How does your dually do in fresh snow?

[c5dura]

I was the first one out on the secondary roads this morning here in Central Virginia. We got about a foot of real dense ice/snow mix. When you walk on it, you don't sink in like you would 'normal' snow.

I must say I'm dissapointed with the performance of a dually in this type of snow. Since the dmax is so heavy, it breaks through the snow and if you try to go faster than 3 mph or so, the front starts to vibrate real bad from the front tires breaking through the snow surface.

Also, the outer rear wheels have to break through the snow as well, adding a lot more resistance from what I'm used to with non-dually 4x4 trucks.

On all hills, I had to 'ram' into the snow several times until I crested the top, as the only way to pick up any speed was to back down in your own tracks and then accelerate through those tracks again and ram into the virgin snow ahead.

I had a 600 lbs 4 wheeler in the bed for ballast, and I run BFG 235-85-16 All Terrains which are supposedly rated excellent in the snow.

How are you fellow 3500 owners doing in fresh snow?

[1822]

I had the same problem on a 98 3500 and on my 2002 3500, both with 235's. Changed over to 225/70X19.5 and the truck is an animal. We just had 24' of snow and it got around real good. I think the 235's ride up on the snow where a norrower tire will sink in and bite.

[mtomac]

24' of snow, better park the Dmax and break out the snow shoes and snowmobiles

[imported_]

My wifes olds Silhouette will go through snow
better than my dually 4x4.Only one of the front
wheels actually does any pulling.

[MadDuraMax]

Hmmm...

We just got through with a dump of about 15" of powder one day last week. Other that my dually doing a little plowing with the front air dam (sits too low) I thought she did pretty good. I was probably the 3rd or 4th one down the roads. Stock tires and suspension, G80 option.

Mini vans without a lift were NOT getting through!

Mark

[GMCTRUCK]

Unless you've got a ton of weight in the bed (like a sander) tranning wheels usually don't do good in deep snow. Although my 03 2500 is nothing special either. Snow is getting deep here in CT. Airdam is pushing like a Fisher plow, the frame is dragging like a CAT grader and the rear axle is bouncing like a Wacker compactor. This truck might be worse in the snow than any big pickup I've ever owned. :mad:

[Heartbeat Hauler]

We got about 4.5 inches of frozen rain/snow. I was sweatin' it most of the time. Several times I thought I was hung up. How embarassing that would have been to be stuck in a paltry 4.5 inches of snow in the mighty DAMX Dualie 4X4. I don't think it's the truck per se, but the crappy (and tiny) tires that come from the factory.
JP

[GMC-2002-Dmax]

I have not had one problem with my 2500 in the snow.

I am running 285's on 8" rims and usually prefer a tall narrow tire with an aggressive treads for the winter.

So far the Geolanders kick some serious A$$ in the snow :eek:

Next winter I will be running some super aggressive tires on the stock 6.5" rims.

GMC

P.S. we just got 20" of new snow and still NO PROBLEMO!!!!

[403turbo]

I have run my HD through snow up to the bumper without even a hint of trouble. From past experience I know that duallies suck in heavy snow. Its the tires..I have 265 BFG's and they are animals! Probably one of the best A/T's in the snow. The only problem I have is having too much power!

[technician]

c5dura,

I agree with above thread.

"Unless you've got a ton of weight in the bed (like a sander) tranning wheels usually don't do good in deep snow."

I've been out plowing for the last 18 hrs. and my truck with the empty sander and 235's is a tank. :D I have no problem going through rocker panel deep snow. I think you just need more weight!! ;)
Try sand bags they are easy to handle, and if you are on ice they can help you out with traction.

Good luck

[c5dura]

Thanks for all the feedback. I'll yank that puny 600 lbs 4 wheeler and load the truck up with something heavy.

What I might do as a quick test is to fill the bed with this heavy snow. I got a loader on my tractor, so it won't take but a couple of minutes.

If that works out well, I'll get some sand bags or something for 'next time'.

[MadDuraMax]

c5dura,

One more thing worth mentioning, air UP a little in winter. A larger contact patch does nothing for you in snow and ice.

Mark

[mackin]

If you really want it to move in the snow you have to run a 235 max with "aggressive open" tread..... You will give up some ride and noise characteristics, but it will go like no other.....The choice is yours....Got to have a set of winter ONLY tires.....All season just don't cut it in snow like we are getting this year in the EAST.....

These guys running 265 and 285 + sizes on their 2500's must be snow boarding all over the place in packed snow.....They won't move unless in 4x4,sucking down the diesel.......Tell the truth boys......

Don't ask me what I'm running ,my truck still has the ribs on and I get stuck in my drive way,I'm talk'in past experiences.....Had a Dually in the driveway since 88......

MAC

:D :D :D

[imported_]

traction king.... 235-85-16's..... unreal in the white stuff.... noisy in the dry... rough ride aired up to 70 lbs (i tow a lot) but they are outstanding... :cool:

[GMC-2002-Dmax]

MAC,

Diesel?? In CT.??? Who worries about diesel at $2.00 a gallon?? :eek:

Hey I wouldn't know about boarding ;) . Just ask the people who are behind be in traffic......well I had to get out and look to see if I had a sign that say stay back 500 feet 'cause those GEO's throw the snow if you get my "DRIFT". tongue.gif tongue.gif .

Seriously though I have run BFG's both AT and MT in previous trucks and was a little nervous about the 8" rims. Honestly I will have to say absolutely no problems at all :D .

