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Maintenance & Repair Winter Driving - are you prepared?
149 messages, Last post on Aug 19, 2009 at 8:38 AM
You are in the Maintenance & Repair Forum. Your Host is mr_shiftright
I don't usually do a whole lot to prerpare. I carry my tow strap year round and make sure there are some warm gloves in the truck. I always keep good tires on the truck, so that is never an issue. I will comment on the people that say 4 wheel drive does not help turn or stop. If you have front wheel drive, you will not gain much with 4X4 when turning, but you would gain over rear wheel drive. It is better to be pulled through the corner than pushed. As for stopping, or atleast holding your speed, 4X4 will definately help, especially with stick shift. You can manage the braking by adjusting the engine speed. Much better than the sudden braking. If you start to slip, you can add a tad of fuel to get the tires turning which gives better traction and control. Of course if you think you can drive faster than the conditions warrant because you have 4 wheel drive, then you are crazy. I have only pulled one 4X4 out of the ditch, but several 2 wheel drives. I don't think there are more 4X4s in the ditch than 2s unless the conditions cause everyone with 2s to stay home.
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| Jumper cables are ok if you have someone around that is willing to give you a jump. I have found that a portable jumper power pack is the better answer. Every two months you take it into the house and plug it in to recharge it. I had a completely dead battery (not a noise or a light while turning the key) and the portable jumper started my car right up. Only about $30.00 and comes with a 3 or 4 year warranty for mine if I remember correctly. | |
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1. Make sure I carry my cell phone 2. Make sure my wife carries her cell phone That's pretty much it. I live in the south, so there's not much to prepare for. |
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It can be tough. I put on a sweater as I leave my house, and sometimes I pack an umbrella too.
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My wife managed to get up our unplowed driveway yesterday with no problem with her Silverado 4x4 yesterday. I tried following her in my AWD X-Type and made it only about 20' because the front bumper was just "snowplowing". So I backed up, walked up the driveway and got the snowblower going. About an hour later I could finally go inside and eat. So needless to say I'm considering getting an SUV. I'll just wait until gas hits $3/gal again, and go buy a nice used one. A Grand Cherokee Limited with Quadra-Drive might do. 
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the snow brush and the ice scraper. Top off your windsheild washer fluid too. I can't imagine how just4fun got a power pack for $30, mine cost $100 or so. 
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Replying to: carlisimo (Dec 09, 2005 7:35 pm) |
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| installed my blizzak dmz3 on the explorer and dmz2 on the highlander..in way up in snow country in michigans upper penninsula...these tires from bridgestone have been fantastic..always carry gloves and hat..cell phone too..however cell phone signal not always available throughout area.... | |
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Replying to: ustazzaf (Dec 09, 2005 5:16 pm) In AWD, Engine Braking is applied to all 4 wheels rather than just 2 drive wheels. This enhances engine braking and reduces the chances of skidding/ understeering / oversteering. It is not just better than RWD but also FWD. Actually, AWD reduces understering when compared to FWD and oversteeirng when compared to RWD. (based on Car & Driver magazine test results) Beware, these benefits are for full time AWDs only but not for the so called real-time-AWD or modifcations of that. SAFE DRIIVING |
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A couple comments. First of all, power packs. You can get the cheap ones for $20 to the top of the line for $125 or more. The little ones will work for a small car in warm conditions if the battery on the vehicle is not completely dead. Anything more, and you will just have 2 dead batteries. If you go up to the $65 range you can probably find something that will do a pretty good job on most cars. I got a better one, for one so it will also have an air compressor and light incorporated in it, and 2, because it has a good battery. I need to add my toes to count the number of times I have used the compressor. One of the big benefits of a jumper box is saving your electrical system in your car. The worst thing you can do to your car is jump start someone else. It causes spikes when you hook and unhook the cables. It is not bad enough that it burns out alternators and batteries quicker, but it ends up leaving you stranded at the worst time. Even if I spend $150 on a box to save a $60 alternator (try finding one for under $300 anymore), the convenience of not breaking down is worth it. I have an X-Power 400 power pack that I got from Sears for about $89 (on sale) that has the compressor, light, 110V converter, jumper capability and 12 volt cig lighter plug. Had it for over a year and love it. It also has the adapters for blowing up the air mattresses, a pin for basketballs and the adapter to plug in the unit stored in the rear compartment. The only disadvantage is that the cables are not stored on the unit. They plug in the side when needed. No big deal. If you get a box, no matter which one, plug a light or something into it once a month to drain it. Then recharge. It will prolong the life. Also, using the compressor to drain the battery regularly keeps the battery stronger. A jumper box that just sits between charges will die a slow death and be less efficient when needed.
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