For the first time, I’ll be driving my truck with K02 tires through snowy regions. Snow may be on the road. Maybe some ice. Ski country.

I have my tires at factory suggested pressure - 43 psi. Should I air down slightly for the region? Or keep at factory level and lower down only if deep snow encountered?

Dumb question: laughs held to min appreciated - if snow and speeds are less than 20 mph, when do i use 4L? I assume not needed as these aren’t heavy torque conditions but want to make sure.

I hope these tires are okay for snow.

Are these snow tires? If so, use the factory suggested pressures. They know.

Not snow tires. They are considered AT I believe. I’m hearing mixed things about them for snow so not sure what to do. I trust SF guidance.

Don't air down and don't use 4L.

Thanks!

K02s aren't a snow tire, but they are decent in snow at least.

As far as airing down, it depends on the snow. Light snow stay aired up so your tires can cut through it down to the better surface below. When the snow gets deep (deep enough that you are pushing your differentials through it) it can be better to air down so you can try to float on it.

I probably wouldn't use 4 low for snow at all unless you find yourself literally crawling at walking speeds or needing the torque advantage it provides.

I would not air down; I'd keep the tires at factory pressure, as I did for years in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts.

As for 4wd/4lo, there is no need for 4 lo, as you will not be needing buckets of torque. Remember that 4wd is great for traction, helpful for steering, and completely useless for braking. Braking is braking, whether in 2wd or 4wd, and this vehicle is HEAVY.

Snow is ok, ice is the enemy. Nothing but studs stick on ice. Ice is so nasty, that I had a car try to slide off the crown in the road into the ditch. The slope of the crown alone was enough to overcome available traction. Not much helps in those conditions.

Assuming you have a vehicle with 4wd, not Awd, only use 4wd when needed in full snow conditions. You can put terrible strain on driveline components if you are running in 4wd spotted, or dry pavement.

Finally, if you are cautious, you will be fine. Large following distances, gentle application of brakes, gentle application of power, cautious steering, finding the bare patches, or flat patches and avoiding the ice, stay out of the snow piles, etc. Above all, don't get cocky.

You should be better off than the majority of people running all season tires.

Only uses 4L when 4H no longer gets the vehicle moving

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
Don't air down and don't use 4L.

Also, try to travel at a high rate of speed so your tires have less contact with the pavement.
Ideally, your SUV becomes like a hovercraft.

quote:

Above all, don't get cocky.

C'mon, man!

Make sure to stop at the bottom of hills before you ascend, safety first

Thanks guys. This is valuable. I’m still honestly a little unfamiliar and skittish with the truck. Only 4k miles in the 3 years of ownership.

It’s AWD. Land Cruiser 200 series. I’d like to get snow tires but wheels and tires for this car are freakishly expensive.

I have been driving 4wd SUVs and pickups in MN for the past 4 decades. I've never adjusted tire pressure for snow, only added a bit in very cold temps to keep them at the recommended pressure. I've also only used 4L a handful of times. That's a stump pulling gear, not a driving gear.

As others have said I wouldn't air them down for snow. Never had an issue with a good four-wheel drive in snow. I also never needed 4L for snow.

4L is for when you really need to get over something and/or need to do it really slow.

If you're not familiar with driving in the snow or with that truck in the snow I suggest you find a large parking lot or road with no one on them and just drive.

In my younger days, we would find open parking lots and learn what the limits of our cars where. Then how to recover from a slide, how to brake without sliding although that was before anti-lock brakes.

Harder to find places to do that now without getting in trouble. That fun we had really taught me how to handle a car in a snowy condition. Always good to already know how to brake and steer when things get loose then learning when it really matters and other cars, trees, and other things are around you.

quote:

Remember that 4wd is great for traction, helpful for steering, and completely useless for braking. Braking is braking, whether in 2wd or 4wd, and this vehicle is HEAVY.

This is an often repeated myth. 4 wheel drive offers superior slowing AND braking to 2 wheel drive vehicles.

Not only do you have engine braking at all 4 wheels, but you also even out the split of pressure between the front and rears giving you even pedal braking.

I run snow/traction tires on all of my vehicles, some of them year round. They make the biggest difference.

quote:

Originally posted by a1abdj:

quote:

Remember that 4wd is great for traction, helpful for steering, and completely useless for braking. Braking is braking, whether in 2wd or 4wd, and this vehicle is HEAVY.

This is an often repeated myth. 4 wheel drive offers superior slowing AND braking to 2 wheel drive vehicles.

Not only do you have engine braking at all 4 wheels, but you also even out the split of pressure between the front and rears giving you even pedal braking.

I run snow/traction tires on all of my vehicles, some of them year round. They make the biggest difference.

Yes, in the snow, i will always downshift first if i can before i use my brakes. One of the benefits of a manual.

We mostly drive AWD vehicle. Couple Toyota’s and a Subaru. All the above seems spot on so I will only add this. Leave earlier for everywhere you need to go. It sounds simple, it is, but if you leave early you tend to not try to make up time or rush.

If conditions get bad enough and you still have to drive you might get into something you can’t drive out of. Leaving early and driving slower means everything that happens next happens 10-20 mph slower which is a big deal. Ok, dad rant off.

Good tip I learned when I moved to Montana: If you are going down an icy hill and are concerned about if you are going to be able to stop at the bottom, place your vehicle in Neutral. The engine is always wanting to move the vehicle forward when it's in Drive, even when you are breaking so putting it in Neutral removes that forward, for lack of a better word, momentum.

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:

quote:

Originally posted by a1abdj:

quote:

Remember that 4wd is great for traction, helpful for steering, and completely useless for braking. Braking is braking, whether in 2wd or 4wd, and this vehicle is HEAVY.

This is an often repeated myth. 4 wheel drive offers superior slowing AND braking to 2 wheel drive vehicles.

Not only do you have engine braking at all 4 wheels, but you also even out the split of pressure between the front and rears giving you even pedal braking.

I run snow/traction tires on all of my vehicles, some of them year round. They make the biggest difference.

Yes, in the snow, i will always downshift first if i can before i use my brakes. One of the benefits of a manual.

Both correct, at the margins, if you know what you are doing. If you try to panic stop, the only thing you have going for you is more rugged tires, working against greater weight than a typical passenger vehicle.

4wd is also superior descending hills in bad conditions for the reasons you list.

The point of my post, is that while 4wd will get you into and out of a lot of places where 2wd won't, it's not magic when it comes to braking, and if you aren't following the other cautionary rules of operating in snow, is unlikely to save you from disaster.

All of the above is very good advise.
Just one more tip,..
When there is the possibility of freezing after wet snow condition on the highways be aware of BLACK ICE. You may be trucking along just fine through the snow, but be aware of areas where the wind has blown across the highway, leaving, what appears to be clear road, because that could be a patch of exposed ice. Don't freak, just don't keep excellerating and be aware of the wind and traffic.

We had a city bus accident once where the midday roadway was melted but the wind was stiff all day. A driver was transporting along Lake Erie and the slope of one hill had not been touched by the sun all morning. When the driver hit that patch of ice the bus spun around and ended on the opposite side of the road. In the woods. So, be aware.

quote:

Originally posted by chellim1:...
Also, try to travel at a high rate of speed so your tires have less contact with the pavement.
Ideally, your SUV becomes like a hovercraft....

But then you have to deal with eels...