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Please help prepare me for snow!!

DurtySpeed

NAXJA Forum User
Well I just got my orders... I will be moving to Ft Carson, Co next month(feb). I have lived in the south my whole life, so the snow is all going to be new to me. I have never really seen more than 2 maybe 3 inches, lol. I will be living off post in Colorado Springs...

So what all do I need to prepare my jeep? I currently have no lift with 31's. I will be getting 33's and 4.5 lift in 2 weeks, so that is before I leave. As well as new gears. What do you snow guys use?

I did a little searching but I found lots of scattered info and since this is all new to me. I need to know what is neccessary for my new climate... Woot! Mountains, here I come. I am very excited.
 
Mostly we use Jack or Jose'. Your rig should be set up just fine for street use. Don't let the snow get you tied up in knots. When you get out here give some of the COS guys a call and they can school you on driving in it. Heck, you can't be any worse than the Californicators that move into town every year.
 
I think it's more about HOW you drive your Jeep than WHAT your Jeep has. Like old_man said...give those guys a shout in the Colorado chapter and I'm sure they'll welcome you and show you the skillz (note...not skillS but skillZ) you need to take note of.

I'm jealous...have fun out there!
 
DurtySpeed,
Give me a holla here when ya get settled, I am sure we can break ya in EASY LIKE!! And welcome my fellow GI, I am USN Reserve was active for 10 years!!!:patriot:
 
Its no big deal. Like they said, hang with some of the locals. Go to an empty parking lot and feel how your Jeep handles. Do some hard braking etc. to get the feel of it. Its like driving in other conditions. Adjust your speed and stopping distances accordingly. Airing down a little bit may help. Depends on your tires????? I was out to Co Springs in august. Its beautiful. The Garden of the Gods is in your back yard. I think the Co guys keep things hush hush..............they don't want ALL of us moving out there. :) The people there are very nice. I didn't run into any assholes. We loved it. AND, Thanks for serving
 
Slow down, and go easy on the controls---throttle, brake, and steering---smooth and gentle is the key. Leave plenty of room in front of you, and KEEP YOUR HEADLIGHTS ON! I want to stab the idiots driving around in near-whiteout conditions in white cars with their headlights off. What are they thinking?

My stock 2000 XJ handles northern Michigan snowfall just fine. It's more driving technique than anything else.
 
I'll second all the above, its HOW you drive not so much WHAT you drive.
Easy on the throttle, ESPECIALLY if you have a limited slip rear (mine does from the factory. Ask me how I found out...) and EASY on the brakes.
Once you learn to counter-steer and get the feel for it, snow is FUN! You can cut over 180 degrees in a single lane's width, with practice and throttle... Just take it slow and learn how it goes. No worries.
 
old_man said:
Mostly we use Jack or Jose'. Your rig should be set up just fine for street use. Don't let the snow get you tied up in knots. When you get out here give some of the COS guys a call and they can school you on driving in it. Heck, you can't be any worse than the Californicators that move into town every year.

r u saying that all people from cali dont no how to drive in the snow. i beg to differ.
 
People from Cali (at least southern Cali) can't even drive in the rain, let alone the snow (at least that wat my buddy in LA says). ;)

I wouldn't worry about the Jeep. They will issue you your Subaru when you cross the state line!

OK in all seriousness:

The front range gets intermittent snow, so you should be fine with your set up on the occasional time it does. When it does snow, it usually only hangs around for a few days.

Living up the hill where I do, I would not want to go a winter without dedicated snow tires.

Are you locked at all? Lockers make for interesting snow driving.

If you are really concerened about it, Bridgestone offers a winter driving class in Steamboat. While it is a big trip to go do it, it might be worth it.
 
Subaru's are the bomb diggety.. perfect mountian/Alaska car
 
Yeah, lockers I'd be careful with. That's the main reason I'm not locked right now; want to wait and get selectable lockers, but they aren't in the budget right now. Auto lockers can be scary in snow.
 
Awesome, thanks for all the great advice everyone. I will be looking up all the Co folks once I get up there. My report date as of now is March 2 but that should actually be about 2 weeks sooner. I want to plan it all out and make sure my jeep is ready and I still have to find a place for me, my wife, and my kid to live... Lots to get done in the next month...
 
Don't forget to throw a snow brush/ice scraper in your Jeep. Sucks getting snow/ice off without it... or you can use a credit card or your hand.
 
Renegade said:
Don't forget to throw a snow brush/ice scraper in your Jeep. Sucks getting snow/ice off without it... or you can use a credit card or your hand.

:roflmao: :laugh2: :roflmao: :peace:
 
Flush your heater core and make sure you have a good thermostat. I moved here 2.5 years ago after being in the deep south for 20 years. The only thing I can tell you about snow driving is that one day traction seems fine and the next all you do is spin. Just remember that traction changes all the time. Think nice fresh tires on a daily driver also. They are cheap life insurance. Bring a lot of money also because everthing cost more in Colorado.
 
Don't put swampers on the jeep. While big lugged tires aired down to nothing do well in deep snow, they don't do well on the road in snow. I drove siped MTR's for a couple of winters, they weren't too bad. I think my siped BFG AT's are better.

I've used my selectable lockers more strapping people in the snow, then I have 4-wheeling. :)

x whatever on taking the rig out in an empty parking lot and cutting doughnuts. Driving in snow is a lot like driving on a loose dirt road, just steer into the drift. Snow is a lot slicker, and ice near 32 degrees is impossible. Ice isn't quite as bad when it is very cold. Ice is only slippery because a thin film of water forms on top of it. At -10, it's not real slippery.

Fred

Fred
 
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