AWD w/Cross Terrain Michelins not good enough for a bit of snow?

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- Happy Traveler
  
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posted
18 years ago

Fri, Dec 2, 2005 9:05 AM

It's a steep street here and we got the unusual couple inches of snow tonight. A neighbor kept slipping and sliding with his 2x4 truck, so I offered to pull my 98 Limited 5.0/AWD out, to give him more room to maneuver into his parking slot. What a mistake! The thing wasn't much better than his

2x4! Spun its wheels, wouldn't steer, even threatened to slide downhill a few times, totally out of control. It just didn't feel like an all-wheel-drive at all. At some point even the ABS warning light turned on. Finally a God-sent neighbor came and helped me put chains on the front wheels. This saved the night, but what a red face I got! Now those Cross Terrains aren't new, but at least half of the tread is still on them. Last year, with about the same amount of snow I couldn't even tell that there was snow on the ground. And this time - just an egg on my face! I am completely puzzled. Something wrong with the transfer case? (I don't think so). And that won't explain the slipping downhill and the poor braking anyway. I need real winter tires? Any snow country residents, offer some advice, please.

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- Ed White
  
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posted
18 years ago

Fri, Dec 2, 2005 2:38 PM

If ice forms under snow, no tire is any good. Without traction, 4 wheel drive or AWD is little better than 2WD. Last year we had one storm that dropped just a tiny amount of snow, but because the first bit melted, and then refroze to form a layer of wet ice, the whole town came to a standstill. I saw cars literally slide down hills with all four wheels locked. For this situation, chains are the answer. Good thing you had some.

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- Ulysses
  
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posted
18 years ago

Fri, Dec 2, 2005 5:31 PM

I don't know what the tread looks like on the Michelin Cross Terrains but I had some BFG AT/TAs on my '92 and icy snow would basically clog the treads. I seem to get much better performance overall with the Michelin LTX M/S tires. From what I have seen and experienced the agressive, gnarly-looking tires may be best for loose dirt and sand but that's about it. And they are a bitch to put chains on.