On Wed, 16 Nov 2005, Terrible Tom wrote:
>
> Lastnight marked the first snowfall of the year - and the first time I
> drove the Ram in snow and ice in almost two years... On my way in to
> work this morning, the tires lost their grip and the truck powerslid
> sideways on the road at 40 mph and fishtailed. I got it under control
> and pulled off to the side of the road and checked my shorts. I was
> eventually able to dial the cell phone (hands were shaking) and tell
> them I wasnt coming into work today.
>
> Gotta park the Ram for the winter now... tall narrow hard tires coupled
> with a high center of gravity makes for a bad winter driver. The wind
> was knocking me around real bad last week as I was driving home from
> working at the Appleton store. The wind today was just enough to almost
> send me into a ditch.
>
you have too much air in your tires if you're having issues like that, I
think. too much pressure isn't going to make them last any longer than
too little...
tall and skinny is ideal for snow, but you don't have "skinny" tires -
they're 285s aren't they? still shouldn't be terrible.
BFG all terrain is a fantastic snow tire, lots of edges to cut into
snow/slush for traction and they clean out fine in snow. nothing but
studs will help you on ice though.
you're also overly paranoid about using your 4x4. the place it stresses
is the chain in the transfer case, and the support bearings in there.
unless you're making tight turns the tire slip you have is plenty to take
care of stresses. when you feel it bucking and binding is when it's
really a problem.
btw - with regard to you other message about wanting an Atlas, there are
*far* cheaper swaps that you can twin stick, like an NP205 that you can
score for $75-$250 and adapt to your transmission with parts from Advance
Adaptors and just bolt in, I'd bet (though I haven't checked) or you could
take a milage hit and get an NP203 for free-$50 since no one wants them,
and have fulltime high range-locked high range-nuetral-locked low
range.....
-- MikeM my Dakota has that Jeep thing =(
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