EDIT: I did something dumb in my Bronco today and really lucked out…Don’t mess with ice!

[HorizonHunter]

This thread has made me think we need a pinned resource thread for everyone that's new to all the mechanical assets at their fingertips. Some basic guidelines based on scenarios.

Rear lockers are good when...
Front lockers are good when...
Lockers are bad when...
Air down when...

Uphills, downhills, snow, mud. Obviously getting real training is preferable, but we can't dog on everyone for not knowing how to handle every new situation to them. I'm super comfortable with snow, but I'll admit don't know the first thing about rock or sand. Could even be an excel matrix to simplify.

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[broncosor]

Exactly this. I got Sasquatch regrettably for the factory prep 35’s and nothing more. Those Goodyears are absolutely horrible. It’s like driving on glass when it snows

Can’t wait to swap out to KO2’s. I wish Ford (and others) didn’t strike this OEM deal for those terrible tires.

First of all your comment is surprising considering the forum is filled with positive reviews of the Goodyears in snow like this guy:

We just got 7 ft. of snow this week and I love these tires for winter. They are better than BFG KO2s in the snow by far. Maybe as good as Falken AT3Ws. I will be taking them off in the spring for a different summer tire and keep them for winter use only.

Secondly, I am happy Ford used those, they are the lightest 35s on the market by far and that’s very important for many reasons.
Also, I have used them offroad at offrodeo, went along with pro drivers at KOH and at the Moab event, and I know drive them on my own Bronco,
Everybody I talked to at those event and myself love these tires.
I have yet to drive those myself in snow but that will happen tomorrow.

 

[FloMoBronco]

we've all done things in our hubris, and afterwards think.... by God's grace it worked somehow.....good on ya for sharing for others bruthah.....

 

[drew707]

First of all your comment is surprising considering the forum is filled with positive reviews of the Goodyears in snow like this guy:



Secondly, I am happy Ford used those, they are the lightest 35s on the market by far and that’s very important for many reasons.
Also, I have used them offroad at offrodeo, went along with pro drivers at KOH and at the Moab event, and I know drive them on my own Bronco,
Everybody I talked to at those event and myself love these tires.
I have yet to drive those myself in snow but that will happen tomorrow.

They’re sufficient in deep snow but in cleaned and packed city snow it’s been a chore to drive with. But again this is coming from having KO2’s. I didn’t think of the weight thing but this would explain why they are so willing to spin immediately for me. But at the end of the day they’re just an OEM tire for factory production and not exactly intended for people to stick with long term. Jack of all trades master of none. All three territory lines are expressively designed this way.

 

[Fishingtreeman]

I e done snow removal for 30 years and will tell you tires absolutely make a difference. Look at Bridgestone Blizzack as a reference. On the sidewall of the tire is a snow covered mountain. That denotes it as a snow rated tire. They are much softer compound and have incredible grip on snow and ice. They have one of the best stopping performance of any snow rated tire

 

[Bschurr]

Went for a spin in the Catskills today in search of a trail (found none) but as I was driving around, some snow hit the area.

As I was driving down a gravel, snow covered road, I saw some
Gentlemen waving their arms to slow
Down. I figured “I’m going 25, they need to Relax” and smiled, waved, and kept going. Yea, I’m the a-hole, and I deserved a terrible end, oblivious that they were actually trying to warn me, but the bronco saved me from the Embarrassment I deserved after gaffing off a good-willed warning of impending danger.
The next group of bystanders got me to stop and roll down the window.

“It’s a icy hill ahead, impassable, about 8 cars in the ditch on either side, do not go down there!”

my girlfriend began to plea, “no! Just turn around!” But folks, fortune favors the bold.

I stopped. Shifted to 4L, traction control off (I still don’t get why, that’s how novice I am), locked front and rear diff, and even disconnected the swa bar, just cause I can (I know the disconnect did nothing for me in this situation)… shifted into crawl gear, and began a slow descent down the icy hill.

you wouldn’t believe the look on these peoples faces. All in 4x4 trucks, and Awd suvs, and all in ditches. I slowly crawled by with not a slip to speak
Of.

I am truly impressed with
The capability of this machine.

I didn’t deserve that end, but this truck delivered for me.

To the folks in the
Catskill area, southeast of Ellenville, NY, I’m sorry you had a rough day, and thank you for the warning or I
Probably would’ve ended up in a ditch too!

to those waiting on their bronco, this thing is AWESOME!

View attachment 272144

That was a CRAZY snow squall yesterday huh? Glad you are OK!

 

[AlpineDescent]

A bag of salt/sand mix and chains will go a long way in these situations.

