Winter Mountain Driving Advice Needed

It was cold. You couldn’t break traction if you tried. It’s basically like dry pavement.

 

We have had these discussions before, and I think if memory sereves that I prompted @Hammer166 to re-post, or bump his winter driving thread last winter.

Some of us were fortunate enough to have grown up spinning cookies in the high school parking lot. Any chance we had, parking lot or not, we would break it loose and practice regaining control. There was a learning curve there, but the result was that despite having a bit of pucker factor occuring, we had enough experience with slipping to avoid panic.

My equipment is old. I do have two trailers and a dump truck with anti-lock brakes, but both of my tractors do not (they are both 89s). From reading posts for years from folks like @Long FLD , @Hammer166 , @Accidental Trucker and others, I know that we have had similar experiences driving over the decades. I am getting to the point though that it is harder to participate in these threads because I am not familiar with new equipment, auto trans, new engine brake capabilities, etc., and I really don't want to give advice that might jeopordize someone's safety.

I have followed logging trucks in my pickup coming down switchback mountain roads and watched them start to jacknife in a corner, apply a touch of trailer brake and just a bit of fuel and pull everything straight and head to the next switchback. Those experiences and the opportunity to watch and learn are very uncommon amongst the folks that run OTR though. So trying to convey what can be done is probably not good advice for the bulk of folks that will read this. And I do not intend to be condecending - it is just a fact that some have had a lifetime of experience with slick roads, and others have to learn from the beginning piloting an 18 wheeler.

The comments made in regard to road conditions, sand, salt, mag-chloride, etc. portray the difference in the way things were versus the way they are now. I won't re-hash it, but suffice it to say that while for most scenarios the de-icing brine probably does provide safer driving conditions, especially for those that don't have a clue, and I am referring primarily to 4 wheelers. The problem is that very few people learn the discipline of reading road conditions like we once had to, and worse even for those that do pay attention, the indicators can be deceiving.

Hammer mentioned not necessarily using the power divider coming down a hill. I subscribe to this philosopy for the same reason; if a wheel end slips it is just one out of four. In the old trucks you had to be quick with a touch of fuel to shut the jakes off or risk killing the engine, but you had less chance of jacknifing because only one out of four was slipping instead to two.

Understanding the physics as it applies to a truck is important, but there is no substitute for experience, and occasionally you have to push your limit a bit in order to learn. Someone said that chance of making it home was better if you just avoid all snow conditions. Living your life with that philosopy it would be hard to force yourself to ever leave your house. Different strokes for different folks, but how dull that would be.

Thoughtful consideration of what those with experience have to say will probably make winter driving fun because the monotony of daily OTR on dry roads goes away! Enough of my ponitificating - be safe and have fun!

 

Excellent, post!
I fully agree that most (especially 4 wheelers) have no idea how to (or would even care) to learn how to read the road surface….after all they have somewhere to get to quickly!

 

And most drivers aren't allowed to learn. They get parked at the first sign of weather. And while I have no real complaints about my fully unlocked auto, these poor mega fools out here with autos that they can't control? I'd be parked, too!

 

why put yourself or anyone closer to a jackknife or maybe not a jackknife but having to do recovery from drive tires slipping ? If they don’t do the recovery quickly or notice it starting to happen. It could turn into a jackknife. I would not want to set myself or someone else up or get them closer to a dangerous point.

I know lots drivers use engine brake in snow. but not the best option in my opinion. Trucks have brakes, why not use them to get the most even traction in the most important times like in snow.

 

You’re not going to convince those of us that spent a ton of time driving in the mountains in less than ideal situations that we’re doing things incorrectly no more than we’re going to convince you there’s a reason for driving how we did. There’s probably no reason to rehash the same old stuff every year when it comes up.

 

@Hammer166 gave you one reason. You slip a wheel with the Jake and you know instantly it's getting a little slick, and apply brakes to control it.

Your method, you are happily going down a hill using all the traction you have. What do you do when you start slipping all your wheels? What do you fall back on?

 

It's time to wake up Leroy!

Language warning:

TikTok - Make Your Day

 

I can't open, but I remember that joke from 40 years ago!!!!!