Black Ice Driving - Atlanta area

[CycleJay]

Hi Guys,

I hear an Ice Storm is coming this weekend/next week.

Now if anyone must drive an M1009 when black ice is on the road.

What can be done to the M1009 to get more traction and make it
safer to drive on black ice?

Any ideas would be appreciated. Thank you, God bless all of you.

Have a good day,

CJ

 

[MuleMac01]

go slow and put it in 4x4 and go SLOW!!!!!!!!

 

[hklvette]

go slow and put it in 4x4 and go SLOW!!!!!!!!

ditto. Snow isn't bad, but ice is unforgiving.

 

[xenocath]

on ice go slow try to not hit your brakes give enough time for engine to slow you down instead. watch out for other southern drivers they will be your worst problem. i usually add some weight in the rear of my truck not a huge amount just a bit more such as troop seats or couple rr ties. best bet wait it out at home unless you simply have to go out.

 

[tankie88]

Put snow chains on and watch everyone else slide in the ditch.I've driven in Germany in ice rain.The roads were just a sheet of ice.But no probs with chains.

 

[hndrsonj]

The only problems with Atlanta driving are the guys who think they need to apply brakes hard on the ice.

 

[KsM715]

Good luck is all I can tell you. Driving on ice can only be learned by experience, not by reading about it.

The advice hear is good. Everything must be smooth, no quik reactions.

 

[jimmy-90]

Air down your tires to about 20-22 psi and put the truck in 4WH. Drive slow and make sure you have ALOT of space between you and the next car in front of you so that you have tons of room to get stopped. Never underestimate the black ice.

 

[McCluskey]

Slow and smooth with EVERYTHING! Don't gun it, don't swerve, don't stomp the brakes. I had a fun crash course (literally) driving out of Denver last week. Keep extra distance away from drivers in front of you, especially around hills. Baby steps and baby drive with everything you do. Using 4HI and some extra weight isn't a bad idea. Even picking up some cheap nylon chains for your tires to use wouldn't be a bad idea.

 

[tennmogger]

NDT's are terrible on ice. Best if you can air way down to get at least a little of the H's edges on the pavement.

Sometimes 4wd is not advised on ice. If there is any chance of sliding sideways, or if a turn is in progress, the tires will hold better if not driven. Locking differentials will guarantee a sideways slide.

Consider the common knowledge that driving in 4wd on hard pavement causes severe binding and even breakage. That's because the tires will be forced to rotate at different speeds when turning, or even when rolling straight ahead if the rolling radius of the tires is different. Now consider the same scenario on ice. Sure do not want to be forcing the tires to slide! So many times it's better to creep through without 4wd if you can get enough traction.

For braking, however, 4wd and very light petal works best. That's because the brakes will never actuate equally, at the same time. The first brake to apply will slide. Then the 2nd, 3rd, etc, tires will slide. But in 4wd with all corners mechanically connected, braking force from that first brake will be applied through the driveline to other tires, applying equal braking force to all tires.

Sounds backwards, doesn't it....using 2wd to go, 4wd to stop.

BTW, an automatic tranny vehicle will stop much better if you bump the tranny into neutral before stopping. Otherwise the transmission is trying to power the rear wheels forward while you are trying to stop front axle (which does majority of braking).

tennmogger

 

[lindyp38]

black..ice.....

just stay home.......if u can......

 

[Whit]

Atlanta ice driving

So long as you do your part right, your biggest risk is going to be the people behind you. So go slow enough to piss them off enough to zoom past you in a cloud of righteous indignation. Use your flashers if they don't get the message. Hopefully they won't crash into someone before they make it to their destination.

 

[wreckerman893]

There is no good way to drive on sheet ice.......especially down south....there are too many morons out there that do not understand the concept of "slow down in bad conditions".

Most of the A-holes in Hotlanta can't drive on dry pavement on a good day.....if it were me I would stay off the road.

The only people that are going to make any money are the tow truck operators and the body shops.

I drove though there in a commercial vehicle when it was icing up one time....the bridges and overpasses freeze first....that is where the most accidents will take place at first....they will then spread as the ice covers the rest of the road. I made it through by going real slow (my trailer was empty) and watching out for idiots. Atlanta has a lot of elevated bridges and roadways.

You have to decide whether the money you are going to make at your job will be more than what it will cost to repair you vehicle. Unless you have full coverage insurance you are on your own nickle even if some yahoo runs over you since the police will prob not respond to all accidents...you just swap info with the other party and go on your way if your vehicle is road worthy.

Most businesses have a policy of telling employees to stay home or sending them home early when the conditions get too bad.

Even if you are the most carefull guy on the road some idiot can run over you.

 

[Flyingvan911]

Go slow and change speed/direction as slowly as you can. Momentum changes in your vehicle are your enemy on ice. Try to stay on the flatest, most level road you can even if it means a longer trip. Above all, if you don't have to drive on it, don't.

 

[cfish]

Dont ever let off the accelerator quickly this can cause you to slide as the engine breaking occurs quickly if the engine is tight. Just use common sense and if you start to slide don't forget to always turn into the direction your sliding.
Took my daughter out last snow storm and we went to a large vacant parking lot and I made her do all the wrong things and it was a real eye opener for her. I then showed her how to counter the mistakes and the proper normal way to drive on ice. It made me and her feel a whole heck of a lot better.

 

[CARNAC]

Stay off the road.

And if you're thinking of going out and pulling people out with your 1009, don't. You will have A LOT more liabity and risk than you will ever make pulling folks out.

 

[bulldog_mack13]

CARNAC's dead right!

 

[DokWatson]

You can't always stay off the road, those suggestions won't get you any where (Literally.) Coming from someone who drives in these conditions every day the biggest mistakes I see people make are:

1. Giving it gas around corners. Take your foot OFF the gas when entering ANY grade of turn, don't give it gas till you are going straight again. Accelerate SLOWLY.

2. Touching the brakes. You shouldn't need to do a whole lot of braking because you should be going SLOW to begin with, start coasting to a stop as far back from lights/signs as possible.

3. Braking downhill, spinning tires uphill. Don't touch your brakes going down hill, put it in a lower gear. You can't steer if your tires are locked up. Don't try to goose it going uphill either, if you can't make it, roll back down.

Keep it out of 4 low, extra torque on ice is pointless. You'll just spin easier.

Treat the truck like its still in 2 wheel drive, don't let the fact you have 4 wheel drive give you any false confidence.

 

[kassim503]

I was always told to "drive with your big toe" implying light pressure on the pedals with no sudden maneuvers. No car is good on ice, but if you see some ice in a empty parking lot with nothing to hit around you, get a feel of how it handles on that & how to correct it.

But the number #1 rule is to BuCkLe Up! Seat belts save lives and thats no joke

 

[joeM62]

Man I hope the weather passes over I need to get the my truck worked.