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Tire Pressure in Ice?

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Old 01-26-2009, 03:07 AM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by Widewing
Don't assume anything about ice. As I stated earlier, friction is independent of area. Load, not area determines friction. It doesn't matter if you air down or up, the load factor remains unchanged. Friction is limited, as it cannot increase above the coefficient of friction between the two surfaces without a modifying factor (sand, studs, or water, which lubricates the ice), regardless of load.

To gain traction, one must introduce a mechanical interaction. In other words, the vehicle must penetrate the surface of the ice to get a mechanical bite. Tires alone cannot do that because ice is the harder surface. Studded tires, or cable chains (not as good as studs) will do that. Rough ice can offer some traction as the tire tread can get some minuscule bite. Sand is a great help because it interacts both with the ice and the tires.


My regards,

Widewing
Makes sense "a modifying factor". I guess what I'm referring more to would be an icy dirt road, or ice patches or sections of a dirt road. Would it be correct to believe that deflated tires (verses hard tires) would be safer if you were driving on an ice-patchy trail? Snow has melted, the trail has been driven over enough times revealing more dirt but with some remaining hard-packed snow (icy) areas? Going from dirt to more slippery, hard-packed areas? Your tires are going to be deflated anyway because you're out on the trail in 4-wheel-drive, so are you less likely to slide "all over the place" when hitting such hard-packed areas with your tires deflated (softer rubber)? Thanks for the input.
Old 01-26-2009, 06:47 PM
  #22  
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North Texas is in for some Ice tonight and tomorrow.

In my mind, it doesn't matter what my tier pressure is, as long as I can get out of the way of the gnukklehed who thinks that just because he has a 4X4 he cango as fast as he wants.

I wish I didn't have to even get out of my driveway in weather like this. Not for fear of how I might drive, but for fear of others' driving.
Old 01-26-2009, 07:12 PM
  #23  
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Originally Posted by mmcan
North Texas is in for some Ice tonight and tomorrow.

In my mind, it doesn't matter what my tier pressure is, as long as I can get out of the way of the gnukklehed who thinks that just because he has a 4X4 he cango as fast as he wants.

I wish I didn't have to even get out of my driveway in weather like this. Not for fear of how I might drive, but for fear of others' driving.
I live in Canada...we get just a bit more snow than most parts of Texas.

Interestingly enough, we have the same perspective on what sucks about winter weather - the reaction of all the sheeple out there who don't understand how to drive in it.
Old 01-26-2009, 07:31 PM
  #24  
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Originally Posted by w squared
I live in Canada...we get just a bit more snow than most parts of Texas.

Interestingly enough, we have the same perspective on what sucks about winter weather - the reaction of all the sheeple out there who don't understand how to drive in it.
........X2
Old 01-26-2009, 08:21 PM
  #25  
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When I lived in Pennsylvania, my friends and I would always round up a good 4WD convoy during the good snow storms and take on the mountain roads. Nobody else was ever out on the trails in the bad weather, which made it great!

In fact, I prefer wheelin' in the snow to the mud. But I don't miss the cold!

As for ice traction, other than putting tracks (as in tank treads) on your Jeep, I'll echo the others and say that studded tires are the way to go.

Pennsylvania has laws that apply to when you are allowed to run studded tires, but if I remember correctly the snow was long gone by the deadline.
Old 01-26-2009, 09:20 PM
  #26  
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You are so right about the fear of what others will do to you in bad conditions. We drive up mountain roads and every now and then we have to avoid vehicles sliding backwards or sideways down the road towards us. It is like a bowling alley. With the extremely high snow banks there is no shoulder to pull off on to let them slide by. We simply have to drive around them.
Old 01-27-2009, 11:08 AM
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Don't drive if not necessary, give a lot of extra time for stops/turns/starts, be careful of the other driver who may not realize the dangers, studded tires are great and make sure to pack some water/snacks/blanket in case the ditch comes calling your name.
Old 01-27-2009, 12:01 PM
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i wish i had ice to drive on... if only for the short time it took me to land in a ditch... GA weather blows... no snow, no ice, just recently started getting rain again... just cold, windy, and bad traffic (regardless of the weather).
Old 01-27-2009, 01:22 PM
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Originally Posted by 07JKX
i wish i had ice to drive on... if only for the short time it took me to land in a ditch... GA weather blows... no snow, no ice, just recently started getting rain again... just cold, windy, and bad traffic (regardless of the weather).
theres nothing fun about ice. Snow yes, but ice...no.
Old 01-27-2009, 03:00 PM
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Hi! If the ice is expected to be of a continuous nature and not "here and there", why not put the tire chains on? If it's that icy you most likely won't be driving fast anyway. Going may not be your real concern...stopping (possibly to avoid an accident) will! Chains aren't a good idea for general snowy conditions but they simply can not be matched by any tire under worst-case ice conditions. Take care... Mike


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