I live in New England and just bought my first jeep. I plan on driving
it in the snow when most others would be staying home. I do not want
studs or chains on my tires. Will my new stock jeep perform well in
snow? I know that the driver is the most important thing but I bought
the Jeep so that I could drive in snow.

Engines: 4.0-Liter Power Tech I-6 Engine Included

Transfer Cases: Command-Trac® Part-Time 4WD System Included

Axles - Rear: Dana 35 Rear Axle Included

Axles - Gear Ratios: 3.07 Axle Ratio Included

Transmissions: 6-Speed Manual Transmission Included

Seats: Cloth High-Back Bucket Seats Included

Tires: P215/75R15 RBL Wrangler All Terrain Tires Included

On 20 Nov 2006 09:05:50 -0800, "SkyKing49" <rebel727 (AT) sbcglobal (DOT) net>
wrote:


Well speaking from spending a LOT of time driving in snow (I have
plowed snow for well over 20 years) it taqkes more than 4x4 to get
around safely especailing when ice is involved too. Short wheelbase
4x4 tend to want to swap ends quickly on ice. A few years ago I saw a
accident that involved two Jeep wranglers (this is no BS either) on a
interstate with ice patches on it. One jeep passed over a overpass
doing about 55 and spun out and went into median on other side of
bridge with no real damage. Maybe 30 seconds later anthor Jeep crossed
bridge and spun out and followed same path and slammed into the one in
median tboning in broad side on passanger side (lucky for loner drive
in median) and then went over it and came to a rest on wheels. I got
there just after it happened in my plow truck mad lite up my lights to
warn traffic and help drivers. The driver in the broadsided one was a
bit bloody but seemed not life threating (which is turned out to be)
and right arm was rboken a bend a bit funny and the passanger side of
jeep was cruched into center of cab in passanger seat are (if there
had been anyone in it, they would have not survived) I stayed with him
until help arrived from which he really thanked me very sincerely
even though he did not need to. The other driver was less hurt but
both vehicles though nearly new were clearly totaled. 28 years ago I
saw a new CJ jeep with a ragtop sping out and flip on a highway
entrance ramp, dump the driver out get back on it wheels and drive on
down the road driverless with a young child still in it in a car seat.
I helped get the vehcile stopped with my 4x4 truck and it had a happy
ending. When I talked to that drive they said they were driving in 4x4
thinking all was well and lost it in a heart beat and she did not have
a seat belt on and that is why she feel out. (when you drive in 4x4
you have basically no skid control on ice) The moral of this is not
to scare you but to warn you that if you plan to run around in ice and
snow a lot with your new toy, put some studded tires on it and use 4x4
at lower speeds especailly on ice because things can happen fast in
them at times and quicker than you can correct for. Forget the 4x4
hormones and let the brain and some common sense rule here and it
will be a safe and pleasant experiance.
-----------------
TheSnoMan.com

ISnoMan wrote:
I am 58 yrs old and got the Jeep so I could let the hormones go in
snow. Maybe I should have bought a Hummer and may still if this does
not suit my needs...those needs being to go anywhere in the snow....I
do not have to go fast, I just have to be able to go.

SnoMan wrote:
I forgot to add that I do not intend on spending anymore money buying
new Snow Tires etc. My stock tires will have to get me there.

On 20 Nov 2006 12:49:28 -0800, "SkyKing49" <rebel727 (AT) sbcglobal (DOT) net>
wrote:


Let put it this way, I have to go in snow and ice no matter what I I
started using studded tires on my plow trucks years ago during winter
and I will never not use them as long as I keep doing it. They turned
what could be a white knuckled driving experiance at times into a more
relaxed transport. (I have extra sets of rims and tires that I use in
winter on them) Even my wife 2wd Jeep cherokee with a 4cyl and a stick
is a tank in snow and ice with its studded tires on rear and it will
outperform a 4x4 without them when it is slick. One of here coworkers
whre she teachs at bought a grand cherokee a few years ago and
promptly put it in the ditch a few times that winter and sold it the
following summer and went back to FWD after they found out the 4x4
drive on ice can be a heart attack especailly with a short wheel base.
They were left scratching their head as to how my wife does do well
with 2wd. Yes it is a bit more expense but get a extra set of cheap
rims and some studded tires and you will LOVE them when it get bad
while others are struggling on ice with cleenched teeth and white
knuckle you will be having some hormon fun. Trading up to a hummer wil
not really help much, just more weight to stop once it starts to skid
or spin.
-----------------
TheSnoMan.com

SkyKing49 wrote:

#2 is traction. That means good tires specifically set up for
snow and ice. If you get a lot of actual ice, studs are the way
to go. Studs only improve traction on ice. On heavy snow it
doesn't matter much one way or the other. On wet or dry roads,
studs will cost you traction.
Those wranglers AT tires are not bad, but probably not the
best either. Consider having them siped. If it's a winter only
car, get some good mud tires. If it's an all season road
vehicle, I strongly suggest Michelin LTX M/S - best all around
tire I've ever used.

--
..boB
2006 FXDI hot rod
2001 Dodge Dakota QC 5.9/4x4/3.92
1966 Mustang Coupe - Daily Driver
1965 FFR Cobra - 427W EFI, Damn Fast.

Buy a Suburban and save yourself a lot of money since underneath they are basically the same vehicle.

I am 58 yrs old and got the Jeep so I could let the hormones go in
snow. Maybe I should have bought a Hummer and may still if this does
not suit my needs...those needs being to go anywhere in the snow....I
do not have to go fast, I just have to be able to go.

You will go ok until you high center, then you won't be able to go
anymore. High center is somewhere between 16-24" ? Anyway, there is a
limit. Chains help, but even with chains, once you high center, the
snow builds up under the vehicle, there is no weight on the tires and
you just spin. Bring a snow shovel and you can shovel out the snow
UNDER the jeep and try it again. Your trail will look like a series of
shoveled out pits with tracks through the snow inbetween.

Remember too, that on ice, 4wd may help you go, but it doesn't help you
stop! Studs or chains help on ice.

SkyKing49 proclaimed:

The Jeep will carry you anywhere you need to go IF you realize that four
wheel drive is not four wheel stop. Also that it CAN get you thru
darned near anything with the correct tires and technique on your part.

Get rid of the all terrain tires and get some severe snow duty tires.
Some folks like the Michelin Pilot, X-ICE, some like the Continental
series, some like the Bridgstone, some the Winterforce, some the Dunlop.
Buy just slightly undersize and thin. Fat snow tires are for street
trucks. Best to get separate wheels as snow tires don't wear out on
ice and snow, they wear out when you drive them on pavement. The better
studless snows all have silica based low temperature rubber in the
treads and have wear indicators that tell you when the tire no longer
meets severe snow standards [typically about half the tread life].

If you truly do not want to drive in a hurry, only chains beat good
studs properly installed in severe winter radials.

The wrangler can swap ends in a hurry. It can also get you thru snow
dragging on the bodywork if you use the 4wd ONLY when it gets slippery.
Watch out for lockers, they can get you out of the ditch, but if you
goose the gas, they can also put you in the ditch in a big hurry.

..boB proclaimed:

do not have any where near the ice and snow traction of the X-ICE or
Latitude X-ICE Michelin purpose built snow tires. Granted if you mix
dry most of the time with occasional snow the M+S works, I cross Donner
Pass in the Sierra all the time in winter with them. If they ever tell
me I need chains with 4wd and the M+S, I just might reconsider whether I
want to have dinner with the Donner party or find a motel.