winter driving

Cat litter is the first thing drivers think of BUT, Cat litter is made from CLAY. I know you'll see drivers with litter throwing it under the tires and getting out but the thing is it get's slippery when wet. And you're leaving it for the next guy to come and park on or walk through and drag into the truck. It sticks to shoes really nice and does not come off as easy as the next item I'm going to introduce you to! Litter really pisses me off when it's setting in a spot where I have to walk!

The BEST thing to use is SAND! It's cheaper and it works better in all snow and ice conditions. I get a "tube" of sand from Wally World or big box store and set it on the cat walk behind the sleeper. 2 tarp straps hold it down and you're good to go! The fibre glass bag can get wet and it will last till spring when you'll take it and spread it on your lawn and flower beds to loosen the soil up!OR put it in a 5 gallon bucket and use it on your drive way next winter! It's not in the side box spilling and working its way into the sleeper! It works great when wet AND will not turn into slippery clay when wet! Kitty litter works great on that oil you spilled when changing the oil in the car or on the bike!

OK that's done, now for what can be a side show for ####### drivers! There are morons out there that will tell you to use BLEACH! Yep and rookies fall for it!

Bleach is SOAP!
It's already slick as heck but put it in snow or ice and the water makes it even slippier!
That BS "it heats up your tires" is BULL CRAPOLA! The friction of your tires spinning on the ice or where it dug down into the snow to the asphalt is what heats up the tire!
Then you hear the "they use it for drag racing to heat up the tires."
WRONG AGAIN!
They used to until the EPA said stop and now they use water!
The bleach also isn't good on the tires either.
The only GOOD thing to come out of some idiot telling you to use bleach is he's sitting in his truck ROFLHAO at your misfortune!
He's already snowed in and bored as all hello so what's wrong with a comedy act in the parking lot?

The thing with bleach or hot tires on ice and snow is, well heat and ice. All you're doing is melting the ice and snow making water which on ice just gets slippier and digs a hole that the tire isn't going to get out of AND when you add bleach.
Do you really think you're getting any...........TRACTON?
Go get sand!
Now that you have a bunch of water litter "might" work but that sand will always work!

One other tip is I carry a D handled short flat nosed shovel in the winter along with my tube of sand. There are some times where a shovel is needed before the sand will work! The flat nose works better in snow.
If you need a pointy nosed shovel you might want to call a wrecker!
You're in way to deep! The flat slides on asphalt better!

Another tip: If pulling into a lot covered with snow and you've been driving for a while and those tires are hot you do NOT want to park and sit! Those hot tires will melt down into the snow which when you drive that up to 80,000 pounds over it, will turn into hard pack ice. Then the tires start to melt INTO the ice and of course the temps out side make the melted ice freeze and 10 hours later you try to get out of your parking place and oops you're stuck and have to get the sand out! instead of setting the brakes, back as far into the spot as you normally do. then pull up a few feet and back up and do this several times. Pack the snow down and you'll be cooling the tires a bit, then every few minutes do it again until they are at least to 32* and stop melting into the ice! I also will grab a small bucket's worth, (I keep a small painters bucket for use with the sand AND for holding parts when doing repairs to the truck), and pull the truck up a few feet and spread some sand where the tires will be sitting and back up over it just for insurance!

The last tip: Ever see someone under a trailer or tractor beating frozen brakes off the drums?

First thing is, if the ground is flat why set the trailer brakes? But this tip will keep them from freezing! If it's cold weather listen to the LOCAL radio station for local weather if you're going to park.

Second if it's wet of any kind, rain or snow when you are driving into your stop for the night your brakes will be wet! You need to dry them off. If you remember anything from when you got your CAR learners permit there was a section that told you how to dry your brakes off when you drove through a big puddle by keeping your foot on the gas and putting a little pressure on the brakes to activate them and heat them up to dry the water off. It's good advice and you should do this when you pull into the parking area of your choice. Heat the brakes up a little and the water that will freeze those brakes to the drums will dry off thus keeping you out from under the truck with that 3 pound hammer in the morning after you had that shower!

OK, I hear you guys screaming that you'll wear out your brakes. I did a lot of north and NE in the snow and I still managed to get over 250,000 on shoes and never had drums replaced on a 3 year old tractor before I was put in a new truck. You aren't standing on them! Just a little to have the pads touch the drums and create enough heat to boil the water away! If they start to smoke you really need to let up a tad!

Have fun and keep those woolies close!

 

i am lazy--and i hate laying under the trailer mashing the dust covers with my hammer
i have a 2 1/2 ft of 1 inch square stock--put it thru the rim onto the drum--a couple of good whacks with my 4lber and brakes are free
then take my tire chalk and make a line on the tires--so i can double check as i start to move--

 

if you arnt sure if it is icy or not--watch for tire spray--as long as you are kicking up some water it isnt icy---generally

 

I am so tired of this advice and hearing this crap on the CB and seeing it on here. If your going to follow/believe this, then please park your truck from Sept. 15th til May 1st, or only run states that never get snow/ice.

All this does is screw life up for the rest of us. The chain law was in effect for Monday afternoon, all day Tuesday, and part of today (weds.) here in Colo. Tuesday morning I had to make a pickup in Kremmling, Colo., heading W. on I-70 the chain law was up from MM 221 to MM 178.

When I stopped at the 221 station to chain-up, I counted 7 trucks sitting parked and covered with snow waiting on the chain law to be lifted. One problem, there are only 13 chain up spots at that location, because of these morons, trucks were double parked to chain up and partially sticking out in traffic. GUESS WHAT IDIOTS, WHEN YOU CAUSE THOSE SITUATIONS TO OCCUR, YOUR ENDANGERING THE LIVES OF YOUR FELLOW DRIVERS NOT TO MENTION THE GENERAL PUBLIC.

BTW, kudo's to Colo. State Patrol, at the Georgetown chain station, they made every truck that didn't have chains turn around and go back to Denver and wait out the storm, they also issued 25 tickets to truckers who failed to comply with state law (each of those tickets cost $633).

This kind of mentallity of drivers who refuse to chain up and want to park in the chain stations to wait out the storm is going to create a real problem very soon. If the Dem. candidate for Gov. here in Colo. gets elected, one of his platforms is to severly restrict trucks on I-70 during the winter. The more stupid things truckers do on I-70 in the winter, the more ammo he'll have to implement these restrictions. He also has the full backing of the ski areas, and the ski industry in that area.

 

Black ice is no mistory if it looks wet but your not getting any spray or tire noise you have found it and i'd bet you are going way too fast back off smoothly you will be more likly to find some traction out of the wheel tracks "DRIVE THE ROAD NOT THE TRUCK "

 

I really myself don't have a problem with chains as it is just part of life in the oil patch nor do I have a problem with those who choose to wait it out your real gripe is where they choose to wait and I agree 100% its not like they had to leave Denver
Now we can complain about how stupid CO chain law is to start with
What do they want to restict now ?

 

I always check on the traction way before I get to the off ramp, leave the jakes on and try the brakes a bit, if the jakes shut off, your sliding!!

Keep an eye on your CB antena, if they start whipping side to side, you have freezing rain on the road too. Sounds strange, but its true!!

Bill

 

When you stop seeing spray off your drives your now on ICE!!!