ICE AND SNOW FOR A TJ?

WesternStar · #1 (**permalink**) 12-05-2004, 07:08 PM

If anyone has a comment about how TJ's perform on ice and snow, I would very much appreciate a respnse. Here is the thing. I've been trying to find a Cherokee Sport to purchase, but to no avail, so I thought about a TJ. My only concerns are the facts that they have very little cargo room, which I guess is just a matter of opinion depending on what you're carrying, and my biggest concern, which is the length of the wheelbase. I live in Calgary Alberta, and it isn't unusual for us to have snow every month of the year. Does anyone have any experience with TJ's in the winter? Is the short wheelbase something to be concerned about with regards to stability and or fishtailing? Any comments would be great! Thanks!

sicnik · #2 (**permalink**) 12-05-2004, 07:16 PM

dont know about the TJ, my YJ does well in the snow, but then again i am in kansas and we dont get nearly the snow you do, and as far as cargo room goes you can always take out the back seat. I think as long as you have the proper tires on the jeep and drive responsably, you will do fine in the snow.

graewulf · #3 (**permalink**) 12-05-2004, 08:46 PM

I wouldn't be concerned... it was designed for that stuff.

88Wrangles · #4 (**permalink**) 12-05-2004, 11:30 PM

Ya, my YJ was excelent in the snow. The closes to stock tires I ever had on it were 31x10.50 BFG mud terrains, and it did very well in the snow.

Just drive responsibly!! Of course, you should with any other vehicle.

bchcky · #5 (**permalink**) 12-06-2004, 04:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by graewulf

I wouldn't be concerned... it was designed for that stuff.

eh, i'd agree with that only to a certain extent. just drive wisely and you'll be just fine. i see a million idiots in the new england winters every year barrelling down the highway in their suv's thinking they're invincible in the snow with one, boy do they find out quickly how wrong they are. ever notice how cars on the side of the road when its snowing out are never cars/sedans, they're always the suv's. just keep your head with you, and you'll be fine in whatever you drive.

judge09 · #6 (**permalink**) 12-06-2004, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bchcky

Quote:

Originally Posted by graewulf

I wouldn't be concerned... it was designed for that stuff.

eh, i'd agree with that only to a certain extent. just drive wisely and you'll be just fine. i see a million idiots in the new england winters every year barrelling down the highway in their suv's thinking they're invincible in the snow with one, boy do they find out quickly how wrong they are. ever notice how cars on the side of the road when its snowing out are never cars/sedans, they're always the suv's. just keep your head with you, and you'll be fine in whatever you drive.

Very true words. The jeep will handle fine in the snow as long as the driver uses it responsibly. Ice is ice and no matter what you drive when you got 4 wheels on it you will slide.

jps4jeep · #7 (**permalink**) 12-06-2004, 08:54 AM

Considering I have lived in Snow land my whole life, and have driven just about every type of vehicle in petrified rain, including motorcycles (long story) any type of 4wd vehicle is gonna be better than 2wd! Now if you want to compare one 4wd to another 4wd, I rank the jeep (cj,yj,tj) some where in the middle for on road snow performance. It is a very lite vehicle so you will have a tendency to float over the snow (especially on highways) and also the short wheel base makes it a little squirly. The bets vehicle IMHO in snow would be a chevy 2500 or 3500 4wd, IFS to clear the snow, and a set of Pizza cutter tires to slice down to the concrete. the worse thing you could drive in the snow is a vehicle with a front locker and some nice wide tires.

so...

If you want a jeep, a stock, longer wheel base vehicl would be best choice from the jeep line up, but again... a TJ is still gonna be better than any 2wd vehilce and lots of the 4wd trucks.

judge09 · #8 (**permalink**) 12-06-2004, 04:09 PM

I have/had 4wd vehicles (TJ, YJ,Cherokee sport, Grand cherokee, 00 blazer, and a Lexus rx300) by far the easiest to control in bad weather was the TJ. This is coming from Syracuse, NY home of the most snowfall on the east coast. All had stock tires with plenty of tread. It was snowing today and the grand cherokee wasnt cutting through the snow like it use to. I was hoping to get another year before new tires. Right now its not looking good.

I dont remember the YJ being bad, it was just so long ago I dont remember.

Inspector-Gadget · #9 (**permalink**) 12-06-2004, 04:32 PM

Hello WesternStar,

I agree with judge09 and jps4jeep: a SWB Jeep can be a fine vehicle to drive during the winter.

You will have to adapt your driving technique to the vehicle, however. Four wheel drive helps you to go, but does little to nothing to help you stop when driving on ice.

The popular wisdom here in snow country (I live near judge09.) is that “skinny” tires (as opposed to something like 33x12.5s) will improve winter drivability. That wisdom works for me.

Regards,

Frosty the Gadget Man

WesternStar · #10 (**permalink**) 12-06-2004, 09:50 PM

Thanks to all those who replied to my question! The comments made were definately valid, in that it doesn't make a lot of difference what you drive, ice is ice! So true!

Saurian · #11 (**permalink**) 12-06-2004, 11:01 PM

Very true, excellent points... I was heading back from Harbor Springs last January, it was snowing really badly, but it was practically a whiteout in Crawford County. I'm bombing along in 4X4, doing about 25, 30... SUVs blasting along in the left, I saw nearly every one in the ditch not more than 2 miles ahead. Watched this guy take off in 4X4, slam on the brakes, and plow right into a police Cherokee (thry've got them up there, made me very happy) 4X4 is great, these vehicles are great, but no amount of 4X4, no matter what vehicle is gonna make you stop any quicker...

mud4feet · #12 (**permalink**) 12-07-2004, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saurian

............... 4X4 is great, these vehicles are great, but no amount of 4X4, no matter what vehicle is gonna make you stop any quicker...

