Suggestions for getting better traction???
Senior User
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 221
Likes: 0
From: SLC
Suggestions for getting better traction???
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 08-Dec-02 AT 02:22 PM (EST)]>I went out today and bought more sand bag tubes and I have
>360lbs over the rear axle now and also aired my tires down
>to 45psi on the advice of the owner of the shop where I
>bought the tires.
I have about 300 lbs just forward of my axle. I like to make sure that the sandbags I use are waterproof and leakproof. I also wrap them in the heavy duty lawn and leaf trash bags. As said earlier in this thread, if the sand or salt you use gets wet, it can be a bear to get rid of, it can also promote "premature rustation"
Brad
>360lbs over the rear axle now and also aired my tires down
>to 45psi on the advice of the owner of the shop where I
>bought the tires.
I have about 300 lbs just forward of my axle. I like to make sure that the sandbags I use are waterproof and leakproof. I also wrap them in the heavy duty lawn and leaf trash bags. As said earlier in this thread, if the sand or salt you use gets wet, it can be a bear to get rid of, it can also promote "premature rustation"
Brad
Senior User
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 134
Likes: 0
From: SC, USA!
Suggestions for getting better traction???
>Get your tires sipped. Les Schwab does em for about $11 a
>tire. They work great for reducing heat from your tires and
>work wonders in snow...............hooya
What is tire sipping?
>tire. They work great for reducing heat from your tires and
>work wonders in snow...............hooya
What is tire sipping?
Postmaster
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,496
Likes: 0
From: Calgary Canada
Suggestions for getting better traction???
>>Get your tires sipped. Les Schwab does em for about $11 a
>>tire. They work great for reducing heat from your tires and
>>work wonders in snow...............hooya
>
>
>
>What is tire sipping?
>
Tire siping is cutting small grooves in the treads. Picture taking a razor blade to your treads and cutting them full of small slits.
It makes the rubber more flexible and greatly increases traction on packed snow and ice. It's the secret of success, along with different rubber compounds, behind modern snow tires like the Blizzak.
The downside is it will drastically reduce the life of your tires.
Waxy
>>tire. They work great for reducing heat from your tires and
>>work wonders in snow...............hooya
>
>
>
>What is tire sipping?
>
Tire siping is cutting small grooves in the treads. Picture taking a razor blade to your treads and cutting them full of small slits.
It makes the rubber more flexible and greatly increases traction on packed snow and ice. It's the secret of success, along with different rubber compounds, behind modern snow tires like the Blizzak.
The downside is it will drastically reduce the life of your tires.
Waxy
New User
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 14
Likes: 0
From: wisconsin
Suggestions for getting better traction???
I know alot of people love BFG's, but i've never been impressed with them. I do alot of off road driving through the snow in northern Wisconsin, and I have a set of Yokahama Geolander's and they work just great. I have a '02 F250 SD PSD. It's my first Ford after driving Rams and Dakotas for years. The biggest adjustment has been to go easy on the gas (due to the low end torque of the PSD) and that the 3/4 ton is stiffer in the rear. Probably more than you needed to know, but .....
Thread Starter
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Freshman User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 29
Likes: 0
From: U.S.A.
Suggestions for getting better traction???
>The biggest adjustment has been to go easy on the gas
>(due to the low end torque of the PSD) and that the 3/4 ton
>is stiffer in the rear.
Yup I think that is/was part of my problem too. The V10 doesn't have near the low-end of the PSD but it blows away the low-end power of the truck I was used to (GM 350 and 5.3L and two different Dodge 318s). So easy to break the tires loose on snow or gravel even with all-terrain tires.
As far as BFGs, this is the third set of BFG ATs I've owned on three different pickups and I think they're as good as anything for the type of driving I do. Wear well, fairly quiet on the highway and always seemed to do well for my frequent but mild offroad needs.
>(due to the low end torque of the PSD) and that the 3/4 ton
>is stiffer in the rear.
Yup I think that is/was part of my problem too. The V10 doesn't have near the low-end of the PSD but it blows away the low-end power of the truck I was used to (GM 350 and 5.3L and two different Dodge 318s). So easy to break the tires loose on snow or gravel even with all-terrain tires.
As far as BFGs, this is the third set of BFG ATs I've owned on three different pickups and I think they're as good as anything for the type of driving I do. Wear well, fairly quiet on the highway and always seemed to do well for my frequent but mild offroad needs.
Elder User
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 621
Likes: 0
From: S.W. Oregon
Suggestions for getting better traction???
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 09-Dec-02 AT 10:49 PM (EST)]>>What is tire sipping?
>
>Tire siping is cutting small grooves in the treads. Picture
>taking a razor blade to your treads and cutting them full of
>small slits.
>
>It makes the rubber more flexible and greatly increases
>traction on packed snow and ice. It's the secret of
>success, along with different rubber compounds, behind
>modern snow tires like the Blizzak.
>
>The downside is it will drastically reduce the life
>of your tires.
>
>Waxy
Very true, and don't even think of doing it if you drive much on gravel roads.
.
.
.
>
>Tire siping is cutting small grooves in the treads. Picture
>taking a razor blade to your treads and cutting them full of
>small slits.
>
>It makes the rubber more flexible and greatly increases
>traction on packed snow and ice. It's the secret of
>success, along with different rubber compounds, behind
>modern snow tires like the Blizzak.
>
>The downside is it will drastically reduce the life
>of your tires.
>
>Waxy
Very true, and don't even think of doing it if you drive much on gravel roads.
.
