I hate driving in the snow and ice......how do i deal with this....?

Question

It doesn't snow very often where I live but when it does there is usually a lot of ice....i drive a Nissan Frontier pickup that's not four wheel drive with off road tires that do not really provide a lot of traction in the ice....i am very careful about accelerating and turning...but when I brake the wheels usually lock up and I slide no matter how little presure I apply on the brake pedal.....

Answer 1

Pick-up trucks are very light in the rear and will benefit greatly from adding some weight back there. What I have done in the past is carry some water softener salt or bags of oil dry for weight and if you get stuck it can be used as a traction aid. As far as the brakes go it sounds like you may have a problem as they should not lock up with as you describe very little pressure applied. Have your brakes inspected, I suspect you may have one wheel with a binding condition due to a brake fluid or axle seal leak or just bad brake linings because they should not lock up under very light braking unless your driving on sheer ice.

Answer 2

lower the air pressure on all 4 tires by5 lbs

Answer 3

First of all, get your brakes checked.

I never drive when there is freezing rain. It's not just my own driving I worry about either, but other's errors too.

Pickup trucks are notorius for wiping out on slippery roads. This is due to the lack of weight over the rear wheels. Trucks have rear wheel drive too, so when you accelerate, the rear "drive" wheel is pushing the truck forward.

Whenever I drive on slippery roads, I'm always checking the road surface ahead. I follow further back, reduce my speed and brake VERY lightly and earlier than on a dry road. When beginning to move forward, come off the brake, and allow your vehicle to move forward without using the accelerator. You can also put your vehicle into "Neutral" just as you stop which will disconnect the transmission from the drive wheel and help prevent slippage. Once you want to move forward again, shift back into "Drive" or even begin in a lower gear, and shift up to drive once you get moving. Do this without using the accelerator at first to prevent slipping.

I also try to wait a bit longer to attempt driving on days like this, so the road crews have time to sand, plow, etc........

Usually the slippery areas are located wherever people stop and then go a lot........intersections......

If there is a lot of ice at an intersection, sometimes you can move your vehicle a bit left or right  towards a curb or boulevard where you can put one front tire on some snow (just off the travelled portion where the tire tracks are). This may give you a bit of added traction. Once you begin to skid though, it's too late to do much, so it's always best to prevent skidding in the first place by taking precautions.

Good luck........

'THINK AND DRIVE'

Answer 4

Don't drive on the day that it snows then..

Answer 5

hiya dont drive in the weather unless very unnecessary

Answer 6

Chains or snow tires come to mind. They have those little studs that dig into the snow and ice for better traction. I know you can't keep changing your tires. So you will have to just use them during winter months and change back to regular tires during the warmer weather. Plus I would use them on the front as well as the rear. A combination of both chains and snow tires couldn't hurt either. At least you can easily remove the chains as needed. Reducing your speed is extremely important as well.

Answer 7

id say if you need to go somewhere when its snowing, take a bus or something, it will be safer but now as quick... if you dont want to take a bus, just, put it off whatever your doing for a day or two. maybe you could buy those thingamiggie chain things to get more traction on your tires.

Answer 8

First, for next winter purchase a set of four winter tires.  The Tire Rack out of South Bend Indiana offers a complete package of tires mounted on rims, valve stem, balanced, and optional hubcaps.  This is the best money anyone can spend to improve their driving safety during snowy and icy road conditions.  I have Bridgestone Blizzaks on my Ford Windstar.  These are winter tires only.  Will run you about $500.  

Second suggestion.  When your truck starts to slide due to brake lockup, aside from the good recommendation to have your brakes adjusted, put your transmission into neutral.  By removing any power to the drive tires will allow a vehicle to stop faster.

Answer 9

First, a vehicle cannot slow down and stop rapidly. Remember, everything slows down.

On dry roads, automobiles depend upon their brakes to reduce their speed and fiction between the tires and the road to reduce their momentum and stop.

On snow-covered roads there is significantly less fiction between the tires and the road, and therefore it takes longer for the vehicle to lose its momentum and come to a complete stop.

So, if a driver rapidly applied his brakes on a snow-covered road, his vehicle is very likely to go into a slide.

Next, if a vehicle cannot stop rapidly, a vehicle cannot start rapidly.

Any attempts to accelerate suddenly on snow will always result in the vehicle’s tires spinning freely.

Rapid acceleration while on a snow-covered highway, such as an attempt to pass, is equally bad and can result in the vehicle spinning out of control.

Remember, since everything slows down, take it easy on the accelerator pedal and only increase the vehicle’s speed slowly.

Answer 10

Put some ballast in the rear of the pick-up bed.  Start of with about 50 pounds of sand bags or concrete blocks.  Add weight if necessary.  But don't go over 100 pounds.  You may be taking some weight of the front wheels and that could cause a loss of steering control.

Answer 11

chains...cables....buy 4WD....move to warmer climes.

Answer 12

Buy a new car or move south.

Answer 13

get those brakes adjusted !!!

I had to drive a pickup truck with brakes that locked up, and even in summer it was scary and dangerous to drive, still skidded so easily.  Other cars and pickups I drive never gave me that problem.

Also, you should get snowtires/ winter tires, because of the different kind of rubber that grips on ice, so winter driving will be relatively more similar to summer driving, compared to regular-rubber tires.  Its not an issue of the kind of treads, its the kind of rubber its made of.  

You drive the right way, but I think you're main problem is getting the brakes adjusted so they don't lock up !  Get  your brakes re-adjusted !