Date: Mon, 14 Jan 2008 13:14:54 -0800
Reply-To: Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: Scott Daniel - Shazam <scottdaniel@TURBOVANS.COM>
Subject: Re: Vanagon in snow/ice
In-Reply-To: <000601c856ee$bdd865e0$6401a8c0@Trooz1>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
Hi,
Numerous factors. Where are you ?
any reason to suspect your front-rear brake balance isn't what it should be
?
The fronts should always lock before the rears, but just before.
If I had a customer with this complaint, the first thing I'd do is inspect
the entire brake system carefully.
Then tires and tire pressure come to mind.
Stopping on ice with 2WD and no ABS is a really bad mode in the first place.
If the van is working right, it should apply braking force to all 4 wheels
with a slight bias to the front. If you get into fronts locking early
...........well, if the fronts lock, you have no steering, and you have to
know to let off the brakes just to get steering back.
If the fronts are locking earlier than normal due to a brake system issue or
a tire type/ tire grade/ tire pressure problem, you're going to be in
trouble.
You don't say which trans, but auto trans is not quite as controllable as
manual trans.
But generally, given the limitations of 2WD without ABS ..........they
should do 'all right', for what they are. I drive so gently on ice you
wouldn't believe it. You can't do anything sudden.
I've driven jillions of miles on snow and ice in a 2WD vanagon, never a
problem once. You do have to drive within the limits of the thing though.
I don't even use the brakes almost.
I bet I've driven past maybe 50 SUV's spun off the road on ice and snow.
The wetter snow is too, the worse it is. Dry snow, and dryish packed
snow - tons of traction. Even really cold ice is pretty good. But wettish
ice, or wet snow, really bad news. That's why I ask where. Washington I
suspect.
Oh, even with ABS, you have to keep the tires *rolling* ! that's
like duh, of course, but you'd be surprised how many people don't seem to
get that.
You also don't say what tires you have. That is a *huge* factor. Down hill
on ice stopping, that's your very worst mode, especially 2WD without ABS.
but I'd think about the brakes first ( besides tires ) . The brakes need to
be right.
Scott
www.turbovans.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Trooz
Sent: Monday, January 14, 2008 12:48 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Re: Vanagon in snow/ice
No one has mentioned a problem with the front wheels locking up in snow/ice.
Am I the only one? I hate to drive mine in the snow because getting it
stopped is going to be scary. Once the roads get sanded--cindered, in our
case--it's much easier, but on ice? Forget it. I've even thought about
maybe putting chains on the front. Haven't done it yet, but don't know why
it wouldn't work.
Bob Trousdale
'90 Westy
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