OKoffroad.com — 4x4 Article
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WINTER DRIVING
SNOW: By OKoffroad  
reprinted with permission  

Always carefully read the installation instructions before installing snow chains. All winter traction products wear out and eventually break with use. They also break due to misfit or misapplication, so make sure you have the right size for your tires. If breakage should occur, stop immediately and repair or remove the broken parts to avoid any damage to your vehicle.

Park on firm, level ground and always set the emergency brake before installing snow chains.

Always pre-fit snow chains to the vehicle before they are actually needed. While winter traction products are uniform in size, tires are not. They vary in size by manufacturer, age, tread and type. Snow tires may require larger traction products than a like-sized street tire. The same is true for larger, more aggressive tires such as all-terrains or mud terrains.

Always inspect each chain link and carefully remove any tangles or twists prior to installation. Premature breakage in link chain is usually caused by 1) driving on twisted links
2) Driving at speeds greater than 30 mph
3) Extended driving on bare pavement
4) Excessive tire spinning.

(click image for large view)

Avoid spinning the tires. Remember, when your tires are spinning, you don't have traction. When starting from a stop on slick roads, depress the accelerator lightly, starting slowly to maintain traction and avoid spinning.

Avoid locking your brakes. The best braking technique is a pumping action (Vehicles equipped with ABS automatically perform this pumping action). Begin braking early, much sooner than you would on dry pavement. If you do not have ABS and you feel your wheels lock up, release the brakes and re-apply.

Avoid quick manueuvers. Slow down. Keep the speed under control and steer smoothly and more gradually to prevent skidding under hazardous driving conditions.

If a link should break during use, stop immediately and remove or replace it, otherwise severe damage can occur to the vehicle.



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(click image for large view)

After use, always rinse your snow chains with fresh water and spray them with an all-purpose lubricant such as WD-40, before storing them. This will help retard rust and insure a longer product life.

Before beginning your trip, know the currect road conditions and weather forecast for the areas that you will be traveling. You can access this information by clicking on the U.S. Department of Transportation link and Weather Channel links on this page.

Be prepared for changing conditions. Keep a survival kit in your car consisting of a blanket, water, high-energy snacks, highway warning devices, and a flashlight with fresh batteries. If you have a cell phone, make sure the batteries are charged.

Be aware of potentially dangerous icy areas such as shady spots, bridges and overpasses. Approach these areas with caution. They are usually the first areas to get icy and often the ice is invisible.

Always keep your car's windows, mirrors and lights clear of snow and ice.

Keep a safe distance behind other vehicles, especially plows and sanding trucks. Remember that stopping distances are doubled or tripled on snow or ice. Never pass a snowplow or sanding truck as they throw gravel that could damage your vehicle. Do not leave your vehicle parked along the roadside where it could be hit by other vehicles or snowplows.

It is always a good idea to tune up your vehicle before the winter driving season arrives. Be sure to check things like the battery, tires, windshield wipers, heater and anti-freeze level. It is also a good idea to keep a good-fitting set of snow chains in your vehicle all winter season as weather conditions can change quickly. And remember, try them on and check for proper fit before you actually need to use them.

Always wear your seatbelt!



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IPF Driving Lights

This IPF High Performance driving light produces a driving beam and a fog beam simultaneously thanks to a state-of-the-art hybrid reflector.
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Safari Snorkel System

Relocate your engine’s air intake point from its stock position to a much higher and safer location for a constant source of cool, clean air.
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4x4 Grip Snow Chains

GSA approved snow chains install comfortably in minutes without the need to move or jack up the vehicle.
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Fourwheeling for me: "Twenty-five years ago, it struck me that I'd rather be at 2mph on a rocky trail, with half a tire hanging over a 2,000 foot drop, than in a sports car on asphalt, cornering at 80 mph at the edge of tire adhesion."
         Jim Allen
Author of "Jeep," "Chevy and GMC Pickup Performance Handbook," "Illustrated Jeep Buyers Guide," "Jeep 4x4 Performance Handbook," "Classic 4x4s Buyers Guide," and about a thousand magazine articles on four-wheel drive topics since 1982.
(Thank you from OKoffroad.com)
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