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ravenous
Dodge Dakota
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8/27/2004
20:50:51
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 Subject: ice/snow question
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I have 2wd Dak and I live in a area with alot of snow in winter will a limited slip of locking differencial system help me with traction and sliding/spinning my wheels on ice?
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eric
Dodge Dakota
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8/27/2004
22:08:46
| RE: ice/snow question
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I have a 2wd with 3.5 posi rearend and live in wisconsin where we get snow and this will be my first winter with this truck. I have traction bars on it so maybe they will help. Other wise i have a 5 speed and will just start out in second gear when its slippery.
Eric
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Rick
Dodge Dakota
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8/27/2004
23:52:40
| RE: ice/snow question
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I'm from Chicago. The best thing for a truck 2 or 4 wd is getting weight in you bed; one way or another you back end is going to try to get from behind you. go to you local scrap yard and just get any hunks of metal to get about 400-500 lbs. or get a large drum like a 55 gallon one and fill it with water and cheap antifreeze that you can dump down the drain (rv antifreeze is usually dumpable and cheap) keep it tied down as far back as you can safely and you should be good. The hunks of metal are good because you can take them out as you need room for other stuff. but if you don't really need load and unload, the drum is the way to go cause you can set it and forget it and it's much easier to use because you put it in and fill her up in the fall and drain and dump her out in the spring. (NOT RECOMMENDED WITHOUT BEDLINER)
-Rick
p.s. yes posi helps a bit.
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.boB
Dodge Dakota
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8/28/2004
09:34:00
| RE: ice/snow question
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Those are excellent suggestions. But, don't forget quality snow tires. In any kind of vehicle, in every situation, the tires are the key. They are what provide traction to the ground. I've had real good luck with Kelly's.
Traction bars won't help you in the snow, btw. That's not how they work.
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mcarthey
Dodge Dakota
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8/28/2004
13:29:52
| RE: ice/snow question
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I live in Wisconsin as well. The best thing I've found for the bed of the truck is a horse stall mat. They are used as anti-fatigue mats and are typically 3/4" thick and about 4x6' or so. They will work perfectly in the back of your truck. Give them a trim for around the wheel wells. Once you get it in there, you probably won't ever find a reason to take it out. I don't know exactly how much they weigh, but they don't take up much room. Once you have to move one around yourself you'll be convinced they're heavy enough. :) If not, throw some sand bags in there as well.
Mark
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jasonsdakota
Dodge Dakota
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8/29/2004
23:10:08
| RE: ice/snow question
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do you have another set of rims. i would have six total for a two wheel drive where you get alot of snow. the four that came with the truck obviously and get yourself a winter set of two and swap the back two when november hits so you can have a set of super soft snow tires back there. they're all the craze in michigan (lived there a year and probably moving soon) just my .02
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93redDakota
Dodge Dakota
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8/29/2004
23:37:26
| RE: ice/snow question
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Yea i wasn't sure about them traction bars helping or not so i might be taking them off for the winter if i do drive it in the winter. I'm hoping are 86 dodge diplomat doesn't sell cuz i'll just drive that again like i did last winter.
Eric
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RadioMan
Dodge Dakota
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8/30/2004
13:42:30
|  RE: ice/snow question
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In the area I live (Toledo, OH.) most of us buy
weight tubes. They are canvas tubes around 3 to 4
foot long, 6" dia and filled with sand and each
around 80 pounds. Put a few of them over the rear
end and besides making the truck riding a tad
better, if you do get stuck, break a bag open and
use the sand under the rear wheels to help you
out.
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slopehead
Dodge Dakota
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8/31/2004
22:02:03
| RE: ice/snow question
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I have had my Toledo area Dak since 97 and have yet to see the need for weight in the bed, currently runnin Radial TA's year round. Live in Oregon work in P'burg
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greyDAK
Dodge Dakota
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9/02/2004
08:20:45
| RE: ice/snow question
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Message:
that sand bag idea is pretty good - I need to try that. I made a 3/4" plywood box and loaded it full of concrete blocks which must weigh about 400 lbs. I centered it over the axle and it seems to make a big difference.
