Snow Traction

c63 AMG · Jan 25, 2016

This is my first truck 15 250. Got about 12 in of snow this weekend. Coming out of my driveway I just about got stuck took 10 min of struggling to get out. Not sure if I'm using the 4x4 correctly for situation.

About 20% grade factory 20 with Toyos AT. First try was in 4hi and couldn't make it. Second try 4hi locked the rear no dice. 3rd try 4lo locked rear lots of spinning but made it out.

I find the tires to be very slick in rain so I'm wondering if it's the tires more than my "skills"? Takes no throttle at all to spin these tires in wet. In leaning towards the ti

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c63 AMG · Jan 25, 2016

Sorry app on phone cut my post off. I'm leaning toward the tires sucking because even on level ground in 12" of snow I was struggling to move just spinning with light throttle in 4hi. Had to go 4lo locked rear just to get moving.

I have 2012 grand Cherokee and traction was much better it that. No problem with anything I threw at it.

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Halestorm55 · Jan 25, 2016

Tires are most likely your problem. Momentum is everything though. Keep moving and you should be able to do fine. If you have to stop roll back a bit so you can get moving before you start plowing with your diff again.

niklid05 · Jan 25, 2016

Weight in the back helps. I added to the snow in my bed by shoving the snow off the roof into it.

RNally · Jan 25, 2016

I drove around most of the weekend with the factory Toyo AT2's on my 2015. No issues with getting hung up, they pulled me right through everything. I ran around all last winter as well with the same exact tire on my 2006 F350 and went through snow easily as well.

Dzchey21 · Jan 25, 2016

where was the traction control set? I have found in a lot of cases that the traction control hurts in the deeper stuff because you need wheel speed to help dig down to the bottom. I usually push the button once to get it our of traction control but leave the advance track kicked in so if the truck gets too sideways it will correct itself.

From the sounds of it tho your tires are your biggest issue.

bhudson · Jan 25, 2016

Maybe tires, maybe lack of wheel speed. 2 tires I absolutely love.....nitto trail grapplers and bf Goodrich km2. Never had any issues with either of those tires on any terrain

c63 AMG · Jan 25, 2016

Thanks for the feedback. I didn't touch traction control but I notice in 4lo with rear locked it automatically turns off advanced and that's when I was able to get out. I'm thinking it's the tires as well was reading another forum and others seem to say the same about the tires.

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PDT1081 · Jan 25, 2016

c63 AMG said:
Thanks for the feedback. I didn't touch traction control but I notice in 4lo with rear locked it automatically turns off advanced and that's when I was able to get out. I'm thinking it's the tires as well was reading another forum and others seem to say the same about the tires.

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If you didn't turn the traction control off, that's your problem. It's not your tires, unless they are completely worn out. Thousands of trucks running around with ATs and no problems. ATs are the tire of choice for the majority of plow trucks around here. Throw some weight in the back (300-400lbs) and turn off the traction control and you'll be fine.

TyCorr · Jan 25, 2016

They put toyo at2s on stock trucks now?

My 14 duraturd had the michelin at and they were AWESOME! They were great in all terrain up until 30k at which point they sucked in wet, easily packed snow and wet grass. My 12 had some "trans force" tires and they were terrible all the time.

My go to for stock sized replacements would be the michelin at or the cooper zeon.

bhudson · Jan 25, 2016

Yep saw some stock trucks the other day with at2s

TyCorr · Jan 25, 2016

Cool! I never liked those tires in aftermarket sizes but my experience was gained during a time when I thought id run baja claws forever lol.

Got my first commonrail truck and went to quieter tires on everything. My 7.3 is even quiet now. For a 7.3.

dsberman94 · Jan 25, 2016

Just for the record the rear e-locker unlocks, or did in 2013 at a certain speed, I think 15mph. So if you spun your tires over 15mph it unlocked anyway. Probably one of the reasons 4lo worked so well. The other being advance trac turns off.

c63 AMG · Jan 25, 2016

Maybe part (or all) of my problem is I'm use to AWD and it drives different than 4x4. Sounds like with 4x4 you basically muscle your way through. I need to disable track control and let the tires find traction.

...and yes Toyos were stock. Very few I looked at had them.

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TyCorr · Jan 26, 2016

c63 AMG said:
Maybe part (or all) of my problem is I'm use to AWD and it drives different than 4x4. Sounds like with 4x4 you basically muscle your way through. I need to disable track control and let the tires find traction.

...and yes Toyos were stock. Very few I looked at had them.

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Yea, turn off the traction control and grab 4hi. Let er eat! Especially if your grade is 20%....

cmrizzo_79 · Jan 27, 2016

I'm in AK and on my second winter with the factory tires on a dually. I'm running a little over 2k# in the bed, which is overkill (that just happens to be what the 120' of anchor chain weighs that was laying around), and I have not had a problem yet, I even run 2wd most of the time minus the mountain passes. So weight will do the trick, for a single rear wheel, I'd keep it between 500-1k# though.

JRLott · Jan 28, 2016

E locker turn off at 20 mph, IIRC.

Single wheel Lariats come with Toyo ATs or Michelins...around here anyway. I know Platinums come with Michelins and I think KRs do too. I couldn't tell you what the XL and XLTs come with...I didn't look at them. I just happy mine didn't come with Conticraps.

Thread re-rail...not much snow in Cen-Tex. No useful input for you. I always read the Toyo ATs were great in the rain. Mine are fine. I'd say a combo of traction control, a relatively light rear end, and copious quantities of torque are causing your suffering in snow.

WhiteMamba_Scorpion · Jan 28, 2016

A lot of different things to consider. ATs will pack with snow if the snow is thick and wet (closer to freezing) vs if the snow is light and power (colder the better). Weight distribution on trucks is not built for snow. Way too light in the rear. I always add bags of sand in the bed for weight to help the rears bite. Doesn't help diesels make so much torque either. I would say 4hi locked with traction control off would be the ticket. Sometimes "lettin er eat" is counter productive. I always stay right on the verge of spinning. As soon as it spins quickly let out so it grabs and keep going. I've seen guys sit there and spin 80mph and go nowhere and I'll mosey on by them.... and never use cruise control in the snow.

That's just how I drive but at the end of the day do whatever gets you home.

Jomax · Jan 28, 2016

TyCorr said:
They put toyo at2s on stock trucks now?

My 14 duraturd had the michelin at and they were AWESOME! They were great in all terrain up until 30k at which point they sucked in wet, easily packed snow and wet grass. My 12 had some "trans force" tires and they were terrible all the time.

My go to for stock sized replacements would be the michelin at or the cooper zeon.

X2 I found the Michelin AT on the ford trucks from the factory are NOT the same as the ones you buy. The sipping is different. My guess is Michelin made a cheaper tire for Ford, hence why guys are wearing them out fast.

My mom has the michelins on her X. The way they're wearing, she'll get 80k out of them.

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dsberman94 · Jan 28, 2016

WhiteMamba_Scorpion said:
I've seen guys sit there and spin 80mph and go nowhere and I'll mosey on by them.... and never use cruise control in the snow.

That's just how I drive but at the end of the day do whatever gets you home.

Sad part is that the guy sitting there spinning 80mph. Is the same one who will come sliding up behind you, actually doing 80mph, and ruin your day and not let you get home. We had a small touch of snow here last weekend and I'm in a 4x4 truck running in 2wd. Having a bit of fun to be honest but I had morons flying past me. I was ready to throw it into 4 wheel if I needed to avoid something or someone but I wanted to make it home, apparently they didn't care.