Winter driving tips for truck drivers?

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I use the engine brake all year. In winter I use i90 a fair bit. If the road is snow covered I only like to use it on medium. High will break traction easily. If it is icy, need chains and crawl down in a very low gear. This is with a cummins isx. The engine brake is very strong.

 

When new to winter?

No.

N.O.

Leave it alone for the time being.

 

Missouri has a special risk. If you ever ran 44 near say Voss in the hills and notice how the snow drifts towards your travel lane on the shoulders in uneven piles? Allow your trailer to slide over on them and they will GRAB THE WHOLE thing and bring you down. HARD.

US 322 in PA up or down in Snow is not to be fooled with. So many have gone into the ditch at the bottom trying to get up when they screw it up. And sometimes coming off the top they don't understand the twisty nature of the hill.

 

Another thought, under shifting your RPM range. If you are on a surface that is slippery a little bit you might want to shift at like 1100 for down shifting into say 1400 or a little less power instead of the usual full 1250 to 1650 or whatever massive RPM and power you would normally do. You would not be making those drives try to spin out as easily. It's hard to describe and some trucks may not accept that kind of handling without trying to buck on you when lugged too hard.

 

MACK trucks ( manual ) will jolt drive train and shifter and will hear a very weird noise ( everything slapping together) very strange feeling and sound.

No expert here. Just some experience off roading several times a month in a mack year round.

 

I just floor it and hope for the best -lol

 

Ok another question. My company does not give us chains. They say we don’t go where we need chains. So Wisconsin, New York, pa, Illinois, and places like that I don’t have to worry about chains? When do people use chains? How fast can you go with chains? How many sets of chains do you need

 

hammer down

 

I am not expert either. All I know is either the CH or CL models from the 90's when they built new and that cherished old superliner 500 with the V8 desiel that will lug down to 830ish. (Boss used to compete with me I could get it to about 900 upgrade) and by gum she'll do it too.

It's probably quietly sitting in the bay at the farm back home. After my surgery is over and done with I'll see if I can pay a special visit there. I already know I will be welcome.

 

just a question. Even though she has power down low, isnt that still considered lugging the motor?