driving EP in snow what RPM's?

[siver-SI]

Well tonight we are getting are first larger snow fall and this is the first time I have drivin my EP in the snow since I got it in March of 03 and I am wondering something. What I am wondering what is better to have my car in a low gear with high RPM's are a high gear with low RPM's. I had to do about a hour drive home tonight in the white stuff and I could not make up my mind what was better. I found out in the snow that having the high RPM's was nice because I could slow down a lot with out having to hit my brakes at all. But I was also thinking that at higher RPM's I am putting more power to the road so that could cause a problem.

So I am wondering what is best to do in snow?

[RedLight_Si]

This is a good question. Good thing about manuals,is that they are the best for driving in the snow as opposed to automatics. You have have more control. You never want to take it out of gear while you are moving which you probably already know. I usually drive around in the high gear(1st,2nd) at high rpms (which is dependent of your speed) because compression braking is better in this gear and I can use this to slow the drive wheels down along with my regular brakes in order to keep control of the car. For example,if you were decending down a steep hill at 35mph, would you have more control in 2nd or 4th gear? Anyone disagree with this?

[BarracksSi]

Driving down hills (say, mountain roads), it might be better to downshift and use engine braking to keep your speed down.

But, any other time, it's best to have the car in as high of a gear as possible. We know that, on dry roads, it's easiest to spin the tires in 1st -- it's many times worse with slick roads. If you twitch your right foot in second gear, you'll spin the wheels, which is NOT a good thing if you're in a turn. Spinning tires have no worthwhile traction.

When I'm driving in snow, my car is lucky if I ever let it go over 4000 RPM. And, yes, I'd always prefer a manual in the snow.

BTW, spinning the drive wheels is never a good way to get a car unstuck. Dig out the extra snow, have people help push, and feather the clutch just enough to avoid spinning. Polishing hardpack into ice never helps a car to move.

[VividDreams]

WARNING!!!

DO NOT DOWNSHIFT TO SLOW DOWN IN THE SNOW. If you must, let the clutch out very very slooooowwlllly. the engine braking can cause the wheels to lock up(theyre adjusting to the speed difference) . A couple of pointers ive learned:

1. Keep the car in as high of a gear as you can, while keeping the engine above 1500 rpms. generally, ive found 2000-2500 the best rpm range for snow. one time last year i had to go up this steep hill that i didnt think i would make it up. i decided that even though there was a slight curve at the foot of the hill, i was going to do the speed limit to keep my momentum going, cause if i lost my momentum, i knew i wasnt gonna make it. the car was in 4th gear. by the top of the hill, i was doin about 10-15 mph. since normally this is not a favorable gear for this speed, and the engine was soon going to stall, i made a QUICK downshift so i would lose as little momentum as possible. i made it up the hill and never spun.

2. if youre on a road that you know and you know that you have to go down a fairly steep hill, shift to the gear you want to use for engine braking while youre cresting the hill, braking lightly at the same time so as to not lock up the tires.

3. brake lightly, and, if needed, slowly increase brake pressure, if abs kicks in, release a little pressure, this is called threashold braking(its more difficult to do with abs, but you can still do it) this gives you maximum braking without locking up the wheels.

4. when driving in the snow, alsways remember to be SMOOOOTHEERRR with everthing, steering, braking, clutch work/shifting, etc.

hope this helps!! have fun in the snow!

[BarracksSi]

And, above all, just drive slower, and don't begin thinking that you're in a hurry. Who cares how little time you're taking if you don't make it to your destination.

I had always thought that threshold braking was what you did before ABS existed -- enough pressure right to the verge of lockup. ABS is supposed to keep wheels from locking up anyway.

[oogy-boogy]

Originally posted by BarracksSi
Driving down hills (say, mountain roads), it might be better to downshift and use engine braking to keep your speed down.

But, any other time, it's best to have the car in as high of a gear as possible. We know that, on dry roads, it's easiest to spin the tires in 1st -- it's many times worse with slick roads. If you twitch your right foot in second gear, you'll spin the wheels, which is NOT a good thing if you're in a turn. Spinning tires have no worthwhile traction.

When I'm driving in snow, my car is lucky if I ever let it go over 4000 RPM. And, yes, I'd always prefer a manual in the snow.

BTW, spinning the drive wheels is never a good way to get a car unstuck. Dig out the extra snow, have people help push, and feather the clutch just enough to avoid spinning. Polishing hardpack into ice never helps a car to move.

Well put. I would have to agree with this entire post. Great info...:D

[HokieSi]

Use common sense which means, do not accelerate or decelerate abruptly. Now if you apply that, common sense would tell you that you should stay in a higher gear so you don't accidently break traction.

Go to an empty parking lot to learn your car's limits, don't get too crazy but just try to keep control of your car while accelerating turning and stopping hard. If you can recover quickly from these situations it will help you later on.

[Lucid Moments]

I don't have much experience driving in snow since I live in Georgia, but if you use engine braking you are only using the traction of two wheels to slow the car, if you use the brakes then you are using the traction of all four wheels. Always remember that it is neither the brakes, nor engine compression that will stop or slow the car, it all boils down to the contact patch.

[yellerep3]

I FIND THAT FIRST AND SECOND ARE THE MOST FUN IN COMBINATION WITH THE EBRAKE!!!:D :D ;)

[siver-SI]

Well so what I was doing for the most part was right for are car. I have driven in snow many years but never with a stick so when I had that much control of my car last night I was liking it a lot compared to a auto. Yea I take my time driving in bad weather because no use crashing up my EP for just to try and get some where a few minutes sooner.