 

[Gnomad]

Out of control downhill really sucks. Out of control in your dad's Squarebody in a snowstorm on a mountain road, where the penalty for going off the road on the wrong side is going off a 20 ft straight drop without guardrails is utterly terrifying.
Fortunately my story had a happyish ending. I went off the road on the high side so I was stuck sideways in the road, and a few minutes later some friends of mine in FJ40's came along, stoned as anything, got out in a cloud of smoke and assessed the situation. "Hey Chris you can't leave your truck like this"
"Yeah I know. Can you pull me out?"
It took a couple minutes to process this idea nd they agreed, they pulled me out, parked the truck in a safe place and walked the rest of the way home. Went out the next morning after the roads had been cleared and sanded and got it home with a bent tailpipe.
The most important item is your tires. I loved my Hankook RW-11 IpIkes, which are insanely excellent tires. Had to settle for Blizzaks as I couldn't find a new set. It sounds like the folks in the ditch were trusting the all season tires that most cars are equipped with and found out the hard way they are 3 season tires.

 

[fv9]

Reminds me of a bit of icy snow we had in the Snoqualmie Valley, way back when. It was snowing when we woke up. I called my boss to tell him I couldn't come in to work because of snow. He knew exactly what I was going to do on that day, and said "No prob."

First thing I did was go outside to fire up "Godzilla," my '65 Dodge W200 Powerwagon. Time to take the kids to school. Nobody was out there yet, so that went OK. Then I went home and drove my wife down to the Duvall Post Office where she could sort her mail. She called me when she was ready, and I drove back down there to take her on her mail route. The snow was pretty deep by then , but Godzilla had Fleetwood "Street Destroyer" tires, and we could go through anything. My wife loaded all her mail into the truck. Godzilla didn't have a crewcab like my current 2001 F-150, so some of the stuff had to go back in the box. Off we went. I was afraid to leave the center of the road, so my wife had to hop out with the mail at each mailbox and then climb back in. About a million times. There was this one place where we had to drive up this guy's driveway to deliver a package. Everything was covered in snow. I had no idea what was lawn and what was driveway. I do remember a serious dropoff full of blackberry bushes as I let out the clutch and gassed it, narrowly missing the guy's front porch as Godzilla spun around neatly. Carolyn hopped in and we were outta there. We finished the rest of the route with minimal drama. I dropped Carolyn off at the Post Office and drove back home. OK. Time to go pick up the kids. Godzilla to the rescue. PIcked 'em both up. They promptly fell asleep, and I was trying to drive back home on the Woodinville-Duvall Road. It was a f**king sheet of ice on that long, downhill stretch. Many cars were spun out or abandoned. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot? Had to stop. Worst thing to do in this situation. Godzilla was slowly sliding toward the side and the big ditch. I just said F**k it and let out the clutch. The Fleetwoods caught, and the front end pulled us exactly where we needed to go. Both kids were still asleep. I drove us around all those stalled and spun-out f**ks and we made it back down to the Snoqualmie Valley, then back up to our place.

So, boys and girls, that's why I always have a 4-WD with good tires. When it snows here in the Snoqualmie Valley, things get really weird.

Seeya
ATB

I miss that area. I grew up in Bellevue and went to the Overlake School (class of 92). Way back then we used to head out to the valley to go wheeling or see the annual flooding at lunch. I’m sure the area has changed a ton since then. No more riding dirt bikes along the power lines I assume as well.

 

[Mgro]

That was a CRAZY snow squall yesterday huh? Glad you are OK!

it was nuts! I’d never seen a squall before I moved here in 2019, and now I’ve seen 2… amazing how much snow can fall in so little time

 

[John Auer]

Honestly, I've been in a VERY similar situation, thinking I was better than those who knew.

Zero "hate" intended here, but by your description I can tell you learned nothing here.
You may actually be worse now than before, attitude-wise. Again, no judgement, just try to keep an open mind.

I can't "hate" on this without turning the mirror on myself because I did the nearly the exact same thing.

Once you have been in a zero traction situation, it's not something you'll likely ever take forgranted again.
Unfortunately, I don't think anybody will apprciate the weight of that statement unless they have experienced it.

Like you , my incident occured at single digit mph ... the vehicle just slowly slid down a hill.....backwards for about 30 to 45 seconds ... it was like slow-motion, looking back I can laugh.
I've lived all of my 50 years in regions that have "winter". I know MOST all the tips tricks and advice. I can assure you when traction reaches zero there will be NOTHING you can do.
Gravity or (God forbid) momentum will make you its bitch .... completely and thoroughly.

Pump the brakes, tried turning the wheel, gently lock to lock , searching for anything ...NOTHING ... everything I did had an effect of absolute zero .... just ride it out. You'll have zero options until traction is found again.

