| Author | Message | ||
     carl J. Drumgoole (Carl_kps) New Member Username: Carl_kps Post Number: 1 Registered: 02-2003 |
Thank God for the Rover. Yesturday I left Albany on my way to Washington DC. As I got closer to DC the weather kept getting worse and worse. By the time I got to south of Harrisburg PA it got bad. I saw people (in other SUVs) stuck on the side of the road or just spinning out. When I got to Maryland it was near Blizzard conditions. There was so much blowing snow I hardly knew where the road was. (I had the use the maps on the gps to nagiguess where I was. Then while on the back roads I was going though almost a foot or more of snow in 4 while drive low. (This was during the State of emergency when it was deemed to be unsafe on the state roads.) The last mile was the worst driving. I had to drive up a hill on a little local road with about 2 feet of very powdery snow, (the snow came up over the bumper). I drove this with out a problem. I have always though the rover was great, (I go offroading alot) but this drive really impressed me. I drove almost 200 miles in heavy snow with no problems at all, (except for the ice on the windshild wipers). It only took me 9 hours to get to DC from Albany in one of the worst snow storms in the Mid Atlantic. I was also the only one to make the office today, sometimes the rover can be too good. | ||
| ken knebusch (Charlotterover) Member Username: Charlotterover Post Number: 119 Registered: 02-2002 |
great story carl, wish you had some pics of it. btw, only one in the office here too. no snow in charlotte, just a sheet of ice. | ||
| Bill Ross (Billr) New Member Username: Billr Post Number: 24 Registered: 11-2002 |
Ah, welcome to my world. Here in Northern Ontario, we've been getting super cold temps (4 weeks on -30C) and a fair bit of wind and snow all winter. My '93 RR and a fresh set of Nokians have been getting through everything. I lived in Northern VA when I was a kid and I have to say that they don't get it often but when they do, it really hits hard. Good times for Rovers though. Have fun! | ||
| Steve Sherman (Ssherman) New Member Username: Ssherman Post Number: 38 Registered: 11-2002 |
Ken, I can believe you're the only one in the office. I had leave Charlotte at o-dark-thirty this morning to head back to Fayetteville and there wasn't nearly a soul on 485 like normal. God, I love this truck! Steve | ||
| Jack (Jack) Member Username: Jack Post Number: 65 Registered: 03-2002 |
My world too. Currently it's 12 degrees, 4 more inches of snow last night, for a season total of 218 inches. We could use a 2 foot dump, that would be sweet. Along with off-road capability, Rovers are great in the snow, a little heavy so plan your stops waaay ahead of time. Just wondering Carl, why did you use low-range in the snow? I've found less torque = better snow grip. Jack | ||
| carl J. Drumgoole (Carl_kps) New Member Username: Carl_kps Post Number: 2 Registered: 02-2003 |
Jack, I do agree with you that 4 wheel high is the best diving most of the time in the snow but the roads I was on were not plowed at all. The rover was sinking in the snow. The tires were still in contact with the pavement but the snow was up to almost my bumper. Basicly the last mile or so I was pushing though the snow, not driving on top of it. I have to go though some areas that were almost 1.5 feet deep and it was powder. It was alot like driving though mud. | ||
| carl J. Drumgoole (Carl_kps) New Member Username: Carl_kps Post Number: 3 Registered: 02-2003 |
Jack also I was in low range only for the last 3 to 4 miles of my trip. The first 190 miles in the snow I was in 4 wheel hi. (That was the first time I ever had to go into 4 wheel low in the snow). Also my fiance parents are from Watertown, NY so I know what you are talking about with the snow. The last time I was up there I the weather forcasters said the next day would be nice. When I woke the next morning there was 14 inches of snow on the ground, (the day before the roads were dry). We got almost 20 inches in that storm. You have to love lake effect snow. | ||
| Lester Ray Gerber (Raygerber) New Member Username: Raygerber Post Number: 11 Registered: 09-2002 |
I have to say that my love for my Disco grew tremendously this weekend. I live in Norfolk, Va right now but my daughter was with my in-laws this weekend and on Sun we had to go rescue her (or rescue them depending on how you look at it) in Richmond, Va. Driving up 64 was almost sad on Sun afternoon as I watched almost two dozen idiots flounder in the ice/snow. We parked the rover at the bottom of the cul-d-sac for the night and the next morning everyone was taking turns trying to run up the hill in their mini-vans to go to work. I piled everyone in and just left it in 4-hi and she never even stuttered going up the hill. I've driven in snow and ice before, and this wasn't even that bad, but doing it in the Rover made it that much more fun. | ||
| Jack (Jack) Member Username: Jack Post Number: 69 Registered: 03-2002 |
Carl, I thought about the "plowing effect" in deep snow, after I posted. Thanks for your reply! I had a chance to use low range last night, when my sister's 325i got stuck on an unplowed road, and the Toyota P/U that came to pull her out got stuck too! I pulled the Toy out like it wasn't even behind me, and he was in a ditch up to the door handle on the passenger side. But the 325 was STUCK on a hill in 10" of snow, with ice underneath. Chains on the Disco would have been nice, but I don't have any. With new snowtires (Blizzaks), it was still a challenge to move her car. I had to give a few feet slack, and snatch the car out - then pull her one mile up the hill to her house. I have a love/hate affair with ETC, but it's nice for keeping a straight line in slick conditions, especially pulling like that. Although I have the CDL stud, I don't have a way to engage (except crawling under), it would have been cool to experiment last night and see the difference between CDL and ETC trying to move her car. If it wasn't so damn cold, I may have crawled under  Also, it's time to replace my el-cheapo Walmart recovery strap with the real deal. Suggestions anyone? Jack | ||
| EricV (Bender2033) Member Username: Bender2033 Post Number: 123 Registered: 08-2002 |
Jack, I just ordered one of these: http://store.yahoo.com/webjeeps/jeepvehrecst.html Nice price on the 3", 30 foot, 30,000 lb straps. | ||
| Tom Bushey (Medora) New Member Username: Medora Post Number: 5 Registered: 02-2003 |
Jack, What model year Disco do you have? I'm wondering about your comment about the having the "CDL Stud" but not able to engage it. I understand the 03 Disco's don't have CDL. | ||
| Jack (Jack) Member Username: Jack Post Number: 71 Registered: 03-2002 |
Tom, Early production '01 still had the stud on top of the t-case which engages the CDL. Search the archives for CDL, you'll find lots of information on pros, cons of ETC vs CDL and folks that have added a linkage to engage the CDL. All later models do not have the stud on top of the t-case, so you cannot engage CDL, although it's the same t-case. I think the non-USA versions of the '03 Disco offered CDL as an option, but not here in the good old USA  It's been a much debated subject here, and I'm glad I have the option to add it at some point, but I'm going to really give the ETC a workout this summer, and then decide. Again keyword search all the archives for CDL or anything related and you'll find lots of information. Email me directly, and I'll give you my opinions of my 2001 D2! Thanks, Jack jackparker@ski-wp.com | ||
| Jack (Jack) Member Username: Jack Post Number: 72 Registered: 03-2002 |
Thanks for the info Eric. I'm looking at the EE straps too! Jack |
