Outdoor Adventure USA

NET UPDATE

Power has been restored to our repeater and all is well. This net is now scheduled for Thursday, January 21, 2016. We will be adding more information, links and pictures during this next week.

We know that many of you are veterans of the snow driving lifestyle and we want to hear from you. Post your experience, tips, suggestions and pictures.

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ORIGINAL NET PREVIEW

Winter has arrived in many parts of the county, and that means hazardous situations await you nearly every time you get behind the wheel. Traveling on paved roads or going 4-Wheeling you need to know what to do in the snow. Each of these presents different conditions and challenges. While driving in the snow can be a lot of fun, you need to prepared and well equipped. Our discussion this week will include recommendations for driving in the snow , rules and laws as well as equipment suggestions.

We are fortunate to have OAUSA members who live in parts of the country where snow is a regular seasonal thing and we will have the benefit of their input during the net. Post your thoughts, suggestions and recommendations.

Tom and I will be posting pictures, links, product recommendations and more. Check back often.

Winter Driving/ Driving on Ice and in Snow
There are several things to do first before Driving in the Snow or on Ice,

Tires Tires tires so often do we see here in Colorado the Snow has fell streets and roads covered and people try to drive with bald semi bald tires and just cant get around and end up getting stuck, yes Snow tires are different then all seasons or non snow tires, snow tires are a different compound softer then non snow tires, this allows them to flex more when colder and snow tires are sipped allowing the tread area to flex and clean its self of build up, so if you have a front wheel drive or rear wheel drive do you just buy two snow tires for the drive axle beat advice is no replace all four remember the tires need to flex and grip and the different tire compounds and temps.

Now driving on snow packed or icy roads you need to slow down remember shaded areas of roadways and bridges increase chance of Black ice as do the travel tracks on the road surface.

Is your vehicle ready for the cold fluids good antifreeze ratio

correct extra blanket, food flashlight signal devices flares triangles ext shovel to dig self out if needed sand or cat litter for traction.

when driving on snow or ice don't jack rabbit start or follow to close increase distance between you and vehicles in front of you if you have anti lock brakes don't pump them if you start to slid under steer skid( rear of vehicle breaks traction ) turn into direction of slid. if front of vehicle over steer skid ( front of vehicle breaks traction ) let off gas do not apply brakes straighten front wheels as safe,

clean off snow from vehicle windows hood roof lights and plates

if you don't have snow rated tires has a mountain with snow flake on side wall tire cables or snow chains good option

now as your driving on snow covered or icy roads I tend to travel just to the side of the tracks made by others this rough snow ice mix adds in slowing and stopping.
and if you do get stuck don't keep spinning your tires accept your stuck get out if safe dig out around tires good time to use sand or cat litter.

if your driving an AWD or 4x4 yes these do a bit better in snow but don't get over confident AWD and 4wheel drive you drive to fast for conditions you have the AWD 4wheel slid. slow down.
living here in Colorado I have drove and rode Fire tenders and engines Ambulances, then police patrol vehicles and my BMW Hp2 BMW 1200Gsaw and a simple rule if prepared good tires chains cables tires spikes (motorcycle ) and just pay attention to road surface winter driving can be quite enjoyable.
thanks and please commit

a tire choice of mine are the Nokian Hakkepeliitta nokiantire.co

Stuff to think about.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=azbZ6AjwY ... e=youtu.be

Conditions can turn quickly.

TruckClaws
http://www.truckclaws.com/collections/catalog

This is a new product I saw at SEMA this past November. I have not used it and only looked at the video.
Go to the web site and look at one of their videos and see what you think. Would it be worth carrying a set.
This different from the one below in that you can add an extender bar that doubles the width and is metal.
Here is another version by a another company
Trac Grabbers
http://www.tracgrabber.com

There are many alternatives to conventional chains that will work well. In general they are cheaper than a full set of chains, smaller, more compact, and easier to install. Here are a few:

1. ZipGripGo. RIck mentioned these last year and they are worth considering. They are recommended for a single use only, but at about $25 per set, it can serve as an emergency set that is light weight and easy to stow in any vehicle. The product is available from the manufacturer as well as more information: https://zipgripgo.com/ .

