Winter driving

If you don't know how to chain if I were you I would do some practicing. Its better to learn how to do it now then on the side of the road in a blizzard. Also make sure your chains are all untangled and sorted out. Good to keep them in a dry box too. Sucks when they are all tangled and frozen together.

 

Also the difference between dry snow and wet snow. You will have better taction in dry snow but a lot of blowing. Wet snow is slippery as snot. Usually youll get wet snow in the northeast as it falls at a higher temp. 28+ degrees. Dry snow where it is really cold like dakotas, minn, ect. VETS, Im still a rookie with only last winter under my belt, please feel free to add/correct me.

 

Sounds good to me dirtyjerz. For the most part dry snow is better to drive in unless there is ice under it then it is twice as slick!

Its really good to have a bag or two or three of ice melt. When you run into stuff like this its a hell of a lot easier to sprinkle some ice melt on the ground then it is to throw chains. Another trick you can do is just lay your chains out in front of your tires and just drive over them. Sometimes this works. Ice melt though has gotten me out of so many jams! You can't get it everywhere either so be sure to stock up on it when you see it!

 

Oboy wait till he get too the docks, yippie 100 percent ice coverd sloped at at nice 29 degrees and as you try too back up too door the trl has a mind of its own, go this way and that way , not backing straight up at all, sliding on ice , even at 43 tho, then once your empty , your stuck again, this was my 3 rd year going up in the ne , i learn too spread some rock salt down first then back in, but the weird one for me was down in kentucky, i pulled in rest area, blowing, sleeting, roads very bad , so i pulled in , grad a spot , this was on hill , set parking brakes, went inside , too know what, then as i was standing inside the door takeing a breather, i wacthed my truck slid sideways down the hill into the side of tree, i said a few words i shouldnt have and call boss, well that pitstop ended up being a week there, that was the fastest they could get a big wrecker out there, aw the new stuff we learn everyday driving a big truck,

 

one thing not metioned as much is to watch out for other idiots as they do not always go in the ditch sometimes they come at you be very alert as you drive

 

Keep your 5th wheel well greased. When they are dry and it starts to slide they stick and don't come back as easily. I learned to dive in NM CO and hauled feed to ranches, feed mills and stores and I hauled bulls, grain and potatoes out of CO.

 

Also....
When you park on your "10" don't engage your trailer brakes overnight.....If there is any moisture between the shoes and the drum....They will freeze.....

After you park (about half an hour to an hour)....Move your rig about foot or so if you park where there is snow on the ground....Your tires are warmer than the snow and will melt the snow....Once your tires are cold...The melted snow will refreeze and your tires will stick....

 

I stopped at EB MT scales on I 90 ID border and stepped on the running board in blinding snow and wind and was going to pee. The truck just started to slide sideways so I peed my pants instead.

 

Ok....Tell us what you did next.....[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMaRO8NVfjc"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMaRO8NVfjc [/ame]

 

I'm probably something of a wimp.

I have a lot of experience driving a 4-wheeler in snow. I've lived in Reno and Denver, combined time about 15 years. been through some pretty heavy and icy stuff. When I was younger I would drive up to the snow, just to drive in it.

With an 18-wheeler, however, I don't want any part of it.

I started in the winter months, so I have experienced throwing iron and driving in it. And, I had no real problems.
That said, I still do not want to chance sliding out with a big rig. There is too much at stake.

I know first hand how quickly changing conditions can lead to disaster. My last accident was in an early storm in Denver. I thought I had enough room, but when I had to stop I had zero traction and slid into the car that had just cornered short and stopped even shorter. And I had a good 10 seconds to respond and try different things.
Snow over ice in rush hour is never a good combination. No traction, and nowhere to turn.


In your situation, with no experience driving in snow, I'd recommend not even trying to do it.
Pull over and park it until the storm passes and the roads are clear enough that there are no chain requirements. And then, take it slow and easy.

Take some home time and take a 4-wheeler into the snow. Try it with something little, before you try to take it with some much bigger and deadlier - or with a 53' trailer.