Winter Driving Tips For New CDL Drivers

Don't drive with an empty trailer on ice. If you're driving in WY (you wrote mountains) get the app https://www.wyoroad.info/511/WY511Mobile.html
Uses your phones gps, knows which direction you are travelling, gives updates 15 miles in advance and each updated section will include an exit if you need to get off the road. It's hands free uses text to voice for audio updates. Be aware that the Rawlins-Laramie stretch is the worst. Weather modelling in Wyoming is very well understood so the forecasts are pretty accurate. Some drivers like to stretch out the tandems in bad weather to reduce (only a little) the risk of jack knife. (takes longer for the trailer to come around)

 

I 2nd all the advice about slowing down and keeping following distance. I'll also add, check your weather app. If it's too much snow, like maybe anything past 8 inches or so, consider it a day off. Just try to look at the weather radar, and have some sense of anticipation.

 

Slow and steady. Don’t make any sudden maneuvers don’t brake hard and sudden. If you break traction let off the fuel. Try not to stop on a hill. These are the main reasons for slower speed. Quick reactions will end badly. And don’t set your trailer brakes.

 

Stay out of the pack!! Either lead, not always the best advice if you are already worried, or follow. The pack is where the truck from Mississippi slides out and everyone else slides into them.

 

Mo

More Often than not it’s a guy from Siberia that slides out and all his comrades slide into him causing the epic pile ups.

 

You will notice that many motorists will have this tendency to try to creep uphill. Doesn’t work. They will spin out and block a travel lane. You will also notice that the overwhelming majority do not know how to engage the power divider properly. They will stop on an incline to engage the power divider. Dummy is now stuck in a lane of traffic.

So…

What you have to do is, when on an incline, hit it with speed. Light throttle, rpm’s up 1500 or above. When she starts to spin, DOWNSHIFT. Keep the rpm’s high. Why? The engine makes peak torque at low rpm. The torque will spin the wheels, melt snow and polish the ice. Spin=bad.

To engage the power divider on the fly, all you have to do while rolling is quickly lift completely off the throttle. At any speed. Lift. Engage. Right pedal down. Easy. The danger to the poewer divider only comes if you engage and have one axle spinning moving faster than the other. Engaging then will probably grenade the system. But if you’re not on the throttle, there’s no possible way the axles can spin at different speeds, correct?

Happy motoring.

 

Hey does that work on a newer truck with auto transmission to? Locking the rear axel that way. I’d have thought to try and pull on the side somewhere stop hit the switch then try to resume travel.

 

Rule number one, stay away from FedEx and Western Express trucks in snowy mountains

 

As long as you aren’t spinning tires you can engage while moving. To me it’s best to go ahead and lock it up before the road gets ####ty. It’s not going to hurt to drive all day or all week with it locked.

So when it starts to get to looking like you are headed to crappy weather; go ahead and flip the switch.

 

Turn off the cruise control and the engine brake. Remember a Spinning or Skipping tire Always want to come to the front of your truck and lead. If you power spin or lock up drive tire it will want come to the front and it starting point of a jackknife. So take foot of brakes or let up on the power. Trucks have ABS and Traction Control so the computer will do it for you. It good to know if the computer doesn’t you can stop it yourself.

Same with trailer going downhill. If the brakes lock up and tire skids you need to get off the brakes and get the tires spinning. If not the skidding trailer tires will want lead and come to the front and you will jackknife if you don’t get the wheels rolling.

this is imported to know I don’t see many driver ever say this it something learned when new. If you start to jackknife going downhill and the trailer is coming around on your truck and you have foot off the brakes you need to stop the jackknife. This might sound crazy but you put you foot on the pedal/power and you pull the trailer downhill. This will get the trailer back behind your truck. Then you try the brakes again to slow down and get keep control.

Remember the trailer Always wants to go straight so you need to pull the trailer around exits and even when changing lanes in snow. Give it a little power and pull the trailer into the lane.

When you are pulling the trailer you are in control. When you let the trailer push your truck the trailer is in control. Because the trailer always wants to go straight the trailer will just push your truck out of the way and keep going. You will be like what happens how did I jackknife. You never want the trailer to be in control of your truck. So you always pull the trailer.