.
.
Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,986
Likes: 43
From: maryland
Suggestions for getting better traction???
does the amount of weight depend on the lenghth of the chasis?
ive got a cc longbed 2002 f350 4x4.
i was trying to figure what weight i should run. i have an 8' plow that says to weigh 800# complete but i dont want to load thart much weight each time. and i dont want to keep it in cause it will lesson the millage on fuel. i was leaning towards 2oo#.
ive got a cc longbed 2002 f350 4x4.
i was trying to figure what weight i should run. i have an 8' plow that says to weigh 800# complete but i dont want to load thart much weight each time. and i dont want to keep it in cause it will lesson the millage on fuel. i was leaning towards 2oo#.
Freshman User
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Suggestions for getting better traction???
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 11-Dec-02 AT 01:28 PM (EST)]Yes, the WB has a direct impact on weight distribution, the longer the WB, the more weight will be on the FA when the truck is EMPTY, ALSO the longer the WB the LESS weight will be transfered to the FA when loaded. So, with a long WB truck, your FA will be under more load, especially with a plow, and even MORE weight will be needed BEHIND the RA to compensate. The best thing would be to weigh the truck (each axle seperately) empty, then install the plow and reweigh then add weight until the RA is loaded sufficiently. If you have a PSD, your front axle may be OVERLOADED with the plow, on a long WB truck (check to see if you have a Dana 50 rated @ 5200#, or a Dana 60 rated @ 6000#...'02's supposedly have 60's) counter-balancing can only do so much, and the effects are diminished the longer the WB.
REMEMBER to move the weight forward if you remove the plow.
I have an '01 F-350 4X4 CC SB SRW PSD with an 800# plow and use about 1000# slightly BEHIND the RA when I use the plow. My axle weights are: FA-5100#, RA-3500#
REMEMBER to move the weight forward if you remove the plow.
I have an '01 F-350 4X4 CC SB SRW PSD with an 800# plow and use about 1000# slightly BEHIND the RA when I use the plow. My axle weights are: FA-5100#, RA-3500#
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Fleet Mechanic
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 1,986
Likes: 43
From: maryland
Suggestions for getting better traction???
the axle code is D1 the front is 5200#. so i guess its a dana 50. the plow is a fisher minite mount 2 and is only on in snow. do you tj=hink i need 1000#? i was thinking the 2oo# way. next season i want to add salt spreader so that will help.
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
Suggestions for getting better traction???
a 285/75/16 is a pretty wide tire now I know there are widder ones so don't go there,,.. 
if you want traction in shallow snow 8" or less go tall and skinny like a 255/85/16 if you want floatation which works good in the deeper snow and mud the wide is the way to go. also the wider the tires the more weight you will need pushing down on them in the shallow stuff to get them to bite.. Also I have had the BF GOODIES and they never did very well for me they are nice tires though and I would buy them again.
00 f-250 v-10 ext. cab long bed 4+4
99 f-250 psd reg. cab long bed 4+4
if you want traction in shallow snow 8" or less go tall and skinny like a 255/85/16 if you want floatation which works good in the deeper snow and mud the wide is the way to go. also the wider the tires the more weight you will need pushing down on them in the shallow stuff to get them to bite.. Also I have had the BF GOODIES and they never did very well for me they are nice tires though and I would buy them again.00 f-250 v-10 ext. cab long bed 4+4
99 f-250 psd reg. cab long bed 4+4
Junior User
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
Suggestions for getting better traction???
No just put it in 4lo and goose the throttle that'll spit it right out...unless you have a deisel then you will have to get on an up hill grade...:P
00 f-250 v-10 ext. cab long bed 4+4
00 f-250 v-10 ext. cab long bed 4+4
Freshman User
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 35
Likes: 0
Suggestions for getting better traction???
>the axle code is D1 the front is 5200#. so i guess its a
>dana 50. the plow is a fisher minite mount 2 and is only on
>in snow. do you tj=hink i need 1000#? i was thinking the
>2oo# way. next season i want to add salt spreader so that
>will help.
If you have a PSD with a long WB, I would definately weigh the truck (especially the FA) and make sure you're not too heavy (also check into 10ply tires if you don't already have them). I've run 5800-6000# on the FA of mine without noticable problems, but the extra wear/tear will take a while to show up. Also, remember there will be 400-500# of snow in that plow when you try to lift it over a pile and the hydraulics are capable of a lot more than that if you get in a bind. I don't think 200# will be enough for serious SP use. Remember the FA was not designed to propel these trucks exclusively, unless you load the RA sufficiently it will lose traction as the snow piles up in front of you and that will put more strain on the FA and transfer case (you don't want to have to replace that chain...trust me)
>dana 50. the plow is a fisher minite mount 2 and is only on
>in snow. do you tj=hink i need 1000#? i was thinking the
>2oo# way. next season i want to add salt spreader so that
>will help.
If you have a PSD with a long WB, I would definately weigh the truck (especially the FA) and make sure you're not too heavy (also check into 10ply tires if you don't already have them). I've run 5800-6000# on the FA of mine without noticable problems, but the extra wear/tear will take a while to show up. Also, remember there will be 400-500# of snow in that plow when you try to lift it over a pile and the hydraulics are capable of a lot more than that if you get in a bind. I don't think 200# will be enough for serious SP use. Remember the FA was not designed to propel these trucks exclusively, unless you load the RA sufficiently it will lose traction as the snow piles up in front of you and that will put more strain on the FA and transfer case (you don't want to have to replace that chain...trust me)