Shoot, I meant to say that I regret NOT getting a set of the Firestone snow tires, not that I regretted getting them. Post edited, but I know ya'll ain't going to read my junk twice, so, ... :-) I have them on my DD 2wd pickup and they make it possible to drive. Without those, it quite literally will sit there and spin the tires while at idle. Wish I had a video...

 

4x4 does help with stopping, that has been proven. Mine goes easily in 4x4 in the snow and ice even with MT tires. I have to pull people out of the ditch and up the hill everytime it snows almost since the the hill side with the road going to my house stays shaded and turns into ice.

 

Interesting - so much for received wisdom!

That's not to say I understand how or why whether it's driven makes any difference to a wheel that's not turning. Also, I suspect that test is more of reflection on the drivers' skill/ability than anything, because I know that if I tried that the Jeep would neither stay in a straight(ish) line, nor, probably, stop at all. I can remember a car actually gaining momentum on ice while braking &, on another occasion, being unable to stop sliding down a hill backwards, even though in low with the wheels still scrabbling for grip (although 4WD might've helped in that situation - then again I've had an XJ start to slide back down a snowy slope, as soon as the parking brake was released,& the brakes having little or no effect. Can't now recall how I got out of that scenario, but it's an experience I'm anxious not to repeat.

 

I don't see that anyone has mentioned this yet, but with any rear wheel
drive car, it does better on slick surfaces when it is loaded. If you don't
have people in the back seat, it is good to have at least a hundred pounds of
something in the trunk.

 

Another of the many reasons to have the gas tank full when you're driving in snow.

 

Brake bias, the brakes are set up to put 65-70% of the braking pressure goes to the front brakes. The reason for that is when stopping most the weight transfers to the front axle and if you had the same amount of brake pressure going to the front and rear the rear wheels would lock up easier which could cause you to loose control. On slick surfaces however this can make the front wheels lock up much easier while the rear doesn't help much, and if you are backing down a hill like your example that makes it even worse. When you put it in 4x4 the front and rear axles are locked together by transfer case to turn at the same speed so they can no longer lock up independently when you hit the brakes, this allows you to apply more breaking force before you go into a skid since both axles would have to loose traction for that to happen instead of just one.

 

Just like a Kardashian...

 

Here ya go - these are essentially the same size / diameter. I have them on my Ram 1500 in this size rather than the 31x10.5x15.

https://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires...s&gad_source=1

 

Snow tires are for vehicles that never leave the pavement, they are worthless on a 4x4.

 

My driving experience above 9000 feet leads to a different conclusion - correct tool for the specific job. But I wouldn't drive through mud bogs in the Hocking Hills in a snow tire, if that's your point of reference.

 

I agree. Dedicated winter tires or good all season radials with lots of sipes are valuable in winter driving. Does it mean you can drive at freeway speeds, no but you can drive safely if driving sensibly

 

Snow tires are worthless off road, and I have never needed them on a 4x4, I can plow though 18" of snow in 4x4 with MT tires while vehicles with snow tires are getting stuck.

 

Off road yes. Regular snow is pretty easy for that. I’ve pushed through unplowed seasonal 2 tracks, up some pretty good hills, with Wrangler Radials.

But on road, packed snow and ice, higher speeds and traffic, you need all the help you can get. That’s where the different tread compound and patterns really shine.

Depends what you’re gonna use the vehicle for.

 

Powder snow is differnt from sugar snow is different from flakey snow. Frosts ices and slushes are each their own cans of worms repectivly. Road conditions change so adapt as you go.

RELAX and lighten your grip on the wheel. Put on some chill tunes and accept that taking longer to get there is easier and faster than getting un stuck.
A four wheel set of chains is cheaper and faster than calling a tow truck.
Snow tires in all four corners + strap 100 pounds of ballast to the floor over the rear axle.
RELAX go easy on the take offs, easy on the stops and brake gently and brake early.
If you start to slide GET OFF THE BRAKES and steer into the slide.
When in the slick use 4x4 only when you need to. It helps with GO but not steer or stop. It makes it too easy to go too fast. Try it in an iced over parking lot to see what I mean.

The Inuit have 60+ different names for the different snow and ice onditions. I've driven in most of them.

 

4x4 helps you stop as well.