Sliding in Snow

[Chris23Ram]

I know on my truck, with the three different tires I have ran, when in 4 high driving in snow, I had to actively try to get it to spin the tires. Especially if traction control was on. If your rear end is walking out on you, and traction control isn't kicking the power to stop it, you have an issue with your 4wd and traction control/ESC system

I guess I'm gonna have to take it into the dealer

 

[DEG]

I suspect the issue is driver error. You are just going too fast while turning on ice or packed snow.

Your truck should have 3 independent systems and any one of them operating alone should help prevent the rear end from kicking out in snow. It's very unlikely all 3 systems are broken.

1. 4 x 4 powers the front wheels helps pull the truck and keep it straight.
2. Traction Control - Senses wheel spin and reduces power to appropriate wheel to reduce spin. Turn off by pushing the Traction Control Button once.
3. Electronic Stability Control - Senses when the rear tires are at risk of kicking out and passing the front and applies brakes to wheels to stop the spin out. Turn off by holding down the Traction Control button for 5 or 6 seconds.

To add....none of these systems are magic and your truck can still get sideways in slick surfaces even with all 3 systems operational without careful driving. I see as many, if not more, 4x4s in ditches in snowy weather because some who own 4x4s tend to throw caution to the wind and think they are invincible in a 4x4.

 

[HSKR R/T]

I suspect the issue is driver error. You are just going too fast while turning on ice or packed snow.

Your truck should have 3 independent systems and any one of them operating alone should help prevent the rear end from kicking out in snow. It's very unlikely all 3 systems are broken.

1. 4 x 4 powers the front wheels helps pull the truck and keep it straight.
2. Traction Control - Senses wheel spin and reduces power to appropriate wheel to reduce spin. Turn off by pushing the Traction Control Button once.
3. Electronic Stability Control - Senses when the rear tires are at risk of kicking out and passing the front and applies brakes to wheels to stop the spin out. Turn off by holding down the Traction Control button for 5 or 6 seconds.

To add....none of these systems are magic and your truck can still get sideways in slick surfaces even with all 3 systems operational without careful driving. I see as many, if not more, 4x4s in ditches in snowy weather because some who own 4x4s tend to throw caution to the wind and think they are invincible in a 4x4.

Most ones you see in the ditch are probably more so, they don't understand that 4wd helps get you moving, but does nothing to help stop, or as you said, not spin on ice.

 

[Willwork4truck]

I have a 23 Ram 1500 Laramie today while driving on snowy roads i had it in 4 high, the tail end kept trying to spin around on me driving 30-35mph I have Falken Wildpeaks At4s with good tread. Thoughts?

Having too much fun maybe?

 

[Willwork4truck]

Way back “in the day”, if you were fortunate enough to have a 4x, you drove in 2x until you lost traction then you went outside, turned the hubs and got out of the problem with 4x. (“Hubs granpa, what are ”hubs”?)
Course you had proper “mud grips” and a couple-three hundred pounds of weight over the rear axle, as well as your dad or uncle having taught you how to drive in slippery conditions.
Nowadays, the “magic” of awd and the computer will get you through anything with half tread “all season” radials…
How did anyone ever get anywhere back then? And they didn’t even have gps!




The original Jeep Gladiator…

 

[Jako]

Way back “in the day”, if you were fortunate enough to have a 4x, you drove in 2x until you lost traction then you went outside, turned the hubs and got out of the problem with 4x. (“Hubs granpa, what are ”hubs”?)
Course you had proper “mud grips” and a couple-three hundred pounds of weight over the rear axle, as well as your dad or uncle having taught you how to drive in slippery conditions.
Nowadays, the “magic” of awd and the computer will get you through anything with half tread “all season” radials…
How did anyone ever get anywhere back then? And they didn’t even have gps!

View attachment 194241

View attachment 194242
The original Jeep Gladiator…

I believe it was it was 86/87 winter and the strap chains worked well for a quick fix for my 2X, shorty, 6 cyl, 3 speed on the column Dodge van. No longer available on Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Chains-Emergency-Strap-Pick-Up-Trucks/dp/B07LCVGL8L

 

[Chris23Ram]

I suspect the issue is driver error. You are just going too fast while turning on ice or packed snow.

