Winter Mountain Driving Advice Needed

There are too many scenarios to be able to say definetively "Do this", or Don't do that". With one possible exception:
When it is slick, make every adustment as slowly and gently as possible, whether it be accelerating, slowing down, or turning. Giving yourself plenty of room to vehicles in front of you, and being aware of bail-out options will help.

 

What Oxbow said. Read it twice. Stay away from the snowidiots. Slow down. In an automatic, put it in manual and keep the RPM's up. Less chance of spinning drives at higher RPM. Check to make sure your chains are in good shape and keep them tight. Be aware of the weather forecast and adjust your trip schedule as prudent. Snow is no big deal, it's predictable. Ice is scary as heck and much less predictable.

 

Have good Winter(extra)clothing. If you practice throwing Iron(a lot)you'll be doing yourself a favor. Hang your Iron so you can pick it up and toss it on. Chain before you need too.
Driving on slick roads you'll have to figure that out, that's how you become an experienced mt winter driver. It ain't for sissies.

 

You know, most of us figure the winter clothes deal is just a given, but I've watched people laying in the Sierra Cement or
Cascade Concrete putting chains on in sweats and a hoodie and tennis shoes.

This next part isn't related to slick conditions, but there was a particular cold snap in the late 80s in which I was headed across Wyoming toward Sacramento. It was probably 25 to 30 below, and a lot of trucks were gelling up on the shoulder. I managed to get a full tank of #1 in Laramie and headed west. Of course in those days you would holler at a guy on the radio to see if they were all right. I stopped and helped a few guys get going, but after a bit it was more of a get them off the road and into a truck stop so they wouldn't freeze to death after their trucks died. Some only had light jackets.

I always carried a full set of insulated coveralls, my Stormy Kromer hat and silk scarf to cover my face, pac boots, heavy sweaters, and several pairs of insulated gloves and at least one pair of mittens. Nowadays there is more modern cold weather attire, but the point is it may save your life to have plenty of warm clothes when it gets real cold, because even the new trucks are not immune to gelling up.

 

In the Western states they will tell you when to chain and that you have to carry chains from this date to that date, weather or no weather. The idea I used for making winter decisions out West is think of walking on ice in tennis shoes. You can walk slowly, but you cannot stop/start or change direction quickly. So that means you only go as fast as your stopping distance and your following distance allow. Practice putting on chains in dry and cool weather. On the side of the road in wet snow, in cold temps, and high winds is the wrong time to learn how to chain up. If you don't know what to do, never be the truck passing another truck. The other truck and driver may be better equipped, more experienced, and more knowledgeable about the road and conditions.

The Western states usually require you carry tire chains, or the alternatives which I used and didn't care for, from something like Oct to May or Nov to April, or something. So that means you can be inspected and fined HEAVILY on a worm sunny day in early November just because you don't have enough chains or any tire chains. It doesn't have to make sense, it's the regulations. Out West customers and trucking companies are accustomed to loads not being on-time due to bad weather. So be prepared to stop when the weather is over your threshold of safe operations. I'd also do whatever is necessary to have one or two experienced drivers' phone numbers at your company to ask questions about the state and weather. YOUR DISPATCHER IS NOT A DRIVER AND CANNOT MAKE DRIVING DECISIONS. Ask an experienced driver, not a dispatcher.

 

@Oxbow
and it's going to be my first time in the snow with a 18-wheeler.

I figured he might be green sooo.

 

If you have some decent winter rated tires less likely you will need chains,unless you are in an area where chains are mandatory.
I watch the weather and route around the storm when possible,go around and get behind it.
I ran north and south,from Houston to Edmonton,for years,dodging storms,and we would go anywhere between I 25 and I 35,depends on where the snow was.

Like someone said before it's the worst when it's right around 30-32 degrees,until it freezes up or thaws out.

 

Winter driving is all about reading the road, watch the tires of your rig in the mirrors and other cars on the road, if water is coming off the tires, the road is not frozen, if the road looks wet but no water is coming off of it, that is ice. You will find different parts of the road have better traction than others when it is snow covered.

Slow down, take your time, stay off the cruise, the cruise control is what will bite you because if you are running the truck right against the speed limiter rather than driving and feeling the conditions, by the time you realize something is wrong, it is already too late.

If you have to chain, make some blocks, bolt 2 pieces of 4x4 together, cut the ends off at a 45 to make a ramp, make 4 of them, when you pull in the chain up area drive your inner duals up on them and you can chain very easily this way and you can get them tight tight tight! You want tire chains to be tight and you need to keep your speed way down when running them.

Using the jakes you need to be sure of the road surface, and you need to be actively driving the truck, not just holding the steering wheel and driving it like it's a car, but feeling what the truck is doing and be ready to counter act anything it does wrong. It is all about paying attention.

The jakes are no different than the brakes in this regard, mash them too hard and you will be out of control if the surface of the roadway is slick.

Again, it all boils down to reading the road!

 

Best advice is don't take loads going into bad weather.

 

@NOAH2K - Is FFE forced teams or are you running solo?