I am moving from down south the frozen wasteland otherwise known as
the northeastern US. I drive a CJ with automatic KC locker up front
and manually controlled air locker in the back. I have heard that
lockers aren't the best for driving on snow and ice but it's too late
to change it now. Just wondering, what do I need to know and be on
the look out for when driving in snow and ice with this vehicle?

 

I've been driving in snow every winter my entire life.
The best advice I can give is to "slow down".
You know how many times I've been passed by the SUV
drivers during a snowfall only to pass them spun out in the ditch.
:-)
If anyone wants to go fast on snow, buy a snowmobile.....I did
Can't wait........Let it snow........

sm3gurpal wrote:
> I am moving from down south the frozen wasteland otherwise known as
> the northeastern US. I drive a CJ with automatic KC locker up front
> and manually controlled air locker in the back. I have heard that
> lockers aren't the best for driving on snow and ice but it's too late
> to change it now. Just wondering, what do I need to know and be on
> the look out for when driving in snow and ice with this vehicle?

 

I've been driving in snow every winter my entire life.
The best advice I can give is to "slow down".
You know how many times I've been passed by the SUV
drivers during a snowfall only to pass them spun out in the ditch.
:-)
If anyone wants to go fast on snow, buy a snowmobile.....I did
Can't wait........Let it snow........

sm3gurpal wrote:
> I am moving from down south the frozen wasteland otherwise known as
> the northeastern US. I drive a CJ with automatic KC locker up front
> and manually controlled air locker in the back. I have heard that
> lockers aren't the best for driving on snow and ice but it's too late
> to change it now. Just wondering, what do I need to know and be on
> the look out for when driving in snow and ice with this vehicle?

 

I've been driving in snow every winter my entire life.
The best advice I can give is to "slow down".
You know how many times I've been passed by the SUV
drivers during a snowfall only to pass them spun out in the ditch.
:-)
If anyone wants to go fast on snow, buy a snowmobile.....I did
Can't wait........Let it snow........

sm3gurpal wrote:
> I am moving from down south the frozen wasteland otherwise known as
> the northeastern US. I drive a CJ with automatic KC locker up front
> and manually controlled air locker in the back. I have heard that
> lockers aren't the best for driving on snow and ice but it's too late
> to change it now. Just wondering, what do I need to know and be on
> the look out for when driving in snow and ice with this vehicle?

 

The low side of the road....

A locker helps starting out, but once moving an open diff tracks
straighter. If both wheels spin, it will go sideways 'really' fast.
With the open diff and one wheel spinning, the other wheel acts like a
rudder to keep it going straight.

Also on corners at intersections if you are in 4x4 it might just plain
want to go straight. Mine does and I have open diffs even. I have
gotten into the habit of dropping to 2 wheel drive if I plan on making a
left at an intersection. I then drop back to 4x4 once going straight
again.

You also might want to upgrade the heater blower motor. The stock one
will not defrost the windshield. Period. You will need a scraper in
one hand to see. I went with the bigger blower and all the windows will
clear now. It puts out more on low than the stock one did on high.

It is not a difficult swap. A motor out of a 73 full sized Blazer with
a 350 and AC fits right in and the fan fits right on it. You just have
to trim the hole in the firewall a bit bigger to clear it. Here is a
link on that mod:

http://www.off-road.com/jeep/tech/body/heater.html

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

sm3gurpal wrote:
>
> I am moving from down south the frozen wasteland otherwise known as
> the northeastern US. I drive a CJ with automatic KC locker up front
> and manually controlled air locker in the back. I have heard that
> lockers aren't the best for driving on snow and ice but it's too late
> to change it now. Just wondering, what do I need to know and be on
> the look out for when driving in snow and ice with this vehicle?

 

The low side of the road....

A locker helps starting out, but once moving an open diff tracks
straighter. If both wheels spin, it will go sideways 'really' fast.
With the open diff and one wheel spinning, the other wheel acts like a
rudder to keep it going straight.

Also on corners at intersections if you are in 4x4 it might just plain
want to go straight. Mine does and I have open diffs even. I have
gotten into the habit of dropping to 2 wheel drive if I plan on making a
left at an intersection. I then drop back to 4x4 once going straight
again.

You also might want to upgrade the heater blower motor. The stock one
will not defrost the windshield. Period. You will need a scraper in
one hand to see. I went with the bigger blower and all the windows will
clear now. It puts out more on low than the stock one did on high.

It is not a difficult swap. A motor out of a 73 full sized Blazer with
a 350 and AC fits right in and the fan fits right on it. You just have
to trim the hole in the firewall a bit bigger to clear it. Here is a
link on that mod:

http://www.off-road.com/jeep/tech/body/heater.html

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

sm3gurpal wrote:
>
> I am moving from down south the frozen wasteland otherwise known as
> the northeastern US. I drive a CJ with automatic KC locker up front
> and manually controlled air locker in the back. I have heard that
> lockers aren't the best for driving on snow and ice but it's too late
> to change it now. Just wondering, what do I need to know and be on
> the look out for when driving in snow and ice with this vehicle?

 

The low side of the road....

A locker helps starting out, but once moving an open diff tracks
straighter. If both wheels spin, it will go sideways 'really' fast.
With the open diff and one wheel spinning, the other wheel acts like a
rudder to keep it going straight.

