My experiences are similar to Bob's, except that my "lovely" buggy RWAL
system and automatic tranny _can_ make my truck...interesting... to drive in
inclement weather.
My next truck will absolutely, positively, and without a doubt have a manual
transmission.
""DAKSY"" <rsmith13@nycap.rr.com> wrote in message
news:011601c462a4$2f0c2460$6401a8c0@nycap.rr.com...
>
> Hey, Bill,
>
> <snip> I always thought going to a narrower tire made ice/snow handling
> worse,
> that the wider the tire, as in sand, the better off you were...<snip>
>
> Not so. Having driven in the NorthEastern US winters pretty much my entire
> driving career, the wider treads do 2 things...
> #1. They effectively make your vehicle lighter by distributing vehicular
> weight over a larger surface, thereby decreasing the pounds per square
inch
> of road traction...
> &:
> #2. In snow, they tend to "snowplow" because of the width & #1...
> When I drove a van in the winter, I always switched to narrower treads
> during the winter months & put the big boys back on for the summer look...
>
> Now, I DO have 11.50" wide tires on the DAKSY, & she feels a tad skittery
ON
> the snow, but with 4X4 engaged, & with a manual tranny, she goes right
> along...
> As for stopping? Fortunately, I haven't had to test her because I maintain
a
> minimum of about 5 carlengths on the open road in sloppy weather..that way
I
> can react to either side if I have to...
>
> Bob Smith (DAKSY2K on AIM)
> Averill Park, NY
> 2K DAK SY CC Sport + V6 4X4 5 Speed
>
> WebPage URL: http://home.nycap.rr.com/daksy/
>
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