Winter driving with 4x4 lift and knobby tires.

[Hotrdd]

Have a 7.3L Ford E350 4x4 with a 6” lift and 38” tires on it and wondering how others vans feel in the slush and snow. We had a big storm hit southern Alberta the last couple days with almost a foot of snow laying on the ground. Obviously the van just drives over everything, but when I get out on the HWY or other paved roads the van feels like its floating on the slush and snow and lane changes were scary. Maybe I just need to get use to the new feeling, sitting up this high definitely feels different than sitting low in a car. But even with 1” to 2” of slush between lanes the van didn’t inspire confidence switching lanes. This was with the 4x4 engaged.

Am I missing something? Front tires are 75% deep tread and rears are 95% deep tread. What recommendations or advice do you have for me. Maybe the van needs some more weight added to it?

 

[luthj]

Are you running mud tires? Winter tires designed for snow/ice are substantially different than Mud tires, and even most ATs.

 

[CampStewart]

Big wide tires want to hydroplane as speeds increase. Reducing speed or going to narrower tires will help.

 

[Hotrdd]

These are A/T tires. Not sure on the actually make right now would need to check when I get home. 4x4 was added so we can do winter driving to the ski hills but if that feels like this then I'll look at changing tires. But I need a good all season then as I can't be swapping all the time. It can snow every month of the year here with it being 86F the next day. Ohhh and lets make it more complicated, I like to tow a trailer with toys on it.

 

[Len.Barron]

you may get some stability with adjusting your tire pressure; if you are going to run them in these conditions regularly you should get them (professionally) siped

 

[jadmt]

slowing down is the best answer lol

 

[Todd780]

Have a 7.3L Ford E350 4x4 with a 6” lift and 38” tires on it and wondering how others vans feel in the slush and snow. We had a big storm hit southern Alberta the last couple days with almost a foot of snow laying on the ground. Obviously the van just drives over everything, but when I get out on the HWY or other paved roads the van feels like its floating on the slush and snow and lane changes were scary. Maybe I just need to get use to the new feeling, sitting up this high definitely feels different than sitting low in a car. But even with 1” to 2” of slush between lanes the van didn’t inspire confidence switching lanes. This was with the 4x4 engaged.

Am I missing something? Front tires are 75% deep tread and rears are 95% deep tread. What recommendations or advice do you have for me. Maybe the van needs some more weight added to it?

Yup, I think Calgary is going to have about 30cm of snow by the end of today. I think Waterton national park is going to end up near 100 cm!

I am using Duratracs and they seem good in the winter. Not sure what else you can do as I imaging the van is already quite heavy and top heavy.

Maybe switch to a smaller winter tire with lots of siping?

 

[Hotrdd]

Yup! Still snowing here ☹ Of course give it a day or two and we will be back to fall temperatures and the snow will be gone. I’ll take a look at the actual rating of my tires and see what it going on. I think they are a big A/T tire. If they weren’t almost brand new I wouldn’t mind replacing them but the cost bites. Some more weight in the rear of the van might help, these E350’s always seem to ride better with a full tank of diesel or towing because of the heavy leaf springs.

Since this is the tallest vehicle I’ve had with these big tires I just wasn’t sure what it should feel like.

 

[RVflyfish]

“Floating on the slush and snow,” makes me think your tires are too wide. And as Luthj said, winter tires are different than A/Ts. I’d put some narrow winter tires on for the season. You want to cut through the snow, not ride on top of it.

 

[Oldcarnut]

Do you still have your rear swaybar? I do not on my E450 and will not drive it on the highway in the winter even with the 4X4. Floats too much and I'm running 265/70R19.5 Continental (I think) mud and snows, not siped. Gonna get a studded set of something next season.

 

[Alloy]

Narrow (pizza cutters) tires and add weight.

My F350 is squirley in the snow when in 4x4 and no weight in the back.

Once I hook the 5th (2700lb pin weight) it will pull the trailer through 10" of snow.

 

[iggi]

I'm in Calgary. Fat tires, slush and light loads are not a great combo. Buddy of mine with a cummins 6BT in a Landcruiser 80 runs studded 38's in the winter. Chew through darn near anything but still gets loose in the slush. I wasn't out in the worst of it with the ambulance but the bit of puddles and slush I hit with skinny 225/75 R16's didn't seem to bug it. Plus it's really heavy.

 

[billiebob]

You need WINTER tires.... they have a fine tread, not a big knobby tread, becaus WINTER tires trap snow, pack it like a snow ball and let you accelerate. Open treads are for MUD, you need millions of sipes for snow....

Here is a great winter, snow tire tread pattern... between those treads are 5 snipes.



And here is what THOSE tires do.
I stopped to take the picture... got back in... backed up 5 feet and kept going...
Fully locked also made a difference, it was ice under that snow but........

BUY WINTER TIRES !!!

see that useless tread..... it freaking works in winter.... and buy skinny WINTER tires.

 

[billiebob]

No matter what you do to Mud Terrains or All Seasons or All Terrains, MTs, DTs, KOs, Winter tires use a softer compound.
It just sticks better in cold weather....... wears way faster in the summer but NO DT, KO, MT will beat ANY winter tire in the WINTER !

 

[roving1]

Wide tires absolutely suck in snow. Harder compounds and lack of sipes suck in snow. Any winter tire will blow away any AT or MT in winter conditions. Anyone that says " My brand X off road tire is awesome in snow" has almost certainly never driven any snow tires before. So its a game of choices and managing expectations.