Anybody stuck in that lot this morning? Bloody joke aint it, they decide to bring two snow ploughs out to clear it knowning it had been snowing hard all night. Why wasnt something put in place before it got so bad. How there were no bad accidents I will never know. Two hours everybody was sat there until they cleared it.
Snowed hard all night and I had a hairy one. Got off at J7 South to go down the A4103 to Hereford. Anybody who knows the route will know you have to pass Fromes Hill on the way so when I saw the depth of the snow I thought I dont fancy going down that one. So In my “wisdom” I decided to by pass it and take the A44 and cut across to Hereford that way (The A49 was the other option but was told by traffic not to take it as it was also bad). So, there I go tugging along nicely until I meet a snow plough coming the other way on a tight right hander. Ive had to slow down, this is just before I get to the first of two steep hills in Bromyard, they are about 16 to 18 degrees. I try and pick up as much momentum as possible but I’m two thirds way up and nope the wheels are going like stink, TC kicking in but then its starts to slide to the right. I put opposite lock on to bring it into line and roll her back down the hill. I’m on my third attempt now! Lucky for me and a BIG BIG thanks to the guy with the plough he doubled back, put plenty of grit down and at about 2mph I got to the top, happy doesnt come close.
So that one out of the way on with the next, same. But this time I didnt need the plough-man. Got to the other end of the hill going down and there were to Morrisions guys slipping all over the show. Hope they made it up.
I thanked the ploughman big style and told him why I went this way. "Oh he says with a smile on his face “Fromes” has been well gritted. Arrr! So I decide to go that way back. It starts to snow heavy again only this time Ive go 26 pallets on and I dont mind admitting it my arse is twiching! I get to the dip before the hill and go for it. Ive hit the hill about 30ish and am half way up then the traction control starts kicking in. I was sweating my nuts off for the next 1000 yards or so until, phew, I’d made it.
Also dont mind admitting I should have took another route, the M5, M50 and back up the 49 to Hereford but thankfully I got home safe and sound and the load is now on its way up the road. Next time I WILL take the longer route and save myself some money on my washing bill
Hmm, I will take your word for it, but aint that what traction control is for to get more grip? Turn it off no grip, no? The wagon got grip because of the traction control, thats why it crept up at 2mph at the top of the icy hill, turn that off and no grip. The unit is an auto, crap I know but I switched it to manual and also tried it without TC, didnt get far, too much brake horse going through the tyres, hence no grip. Impossible to judge in conditions like that and on the slope in question as to how much to put down, wouldnt you agree?
Turn the traction control off and keep your revs up to put less torque into the drive axle. If you hit the hill hard enough and keep it lit then yiou have the best chance to make it over. If you start losing speed keep the revs up and bang it down the box a full shift or even two. The biggest thing is to keep as much momentum going with as little grunt heading through the wheels.
I know a certain gob ■■■■■ will be along to say I am wrong, but it works for me.
Works for me as well bob, but im on night shift not so many on the road although there are still a lot of Truckers hanging on to the wheel with there cheeks clenched instead of trying to get on top of the conditions they let the conditions get on top of them.
Daytime different story too much traffic not enough road so everyone gets stuck you dont need snow somebody doing 35mph on a moterway can cause just as much grief as bad weather, Lucky you all them big open spaces bet you just love driving when back over here
Carryfast must have missed this post
Was heading sb weds morning, looked like chaos with plod disco’s towing HGV’s up the hill before J4a, as for knocking off the TC, theres two types of TC
Cheepo version just cuts the engine revs, and is frankly useless without a diff lock.
Higher tech version applys the brake to the wheel that is about to break traction, the tell tale of this type is the sound of air pulsing to the rear of the truck, and is best without diff lock on. Mine has the latter type, and I’ve done miles in the past few days on packed snow and ice covered country roads and farm tracks without drama. When I’ve been stopped on farmyards and had trouble getting moving, turning the TC off proved pointless, and putting the diff in just made it worse as the rear axle wanted to follow any gradient downhill
Lift axle raised and a handful of grit in front of each drive wheel gets it rolling, then the TC keeps everything in check and pointing in the desired direction
BTD, that high revs thing was what I said on the other thread, if the hill is short enough and you hit it at max rpms at the bottom you may be able to get all the way up without changing down, if you do need to shift it’s advisable to do it early so you take the revs up to maximum again, this way you power up the hill and benefit from momentum, rather than using torque and try and pull yourself up the hill, which, by it’s definition (twisting force) can spin the wheels easier
The Scandinavians will probably disagree, they prefer the low rev approach, but they’re set up for it properly, better tyres, LIFT AXLES etc
Thanks for your replies Big Joe - Newmerc. The problem I had that night was in the main was losing speed. I caught the snow plough on the bend and had to slow down. The lift axel was up and I wasnt loaded. I managed to get two thirds up then the wheels just wouldnt get grip. So I thought best thing is just send it back down to the flattest part and take another run. Trouble was the run wasnt long enough after u’d taken out what speed I had before the bend. If I’d of had the momentum before the bend and what I’d have gathered on the flat before the hill I honestly think I’d have made it first attempt.(I was slagging the plough man off that helped me as soon as I saw him on the bend, sorry dude )
Second problem I had then is with an auto box is you just dont know where you are with them. There is a major lag between shifts even if you run them in manual. I tried it in both and to be honest leaving it in auto and flooring it with the traction control on got me up. I can get where BTD’s coming from and the guy knows far more than I will ever do in this industry. I just couldnt get to a point where I could keep the revs high enough in a low enough gear if you get me. If Id have left it in the lowest gear possible to try make the hill there was still too much torque going through the drive alex with the amount of distance I had to get up the hill so that option was taken away from me.
Forgot to add, in my panic didnt use the diff-lock. Would that have helped some on a steep hill? Suppose its putting you back in the same boat really, too much torque. Do they work in conjuction, TC with diff lock? Never been in this boat before. Driving in snow doesnt both me so much much. You have to take care on big hills up and down though dont you. Flat motorways arent a problem but in places like the Malvern Hills with big drops and steep hills its a different ball game of which I’m first to admit I’m new to in conditions we’ve had lately.