Excellent point, Saurian. I drove in Ohio winters for 17+ years with no 4 wheel drive and didn't have a problem (other than freezing my buns off!). Last winter here was entertaining watching 4WD Durangos and a 4WD Pickup trying to negotiate our driveway (0 for 4, by the way). The muds and our neighbor with the Cherokee went up an down all winter! Depends on how you drive - speed is not always good, especially on ice.

jeep90 · #13 (**permalink**) 12-07-2004, 02:41 AM

a tj equipped with mat-tracks(drunken spelling?) will do wonderful. my y j is absolute crap in 2 wd. but in 4wd does just fine.

Ritt · #14 (**permalink**) 12-07-2004, 02:00 PM

I think Wranglers really suck in snow & ice. A full size Jeep is MUCH better. Remember, the wrangler is only 2 wheel drive (one front & one rear) unless you have some kind of extra traction device. I also have a Grand, THAT Jeep is excellent. You never know what a Wrangler (short wheel base) will do under you. I had mine break loose when you run across a wind swept open area of the road. Nothing like an all wheel drive for snow & ice. For offroad and summer fun, I'll take the Wrangler anytime.

graewulf · #15 (**permalink**) 12-07-2004, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ritt

I think Wranglers really suck in snow & ice. A full size Jeep is MUCH better. Remember, the wrangler is only 2 wheel drive (one front & one rear) unless you have some kind of extra traction device. I also have a Grand, THAT Jeep is excellent. You never know what a Wrangler (short wheel base) will do under you. I had mine break loose when you run across a wind swept open area of the road. Nothing like an all wheel drive for snow & ice. For offroad and summer fun, I'll take the Wrangler anytime.

while there is some basis for your statement, it really depends on your driving habits. I've seen 2wd (1wd by your definition) vehicles go where all wheel drives got stuck.

jps4jeep · #16 (**permalink**) 12-07-2004, 10:17 PM

if you think lockers for real 4wd is what you need to get around in the snow, you are very wrong. open diffs would be the preference (at least in the front so it is 3wd) I have driven fully locked vehicles in the snow and well....

It Suc_ked!
And those were jeeps (YJ licoln locked f&r as well as a 77 chevy scotsdale 1 ton 8' bed)

Sparky-Watts · #17 (**permalink**) 12-08-2004, 01:13 PM

I've been through my share of snow and ice in both my old Toyota PU as well as my YJ. Both handled it just fine without any lockers running mud tires. Here in the Heart of Tornado Alley, we tend to run a mix of sleet, ice, snow and mud from November through February, sometimes longer. Last winter, we had a bout of freezing rain. In less than 5 minutes the highway turned into a skating rink. I found 4 accidents in less than 2 miles involving 6 vehicles. All 6 were SUV's (only one was a TJ). All 6 were roll-over accidents as well.

Tires? Well, ya know there was a reason the original Jeeps came out with tall skinny tires. They were made to cut down through the sand, snow and mud to get a good footing. My cousin had an all-original '64 with original tires, and he could run circles around any other 4-wheeler with wide tires while he was in 2wd. That doesn't mean I'm giving up my mudders for pizza cutters, though!! I love the sight of those dual rooster tails shooting out the back when I'm in the thick of it!!!!

judge09 · #18 (**permalink**) 12-08-2004, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by graewulf

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ritt

I think Wranglers really suck in snow & ice. A full size Jeep is MUCH better. Remember, the wrangler is only 2 wheel drive (one front & one rear) unless you have some kind of extra traction device. I also have a Grand, THAT Jeep is excellent. You never know what a Wrangler (short wheel base) will do under you. I had mine break loose when you run across a wind swept open area of the road. Nothing like an all wheel drive for snow & ice. For offroad and summer fun, I'll take the Wrangler anytime.

while there is some basis for your statement, it really depends on your driving habits. I've seen 2wd (1wd by your definition) vehicles go where all wheel drives got stuck.

What situation were you in where a 2wd vehicle out performed a 4wd vehicle in snowy and/or icy conditions. I dont understand this.

bchcky · #19 (**permalink**) 12-09-2004, 01:28 AM

yeah judge, i was wondering the same thing. i've lived in new england all my life, i learned to drive in the winter, and consider myself a smart driver. before my jeep i had an accord, worked marvelously in the snow as long as you knew what you were driving. and incidently, last year when i bought my jeep, which is AWD, there wasnt a whole lot of snowfall (i do live IN boston however) so i'm not too sure how well it handles yet, not enough experience with it in the winter, but i'm sure my 31x10.5 mudders wont help me at all.

jps4jeep · #20 (**permalink**) 12-09-2004, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by judge09

Quote:

Originally Posted by graewulf

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ritt

I think Wranglers really suck in snow & ice. A full size Jeep is MUCH better. Remember, the wrangler is only 2 wheel drive (one front & one rear) unless you have some kind of extra traction device. I also have a Grand, THAT Jeep is excellent. You never know what a Wrangler (short wheel base) will do under you. I had mine break loose when you run across a wind swept open area of the road. Nothing like an all wheel drive for snow & ice. For offroad and summer fun, I'll take the Wrangler anytime.

while there is some basis for your statement, it really depends on your driving habits. I've seen 2wd (1wd by your definition) vehicles go where all wheel drives got stuck.

What situation were you in where a 2wd vehicle out performed a 4wd vehicle in snowy and/or icy conditions. I dont understand this.

The down hill
hehe