Your truck should have 3 independent systems and any one of them operating alone should help prevent the rear end from kicking out in snow. It's very unlikely all 3 systems are broken.

1. 4 x 4 powers the front wheels helps pull the truck and keep it straight.
2. Traction Control - Senses wheel spin and reduces power to appropriate wheel to reduce spin. Turn off by pushing the Traction Control Button once.
3. Electronic Stability Control - Senses when the rear tires are at risk of kicking out and passing the front and applies brakes to wheels to stop the spin out. Turn off by holding down the Traction Control button for 5 or 6 seconds.

To add....none of these systems are magic and your truck can still get sideways in slick surfaces even with all 3 systems operational without careful driving. I see as many, if not more, 4x4s in ditches in snowy weather because some who own 4x4s tend to throw caution to the wind and think they are invincible in a 4x4.

I was going 30-35. And it was straight stretches it was happening. It made no sense to me

 

[HSKR R/T]

I was going 30-35. And it was straight stretches it was happening. It made no sense to me

All your tire pressures good? Even tread wear?

 

[Insanity]

I was under the impression that 4wd and auto 4wd disengages after like 15 to 25mph?

 

[JamRam]

Tires!

That used to happen to me when I was running 4-seasons.....Even with weight in the back.

I'm running winters this season with the bed empty and I am yet to have an issue.

 

[HSKR R/T]

I was under the impression that 4wd and auto 4wd disengages after like 15 to 25mph?

No, that the electronic locking rear axle. Why would 4wd or 4-auto do that? Kind of defeats the purpose

 

[Insanity]

Why? So it is not destroyed with heat wear and stress when its not really needed.

 

[vincentw56]

Why? So it is not destroyed with heat wear and stress when its not really needed.

Defeats the purpose of using 4WD high or auto if it shuts off. Not very logical. 4WD low on the other hand shouldn't be ran at high MPH.

 

[Insanity]

I don't disagree but its not manually controlled and can be turned off via whatever controls it. Like I said I was under the impression it did could have mixed that up when I was going through my manual. Also If you have ever broken a Tcase good luck don't ask me how I know.

 

[HSKR R/T]

Why? So it is not destroyed with heat wear and stress when its not really needed.

4-auto only sends power to front tires when it senses rear wheel slip. Front axle is locked, but transfer case not engaged. 4-high transfer case engaged and front axle locked, but the system is designed to run at any speed without issue. 4-low is what you don't want to use at high speed, and computer will limit speed

 

[JamRam]

I was under the impression that 4wd and auto 4wd disengages after like 15 to 25mph?

I thought this as well.

Learned something today.

 

[Insanity]

I thought this as well.

Learned something today.

Nothing wrong with that.

4-auto only sends power to front tires when it senses rear wheel slip. Front axle is locked, but transfer case not engaged. 4-high transfer case engaged and front axle locked, but the system is designed to run at any speed without issue. 4-low is what you don't want to use at high speed, and computer will limit speed

That makes more sense I am used to manual Tcases so to have an auto/push button/electrically controlled one is new to me.

 

[HARDWATERFLYER]

I have new AT4's on my 2023 Laramie Night Edition. 33# psi all around-chalk tested- they are great in the snow in 4WD Auto. And I remember getting out locking the manual hubs a lot over the years. Running boards were soon invented after that.

 

[LouNY]

One issue with many trucks and cars these days is the width of the tires. Those wide low profile tires may look good to some people but in snow they are just about worthless. A relatively narrower tire of the same height will slice through snow. The wider tire has to ride up over it and pack it down, irregular spots will make the front end of the vehicle pull as you run into it just like deep puddles of water will pull if just one tire hits it. If one front tire hits a pile of snow from a different vehicle the truck is going to pull in that direction.
If you could find them you would be surprised at how much better a 7.50 or 235/85 series tire behaves in the snow compared to the 275/60's and wider such as many pickups have these days.

 

[LouNY]

I have new AT4's on my 2023 Laramie Night Edition. 33# psi all around-chalk tested- they are great in the snow in 4WD Auto. And I remember getting out locking the manual hubs a lot over the years. Running boards were soon invented after that.

Actually the running boards pre dated the lock out hubs by many years, I can recall when the locking hubs were an option or not even available from the factory.