Traction in deep snow

Ok, snowbirds, here is the challenge:

Electric Car Plows 4 Feet of Snow! : Gas 2.0

Bob Wilson

 

I'm using Michelin xice i2 snow tires but, in the situation I'm describing, I was trying hard to lose traction to see how the traction control would do.

In my '05, if a wheel lost traction, the TC would kick in and kill ALL power to the wheels. My experience yesterday indicated that the TC in the Gen III is more user friendly and will allow the car to perform better in slick conditions.

 

Thanks for making this point. I thought I missed an important Toyota marketing press release. Wish there was an AWD mode...I'd buy it! This is our second winter in our '09 genII. We just mounted a set of 4 Blizzaks on the 15" rims. We'll see if there's a difference.

 

Word of caution - After the heavy snowstorm here, we had some ridiculous road conditions. My oil access door had actually lost its mounting clips, so the oil access door was dragging along the road for the last few days. I think its because of the snow mounds that form in the middle of the lane between the times (is there a term for that?), that the snow mounds/ice may have ripped the mounting clips off.

If you hear a grinding sound, check to see if that access door has fallen off. Usually happens when you brake and your speed goes below 40km/h (25 mph).

 

Well, for the last two mornings, I have had to contend with 1-2 inches of snow on the roads (in my Prius V), and will admit that it handles very well with only a little snow. Even on slanted streets, a firm test of my ABS this morning yielded a very straight stop (My Odyssey pulls to the direction of the slant, even with ABS).

Tomorrow, I will get to experience driving in 8-12 inches of snow, so I'll report back how well that works.

 

When it comes to driving in snow, thinner tires are better. The 195's on the Prius (15 inch tires) is, I believe, thinner than the stock Civic tire (205's?). Everything else being equal, that will help traction in snow.

But in DEEP snow, there's no substitute for ground clearance. The Prius has low drag, so the front air dam is going to limit how deep the snow can be before losing traction. I don't think I would venture out in deep snow...

 

I hope you're right. But the latest returns show we're not gonna get it. I, for one, am disappointed. out:

 

Well the first appreciable snow here in NH was this past week. It came in at approx. 7-9 inches. Actually I had forgotten how well this Prius handles in the snow.
Mid afternoon I decided to leave the house after clearing out the driveway. The street had only been plowed, somewhat in the center, and then driven on, so it was really a mess. The car slowly made its way. (BTW-I do have snow tires, Nokian Hakka somethings!) Before getting to the main drag my street goes up a substantial hill. There were signs in the road of others having a hard time, I thought I was doomed. But the car slowly went up, the traction light would come on, it would jump/lurch a little then continue going. Very impressive.
Like I said, I had forgotten how good it is in snow. Last year it was equally impressive, nothing stopped it. Other cars were spinning their way through things and the Prius just motored onward.
Traction control is the way to go. And the VSC and ABS round out the package. I would never drive anything in the snow without these technological improvements, and snow tires of course.

Good luck out there everyone, and be careful.

 

Glad to hear that most are experiencing good results from your snow adventures. Sounds like most of you are prepared with snow tires installed.

Have any owners driven in deep snow with the originally-equipped tires? What were your experiences?

 

I haven't yet but I will be with the first significant snowfall.

I thought changing to snow tires in the fall and back in the spring went out in the 1970s until I joined PC. I have not heard of it anywhere other than here. I haven't known anyone that does this in decades.

I drove my 88 CRX SI, also a very low car, for 7 winters in MI and never missed a day of work due to snow and never got stuck and I never used snow tires in the winter. I've passed many SUVs and 4x4s in the ditch with my CRX but I think that all has to do with driving abilities and not the vehicle. I think 4x4s and SUVs are driven in the winter as if they are invincible and that is why they get in trouble.

I don't doubt they perform better than non winter tires, but I don't care to deal with the cost and having to change them twice a year.

 

I did the same with my CRX, but in the snow belt east of Cleveland. If it was really bad I would drive my Jeep C-J5, but I almost never had to do that.

Tom

 

A co-worker of mine had a 2006 Range Rover HSE with that feature. There was a switch on the driver door armrest that would command the Rover to "squat" at the curb, to make getting in and out easier.

There was a switch on the center console that allowed the driver to make changes to ride height. Eg: in 4L, the vehicle would raise an extra inch or two.

If I recall, the briefly available Audi All Road had a similar feature. Makes more sense on a car structure, as they're lower to begin with

BTW: that co-worker got rid of the HSE last year for a Toyota Sequoia Platinum. Much bigger, around +2 mpg on average, so far more reliable, and a good $35,000 cheaper than a Range Rover

 

Well, as far as snow tires. I had not utilized them for years either.
Too many years of needlessly driving SUVs. The first year I left the SUV world I got snow tires. My commute is 55 miles one way and if there is a snow storm and it is dark and snowy with decidedly snow covered roads, it is much safer to have snow tires. These tires are not the tires of old.
The tires of the 70s were just a more aggressive tread design. Now we have tires with much more technical expertise put into their construction. Different materials that they are made of to make them better on ice, wet and snow. Tread design that is no where near the old 70s models.
Its a new world out there and the snow tire prevents the slipping, sliding, and spinning of the old days. All weather tires are rarely all weather. Wet and dry certainly but there is nothing better than a new-fangled snow tire these days. They turn the Prius into its own SUV....who needs the gas guzzling, tippy, passe vehicle.
Can you tell....I did the SUV thing.....and think they are and should be on their way out!
And there are lots of people using snow tires these days....the fact that they sell as many as they do kinda says it all.

Good luck in the snow whatever you are driving.

 

You mean "quirkyness"

A bargain in Canada, compared to a Range Rover HSE, or similar imports

A co-worker has a Mercedes R-350, the model with the V6 turbodiesel. He's lucky to get 35 mpg on the highway

I'm not sure what Mercedes calls the R, but I call it a Large Station Wagon. Very solid feel to the car, especially when you close the doors. He ordered his with the optional DC Airmatic, which has air suspension at all four wheels

I don't think he can adjust the ride height, but the car may automatically lower itself at higher speeds. The air suspension really soaks up the frost heaves, potholes, and other surface problems

 

The SUV or pickup may be able to accelerate faster on all season tires by having four wheel drive, but they won't corner any better, and won't stop any faster

I run four studded snow tires on my FJ