Winters coming. Advice?

The worst stretch of road for winter driving in the entire lower 48 is not in the mountains. It's I80 from Des Moines to the Quad Cities. I've never seen so many truck wrecks in one stretch of highway anywhere else during the winter as there.

 

Ill have to agree with you there.That stretch is really windy.I've seen a lot of fed exes jackknifed in the ditch.Does'nt matter if winter or not you really have to slow down because its so windy parts is hilly and winedy.But ill still take that over the mountains,lol.

 

I always wondered why that is...Amazing to see how many cars and trucks are in the ditch...It must be Black Ice or just plain stupid...I am not for sure...

I get into the Northeast Storms and i do not see many wrecks like that midwest..

 

Nobody mentioned a heavy duty chain or recover strap
For shippers an receivers

I have used mine many times pullin others outta docks
An even a few drifts

Got stuck in a dock once in Valparaiso my 1st winter driving

Tht was the last time I went unprepared I carry a heavy duty chain recover strap

And 4 containers of salt

 

Having a snow shovel wouldn't be a bad idea, either... in a case of last resort you could always dig a snow cave or make an igloo to survive a really bad blizzard...

 

I don't think those are approved by the FMCSA as a proper rest facility and those hours could not be counted towards your 10 hour break.

 

Heck, they have a 5 star "Ice Hotel" in Sweden each winter, why not snow caves...?

 

Don't get caught out of gear or let off the throttle completely, you don't want that load pushing you down the road.

 

ontop of what I've seen so far alcohal in a dishsoap container so u can quirt it right into the lines, enough tools to pull off any airline to do so, a propane torch if your allowed in the states or just hide it so u can thaw out anything frozen, and atleast 2 of every airline union and cupler u can find/buy. The last one has saved my ### many times $2 or less a fitting and might be the differance of waiting 8 hrs for a service call and out of a dangerous spot. Just make sure you have the tools to put them in. Especially your main air supply lines have a few for both sides. they tend to crack if there pcv/ plastic in the cold

 

i have found the opposite to be true esp keep rpm's high tq is low in the rpm range on a big truck keeping the rpms high minimizes tire spin, and if your trying to go up a hill high rpm gives you more room to play with the throttle to try to maintain traction before you have to down shift killing momentum.

on the 3 railers totally agree, in anything but glare ice singles work fine with no accumulation and glare ice ie freezing rain, but beyond that are pretty worthless. i always carry 3 railers for my drives a pair of singles for the trailer and a pair of singles for the steers. if im throwing steers and drags i typicaly only chain the right steer (passenger side away from the steering box) one on the right rear trailer and the front left trailer. with steer and drag chains and 3 railers on your drives you would be amazed at what you can make it threw.

i have thrown singles on my drives before to try to get out of a bad spot offroad before because they are quicker to throw and only needed them for a few 100 feet only to have the singles dig out a hole under them leaving all the weight on the unchained inside duals, pulling the singles back off to throw 3 railers and drive out like it was a dry day.