Help with deep snow driving

[Huck BB62]

Originally Posted by mikejr

We FINALLY got some decent snow here in Pittsburgh. To give you all a little background, we got about 6 inches of snow, then 1/2 inch of ice, the about another 5 inches of snow on top of that. I am running stock BFG's with 10K miles on them, was in the 4 wheel drive setting 50/50 split, not the highway 40/60 split. Both instances I was driving somewhat slow due to not knowing why lies beneath the snow/ice.

I was doing some recon on a few repo houses that we had assigned to us, was breaking fresh tracks up a steep drive way and started to spin out at the top couldnt get up any further. Put it in 4 low, locked the rear diff and it took me three tries to get up over the top. My first question is...should i have left the rear diff unlocked and used the T2 setting on the traction control?

can you physically tell when the rear diff is locked other than the indicator light on the dash? in other words does the truck drive or feel different when the diff is locked?

At another property i was on a slight grade, lost forward momentum and started to spin. Tried to back up and spun. Panic sets in as i was about a 1/2 mile off the main road wondering who the heck was going to pull me out. Put it in 4 low and crawled right out.

Any tips that you more seasoned H2 drivers could offer would be appreciated.

I can honestly say that had i been in the avalanche that i used to drive, i would have been screwed, blued and tattooed stuck!

I just need to learn the finer points in operating the 4 wheel system of this beast.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Just a few things.

A locked up rear end is NOT a good thing when it's slick. A month or so ago I had the exact situation that you're describing. It took me three tries because 1. My tires were worn to nothing. 2. I was too lazy to put the chains on. On the first try, I tried to just drive up in 4hi and only made it about a third of the way. On the second try, and I KNEW better, I tried it in 4 lo with the rear end locked. Bad BAD idea, I almost slid sidways over the side! (when locked, the wheels spin the same speed and when one tire slips, they both slip and if you're on a side hill or in a curve, you're in trouble) Third try, in 4hi, I gave it hell, kept the speed up, and the traction control got me to the top. I got new BFG ATs the next week!

Our 500' 16% grade driveway:






If you'd have had chains on, your Hummer would've walked up that driveway, no problems. Tirerack.com has the low profile Delta chains that are so nice and easy to put on. If you have them on all four tires, you've got a virtual sno-cat on your hands! http://tirechain.com/TRUCK-SUV-CHAINS.HTM