Want to go up to the snow this winter...

[exodus_adam]

hey guys/gals.

Just picked up an 06 v8 4runner 4wd this year, my first 4wd vehicle ever, and i would love to take the wife and 8 month old daughter up to the snow this winter time.

pincrest, sonora, maybe tahoe...

Do i need a/t tires? snow cables? i do have brand new Michelin LTX all around

any other suggestions, driving tips i should know/aware of in the snow?

thank you for your time and suggestions.

 

[El Burro]

I go to tahoe every winter to snowboard, its always a good drive. Sonora/Pinecrest pass closes down with heavy snow but you I think that there are snowparks west of where the road closes.

For the tires, it depends on the conditions. Unless its really severe you should be OK with All Terrain tires + 4WD . Last winter we saw a lot of snow and i didn't need chains, I was ok with the AT tires and 4WD.

Below is an excerpt from caltrans page:

There are Three Levels of Chain Requirements in California:

Requirement 1 (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 tires1 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.
Requirement 2 (R2): Chains or traction devices2 are required on all vehicles except four wheel/ all wheel drive vehicles with snow-tread tires on all four wheels.
NOTE: (Four wheel/all wheel drive vehicles must carry traction devices in chain control areas.)
Requirement 3 (R3): Chains or traction devices are required on all vehicles, no exceptions.

 

[Folsom4Rnr]

OP - welcome! :hello:

Like El Burro... I have taken my current 4Runner to the snow (various resorts in Tahoe and Bear Valley) every winter since buying it in 2014 and its been GREAT! Attached pictures (b/c :worthless) are from a Bear Valley trip last winter... sorry its crappy iPhone pictures... but you can see it was snowing pretty good that morning and the 4Runner did amazing.

With 4x4 and snow rated tires, you should be fine for any conditions that you'd want to be out in (i.e., if it's snowing so hard you "need" cables/chains on a 4x4... you dont want to be out driving around in it).

I am not familiar with your tire... but the spec sheet for it should tell you if it is rated for snow... it'll have an M+S or M/S or MS or snowflake or similar rating for "snow".

As for advice... The best piece of driving advice I ever received regarding snow/icy conditions was "remember it is 4 wheel drive... not 4 wheel stop!" That nugget has served me well over the last 20 years or so as I havent ended up in a ditch yet (knock on wood )

Also, if you get the chance... I'd suggest trying to find an empty unplowed parking lot to practice driving in... get to know how your Runner handles in 2 and in 4 wheel drive (and differences in handling) ... how it turns, slides, stops, etc. in those conditions. I did that with my first 4x4 back in college in the Squaw Valley parking lot and it really helped me get comfortable driving in the snow.

And lastly ... though it should go without saying... I will anyway cause ya never know... be prepared when you go to the snow - especially with little kids. Make sure you have proper clothing, proper equipment, emergency tools, emergency supplies, etc. Being prepared significantly increases the likelihood of positive outcomes in the unlikely event of bad things happening. Sorry to be preach-y ... I just hate seeing un prepared people from the valley driving up to Tahoe for the day and getting into bad situations and then making them worse by not being even the slightest bit prepared to help themselves.

 

[theoutbackdream]

You want A/T tires that are snow rated. These have M+S or a Mountain with a snowflake printed on the sidewall of the tire. But A/S tires are the jack of all trades. They won't be the best tire for the snow, but they will decent enough to get you through the snow.

Depending on snow conditions, you'll need snow cables. Regardless, I recommend you carry a set, if there is snow on the road. If you get caught in a storm, or caltrains decides to bump up the requirement, you'd rather have a set of chains rather than paying the million percent markup on the highway.

Like Folsom4Rnr said, it's 4 wheel drive. Not 4 wheel stop. Even with 4WD
and snow tires, they won't save you when you're on ice. Lots of people get cocky when they have AWD or 4WD and think that 4x4 or AWD is the magical tool that defies physics. All 4wd will help you do is accelerate. It will NOT help you stop or corner. A good set of tires can help you stop and corner better.

Go to an empty lot, and throw the rear end out. Get a feel of how to correct the rear end coming out, and know how to do it. Majority of people think they know how to correct it, but often overcorrect leaving them in a worse position than they were. Make the front end come out, and know what to do when you understeer. Most people brake, which is the worst thing to do. And make hard stops. You'll get a feel for the ABS + sliding on ice. People don't realize how scary that is until they experience putting their brake pedal to the wall and continue to slide forward.