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Just moved to Upstate NY; never driven in snow before


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I was born in Alabama, raised in Florida, and went to college in South Carolina. I drive a V6, 2 wheel drive Silverado. And kinda suddenly I was just transferred to the Watertown, NY area. I have no idea what to do regarding weather below maybe 20 degrees at the lowest. And I've never driven in snow before. Please enlighten me and everything you guys know and advice you can give lol.

Welcome to the area, northern NY is beautiful. Snow is in the forecast so maybe you'll get a chance to try out a drive in the snow. I think its fun when you have a vehicle that's prepared for it. I'm running Michelin X-Ice winter tires which also are performing well for me when the roads are dry.

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Welcome to the area, northern NY is beautiful. Snow is in the forecast so maybe you'll get a chance to try out a drive in the snow. I think its fun when you have a vehicle that's prepared for it. I'm running Michelin X-Ice winter tires which also are performing well for me when the roads are dry.

Plus you're very close to the Adirondacks! I go hiking up there every year and it's awesome. A friend of mine lives near there and plowed snow in the area for many years and he said you get a lot!!

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Sorry meant to ask, how are these Goodyear Eagle LS2 in the snow? I must say I don't have high hopes! They have terrible reviews and so far fairly poor in rain too. My wife's explorer came with Michelin Latitude HP and those were pretty decent tires....performed quite well in the snow for all seasons. Now I have goodyear triple tread on the explorer...didn't really want them but I literally got them for half price and seemed to be ok in snow, but not as good as the Michelins.

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Knightfall, how are you liking the introduction to lake effect snowfall?

 

 

Did you get tires installed?

bahahhaa Yeah that's why I checked the thread out....can't wait for the irony to ooze outta it as people even attempt to recommend anything other than dedicated snows after this poor guy moved here from FL & just got TWO FEET dumped on him before Thanksgiving

 

 

BLIZZAKS

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I actually dodged the bullet this time. I'm in SC with the girlfriend for Thanksgiving week....I had Duratracs installed soon after I bought the truck and I intend to keep those for at least a little while, however I am thinking about buying some cheap steel 17" wheels at some point and putting tires on those.

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whoever said 2wd with studded tires is greater then 4wd is on something... I would take 4x4 with even all season over 2wd with studded tires...at very least they are equal...if you get 4x4 with snows or studded snows there is NO comparison...

 

anyway if your in watertown I would say get studded or trade in for a 4x4..i went to college in Oswego...you will get hit with a lot of snow and lake effect snow.

 

safe driving!

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I actually dodged the bullet this time. I'm in SC with the girlfriend for Thanksgiving week....I had Duratracs installed soon after I bought the truck and I intend to keep those for at least a little while, however I am thinking about buying some cheap steel 17" wheels at some point and putting tires on those.

 

Duratracs have the severe snow rating, I feel like those should be good in the snow myself. If you do get dedicated snows with 17s maybe the studded snows wouldn't be a bad idea since your normal tires are pretty decent as it is.

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whoever said 2wd with studded tires is greater then 4wd is on something... I would take 4x4 with even all season over 2wd with studded tires...at very least they are equal...if you get 4x4 with snows or studded snows there is NO comparison...

 

anyway if your in watertown I would say get studded or trade in for a 4x4..i went to college in Oswego...you will get hit with a lot of snow and lake effect snow.

 

safe driving!

I said that & stand by it - made a distinction you may be able to get moving from a stop faster & easier but you'll suffer big time when it comes to turning & stopping which 4wd aint gonna help.

 

I run studded snows on my truck & it is 4wd & I've had 2 2wd trucks I used studded snows in (old toyota tundra & a ranger) that were better than my '89 ranger beater that had new all-seasons on it & was 4wd, my G8 GT w/ blizzaks, 50-50 weight dist., stability/TC, a mechanical limited slip & all the bolt ons could make it up & down a certain off-road stretch to my friends ski house in VT while my friend got his '08 silverado on Goodyear LS2's stuck despite 4wd - sure real AT's would do better but not like snows.