Also on corners at intersections if you are in 4x4 it might just plain
want to go straight. Mine does and I have open diffs even. I have
gotten into the habit of dropping to 2 wheel drive if I plan on making a
left at an intersection. I then drop back to 4x4 once going straight
again.

You also might want to upgrade the heater blower motor. The stock one
will not defrost the windshield. Period. You will need a scraper in
one hand to see. I went with the bigger blower and all the windows will
clear now. It puts out more on low than the stock one did on high.

It is not a difficult swap. A motor out of a 73 full sized Blazer with
a 350 and AC fits right in and the fan fits right on it. You just have
to trim the hole in the firewall a bit bigger to clear it. Here is a
link on that mod:

http://www.off-road.com/jeep/tech/body/heater.html

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

sm3gurpal wrote:
>
> I am moving from down south the frozen wasteland otherwise known as
> the northeastern US. I drive a CJ with automatic KC locker up front
> and manually controlled air locker in the back. I have heard that
> lockers aren't the best for driving on snow and ice but it's too late
> to change it now. Just wondering, what do I need to know and be on
> the look out for when driving in snow and ice with this vehicle?

 

Excellent advice. It is true that open differentials in four wheel drive
setting and systems like Selectrac, Quadratrac, etc. will let you drive
faster on snow and ice, heh, but you don't really want to do that. Just
slow down and you will be all right.

Colorado cops practice winter driving on a frozen lake by Georgetown. It is
a lot of fun to watch them. If you can find an empty snow covered parking
lot or a lake (better be cold though!) to practice on then you will feel a
lot better from the practice. Remember to turn your wheels in the direction
of the skid...

Earle

"FrankW" <fworm@mxznorpak.ca> wrote in message
news:46mdnRA7rfWqiyCi4p2dnA@magma.ca...
> I've been driving in snow every winter my entire life.
> The best advice I can give is to "slow down".
> You know how many times I've been passed by the SUV
> drivers during a snowfall only to pass them spun out in the ditch.
> :-)
> If anyone wants to go fast on snow, buy a snowmobile.....I did
> Can't wait........Let it snow........
>
> sm3gurpal wrote:
> > I am moving from down south the frozen wasteland otherwise known as
> > the northeastern US. I drive a CJ with automatic KC locker up front
> > and manually controlled air locker in the back. I have heard that
> > lockers aren't the best for driving on snow and ice but it's too late
> > to change it now. Just wondering, what do I need to know and be on
> > the look out for when driving in snow and ice with this vehicle?
>

 

Excellent advice. It is true that open differentials in four wheel drive
setting and systems like Selectrac, Quadratrac, etc. will let you drive
faster on snow and ice, heh, but you don't really want to do that. Just
slow down and you will be all right.

Colorado cops practice winter driving on a frozen lake by Georgetown. It is
a lot of fun to watch them. If you can find an empty snow covered parking
lot or a lake (better be cold though!) to practice on then you will feel a
lot better from the practice. Remember to turn your wheels in the direction
of the skid...

Earle

"FrankW" <fworm@mxznorpak.ca> wrote in message
news:46mdnRA7rfWqiyCi4p2dnA@magma.ca...
> I've been driving in snow every winter my entire life.
> The best advice I can give is to "slow down".
> You know how many times I've been passed by the SUV
> drivers during a snowfall only to pass them spun out in the ditch.
> :-)
> If anyone wants to go fast on snow, buy a snowmobile.....I did
> Can't wait........Let it snow........
>
> sm3gurpal wrote:
> > I am moving from down south the frozen wasteland otherwise known as
> > the northeastern US. I drive a CJ with automatic KC locker up front
> > and manually controlled air locker in the back. I have heard that
> > lockers aren't the best for driving on snow and ice but it's too late
> > to change it now. Just wondering, what do I need to know and be on
> > the look out for when driving in snow and ice with this vehicle?
>

 

Excellent advice. It is true that open differentials in four wheel drive
setting and systems like Selectrac, Quadratrac, etc. will let you drive
faster on snow and ice, heh, but you don't really want to do that. Just
slow down and you will be all right.

Colorado cops practice winter driving on a frozen lake by Georgetown. It is
a lot of fun to watch them. If you can find an empty snow covered parking
lot or a lake (better be cold though!) to practice on then you will feel a
lot better from the practice. Remember to turn your wheels in the direction
of the skid...

Earle

"FrankW" <fworm@mxznorpak.ca> wrote in message
news:46mdnRA7rfWqiyCi4p2dnA@magma.ca...
> I've been driving in snow every winter my entire life.
> The best advice I can give is to "slow down".
> You know how many times I've been passed by the SUV
> drivers during a snowfall only to pass them spun out in the ditch.
> :-)
> If anyone wants to go fast on snow, buy a snowmobile.....I did
> Can't wait........Let it snow........
>
> sm3gurpal wrote:
> > I am moving from down south the frozen wasteland otherwise known as
> > the northeastern US. I drive a CJ with automatic KC locker up front
> > and manually controlled air locker in the back. I have heard that
> > lockers aren't the best for driving on snow and ice but it's too late
> > to change it now. Just wondering, what do I need to know and be on
> > the look out for when driving in snow and ice with this vehicle?
>