Help with S10 traction

[pogiebait]

I got my first truck two winters ago now, it's a 96 S10, RWD--or rather 1WD. I have terrible traction in the snow. In fact, when the white stuff is on the ground, truck doesn't leave the garage.

Will getting winter tires improve this? I can't imagine good winter tires will improve this greatly. I am deciding whether to do this, or switch it out for a 4x4 pickup. I am in northern IN where there can be a lot of snow.

Thanks for the input.

[76silverado]

Welcome first off. Get a locker, snow tires and two bags of sand over the rear axle. That should do it.

[leolkfrm]

welcome to the forum
snow tires and 300#'s of weight toward the back of the box will improve traction greatly, make sure you brace the weight so it does not slide.
This is a common fix for all rear wheel drive trucks

[junior3382]

leo is on the right track. The LS rear in your truck will work fine it treated right. Unless there is ICE on the ground, I rarely use my 4wd for the snow. Just add between 300 to 500lbs of weight in the rear to help keep the tires on the ground and take your time. Snow tires do help, but depending on where it is that you live, Chains or studded tires will make all the difference in the world.

Growing up and learning how to drive in Maine with an S10 myself, I used one of those 30 gallon totes filled with old bowling pins and I never had an issue. Like I said, I used the 4wd only when either ICE was on the ground, OR I felt like playing around.... So add some weight and feather the accelerator and I bet you will see a huge differencde in traction.

[gmctrucks]

I feel for you guys that have to deal with ice on the roads when that happens in Houston there is hundreds of accidents every day and when it rains people again don't slow down and crash. I once crossed this old one lane bridge that had ice on it I was out of town well I stopped before I got on it and was driving about 40 mph when I seen in my rear-view mirror two cars crashing into each other and coming to-wards me I remember gunning my car some and the rpm's just going up and down I felt like the hand of god was directing my car because it would come close to the curb then it would straighten out it was also weird seeing cars going fast over the over passes and wiping out even 18 wheelers were wiping out it took me 11 hours to drive a 6.5 hour trip. Yes go with locked and sand bags it makes sense.

[pogiebait]

Hey thanks all. I do have about 300# in the back. Never had a pickup before, so I didn't know what to expect. I did have a 4Runner 4x4, and that thing was solid in snow. Guess I should look at new tires now.

[FaselZ71]

Yes if your interested in good decent priced snow tire look at the Pacemark Snowtrakker. My father has used these that past 2 years on his Chevy silverado and my sister used them on her saturn ion! I've personally witnessed these tires on 1" of solid ice leave 1/2" deep grooves in ice when my dad pulled a vehical out of the ditch last winter! He never got suck with these tires and he drove on ice snow sluch and all the above mixed! I live in northern michigan so I know what kind of winter weather you get and these tires accompanied with weight will be everything you'll ever need in the snow besides 4wd! And these tires are available at you local tire shops across the country. My dad bought his at walmart for $99 a peice.

[76silverado]

And chains to hedge your bet.

[FaselZ71]

I'm not sure if they allow shains in Indiana. I know that there are no chains or studs allowed on Michigan pavement! The asphault we use up here is way to soft for the amount of traffic we have to use studs! Parking lots of gas stations get torn up after the first week of snowmobiling up here! But the soft pavement is way we have potholes like this!

[76silverado]

Ouch I though Arkansas roads sucked. We use the hard kind I guess.