jrussell

IMO that is the only real advantage of ABS. Having the ability to still steer with near maximum braking power is much better for the majority of people. Even a very experienced driver could be caught by surprise and lockup the tires (losing all steering ability).

That being said, I still don't trust it on icey roads or in offroad situations.

1sttruck

Even experienced reviewers find that ABS helps to reduce stopping distances, and it seems that the heavier the vehicle, the more benefit there is as it's easier to lock up during braking. Overall ABS doesn't seem to reduce fatalities, but it does seem to reduce accidents. In conditions where plowing with locked wheels can help, such as soft dirt, sand, some snow, etc., ABS can increase stopping distances.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...02/pageId=1247

For more mundane tasks, however, the Off Road Group's negatives outweighed its positives (when keeping in mind the broad focus of this test). The Off Road Group precludes the Ram's optional four-wheel ABS, leaving only rear-wheel ABS. We weren't aware of this until we unknowingly locked up the Ram's front wheels during our first 60-to-zero braking run. Successive runs were poor since we had to use the technique of threshold braking. The Off-Road Group doesn't have four-wheel ABS because professional off-road drivers find ABS to be problematic when driving down hills covered by soft dirt or sand.

http://www.edmunds.com/apps/vdpconta...5/pageNumber=1

Wanted: Four-Wheel ABS
Braking was an even bigger disappointment. The Raider's brake system consists of front 12.3-inch discs with dual-piston calipers and rear drums, and rear ABS is standard on all Raiders.

Although we never got a warning light on the dash, our test vehicle had an ABS malfunction at the track, which allowed the rear tires to lock up during brake testing. Stopping distances suffered accordingly. From 60 mph the Raider needed a little more than 140 feet to stop. The last Toyota Tacoma we tested, which had four-wheel ABS, stopped from 60 mph in just 118. Four-wheel ABS is available only on the top-line XLS, a packaging decision Mitsubishi may want to rethink.


http://www.iihs.org/research/qanda/antilock.html

...Federal studies of car antilocks are consistent with Institute and HLDI findings. According to one federal report, "the overall, net effect of antilock brakes" on both police-reported crashes and fatal crashes "was close to zero."5 The federal studies of the effects of antilocks on passenger vehicle crashes found positive effects on wet roads and negative effects for run-off-road crashes. These results cancel each other. Leonard Evans, a researcher with General Motors, reported that antilock-equipped cars were less likely to rear-end other vehicles but more likely to have other vehicles rear-end them.6 Again, the net result was little effect on overall crash risk. In a study conducted for auto manufacturers, Failure Analysis Associates reported a net beneficial effect of antilocks on nonfatal crashes but no effect on fatal crashes.7

....Antilocks are important for big trucks because of the poor braking capabilities of these vehicles compared with passenger cars. On dry roads, big trucks take much farther to stop — 47 percent farther in Institute tests. On wet and slippery roads, the stopping distance disparity is even worse. Tractor-trailer combinations also have the potential for loss of control and jackknifing on both dry and, especially, slippery roads. (Jackknifing occurs when the rear wheels of a tractor lock up, allowing the tractor to skid and spin so that it folds into the trailer. This also can happen when trailer wheels lock and cause the trailer to swing around the tractor.) Antilock brakes not only reduce stopping distances on wet and slippery roads but also help drivers maintain control.

Longhorn06

Hey Gary,

Some good advice here from the rest of the guys, cant dispute any of it. Here are some observations...You have a shortbox auto with a jake. The jake while a super stopping and slowing tool can be treacherous on ice and snow. When the brake engages you can easily 'lock' your rear wheels which will send you into the ditch fast! If you are careful and use it right it can be a godsend in bad weather. My other observation is that pulling a 22' trailer with a shortbox will make the trailer feel real big and it can push you around if you get squirrelly...so dont-LOL. The jake can be used effectively on ice when in 4HI and it will help slow you while not locking up your wheels most of the time. With a stick if this happens, you can clutch and save it, with the auto, you have to be ready to disengage the jake or feather the gas to desengage the jake. Not easy things to keep track of if you are in a panic, but a little practice and all will be well. I have pulled trailers in these conditions for 20+ years with a 1-ton and there is nothing to be overly concerned about! One last piece of advice....take the others advice and kill the ABS (my opinion) and practice manually braking your trailer (IMPORTANT). if you get in a situation where you are starting to jacknife....start dragging your trailer brakes which will straighten you out allowing you to get back into the truck brakes. It is important to make sure that your controller is setup for manual braking. Other than that, as the others have advised....go slow, dont overdrive the conditions or your capability and you will do fine. Always better to arrive a little late than to not arrive at all!