 

Either way bottom line to OP as many have stated - GET SNOW TIRES

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I actually dodged the bullet this time. I'm in SC with the girlfriend for Thanksgiving week....I had Duratracs installed soon after I bought the truck and I intend to keep those for at least a little while, however I am thinking about buying some cheap steel 17" wheels at some point and putting tires on those.

When I went looking for 17 or 18" steels for mine I found that my GM dealer had new AL takeoffs for not very much more (after factoring in TPMS sensors install etc).

 

 

Also, be warned that often the worst winter road conditions happen with the earliest snow storms.

 

The drier snow in mid winter is often easier to drive on (and people have re-learned how to winter drive, and those that waited have not got their winter stuff installed)

 

 

 

Far easier to drive in 8" of the dry fluffy snow in mid winter than in 4" of the wet stuff that gets dropped in the early storms.

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Had Duratracs on my last truck. They were great in snow until it got cold (20 F or below). Just bought Toyo Observes, haven't driven them in the cold yet but they are hands down better in snow and slush than the Duratracs.

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I have run a mud terrain or aggressive AT in winter all my life and havent hit the ditch since i was a 16 y/o race car driver. Being in the bush all the time i need something that can dig, snow tires really shine on ice, a regular AT will out perform most in a deep covered logging road everytime. It's not so much about the equipment as much as it is driving ability and experience. My suggestion is to take your truck out at night to a secluded snow covered lot and force your vehicle into different situations. Brake hard then turn(avoid rear end situation), learn the lateral g limitations of your truck and tire combo at different speeds etc. it is vital to know how your vehicle and you will react to given situations on snow and ice. It is impossible to simuate everything as ice/snow conditions change but any bit of practic will help. Remember momentum is your best friend, but also your worst enemy.

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Four wheel drive trucks are great for recreational purposes and ease of driving but tend to get the inexperienced into trouble on snowy urban roads!

 

Living in southern Ontario I've seen SUVs in the ditch up against the fencelines. The joke is 4WD gets you farther before you get stuck.

 

People think that button you push on the dash means "Invincible". My father had 2WD pickups and just made a framework to restrain some patio slabs in the back. In the 70s, his trucks had the typical On/Offroad tires that GM used as OEM.

 

My previous truck had Dura-Tracs on it for the last 2 winters up here. No issues, but last winter was a low snow season for us. An earlier posted about using "all season tires for trucks" I have no idea what they are unless they are like the crappy stock P235s that GM used back in the 80s as a "base". Those treads weren't any different than the all seasons used on cars & are useless in the snow,

 

Take your time & stay away from people that are driving like idgits.

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like said above, snows, snows and yes on all four will really make driving nicer, may even consider a set of studded tires, weight over the rear, (sand bags) there great if you get stuck to open up and use for traction, also as said above grab a blanket, and some snacks, also a shovel, if its bad grab a beverage on the way. if for any reason you will be running the I 81 corridor you will learn real quick how thing can change, Honestly water town is just barely above the typical snow belt, but they get there share, about half way to adams center, down to parish is the bullseye, buy a good set of wiper blades and get in the habit of keeping a full tank.

 

Last bit of advise, spend a few grand on a cheap snowmobile and see if you like it, sure will make living there alot more enjoyable, and they get some serious snow

Also keep your washer fluid reservoir full of -40* washer fluid. Nothing is worse than running out of fluid. Did that ONCE in the early days of owning a truck, never again. Summer bug wash is useless & will freeze up (I had a jug freeze solid in my garage). If you know of anyone going up to Ontario (about an hour north of you) we have -45*C & -49*C (-49*F & -56*F) washer fluid.

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When it comes to tires in the snow, narrow tires will do better than wide tall tires. Believe it or not.

We did that w/ our trucks in the winter. Swap out the Mudders for the OEM stockers. Narrower tire results in a smaller contact patch & more pressure on the pavement.

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