Talk about Tires please (Wells: compensation, licensed, design)

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by CoastalMaine

No Forest, it doesn't help it dig into ice, but it helps in keeping it from fishtailing. It's kind of trying to land your plane in windy weather... it will help keep it from yawing. Not perfect, but any little bit to assist in control is a good idea imo.

That's right I always throw a couple bags of sand into the tail of the Cessna during windy weather!

[CoastalMaine]

HAHAHAHAHA :P I was trying to describe what the fishtail was like you weiner!!!! lmao!!!!!

[tcrackly]

We have a Ford Ranger 2x2 and a Jeep Cherokee 4x4. We use good all-season tires on both. I don't know if that Forester is all wheel drive or not, but I imagine aggressive tread all-seasons will do just fine. I have known Jeep Wranglers to have problems with traction because of the short wheel base and lighter weight. Sometimes the Jeeps will spin like tops.
A lot of people swear by studded tires, but you still have to respect the possibility of ice or really deep snow compromising traction.
I remember a reeeeally slow ride from Boston to Acton in an old Volare in a blizzard. Stayed on the road...slow and steady wins the race.

[tcrackly]

Originally Posted by Fort Lauderdale mermaid

Gawd knows we have plenty of idiots on the roads.

IMO- if you're driving a pick up you must have weight in the back, cement blocks, a load of sand and a shovel. Chains are a PITA.

I've never used a studded snow tire. Either a heavy duty rugged snow tire or an all season radial on all of my SUV's. The only time I've ever been stuck was while trying to drive off of the lake. That was the only time I've ever needed to be winched out.

We've only had studded tires on an old hippie van we had for a few years.

DH just configured a brace for weight over the rear tires in the Ranger pickup. Common sense and intelligent driving make up for a lot of not so winter-friendly vehicles. I've been driving in ME for 25 years. From Presque Isle down to Beantown the few winter accidents we had were close to home and the result of underestimating the road surface conditions or the other drivers. Skills are important.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by tcrackly

We have a Ford Ranger 2x2 and a Jeep Cherokee 4x4. We use good all-season tires on both. I don't know if that Forester is all wheel drive or not, but I imagine aggressive tread all-seasons will do just fine. I have known Jeep Wranglers to have problems with traction because of the short wheel base and lighter weight. Sometimes the Jeeps will spin like tops.
A lot of people swear by studded tires, but you still have to respect the possibility of ice or really deep snow compromising traction.
I remember a reeeeally slow ride from Boston to Acton in an old Volare in a blizzard. Stayed on the road...slow and steady wins the race.

I didn't want to say anything about Jeeps in general as some people think they are the best thing going. I have had similar experiences with them. Jeeps, Land Rovers, Range Rovers, Toyota Land Cruisers and International Scouts are not great in snow even with four wheel drive. They are really bad on ice. I have pulled a good many of them out of snow banks. The high center of gravity make them top heavy and as relatively light vehicles there is not a lot of traction weight over the wheels. They roll over quite easily and should have a roll bar installed. They do tend to get stuck rather easily so a winch in the front is a good idea. I would not want a kid or inexperienced first time driver driving one in the snow. They are too hard to handle for the inexperienced and the short wheelbase really does make them spin out quite easily. My wife had to use my Inlaw's Range Rover for a couple of weeks one winter while her car was being repaired. She hated it. She said she had never been so scared driving in snow. They are excellent woods road vehicles and can get into tight places a pickup can't go but not a winter vehicle.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by tcrackly

We've only had studded tires on an old hippie van we had for a few years.

DH just configured a brace for weight over the rear tires in the Ranger pickup. Common sense and intelligent driving make up for a lot of not so winter-friendly vehicles. I've been driving in ME for 25 years. From Presque Isle down to Beantown the few winter accidents we had were close to home and the result of underestimating the road surface conditions or the other drivers. Skills are important.

We used to run studs all the time on our Saabs . Now we run a soft compound studless winter tire. They're excellent snow tires. The Saab has a traction control system and a winter mode for the transmission that spreads out the shifting to keep the wheels from slipping. It is really good in the snow. I think it's as good as my 4x4 with those tires. Ground clearance??? Not good !

[tcrackly]

We've noticed in our choices of SUVs,Jeeps, Broncos,Scouts, that the 4 wheel drive can get you in MORE trouble on ice because of the added torque. Never had a rollover, thank God. I did spin out the 4x4 Ranger pickup once, right off the road. But it did come right out of the snow in low range. Fun.

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by tcrackly

We've noticed in our choices of SUVs,Jeeps, Broncos,Scouts, that the 4 wheel drive can get you in MORE trouble on ice because of the added torque. Never had a rollover, thank God. I did spin out the 4x4 Ranger pickup once, right off the road. But it did come right out of the snow in low range. Fun.

Now that's fun right there!! My DB has a Ranger. He has a light aluminum cap on it so that doesn't help much. He puts three or four of those "tube sand" bags in the back for the winter and that helps quite a bit. I have a heavy fiberglass cap on my Tundra which helps a lot in the snow. Plus I like to keep a dead deer in the back for winter traction.

[CoastalMaine]

Originally Posted by Maineah

Now that's fun right there!! My DB has a Ranger. He has a light aluminum cap on it so that doesn't help much. He puts three or four of those "tube sand" bags in the back for the winter and that helps quite a bit. I have a heavy fiberglass cap on my Tundra which helps a lot in the snow. Plus I like to keep a dead deer in the back for winter traction.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA TOO dang funny!!!!!

[island mermaid]

Originally Posted by Maineah

Now that's fun right there!! My DB has a Ranger. He has a light aluminum cap on it so that doesn't help much. He puts three or four of those "tube sand" bags in the back for the winter and that helps quite a bit. I have a heavy fiberglass cap on my Tundra which helps a lot in the snow. Plus I like to keep a dead deer in the back for winter traction.

2 dead bull moose, 1 frozen deer carcass and a partridge in a pear tree.