Can anyone of the wise Owls on the forum give us some tips on how to drive in the snow? I think the last PROPER snow we had in the UK was 2010. With most trucks being automatic how do you avoid just spinning or keeping traction?
I’ve watched ice road truckers so other than snow chains guys any advice?
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Yes,most important,DON’T watch ice road truckers.Make sure you have good tyres,otherwise get one of these. 
According to the RAC you need the following.
1, A mobile phone but do not use while driving.
2, A Map so you can identify where you are… you can get a route plan from their website.
3, A flask of hot coffee or tea…Not a bottle of whiskey unless your in Scotland then it’s mandatory.
4, A blanket to keep warm or have fun underneath if you have someone with you.
5, A demisting pad should you try having fun under the blanket.
6, A wind up torch so you can see what your doing.
7, A shovel to help you build a snowman, don’t get your hands cold, it’s harder to roll a cig!
8, Jump leads should some silly bugger like you happen to be out and be passing.
9, A piece of carpet to help you get traction…On your tires but can also be used for no 4.
10 First Aid kit and some snacks.
11, A Will because you know how helpful people in the UK are these days.
12, A copy of Ice Road Truckers…
On a serious note, Drive slow, drive carefully and if you have no traction before you get to that steep hill, find another route.
JON
:
Can anyone of the wise Owls on the forum give us some tips on how to drive in the snow? I think the last PROPER snow we had in the UK was 2010. With most trucks being automatic how do you avoid just spinning or keeping traction?I’ve watched ice road truckers so other than snow chains guys any advice?
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Unless it’s a matter of utter urgency don’t drive in the snow who wants to be a hero in the ditch, saying that keep your distance, keep your speed and revs down, avoid hard braking use your engine brake gently and try and lift your mid lift up(if you have one).
Retired from it now but did 000’s of miles on snow & ice doing ME runs
My advice is do ‘everything’ with a very light touch and leave plenty (lots) of space in front of you
Treat the drive wheels as if they were the clutch & if you can over-ride the gearbox change up if you start to lose traction
Going down anything steep, start at the top in the gear that will see you down without braking (service or engine) or having to change gear, its slow but its safe
Learn how to use your gearbox in manual mode. This will let you hold onto a gear so you can make the change when it’s right to do so. Learn what a safe braking distance is and multiply that by 10.
Learn also when and how any tag axle air transfer works, and learn before you do get stuck when a diff lock helps and when it doesn’t, same goes for TC or ASR, using or cancelling these devices will make the difference whether you get out of the road you are in or make that long hill, or not.
I’ve explained in posts before at length about this stuff on various threads so blowed if i’m going to go through it all again, you’ll all be glad to know 
Couldn’t agree more about learning your gearbox too, but that applies to everything about your lorry, its no good trying to learn to drive it when on packed snow or black ice if all you’ve done up until that moment is attend the steering wheel.
For those with AEBS systems, learning how to turn that rubbish off should be paramount, going to help no end when your mincing along at 25mph on packed ice/snow and the lorry suddenly decides it needs to stop dead 
Being on landfill work would soon have RDC drivers stuck in the mud.
Three hours and still no ones chimed in with calling anyone who doesnt pull in and park up at the first flurry of snow “a hero”?
Must be a TNUK record
The-Snowman:
Three hours and still no ones chimed in with calling anyone who doesnt pull in and park up at the first flurry of snow “a hero”?
Must be a TNUK record
bald bloke:
Unless it’s a matter of utter urgency don’t drive in the snow who wants to be a hero in the ditch,
as already said switch off TC, ASR, forget the engine brake, if its auto learn how to operate the manual controls, increase the distance between vehicles greatly
( theres never too much of a gap and if someone fills it back off again) seconds lost by others cutting in are nothing compared to the time and money used to decide even a minor bump, treat everyone no matter which way they are travelling as a potential missile aimed at you, watch a bit of the Russians on u tube to see how fast the innocent victims get involved, steady awareness wins the game, one last thing forget times, distances, and the office, nothing is going to hit their desk, they will get over any hic ups, you might not.
I took this advice:
According to the RAC you need the following.
1, A mobile phone but do not use while driving.
2, A Map so you can identify where you are… you can get a route plan from their website.
3, A flask of hot coffee or tea…Not a bottle of whiskey unless your in Scotland then it’s mandatory.
4, A blanket to keep warm or have fun underneath if you have someone with you.
5, A demisting pad should you try having fun under the blanket.
6, A wind up torch so you can see what your doing.
7, A shovel to help you build a snowman, don’t get your hands cold, it’s harder to roll a cig!
8, Jump leads should some silly bugger like you happen to be out and be passing.
9, A piece of carpet to help you get traction…On your tires but can also be used for no 4.
10 First Aid kit and some snacks.
11, A Will because you know how helpful people in the UK are these days.
12, A copy of Ice Road Truckers…
On a serious note, Drive slow, drive carefully and if you have no traction before you get to that steep hill, find another route.
I looked a right idiot getting on the bus with that lot
mrginge:
The-Snowman:
Three hours and still no ones chimed in with calling anyone who doesnt pull in and park up at the first flurry of snow “a hero”?
Must be a TNUK recordbald bloke:
Unless it’s a matter of utter urgency don’t drive in the snow who wants to be a hero in the ditch,
Well I sit corrected!
Not a lot of point “learning to use the gearbox in manual mode” when a significant number of fleet spec trucks these days don’t give you that option…
Roymondo:
Not a lot of point “learning to use the gearbox in manual mode” when a significant number of fleet spec trucks these days don’t give you that option…
All of our new Volvo’s have been ishift and I have found the manual shift great off road, especially up hill and when dragging heavy plant. Also you can reverse quicker using the button to go into 2nd reverse gear.
Im guessing ‘fleet spec’ Volvo ishift’s have the same button on the side?
Roymondo:
Not a lot of point “learning to use the gearbox in manual mode” when a significant number of fleet spec trucks these days don’t give you that option…
I never even knew this was possible.
I’m a bit shocked that they see the need to dumb it down so much not to mention how much more difficult that would make several situations.
Hurryup&wait:
Roymondo:
Not a lot of point “learning to use the gearbox in manual mode” when a significant number of fleet spec trucks these days don’t give you that option…I never even knew this was possible.
I’m a bit shocked that they see the need to dumb it down so much not to mention how much more difficult that would make several situations.
Even kickdown is disabled on them as well, but that is what happens when accountants are employed to control trucks and then pay a driver to just steer it.
Roymondo:
Not a lot of point “learning to use the gearbox in manual mode” when a significant number of fleet spec trucks these days don’t give you that option…
Most of the scanias at our place are like this. You can manually change gears up to 9th gear then it’s blocked out. You can’t select manual mode as it’s blocked too, as is the kickdown.
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damoq:
Roymondo:
Not a lot of point “learning to use the gearbox in manual mode” when a significant number of fleet spec trucks these days don’t give you that option…Most of the scanias at our place are like this. You can manually change gears up to 9th gear then it’s blocked out. You can’t select manual mode as it’s blocked too, as is the kickdown.
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My MAN arsetronic is all right I can select manual use kick down to my hearts content 
Roymondo:
Not a lot of point “learning to use the gearbox in manual mode” when a significant number of fleet spec trucks these days don’t give you that option…
I’d suggest making sure the night heater works then when you get stuck hit the bunk. 