Winter driving

Biggest truck I've run in winter was about 23k lbs fully loaded, running ice roads in the bush. Biggest thing I've found was make your movements gradually when possible. Once you break traction, its not easy to regain it. Speed control is key. You need speed to get up the hills without spinning out but you need to keep the speed down on curves and going downhill. Stabbing the brakes is bad, I try and drive so that I have to use as little brake as possible. That means leaving a lot of following distance and taking it easy on the brake pedal. Again its all about holding traction. If you slide off the road, the only reason was you were driving too fast for the conditions.

 

This sums it all up very well indeed. To this I would add a bit from my experience using the interaxle differential lock when turning on ice or deep mud. Some forum members have noted that having the IADL engaged tends to want to push you in a straight line when you want to turn. All I do is ease off the throttle and it will take the turn nicely. Coming down a steep grade and needing to turn you SOFTLY pump the brakes. Each time you release the brakes the steers take the turn.

 

I have found that your antennas are a good indicator for FR. Even before road spray.

 

And lock it in before you get into trouble. Open diffs and an unlocked power divider means only the corner with the least amount of traction will get power. I'd rather have it locked in before hand so that both axles are pushing (basically giving you 50% more traction).

I'd like to add too that spinning tires is not good. It'll just polish up the ice and you can burn out the spider gears or power divider by doing it too long if they're unlocked. Also if your truck is starting to bog down and "hop" you may as well just let off the fuel and stop. A tow bill is a lot cheaper than a tow bill to a shop for a new driveshaft, diff, axle etc.

 

You can go too fast and you can go too slow. But just right gets you through. Like Goldie Locks and the 3 bears.

 

Can I get an, "Amen!" to avoiding the hop?

I'll ease off well below 1000 rpm if necessary to stay light on the throttle. Pulling steep dirt roads it's common to get washboard ruts across the road from drivers thinking they need to floor it up steep grades. On uphills it's best to downshift and wind the rpm's high BEFORE you get to the slick area, so you have plenty of power curve in reserve and can afford to ease off on the throttle and still try to come out of it with rpm's to spare.

 

And an "Amen!" here. Lots of roads have banked curves. If you try to take an icy, banked curve too slow your trailer will drift into oncoming traffic or hit the opposite guard rail. You have to have just the right speed to maintain your position.

 

As said earlier here, check both the weather apps and the DOT websites for the respective states you'll be traveling through. It's always nice to know how big of a radius the storm and the impending precipitation will be affecting your trip. If the radius only covers half or less of the distance you're traveling, you should still be able to end your day/night on time with extremely limited speed.
If it's like that one ice storm in west TX that covered my entire route from Clovis to Perryton last November, plan on taking a ten, or getting a motel room at the end of the trip.

Nothing ruins your day, or discourages you from going out more than looking at those traffic and weather reports. And thinking later, "Great, I could forget about getting back into my own bed at the end of this night!"
Right next to those cold weather fanatics that won't stop professing their love for the garbage!!

 

Hey brother. I'm from Fort Worth, but recently moved to Minnesota for a local job. Before that I did a year OTR with Prime, Inc.

My advice:

Don't be afraid to be scared when you are driving in the winter, HOWEVER, don't let that fear make you do stupid stuff or push you beyond your limits.

When you get scared, the best thing to do is pull into a truckstop or rest area and chill out for a little while. If weather isn't too bad and you feel better, keep on trucking. If you don't think you can continue safety, then call it a day and wait until conditions improve.

In winter, no load is worth your life or anyone elses.