap then a month later flying down the road faster then I should be.

Plow loves to obliterate end of my driveway every winter so I end up just using the sand & rocks to help level my driveway back in the spring.

 

[DRMX]

I got 4-auto in my Willys.
It works amazing no delay it just goes in the snow lile my Cherokee did.
Main reason I didnt get a Rubicon.

Took a lot of searching but I was able to find a Rubicon with 4H Auto. That was a mandatory option coming from my previous Quadra-Drive WJ.

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