| Author |
Message |
    
Evan
| | Posted on Thursday, December 26, 2002 - 11:28 pm: | 
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For us out east we have gotten a bunch of snow over the past few days. Last year I was disappointed about how little I got to use my 98 LSE in the snow. So far this year it has seen lots of action.
Anyway I'm wondering why I have heard some people say their Disco doesn't act well in the snow?
Mine is basically stock currently with Mich. Cross Terrain SUV tires on it and I have had no problem rolling through knee high drifts or going down unplowed roads with snow high enough to cause the front of the Disco to plow.
I don't have a winch, but I carry a chain around and with diff low engaged I pulled a Ford Escort, that had bald tires on it in December in Upstate New York, out of a ditch with hardly even a single spin of a wheel in this recent storm.
Mud is one thing, driving offroad in the summer is another, but snow and ice are different, what are other experiences people have had pulling through the fluffy stuff or hauling up steep, icy grades in basically stock Discos?
Outside of some occasional sketchy braking I love the Disco in this weather. (The heated seats help too) I think it is the best performing winter vehicle I�ve driven.
Happy New Year!!
Evan |
mongo
| | Posted on Thursday, December 26, 2002 - 11:54 pm: |
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Hey Evan,
Living in Syracuse, I can tell you my DII rocks in the snow. I lock the cdl when it's deep(more than 6") and leave it unlocked in light snow...braking is always a challange, but don't stand on the brakes, ABS is great, but I still down shift to start the braking process. I love wacthing 4x4 cruise by at 50mph on a snow covered highway and just wave as they spin off into the median when they try and stop...I've pulled everything from a f-350 to a escort out of the snow and never even struggled, but I have Tru-Trac's and can lock my cdl.
A comment about the TT's in the snow, you'll keep going straight, even on black ice, even it's toward the guardrail...best advice, don't drive fast, don't stomp on the brakes and lock the cdl in the deep stuff.. |
Curtis N (Curtis)
| | Posted on Friday, December 27, 2002 - 12:36 am: |
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Discos are pretty good in the white stuff, but one must keep in mind that the laws of physics always apply.
Once I was going up a very moderate grade with the family (in a loaner D2 with GoodyearHP's), and my forward momentum gradually slowed to the point of stopping and sliding backwards. We slid straight back for at least 250 yards before I was able to spin the rig 180 deg. and regain control. Scary.
About three weeks ago my son and I were going up a mild grade (snow & ice) puling a trailer w/ATV. Same thing, but for only about 50 feet. It was actually pretty cool. I chocked the wheels (all 6) with rocks, disconnected the trailer, & drove the ATV off. Before chocking, I had to hold the whole assembly from sliding downgrade by hand. After I got the ATV off, I grabbed the tongue of the trailer, and slid downhill while controlling the trailer ski-style with my feet. By luck I ended up in a small turnaround, and got everything back together. We decided to go somewhere else.
Just watch your grades and slopes. Heavy trucks require care in these areas.
Curtis |
Lance
| | Posted on Friday, December 27, 2002 - 10:09 am: |
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Hey-
I lived in the mountains at 8000' for about 10 yrs. The single most difficult surface to maintain traction on (short of black ice, which is when you stay home and try and interest the wife in some "driving")is a dirt road with rutted, refrozen ice and snow beneath the accumulation from subsequent snows, all topped off with a thick sun crust. This combination makes it difficult to steer- the old icy ruts push you around like you were on rails; the accumulated depth grabs at the axles and everything else, dereasing downforce on the tires; and the crust causes additional climbing and chocking, decreasing traction further.
These conditions are obviously ones you'd encounter only on purpose, driving in to start a ski tour or for fun, etc. Tall, narrow tires that self-clean, a chain on each and a knowledgeable driver are all that'll work in this. Locking diffs are nice to decrease the threat of dropping a wheel into a bar ditch, but without chains they'll only get you stuck Farther from the pavement. Open diffs with aggressive chains and good snow tires experience little excess wheel spin do to traction difference side to side.
To climb steep grades in these conditions requires momentum and that requires revs. Steering is real active, requiring rapid and committing correction. Coming to a halt can mean a long back-down. Getting going again on a steep grade is very unlikely.
So for these conditions, get four truck-style chains (that can take abuse,) carry an extra tensioner, become proficient at putting the chains on, and put them on BEFORE you need 'em. When you're stuck it's already too late. A 'sleeper' of a tire that is really quite excellent is the Pirelli Norseman. A tire with a moderately aggressive shoulder is substantially easier to chain-up 'cause chains want to hang up on shoulder lugs, taking more effort to get a snug fit, which is essential.
Lance
'94 Disco 168,000, '91 Bronco 175,000, '89 4Runner 134,000 |
KJ
| | Posted on Saturday, December 28, 2002 - 11:15 pm: |
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I REALLY worry about driving in snow because before getting my Disco a while back, I drove my a Volvo 240 for 15 years, which was the WORST in snow. I had MANY scary moments driving that brick. Part of the reason I got the LR was for proficiancy in snowy conditions, and yet driving in snow last week I still worried a bit. Not so much about the vehicle, but my ability to do the right thing with it.
I read notes here about people LOVING snow falls so they can get out in it, and I envy them the confidence. I suppose it's just time and experience, but I don't have that in my Disco yet. Then there are all these arcane conversations about when to lock and NOT lock (which have little to do with me at the moment, because I have a 2001), and braking techniques and tires and on and ON, and I truly get lost. So far, with the small amount of snow we've had, I've just adhered to the slow and careful with lots of braking distances school. One day I hope I'm crying for snow, too, rather than dreading the learning curve.
Karen |
Shawn McKenzie (Shawn)
| | Posted on Monday, December 30, 2002 - 03:20 am: |
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First winter on the 245/75-16 BFG AT-KO's. They are truly confidence inspiring. Lots of playing in the Rockies on the snowy, icy trails with no tree bark body massage to date.
I've pushed snow to the hood with no problems, but it heats up pretty fast, gotta get out and scoop out the grill area pretty regularly.
Canadian Rockies kick ass! |
Alan Yim (Alan)
| | Posted on Monday, December 30, 2002 - 11:01 am: |
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Shawn, did you guys get a big dump of snow too yesterday? We got quite a bit...the farmers should be happy now.
BTW, the BFG's are awesome in this stuff.  |
Mike
| | Posted on Monday, December 30, 2002 - 07:36 pm: |
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Just got back from a weekend in Cold Springs Ca up on highway 108, We got over 4 feet of snow and I had a snow plow bury me up to the side mirrors in the driveway and about 4 feet wide. The D1 punched through it with no spinning or shoveling on my part. All the Yahoo's on the road were sliding all over the place hitting the brakes to hard. The Disco works great in using your low gears to control your speed. |
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