Black Ice and Snow

[r32]

Hey Guys,

It's almost snowboarding season here in California and I want to know about driving my 4Runner (2008 V6 4WD) in the snow.

When do you guys switch into 4WD when heading from dry/wet low-lying areas up to the mountains and into the snow?

Also, how do think the stock tires will handle the road? They only have about 7k miles on them.

And what about Chains and 4WD? I always had a 2WD Pre-Runner before this.

Thanks for your help in advance

 

[Uneek]

If I know ahead of time that the road conditions will be less than ideal, I'll put it in 4H early on when I'm stopped for gas before I get into the Sierras. If I starts snowing as I'm driving up, I'll just flip it into 4H making sure I'm on a straight stretch and under 62mph. The 4th gen 4WD 4Runners have a full time 4WD system, so you can drive in 4H all year round and it won't harm the 4Runner in anyway. When in doubt, put it in 4H. I use 4H when there's a down pour.

I have Michelin CrossTerrains on mine, no problems with snow. Very stable and I feel confident with them.

I'm in NorCal, SoCal members here have mentioned it's a little bit different down south and they enforce chains differently.

Chains, technically in CA, you're required to have them with you at all times when it snows in the event of chain controls. However, most of the time chain controls are in effect for 2WD vehicles and 4WD/AWD vehicles may pass without having chains on. Usually the highway gets shut down before they make a 4WD/AWD vehicle chain up. (Last year it was snowing at a really decent rate, not white out conditions and the ground wasn't completely white. I80 and US50 was shut down for the night and did open until 8-9am. At 6am with daylight it was plenty driveable, just an inch or so on the ground at the higher elevations.) For that reason, I and my snowboarding buddies do not have chains for our 4WD/AWD vehicles. None of them have gotten stuck due to R3, when I asked if any of them have chains. However, this is our approach (don't blame me). :

From the link below:

R-1: Chains are required on all vehicles except passenger vehicles and light-duty trucks under 6,000 pounds gross weight and equipped with snow tires on at least two drive wheels. Chains must be carried by vehicles using snow tires. All vehicles towing trailers must have chains on one drive axle. Trailers with brakes must have chains on at least one axle.

R-2: Chains are required on all vehicles except four-wheel-drive vehicles under 6,500 pounds gross weight and equipped with snow tires on all four wheels. Chains for one set of drive wheels must be carried by four wheel-drive vehicles using snow tires.

R-3: Chains are required on all vehicles without exception.

R-1 and R-2 are the most common conditions. A highway will often be closed before an R-3 condition is imposed. Some local areas may use variations of these designations. You must follow the directions on the signs posted for chain controls or any instructions given by Caltrans or CHP personnel at chain control check points, even if these are at variance with broadcast road condition reports or information contained herein.

I haven't encountered black ice before, or I did and wasn't aware of it. I've been on ice before, but it was a steep iced over driveway. Slip and slide.

Chain controls in CA FAQ.

Hope this helps. And let it snow. It's all brown at my resort.

 

[shuly]

You just need to CARRY some cheap cable chains (if you are in CA). If you actually have to put them on, on the 4R they should be placed on the rear wheels. They will rub on the a-arms in the front. Anyway, the cables are useless on a 4x4 and if you want chains you should invest in something snow worthy. But honestly in CA if you have a 4x4 and you are carrying chains you are good. If it snows bad enough the CA CHP just shuts down the road. This doesn't hold true in other states.

Essentially CHP in CA just closes the roads if it gets worst than a 2wd with chains and a 4x4 w/o chains can handle. I have driven through several miles of up to 2 feet of unplowed snow in my 4runner w/o any major difficulty. No chains required! Just aired down a bit. Remember to enable the 4wd before you need it, not after

 

[CJ3Flyr]

You mentioned black ice. I've been around that some and there's little to do. Short of being chained all of the time or genuine 'studless' snow&ice tires you're screwed. I don't know how much black ice you get in CA but in the NEast the only people who have a fighting chance are running dedicated snow&ice tires.

Be careful, be smart, practice in a parking lot a bit so you get an idea of the type of "help" that the VSC and ABS will give you. The last thing you want is for the noises and feelings associated with those systems to starttle you into some inappropriate, abrupt manuever.

:cheers:

 

[shuly]

You mentioned black ice. I've been around that some and there's little to do. Short of being chained all of the time or genuine 'studless' snow&ice tires you're screwed. I don't know how much black ice you get in CA but in the NEast the only people who have a fighting chance are running dedicated snow&ice tires.

Be careful, be smart, practice in a parking lot a bit so you get an idea of the type of "help" that the VSC and ABS will give you. The last thing you want is for the noises and feelings associated with those systems to starttle you into some inappropriate, abrupt manuever.

:cheers:

:iagree:

We don't get much ice in CA. It's usually slushy and traction is generally ok. The patches we do see, unless you are in the high sierras are typically very small. The heavier trucks and SUV

 

[Uneek]

Black ice in CA is mostly on bridges and overpasses where the cool air is freezing the moisture on the road surface. Not saying it can't appear else where.

Most CA drivers are not accustomed to snow conditions, thus road closures if a 4WD/AWD vehicle has to chain up. Half of CA drivers can't drive during the first rain storm and some the entire rain season. Unlike other states, where they can't afford to close the roads down. In CA, for most folks that are driving in the snow wanted to be in the snow, the exception would be truck drivers and a select few.

 

[r32]

Thanks for great info everyone! I am indeed talking about the high sierras. Huntington Lake area which is around 8000' and there quite a few little (slippery) bridges that have had me sideways before. But hopefully not this year with my new 4Runner!

The other area I tend to frequent is Lake Tahoe which can also be slippery and snowed in.

We don't get to much black ice around Shaver Lake and Huntington but yeah there are stretches of road that never see daylight thanks to the big forest and those areas can be very dangerous. Many people every winter plow into redwoods up there. I did that in highschool in my Mitsubishi Eclipse. That sucked.

All great info.

So...

1. I need to find a big parking lot so I can test the traction on my vehicle.

2. Get some serious snow chains just in case.

3. Only put them on the rear tires.