question Snow: Looking for some advice

[Jimh]

Go on, I'm man enough and big enough to say when I don't know what I am up to.

 

How do you drive big, heavy things like Pioneers and slightly smaller things like Green Goddesses in deep snow, compacted shiny snow and ice?

 

I'm happy enough pootling around in Range Rovers and other dinky 4x4s but I haven't driven anything bigger than a Super Sentinel in the snow and that was far from pleasant.

 

Is it best just to leave them inside?

[Tony B]

Bl**dy carefully!!! The best conditions are rough brocken ice, at least you have some traction. Allow anywhere up to ten times your usual stopping distance. Move off in a higher gear than usual, and don't get heavy on the right foot. Never go faster than than stopping allows. Try and stay on the top of the camber, but be prepared even if at a complete standstill with hand brake set for teh vehicle to start sliding under its own weight. Assume every other road user is a paranoid manaiac out to get you.

[griff66]

same as a car just ten times bigger and ten heavier !,as a aside if u have front wheel drive car and need to get up a steep snow/icey hill and struggling try reversing up it bit of wieght transfer onto drive wheels can help ,got me out of poo few times ! halving tire px can help also.going down icey hill select first gear and go down with engine at idle , always amazes me in bad weather the number of people who have NO idea how to drive

Edited December 6, 2010 by griff66

[ferrettkitt]

same as a car just ten times bigger and ten heavier !,as a aside if u have front wheel drive car and need to get up a steep snow/icey hill and struggling try reversing up it bit of wieght transfer onto drive wheels can help ,got me out of poo few times ! halving tire px can help also.going down icey hill select first gear and go down with engine at idle , always amazes me in bad weather the number of people who have NO idea how to drive

 

Would you be meaning people who drive at normal dry weather speeds on an icy road. Seen quite a few doing that I then wonder whats between the two jugs on there heads.

 

Reversing up a hill in a front wheel drive has gotten me out of a few scrapes as well. Carrying a spade also works as well if you need to dig out the car or van

[gritineye]

Is it best just to leave them inside?

 

Thats my preferred option after last year, a slow down hill approach to an icy adverse cambered T junction, nearly caught me out with Forceful last year, somehow managed not to slide down into the trees opposite and got round OK.

 

Managed to look nonchalant passengers never noticed.. :whistle:

 

I just ain't worth it just for a bit of fun, bar-grips don't help either..

 

Did you see this?

 

http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?16410-Methanol-antifreezer&highlight=methanol

Edited December 6, 2010 by gritineye

[MiketheBike]

If they have Bar Grips, good luck. They are really not much use as I have found on the 101, feels like you are running on slicks (which I guess is what you are doing with no real tread in the centre of the tyre).

[Simon Daymond]

...careful where you stop, so you can get going again, and take a shovel for when you get it wrong. Had to take the militant out last week ( car let me down) had a few interesting moments, usually with people pulling out in front or jumping into my stopping space. Ice on both sides of the windscreen can be interesting as well. Had a portable gas heater, which I'd park up and run for 10 mins to get everything warmer and dry, then set off again.

[Zero-Five-Two]

... Ice on both sides of the windscreen .

 

At least on a Militant you can open the windscreen!!!!!

[steveo578]

Jimh

.... heavy things like Pioneers and slightly smaller things like Green Goddesses in deep snow, compacted shiny snow and ice?

 

At least there is no worry that ABS will mess you around -although from what I seen of Green Goddesses I'd leave it in the shed.:shocked:

[antarmike]

If out in a Militant , Matador etc, or most other Air braked vehicles of this period, remember to put Air brake system antifreeze in the alcohol evaporator.

 

More modern vehicles have Air Driers to prevent air brake valves freezing. Older vehicles do not. Remember some versions, (Matador etc) have a gland nut you can slack off so you can slide a sleeve up and down, to expose or cover the wick. The Alcohol Evaporator will oly work if the wick is exposed!

The wick covered position is to save alcohol in the evaporator, on days when it is not freezing.

[Simon Daymond]

what can you use? is it just Alcohol, or can i use Ethanol etc. I noticed last week when the air system wouldn't charge, the compressor had moved on its' sliding mount and the belts went slack, I had thought that it was one of those things, but perhaps the compressor was frozen and the belts had been unable to turn it, and it pulled the compressor in?

I've always struggled to get these compressor mounting bolts tight on my own, trying to hold a socket on, and a spanner and wedge the compressor on your own can be a fine art.

[Jimh]

I'd forgotten all about the anti freeze in the brakes.

 

They can all stay inside until the sun comes out again. :blush:

[zoltan]

Luckily they have figured all of this out on Russian trucks :-D

[ChasSomT.]

What system do you have on Russian trucks? Do tell!

Chas.

[Sean N]

How do you drive big, heavy things like Pioneers and slightly smaller things like Green Goddesses in deep snow, compacted shiny snow and ice?

 

My experience they're not too difficult, and often better than smaller vehicles, particularly if all wheel drive. Deep snow tends to be alright as there's grip there, it's compacted icy snow and ice that are more problematic; the key, as others have said, is remember the amount of mass / inertia you're driving and take things very cautiously and gingerly, because if it gets away from you it'll be a while before it stops!

 

I'm not a great fan of bargrips either. I also think trucks such as RL, K9 etc tend to be better behaved than, say, Explorers and the like; my experience (on mud as well) is that Explorers tend to skate about on a slippery surface rather than cutting through to the grip. I think this might be a ground pressure thing - or maybe it's just the bargrips!

 

Steve, why the downer on Goddesses? - OK the body's ugly as sin, but it's still an RL...

[zoltan]

What system do you have on Russian trucks? Do tell!

Chas.

 

Hydraulic on my Gaz

 

Also they thoughtfully provided a petrol preheater to heat the engine coolant and sump oil before you start the truck (which is petrol powered :embarrassed:)