55 lbs of pressure seems really high for winter driving. try airing them down and you'll get better traction.

 

Hi from snow country!! From reading some of these posts in this thread, some of you don't get to experience mass quantities of the white stuff on a regular basis. Here are some tips:

1.) Weight in the back is very important. Over the rear axel is best. Build a box out of 2x10's and plywood and anchor iton either side of the wheel wells.

2.) Don't mess with the tire pressure on-road. Are you going to top off whenever you hit dry pavement? In years of traffic accident investigation, I've seen many an underinflated tire roll off a rim and cause a roll-over.

3.) Tone down the fuel? Why bother if you're not in it (snow) all the time? Just use a light foot and common sense when you feel your truck breaking traction and get to know what it takes to keep your ponies under control.

4.) Keep it in 4WD? Do that on dry pavement, make a lot of low speed/parking lot turns and you'll scallop your tires in a heartbeat. Big money down the drain. Also does NOT help your braking power. To have all four brakes doing their thing, pop it in neutral or clutch -in then go easy on them. With power of any sort still going to the drive wheels, it's that much more torque that your brakes are working against and remember that the friction is next to nothing on the ice or packed/glazed snow. No power to the wheels means it's all braking power.

5.) 285's too wide???? Wider is better in the snow. More surface area.

Hope these help.......just passing on what I learned the hard ($$$$) way

 

Actually with well over 20 years of driving 4X4s in snowy conditions all over the United States from Alaska all the way down to lowly little Missouri I will say that using 4X4 makes a huge, HUGE difference in braking power. A tremendous difference and is the main reason I even use 4X4 in the winter.

 

First off, Air pressure makes a huge difference in traction, if you don't believe me, go drive on a sand dune or two, better yet, with your advice...SINK in a sand dune, you won't make it to the second one . Airing down tires does not mean all the way to 5psi , we run about 20-30 here in Buffalo UNLOADED...as soon as you put a load in, up the tires...get a nice little bulge in the tires, just nothing unsafe, you should be able to tell how much is not enough .

Second, They sell 4wd for a reason, and it DOES help in braking, especially in older trucks without ABS . Having power to all the wheels forces the front tires to move the same speed as the rear, which keeps you looking at the lane in front of you, instead of looking at the curb or oncoming traffic in your own lane.
Another point on this...you say "No power to the wheels means it's all braking power." How does this make any sense in your head? Braking power has to overcome drive power to make ANY effect of braking, so if your brakes have enough power to lock up in Drive, how is locking them up any better in Neutral? Now I agree, you shouldn't hold the gas and overpower the brakes, but why in the world would you want to do that? Besides to leave a nice set of ======= (Burnout lines )

Third...wider tires float on snow, slush, even water...whereas thinner tires cut through the resistance and get to a more solid surface of traction. For example, which will have more traction, a Viper, with 335mm rear tires, or a Dakota, with the same tire, but in a 225mm wide tire? The Dakota... Still don't get it? Why does a Deep V boat cut through waves better than a Tri-Hull? The Deep V has more pressure on its cutting edge to slice through the water, like a tire through snow.

 

Let a little air out of the tires. Not too much, but 65lbs of air, unloaded, in the winter time, is unessecary and leads to wheel hop. You will be suprised how much air pressure will change things. Just remeber to air back up when loading it down!

 

Ooops, did not see the post right above mine.

 

That's correct, as a rule of thumb:
make it wide when dry and narrow when wet

Why all rallye racers, or any race car has narrow tires on wet tracks and wide on dry ? You don't need surface when wet or you'll float instead of digging.

 

I run 265/75/16E Dioscover ATR's at 35 rear, 45 front and (8) 70lb sacks of sand in the rear. Without the sand and lower tire pressures it's hell to keep it going in a straightline.

 

My old man has a 92 dakota 4x4 that he uses to plow snow. He usually puts 6-800 lbs of sand in the back. Runs studded and heavily siped snow tires on all four. One day he forgot to put it in 4wd and pushed 6 inches of fresh snow up the driveway, which is about 12% steep grade. With all that sand weight and new studded and siped snows, he didn't even know he was in two till he tried to push the old ice bank back a few feet at the top.

My point, weight and proper tires equals huge advantage in snow traction. Now i know it is hard to get studded snows for our trucks, but at least get your tires siped, especially if they have big lugs and few biting edges.

 

A lot of the mud tires now come predrilled for studs, take them down to ta tire store and have them installed...its worth it.

 

Exactly, why do you think snow shoes ares so big...to stay ontop of the snow..

 

Well since I bought my truck I have seen alot of snow. Went out to NY last week from IL. Drove in near whiteout conditions all the way till the NY line on 90. Went about 50-55 mph the whole way. Took 20 hours! Didn't have to use 4wd for any reason other than assurance of safety when passing tractors.

As for back home here in IL we had about 7 inches of snow yesterday. Took the truck out this morning and it did wonderfull. Except for the fact its a dually and its stiff as heck in the rear. A little added weight made it plant the tires alot better. Also I am running Yokohama AT-S All Terrain tires. Not a bad tire at all.

Just to show how redneck I am. I only shovel my drive in order to fill my trucks with snow for weight. Also added about 10 40 lbs block for some more weight.

All in all. I can't complain one bit about my truck. I've always had great luck with Dodge trucks in the snow. Its all I drive.

 

This is the best truck Ive had for snow. Especially in 4wd when the front end weight gets the traction down. Ive got some offroad tires on it with a 12.50 width so its not like theyre skinny and biting through the snow. It digs a lot but thats ok.
It was a lot of fun driving around through unplowed side streets these past 2 storms.
If youre in 2wd on slick stuff the rear is going to spin. Not much for it except to put some load in the back

 

I bought 4 285/75R16 Bridgestone Revos, I replaced the General Grabber IIs that the previous owner had installed.

The difference was night and day, the Generals were squirrely on wet pavement, the Revos are difficult to get to break loose.

I have had them in snow more than a few times so far this year and I'm very pleased with their performance, truck feels sure footed.

Great tire.

 

Now that we're on topic, I've always been curious about this. I never see snow around here but when I go up to the mountains a lot of times the roads say "chains or 4wd with snow tires required."

What do they mean snow tires? Are they referring to an all-terrain tire that's rated for snow too? Or are they talking about studded tires?