snow/ice driving in the 82 SD... in Charlotte - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

vstech · #1 01-10-2011, 10:38 AM

wellll, today the snow hit nasty...
Charlotte, NC 4ish inches... not bad right? poooh! moron drivers... 2" packed, still falling. bridges eew...

The SD had no issues, I GOTTA get the frontend rebuilt in her (lee?)
having a wandering frontend, is NOT comfortable in snow!

for some reason, the snow plows they are running are not scraping the road... leaving 1" on the ground... ickky.

has anyone gotten stuck in the ice/snow in an SD? I know if it gets DEEP the body will float the tires off the ground... not much ya can do with that though.
decent Michelin tires no issues. plenty of weight from tools and such in the trunk for added traction.

#2 01-10-2011, 10:42 AM

I've gotten my 300D stuck, all it takes is a hill with one wheel on ice.

Junkman · #3 01-10-2011, 10:47 AM

How did we get by in Chicago during the 70s with all RWD? Seems like we'd get stuck in a snow bank, kick a hole then rock our way out. We made it to our destination - on usually time. Here in TN, we get to stay home with just a little snow. It will warm up next week.

Tpawlik · #4 01-10-2011, 10:54 AM

John, When I moved from the Charlotte area to the Philadelphia area I had an 83 300SD. Philly had a 100 year ice storm that winter followed by tons of snow. I had new Bridgestone Turanze tires and I got stuck on three separate ocassions trying to climb hills no steeper than in your area. I also owned an 89 300SE while in Philly that had Michelin MXV4 tires, they were better than the Turanza's but, still not great. In my opinion, the right tires are more important on the bigger cars.
After watching people in Charlotte try to drive in the snow, I stayed home. It was just too hazardous.
Good Luck.

vstech · #5 01-10-2011, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tpawlik

John, When I moved from the Charlotte area to the Philadelphia area I had an 83 300SD. Philly had a 100 year ice storm that winter followed by tons of snow. I had new Bridgestone Turanze tires and I got stuck on three separate ocassions trying to climb hills no steeper than in your area. I also owned an 89 300SE while in Philly that had Michelin MXV4 tires, they were better than the Turanza's but, still not great. In my opinion, the right tires are more important on the bigger cars.
After watching people in Charlotte try to drive in the snow, I stayed home. It was just too hazardous.
Good Luck.

this is absolutely the truth!!!

the most dangerous situations are when other drivers get around you!

between the crazies driving three lanes wide all doing 30 on the interstate... to the crazies in 4wd trucks flying around the standard line on the highway... ugh.

surprisingly, only saw 2 cars in the ditch on the way in...

Junkman · #6 01-10-2011, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

this is absolutely the truth!!!

the most dangerous situations are when other drivers get around you!

between the crazies driving three lanes wide all doing 30 on the interstate... to the crazies in 4wd trucks flying around the standard line on the highway... ugh.

surprisingly, only saw 2 cars in the ditch on the way in...

To everyone else, you are the other driver.

vstech · #7 01-10-2011, 11:41 AM

yeah! but I'm perfect, so no worries from my driving...

I'll walk on water too... I just gotta freeze it first!

anyway, it's the cluster of drivers causing problems. if everyone drove fine and kept out of dangerous situations no issues would arise.

Maki · #8 01-10-2011, 11:52 AM

One tip on driving in slippery conditions: avoid coasting. Allowing a RWD car to move forward with negative throttle puts drag on the rear wheels. That has the same effect as braking -- but it's only being applied only to the rear wheels. Locked up rear wheels = fishtailing and spinouts. If you're not on the throttle, you should be braking.

You can often recover an unsettled RWD car with left-foot braking: positive throttle while briefly applying a moderate brake pedal. Power to the rear wheels improves traction at the rear axle while braking at the front reduces it. It rebalances the car.

Left-foot braking does the reverse in an FWD car, BTW. The driver can induce oversteer and recover with the throttle.