From Their website:
2. Michelin 9800300 Easy Grip Composite Tire Snow Chain. Comes as a pair of chains that fit the tire somewhat like an elastic wheel cover. Takes about 2 minutes to install. NOT CHEAP!!! ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/ ... dition=all )
3. Snow Claws. They also come as a pair but have a different attachment method using a ratchet system. Snow Claws design is very different from conventional chains but at about the same cost. They are very unique and are made from some sort of high tech polyurethane. Snow claws are made to fit a huge variety of tires all the way up to 40 inches for trucks and SUVs and larger for buses, tractors, etc. They install in about 5 minutes and are meant to not damage your wheels. From the "for what it's worth" department, Snow Claws" were named as "tool of the month" by Truck Trend magazine a couple of years ago, ( http://www.trucktrend.com/features/1205 ... -snoclaws/ )

Is this winter driving net on for this week or will it be postponed again?

jeepin_idaho wrote:Is this winter driving net on for this week or will it be postponed again?

Well, it looks like power has been restored to our repeater and we are off battery back-up. So, we have rescheduled the net for next week, Thursday January 21, 2016.

Excellent! Talk to you on the net tonight. Sounds like a really educational one.

toms wrote: TruckClaws
http://www.truckclaws.com/collections/catalog

Cool idea but very pricey for some rachet traps and blocks. You could make this yourself from on sale stuff at home depot.

toms wrote: Trac Grabbers
http://www.tracgrabber.com

Far less expensive, and maybe not as well made. One could replace the Velcro straps with ratchet straps and have Truck Claws for a fraction of the cost.

DaveK wrote:There are many alternatives to conventional chains that will work well. In general they are cheaper than a full set of chains, smaller and more compact, and easier to install.

However, some of the cheaper alternatives do not qualify as chains on the road. So, even going up to Big Bear, CA in the winter, on a nice day, where one is required to carry chains anyway, they might not qualify. So, check before you buy.

Normally with a 4X4 and BFG MTs I do not get stopped at chain control check points. The truck just looks like it wouldn’t be a problem and it normally is not. When I do use chains, they are old school, actual chains. They are noisy but not that hard to put on, and have never left me stuck, nor do they break easily and fly off (some days the 18 and 38 are littered with lost broken cable chains).

I grew up in snow! It does not bother me all that much. You just need to give up on time (like being on time, taking too long . . ).

On road the key to snow is to go slow and make no sudden movements, to the wheel, brake or gas. Keep big distances between vehicles and go easy.

Off road is about the same but you do not always know what is under the snow (holes, rocks, sharp things). If it is virgin or near virgin snow you have to kind of look at it and get used to how snow forms over objects. Think then go . . . then think more . .. go slow.

Once stuck, there are four ways out. 1.) Spin and have friensd bounce and push . . . but know if they fail, the rig will be dug in deeper. 2.) Dig. 3.) Winch 4.) A combination of 1, 2 and 3.

Then there is one more thing . . . don’t go where you may not have at least two options for leaving. Snow alone is not always the big deal. Ice, especially off road can leave rigs in places from which they cannot leave easily. Make the wrong choice and you may have a cold wait like these guys: http://www.bigbeargrizzly.net/news/off- ... a42d5.html

Their story also bring to light the need to charged cell phones. Personal location beacons, amateur radio, cold weather gear, food . . . and all sorts of things that would have made their day better.

Also know that shoveling and winching in snow gear can dehydrate one quickly. Drink . . . but do no sweat . . . do not wear cotton clothing . . . once one is wet and cold, they stay that way for a while. Good boots for snow make for toasty happy feet. Many gloved are not water proof . ..

There my brain blizzard on snow.

There are a number of variations in snow tire designs, but regardless of the differences, there are industry standards and guidelines, which apply to them all. The two most common symbols or designations are M+S and the mountain snow flake. If the tire qualifies, the designations are molded into the tire sidewall.

• 1. M/S rated tires (or M&S, M+S, MS, also known as all season tires). This is a Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) designation and means that the tire is suitable for mud and snow conditions. Tires so designated are really only suitable for light snow, but not icy conditions or sub-zero temperatures.
  
  2. Mountain / Snow Peak rated tires. A three peak mountain, with a snowflake in the center, will be molded into the tire sidewall and looks like this:
  

  

  Mountain Peak- Snow Designation.jpg (23.37 KiB) Viewed 3728 times

  This is also an RMA designation and means that the tire is suitable for "severe snow service" (their terminology.) The primary benefit of these tires is that the rubber compound is formulated so as to not become hard in sub-zero temperatures, thus improving traction.

While it may seem unlikely, there are some tires which have a solid off-road reputation, which also bear the Mountain/Snow Peak designation as well as the M/S designation. One such tire is the BF Goodrich All Terrain T/A. Here is what it looks like:
When conditions move from light/moderate to heavy snow, there are no substitutes for chains.