Hey March 14th, let bill and Toddster Know!!!!

Later,

GMC ;)

[Buck]

:( :( :( This is breaking my heart :( :( You guys got all the snow.... all we have here in Southern WI is DEAD grass and to top it off, today it's about 40* :mad: ...let it snow here, let it snow here, let it snow here, let it snow here, let it snow here :confused:

[JimWilson]

Air UP for the snow?? Can't say I ever heard of that one...

[JimWilson]

mackin;

My 2500HD with 285's does a wonderful job in the snow. Nothing even seems to slow it down. A lot of it is going to be related to the type of tires you have, and mine have worked very good in the snow.

[MadDuraMax]

JimW,

It's for the same reason those "skinny" tires do better in the snow. We want to decrease the contact patch size and increase the effective psi on the road/snow surface to "try" to get to terrafirma.

From: The Tire Industry Safety Council offers these additional tips for winter driving:

"Never reduce tire pressure to increase traction on snow, ice, or in mud. It doesn't work, and your tires will be seriously underinflated."

"Every time the outside temperature drops 10 degrees Fahrenheit, the air pressure inside your tires goes down about 1 pound per square inch."

Ever see a Corvette, Firebird, Camaro go in the snow? Just mix HP with nice wide tires!

I don't haul/tow as much in the winter as I do during the summer. Airing "down" a little to smooth out the unloaded ride might help before the snow flies, but air back up for winter. (Not over inflated)

Mackin's on track with tires with aggresive thread patterns or a lot of "sipes". More cutting edges and to clear the snow out of the tread.

Buck, I'm in the lake effect belt here in Mich, I'll try for a nice east wind to blow some of the snow over to you! :D

Mark

[BobNelson]

Solution for getting a 3500 to handle better in the snow... Stay home and have another beer.. :D :D :D

[IndigoDually]

I'm just getting back to my computer after finally getting some sleep. I've been plowing since Sunday night. The dually did very well in the snow. I do have a row of 12" solid concrete blocks across the tailgate which I keep there all winter. Besides the traction they also help the ride. I was also plowing with my '90 K2500 (350, auto, locking rear, 2000lb concrete block in bed) this truck went like a bulldozer. I did bury it many times ( too many to count but I was plowing 25" with up to 5' drifts) The snow was so deep at times the plow markers were buried in the drifts that I was nibbling at. I was forging ahead with the little truck and had my wife in the Dually backing up behind me and pushing out. This way she could back up to me and drag me out of whatever I was stuck in.
Most of the time I got stuck because the snow was powdery and would engulf the truck and the plow when the pile would collapse.
Overall I had more comfidence if I was out solo with the dually versus the 3/4. It seems that I got through stuff I swore I would need a backhoe for and got stuck in the stupidest places. I am just happy the NSBU held up because the trans and transfer case were a block of ice for 3 days.

John

[Uncle Wally]

I think the wheelbase has something to do with the ability of the vehicle in the snow too. I've had a couple standard cabs that were amazing. Nothing could stop them. As I started buyin X-cabs and 4 doors, the ability has gone down. Of coarse this year I was gona put 1000lbs in the bed to help out, but we haven't had that much snow to even worry about.

Makes the few of us snowmobilers wonder why we spend all that money!

Waldo

[Buck]

MadDuraMax, Sweeeeeet....20mph wind outta do it :D :D ;) My sportsman 700 gets bored without snow ;)

[MadDuraMax]

Waldo,

I like the long wheel base for one reason in ice and snow....the truck is easy to keep going in a straight line! Just let off the gas and she'll straighten right out!

Buck,

Looks like we're going to push over 100" of snow for the season again this year. Last year almost 200"! Just got over our thaw (2 days in the low 40's) still people want more snow for the sleds. I'm holding out for a dry winter, a buddy has a '98 Polaris with all of 50 hours on it he's been trying to sell me on for two years. Started out at $2,000 and now he's under a grand and he hasn't hardly ridden it in two years! :D

[chevmeister]

Ok ever wonder how the mail always gets through??
take a look at the pizza cutter they run. I changed out my tires for 215/85r16 Cooper Discoverer S/T's 6.1 inches of tread width and I go anywhere, last week i was dragging a 7500 lb trailer skid steer combo and was pushing snow with the front of the trailer deck. Also a little weight helps I loaded the truck with snow.

[MaxACL]

c5dura

Have any problems with those 235s on the dually?

Mike

[technician]

MaxACL,

I've run 10 ply 235's for almost 25,000 mi. and no complaints. I load the s**t out of my truck (close to #16,000) :eek: for short hauls while sanding and no problems the spaceing is tight(they do touch while fully loaded) I run @ full 80 psi but no problems! :D

[c5dura]

What tech said. I run 80 psi when hauling heavy loads (3000 lbs+ in the bed) and no touching.

Btw, I had 33 sheets of 3x5 1/2" cement board in the back of the truck yesterday and went up to an antenna site on top of the Blue Ridge Mountains (place is called Bear's Den) in case you're familiar with my neck of the woods.

Well, even with the several thousand pounds of additional weight from all the cement boards, the truck still did terrible getting up there (plenty of snow still on the ground). I had to winch myself out 4 times on the way up.

My buddy was in his 1990 Jeep Cherokee and he managed to get up there without getting stuck.

In hindsight, I don't think you'd want more than like 1000 lbs of additional weight in the back for optimal traction. I pulled out several small trees trying to get my 11,000 lbs rig unstuck a couple of times.

C5dura