(I've been to a few winter driving schools.)

#9 01-10-2011, 11:59 AM

After driving the 4matic in the snow a few times, it feels different than anything I've really driven. At times the throttle steering is like a FWD car, other times it feels like RWD; it's definitely different than a 4WD with the transfer locked. I guess it depends which wheels have traction at the moment. It works well, just need to get used to it.

yuke · #10 01-10-2011, 12:00 PM

Sure my 85 300SD is not as good as my 91 Toy. Camry was but with a little common sense I get by in the Chic. and N.W. In. area.Not too many hills to get up just the loss of control you have to watch out for.Never got stuck yet.If you want you could add some weight in your trunck which would give you some more traction.

Tpawlik · #11 01-10-2011, 12:05 PM

Junkman, I agree that back in the day, snow did not seem to be as much of a problem. I talk to my Dad about this alot. He is 93 and obviously has driven in snow for a long, long time. He and I think that old bias ply tires cut through the snow, whereas todays wider, low profile radial tires just ride on top of the snow. Most cars have all season tires that are really only good in the dry or in rain, not snow or ice.

Maki · #12 01-10-2011, 12:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig

After driving the 4matic in the snow a few times, it feels different than anything I've really driven. At times the throttle steering is like a FWD car, other times it feels like RWD; it's definitely different than a 4WD with the transfer locked. I guess it depends which wheels have traction at the moment. It works well, just need to get used to it.

A set of winter tires is better bang for the buck than springing for AWD, IMO. Even if snow isn't a regular feature of the local climate, you get a more appropriate rubber compound for temperatures in the 30s and 40s (and 20s, and teens). There's a lot of good H-rated winter rubber out there these days. I'd have winter tires on my car if I lived in Tennessee or inland NC. With all the twisties and grade changes, I'd welcome the extra traction on a rainy 40-degree day.

#13 01-10-2011, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maki

A set of winter tires is better bang for the buck than springing for AWD, IMO. Even if snow isn't a regular feature of the local climate, you get a more appropriate rubber compound for temperatures in the 30s and 40s (and 20s, and teens). There's a lot of good H-rated winter rubber out there these days. I'd have winter tires on my car if I lived in Tennessee or inland NC. With all the twisties and grade changes, I'd welcome the extra traction on a rainy 40-degree day.

I'm not going to bother with full winter tires on that car, it doesn't really snow that often here so I would just wear them out on dry roads. I could use a better set of all-seasons, the tires I have now were installed by a dealer and are pretty cheap. Right now, they are new but I will probably replace them before next winter with "real" tires.

Maki · #14 01-10-2011, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Craig

I'm not going to bother with full winter tires on that car, it doesn't really snow that often here so I would just wear them out on dry roads. I could use a better set of all-seasons, the tires I have now were installed by a dealer and are pretty cheap. Right now, they are new but I will probably replace them before next winter with "real" tires.

Craig, having read some of your other posts, I know you drive a lot, and long distances. What kind of tires do you have on your long-distance vehicle for winter?

I'm probably pointing out the obvious, but not all winter tires are short-lived on dry roads. I have a set of first-gen Michelin X-Ice tires on my 300td. They're not my favorite snow tire, but they have held up quite well in the dry. And of course Michelin makes several "sport" winter tires like the Pilot Alpin. I've also gotten good wear out of Nokian Hakkapeliittas, but they are more of a severe-service tire.

As for all-seasons, I suggest you check out the new Continental DWS. I've had them in daily non-winter service for a year and really like them. They're supposed to be competent in snow -- the one drawback is that they aren't available in 15-inch sizes.

winmutt · #15 01-10-2011, 01:21 PM

Snowed 4" in atlanta and still coming down in sleet now. Drove to work despite the Gov giving everyone in the state the day off. Couple 40lb logs in the trunk combined with shovel and bag of ashes and I am all set. Thinking about slapping chains on for the ride home tho.