Oh, by the way, I am in Ontario, and we get a little bit of snow and ice in the winter too.
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Kowalski
GenIII
9/02/2004
16:06:39
|  RE: ice/snow question
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Concrete blocks can be pretty dangerous when used like that - think secondary impact ! If you stop hard due to a crash, those blocks are going to be coming at you. Glad to hear you're thinking of switching to sand bags; you'll still get pretty good bite if you have them at the front of the bed and be a bit safer.
Lead, follow, or get out of the way
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QC
Dodge Dakota
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9/02/2004
16:18:19
| RE: ice/snow question
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I think they classify those as "projectiles". Dont think I would want to know what a concrete block to the back of the head feels like...although I have taken one on the foot before. Made me say "Oh ba-jesus!"
Seriously - I would think posi would cause the rear end to slide out more in the snow...kind of like the way it walks out when you lay a patch. No? Me, I curse snow...doesnt help much, though.
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Wal
Dodge Dakota
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9/02/2004
16:24:50
| RE: ice/snow question
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Message:
My 92 8' bed 2wd Dak was the pits in snow. I got stuck all the time. I think it was a combo of crappy tires and the immediate power of the 318. I shovelled an entire intersection into the bed once when I was stuck in the middle of a hill. I barely got enough traction to get off the curb and back down the hill; forget going up.
I agree with the folks steering you towards tires. Even loading the HELL out of the bed wasn't enough on those (new but crappy) all season tires I had.
Another idea is to carry tire chains. They might make the difference one night between getting home and getting stuck.
Wal
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Wal
Dodge Dakota
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9/02/2004
16:25:32
| RE: ice/snow question
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I almost forgot. My 4wd is a BEAST in snow :-)
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Rebel
Dodge Dakota
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9/02/2004
23:34:22
| RE: ice/snow question
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Snow, Ice and salt on the roads ... S u c ks !
That's why I moved back to Georgia !
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slopehead
Dodge Dakota
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9/04/2004
10:19:01
| RE: ice/snow question
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not only are they projectiles but when you hit the binders they act as weight transfer devices making the weight transfer to the front and the rear swings around due to the fact that the brakes just cannot get the job done because the tires in the front do all the work when the rear becomes unweighted and the rear tires cannot do anything because there is no weight on them any more.
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Martin
GenII
9/07/2004
22:32:24
| RE: ice/snow question
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Snow Rules the damn salt is what sucks. Bring on the snow and ice! My '94 2wd four banger does alright in the snow I got about 400lbs in the back though. I would like to to put snow tires on the back to help it out a little more but I am haveing a hard time finding some matching rims. And you don't want wide tires in the snow and ice they just float on top narrower tires dig in and bite better.
<<<
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94dakr/t
Dodge Dakota
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9/11/2004
08:08:46
| RE: ice/snow question
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all the above..and the limited slip will work great. the limited slip is a good upgrade..and providing one of the tires has grip will get you through most snow and ice.
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jasonsdakota
Dodge Dakota
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9/16/2004
00:48:09
| RE: ice/snow question
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posi will help with your accel and not getting stuck as easily but will slide you easier. you'll get almost no sliding with an open by comparision. i'll take posi any day just keep a light foot. snow tires are a beast.
ravenous, do you have a long bed by any chance. these are actually worse in the snow cause the weight of the cab is probably not as close to the axle. stretch your imagination for a minute and picture a 20 foot bed with the tires there at the back. there would be no weight whatsoever. i bet you could fit alot of sandbags back there though, lol.
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99 Dak
Dodge Dakota
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9/17/2004
20:21:01
| RE: ice/snow question
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I have a 99 that I bought new. I add 4 of the sand tubes for about 320 lbs, also I have a set of Bridgestone Blizzaks that I run. These tires will make a believer out of you, I go from no traction in 1" of snow to being able to drive anywhere (in reason) I have made it to work or home from work in 8" to 10" snowfalls without problems. I also have limited slip, you do need to be careful taking corners because driving both rear wheels it will want to slide out.
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