Wagons In the Winter

Shhh. Let old man winter snore away.

 

One of my customers drives this little wagon everyday winter or not...

 

the 1 winter i drove TiKi, she went like hell....unstoppable with regular all season tire

 

OOOOPS! where did her car go???

Just aminute I'll try it again

 

Had a '67 Chrysler wagon in the late seventies that was a good snow car. I remember bouncing it off of high snow banks along a narrow road. The friend I was with and myself sliding from one end of the bench seat to the other laughing hysterically until we couldn't catch our breath.
The car was completely unfazed(PHazed?).
Wish I still had that one.

 

My wagon was my go-to car on cold days because it was the only one I have with working heat. Got toasty in the first mile. Unfortunately, I accidentally yanked the hose tube out of the heater core this summer when I was swapping the heads.

 

This was a tough one to ignore...

Here is how I delt with living in the Chicago area and Having to be at work, the morning after Chicago's 3rd largest snow storm in History..

I had to tavel over 40 miles away at 6AM in my Recently aquired, 86' olds Custom Cruiser....

First, I needed serious tires....Answer? My Explorer had All Terrain Radial Truck Tires. Not just all season..A/T's.. just a little over sized..

Next, Put them on the Wagon. Fill the tank full for weight! Call up three working co workers and offer them a ride (more weight).

That morning we passed by around a dozen cars that had slid off the road.

We arrived on time, without incident . The biggest danger where the other idiots on the road un-prepared.

I have driven a Full size station wagon all of my life through the Worst conditions in the Colorado Rockys. White outs, Deep un-cleared powder, Up steep grades and down the other side.

Drive like normal but slower. Give more stopping distance a always be aware to slow your actions down..Don't react too fast and don't over react!

Key with rear wheel drive in the winter is yes, pump brakes..But..I like to drop down a gear first while adding a little gas so the rear drag takes control and the front wheels remain turning and responsive.

I do this move with both an auto or standard tramsmission. You add gas so the RPM's are up on the down shift and the rear wheels won't skid.

Let the tranny slow the car down..

Don't forget..Visability and Good Wipers!

Great tires are key!

Studded tires make a huge difference if they are allowed in your state. Colorado yes, Illinoi No.

 

re wagons in winter

One of the reasons wagons are decent winter snow drivers is the placement of the rear axle.

If you compare the rear axle placement of a pick up or SUV to a station wagon you will notice the wagon has much more of it's body candlevered behind the rear axle. Thus, much more weight and control in the back.

SUV's and PU's when only in 2WD suck in the snow and ice!

 

As winter in the West and More northern Lattitudes becomes less severe..

I simply post again to get feed back from a post that disappeared...

Those who drive in serious winter conditions, those who drive a wagon in them as well..

I had really hoped to share feed back as far as my personal response as to "Driving In Serious Winter Conditions"...

Weather, No Pun, Wagon or Just driving with what you hve to plow through..

 

depends who driving!

i guess i must be hell lot better driver than you.
a 2 wheel drive works just fine, if you install the right tires and use your brains while your driving.
I have been driving rear wheel drive trucks, ranchero's, van's for the last 30 yrs. I even been in snow (2 to 4 ft) that I was pushing with my front bumper/grill.




most people think that they can get away with all season tires and not chain there driving habits in the winter. for my rear wheel drive winter beater’s, all wise had studded snow all-round for stopping on the ice .also my driving habit’s. i take it easy when coming to a stop, so I would shift my car to N, when coming to stop and then shift back to D when I wanted to move forward. I do not speed for the road condition like most 4 wheel drive owners think they can just because they have 4 wheel drive.



we have had snow and ice on the ground here from late oct 2010 and I’m still driving my tow rig which is a 1995 F250 S/C TWO WHEEL DRIVE truck.

this is the first season I’m driving with out snow tires and that because my 1988 buick 307 olds went bad twice. so I’m stuck driving my TOW rig, which I have normally have Michelin LTX M/S all around but I did install my two spare tire’s for the rear and there cooper LT on this truck
and I live out side the city ,where the snow plows don’t plow the streets .like city folk's have it easy.

 

I always preferred RWD regardless of the seasons and the weather that go with the seasons.
I had FWD cars in the past and they suck in the winter.
Whne the back kicks out,hang on ,and hope you don't hit anything.
I am a control freak and FWD is just not for me,sorry.
I am a firm believer in four winter tires,as I do work at a tire shop.

Waygun is my first station wagon and is my driver,so I have no choice but to drive it in the snow.
The wife claims that my 300C is her car.
After ten years of marriage (and carting her arse around) she finally got her licence after falling in love with the Hemi in that 300C.
I can have a piece of mind that as her as a new driver, the 300C will get her from point A to point B with the ABS,traction control,etc.

But for me,the 300 is no fun for horsing around in the snow.
The damn thing fights me when I want to powerslide or fishtail--even with the traction control turned off.

This is where Waygun comes in.
It is just outright a blast to drive in the snow.
Very well balanced and lots of wieght over the rear axle.
The rear overhang,air shocks,standard transmission,and good snow tires,I get around noo problem.
When doing donuts,I find second gear and a half tank of gas works best,LOL!! Get her swinging hard and fast enough,the force actually pulls her backwards!
I do feel guilty driving her,but the perks at my shop is I keep her washed to keep the salt off of her.
She has seen winters before me owning her since she came with bias-ply H70-14 Tornado snows!!
I replaced them with modern radial ice and snow tires,though.

 

With fwd you accelerate in the direction you wish to go, which is counter-intuitive to the natural reaction of hitting the brake.

My cars are all RWD.

 

Same thing that made them popular drag cars.

I love that you parked the explorer and used the wagon for a snow car.

How many of the beached "cars" you passed were SUVs?
I'm just south of you Wagonlife. On a <three mile stretch of NW Hwy. I saw 4 off, most were SUVs. They don't seem to get that being able to accelerate and go fast with 4WD doesn't mean you'll be able to turn or stop. They just go further into the ditch.

 

Here's my situation....
Wifey's vehicle - '03 2WD Explorer
My vehicle - '06 front-wheel-drive Chevy HHR (no - they didn't offer AWD on these...)
Around town here in the Eugene/ Springfield area, you just need a good all-season tire. Unless you travel regularly in the mountains, that would be OK. Got some good Continental 'Cross-Contact's on the Explorer.

On the HHR, it's a different story. It's got fairly wide 17" Firestones on it now, 50-series. I've been travelling up over the Cascades to Redmond and Bend at least one a week lately, so I think I'm going to buy some studded tires. I'm not in love with the idea of putting chains on (haven't had to doit yet this season, but I have had to delay some trips when the weather got bad..) I'd rather change the whole set of wheels out in my garage than put the cable chains on in the snowy, cold weather. Looking for some steel wheels right now, for next season. I'll be getting a higher profile 16" tire with the studs.

 

KK, studded tire yes, good call on that one....cable chain, don't waist your $$....real chains, YES. From what I've seen where I live "cable" chains do nothing more than act like ball bearings on your tires if there is ice under the snow. A tire "chain" grabs, not slips off like a smooth cable chain.