Good luck and be safe!

Gary C

Man I feel I have a bunch of big brothers watching out for me, I love it...

Longhorn and others, I usually crank up the weight dist. bars but thinking more about it, maybe I will run them a little softer,,,Am I right in thinking that way? I will air up the bags more than normal?

The 22 footer does have spread axles so it does tow more like a triple than a double axle. just thought I would point that out again...pics of trailer(not mine) http://www1.trailerworld.com/Content...ContentId=1300

scottsjeeprolet

Don't be afraid to use 4x4. Ya got it use it. Just gotta watch out for the others.

darkvader

run the wd bars the way you usually do. you do not want that puppy to start to sway on slick roads because you changed the weight balance
Clark

Longhorn06

Hey Gary,

Thats what these communities are all about-good friends and hopefully good advice. In relation to your question, I will be a bad one to answer....I personally do not believe in the weight distributing hitches (just me) since I feel that they change the tow characteristics of the trailer. However I have always been lucky enough to have a 1-ton, and I have pulled stupid weights without one. Please understand that this is ONLY my opinion and just my personal preference, if you are happy with it and like how it feels, then carry on. Im sure some others with better experience will answer shortly!

Dont get intimidated (doesnt sound like you are) make sure you are gettin lots of sleep and keep distractions to a min and you'll do great! Remember there are always lots of places to pull off to 'take a breather'.

Hope I helped a little!

ib516

Don't use sway control on icy roads. I have one on my RV, and it has a sticker right on it that says not to use it in slippery conditions.

Silverado

Sometimes I get a kick out of the responses of members living in the temperate areas of NA. No offense to anyone, it's just that up here in Northern Canada, if you tow, you tow in winter; just a fact of life.

Everyone has given solid advice. I'll add a couple:

If the road conditions are really bad, air down your tires a little. It really helps with traction, producing a larger footprint. Make sure not to air down too much, or for a number of reasons you'll be worse off. Try -20psi.

Use that 4X4. It helps during accel and decel, as you get engine braking on all 4 (esp with your jake brake.)

Use a brake controller with a thumb switch for manual braking, and make sure it's mounted where you can reach it. A little pressure on the trailer brakes can right a bad situation nicely.

Some things I carry in my truck when travelling in winter:

Chains
Recovery strap and clevis
Gloves, boots, extra clothes, as well as food, water and a sleeping bag
Shovel and sand. If you don't want to carry sand, throw a couple of asphalt shingles in there. They're great for getting un-stuck.
Flares or reflector triangles
Cell phone
Extra washer fluid, anti-gel, oil and keep that fuel tank full
First aid kit and small basic tool kit (should have one with your trailer anyway IMO)
Rifle and cartridges and a good knife

Knock wood I've never had an incident while winter driving, but I have at one time or another used every one of the items above. I always stop to help in the winter, as another motorist's minor incident can become life and death quickly in the winter.

Good luck and safe travels.

Longhorn06

Hey good points Silverado! But I had to laugh a little at your post!

Even I carry a good knife always, but where does a rifle and cartridges come into the picture when preparing for a road trip!!! LOL

Road Flares, First aid kit, Washer Fluid, oh..and dont forget your rifle! Thanks my fellow Canadian, you gave me a good chuckle tonight!

Gary C

Thanks silver would like to how the rifle came into play also.......LOL

XLR8R

I always carry a rifle around, unless of course it'd be illegal

Never know when you might have to shoot a coyote out on the ranch, or a perp out on the road....

D.Wiggs

I prefer my Desert Eagle .50AE with Laser Light & Trijicon Night Sights Just in case I need to take over a small country along my travels!

XLR8R

I'm a big fan of IMI hardware

I stick to long guns on the road, since the rules are much easier to deal with across state lines. Have you put many rounds through that hand-cannon?

Longhorn06

Guys, Silverado and I are both from Canada, this is why it is rip-roarin funny! Our gun laws are so stupid, even if you were a farmer or hunter, you wouldnt have a rifle and shells on the list! Cracked me up big time!

Silver....get back to us buddy, and fill us in!