Like you, at the end of my slide, no harm , no foul ... but my attitude towards ice situations like that is now wildly different than yours.
...and that is why I fear you may actually be worse off now than before, thinking this machine is better than most. When it goes to zero, it is not, it's just another chunk of metal sliding out of control.

You should also know that lockers are not necessarily your friend on ice. In many situations they are horrible.

All of that being said, the fact that I've only ran into ice like that a time or three in all these years tells me it is rare .... but by GOD, it is important enough to at least warrant further evaluation before proceeding next time.

Take care.
Peace, out.

I’ve slid down US 1 in Maine driving a Bronco II in 1985. There was a two car accident at the bottom of the hill with a State Trooper on the scene. The Bronco spun like a top as it slid down the hill. All I could do was hold on, and pray I didn’t slam into the disabled cars. I came to a stop right before them. The trooper and the other drivers were frozen in their tracks. The Trooper said to me, “sorry buddy, I don’t have any toilet paper in the cruiser.” I must have been white as a ghost. I hope I never encounter a situation like that again.

 

[RedDawg]

Yeah, he's under no obligation to be anybody else's savior.

And good luck pulling anybody out of a ditch from an icy road without some skills, chains or a winch.

 

[1IH]

Honestly, I've been in a VERY similar situation, thinking I was better than those who knew.

Zero "hate" intended here, but by your description I can tell you learned nothing here.
You may actually be worse now than before, attitude-wise. Again, no judgement, just try to keep an open mind.

I can't "hate" on this without turning the mirror on myself because I did the nearly the exact same thing.

Once you have been in a zero traction situation, it's not something you'll likely ever take forgranted again.
Unfortunately, I don't think anybody will apprciate the weight of that statement unless they have experienced it.

Like you , my incident occured at single digit mph ... the vehicle just slowly slid down a hill.....backwards for about 30 to 45 seconds ... it was like slow-motion, looking back I can laugh.
I've lived all of my 50 years in regions that have "winter". I know MOST all the tips tricks and advice. I can assure you when traction reaches zero there will be NOTHING you can do.
Gravity or (God forbid) momentum will make you its bitch .... completely and thoroughly.

Pump the brakes, tried turning the wheel, gently lock to lock , searching for anything ...NOTHING ... everything I did had an effect of absolute zero .... just ride it out. You'll have zero options until traction is found again.

Like you, at the end of my slide, no harm , no foul ... but my attitude towards ice situations like that is now wildly different than yours.
...and that is why I fear you may actually be worse off now than before, thinking this machine is better than most. When it goes to zero, it is not, it's just another chunk of metal sliding out of control.

You should also know that lockers are not necessarily your friend on ice. In many situations they are horrible.

All of that being said, the fact that I've only ran into ice like that a time or three in all these years tells me it is rare .... but by GOD, it is important enough to at least warrant further evaluation before proceeding next time.

Take care.
Peace, out.

I had to respond based on Hoosier in your name.......I drove to Chicago from Cincinnati last week in my Bronco for business and of course I made the 5hr drive back on Thursday afternoon.........just as Northern Indiana was getting pelted with a ½" of ice and snow on top. I have experience in Ice and more in Snow living here in the Ohio River Valley and I have to say that was the sketchiest conditions I have ever been on the road in, period. A 5hr drive took over 9hrs to complete and Indiana 41 from the Illinois border to Lafayette was an absolute Ice covered mess the entire way.

I hope to NEVER find myself on the road in those conditions again. The Bronco and my 3 Peak rated Ridge Grapplers did ok but I could have had foam rubber tires on and it wouldn't have been any better. We watched several 4 wheel drive trucks slide right into ditches through out the day, the ice monster just reached right up and grabbed their trucks and slung them into ditches and gullies without breaking a sweat. It was panicingly scary. 4A and Slippery Mode were the only way I drove it and the only way I would again. Lockers are useless on ice and if anything only increase the Gyro effect vehicles get on ice covered surfaces.

Stay safe out there and for once I was incredibly thankful for the FLAT State of Indiana versus the hills of KY which would have made a 9hr trip likely an overnighter.

 

[Tricky Dick]

Studded Nokians are much better if your area gets frequent ice.

Agreed, with a good set of winter tires a crossover could show up the Bronco.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Agreed, with a good set of winter tires a crossover could show up the Bronco.

Bingo!
Unless the snow is deep, I feel far more confident in our Blizzak equipped Outback than in the Toyo AT3 equipped Bronco. Especially if it is slick out there.

Even the low slung Legacy GT on X-ices was AWESOME !

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