So sadly I need to drive my T-Bird in the snow this year. So from talking to some people i have gathered the best way to get traction is snow tires and sand bags in the the trunk, but i was wondering how much weight i should use? Now i have snow tires but any other ideas to get traction? Any ideas will be greatly helpful.
Chains, you will be able to do what 4 wheelers do. It's not the weight it's the driver?
How are you in a 2 wheel drive?
well i own a jeep but got in a crash last year (not in the snow) long story. I drive it all the time and it has more to do with the fact I live on side street off a side steet up a steep hill. so I need traction to get up the hill of doom.
I never had a problem in a Buffalo winter in the 12 years I drove it in snow. never ever got stuck and only used my all weather radials.
You know ic, It's pretty flat where you live. From what I seen.
I live in Madison WI where we don't plow any side streets and don't like to sand and salt because its bad for the environment. So makes life fun. But im a fine of my car to total rusting out.
Ok, you got me.... we salt like it's going out of style over here. But I hear it won't rot out your car at all.
I've driven my 88 tbird for 3 winters now. I'm 19 and on py days I just drive normal. No real problems from it. This will be my first real winter with hte 5.0, but I'm sure it'll be okay. The only problem I usually have it getting in and out of my driveway because of the large hill. Car is okay, and we sand and salt a decent amount.
Remember stopping is more important that going. That extra weight = more intertia = more stopping distance/sliding.
I wouldn't go with more than 50 pounds, probably not even that, if you have stock springs, or worn out shocks and struts.
You get used to the way a vehicle handles, then you add weight, and add the slick roads, it can equate to getting out of touch with steering, handling, and braking...
Just a thought....
I was gonna drive my Tbird to work today...but the forecast here was calling for for 4-6" of the white stuff, (lyin' s, we only got 1.5"..so far..) but I decided not to chance it, drove the truck in...
Get a feel for the car without adding any weight first. I drove my bird last winter and managed not to get stuck once. I didnt add any weight and my tires werent exactly the best. All I did was find and empty parking lot and screw around a bit to see how the car behaved in a slide and other various maneuvers.
Really as long as you use some common sense and have decent tires you should be alright. Although it wouldnt hurt to have a bag of sand with ya just in case.