Stabilitrack in snow

[89vette]

Christmas morning it snowed pretty good in western PA.  We started off to do some visiting in the Escalade.  I started up a pretty steep hill and was really spinning and was having a rough time.  I had to go home and get the Z71.  Locked in 4WD it had no trouble at all.  Should I have disabled the Stabilitrack in that situation?

[99silveradoz71]

your story parallels me driving 1 of our minimum marked radar cars yesterday, then driving my usual cruiser today.  I got stuck 3 times yesterday, but today I could go anywhere...gotta love the traction control on my 98...too bad they've got new cars in and mine's due to be replaced.  God knows if I'll get to see a new car or not.

[endo]

I don't have any experience with Stabilitrak, but to the best of my knowledge it is one of those "active" traction control systems.  These things will retard the throttle and brake wheels independently, which, if you barely have any traction to begin with, will cause you to get stuck.  I'd highly recommend turning it off in such situations.  I've seen several magazines test SUVs off-road and such systems produce very poor results in low-traction hill climbs.

 

I've got a 2001 C3 with the same AWD system as the Escalade, and in my experience the C3 has more traction than my 99 Z71 did in 4HI.

[Shaners]

I wonder if the more aggresive rubber on the Z71 helped you out a little, along with about 1500 lbs less weight.

[89vette]

Teh tires could have had something to do with it.  The Z71 is the best 4 x 4 I have had yet.  Of course I have my eye on a new H2.