How do 5 tons go in the snow??

[CMSGT]

I am thinking of taking my 5 ton up into the mountains, I have about a mile drive into my cabin where the snow can get pretty deep, right now there's about 18 inches on the ground. Does anyone have any experience driving these trucks in deep snow? I'd hate to get stuck as I think she'd be there till spring!

 

[Cryogen]

If the ground is solid underneath you should be fine my 1 ton Dodge can do 18 so I'm sure your 5 ton will go through np

 

[CMSGT]

Well I had my Ford all chained up last weekend made it in OK but had a heck of a time getting out. THe snow will get pretty deep up there come Jan as its at almost 9000 feet.

 

[Cryogen]

Yeah, your 5 ton weighs what 21000 lbs? So as long as theres a bottom (rock or pavement) you'll squeeze right through the snow, but I'm not an expert on 5 tons, just my opinion.

But generally I think the 5 ton is more capable offroad than the deuces, as long as theres no place for them to sink into soft mud.

 

[mckeeranger]

We have an XM817 Dump (23,000#) that I've driven in snow up to 17" deep. Aired down, it would go just fine. The only problem I had was steering. It has NDTs and they wanted to go straight ahead.

If your avatar is your truck, you shouldn't have a problem with those tires. IMHO

 

[91W350]

I agree, if your truck is not running NDTs, you should be good. How steep are the cross grades, sliding sideways and winding up going down the hard way would be my concern. They are heavy, but there is a lot of tire there to try to plant too. My buddy's 5 ton will run snow over the front axle and just keep on plowing....on NDTs. We do not have much for slope here though. Glen

 

[topo]

tire chains all the way around

 

[eldgenb]

they are very front end heavy and will tend to go straight to the bottom of whatever is in the snow so if the soil is muddy or lose underneath you might have a problem, the deuce is more evenly distributed so in my opinion it does better in the snow than the 5 ton. If it is the truck in your avatar you should be set!!

 

[XanRa]

as every one says if its the truck in the avatar your good

 

[CMSGT]

It is the truck in my avatar, I think by Jan there will be 3 feet of snow on the road. It gets packed down by snow mobiles so hopefully the tires could dig in. Underneath the snow its all rocks and there is one steep grade I need to traverse. Chains and a snowblower would be ideal!

 

[USAFSS-ColdWarrior]

If and when you go, please be safe and ALWAYS REMEMBER......

 

[Westech]

I have driven my Deuce and 5 ton in the snow and I can say that the NDCC tire BLOWS! Even with a huge 1600 Radial tire you will want a good amount of weight in the back of your 5 ton. That seams to be the weak point is ground pressure on a unloaded truck. The rear tires will not grip they will just float and the fronts will sink. For deep snow the 1600 or 1400 will be much better then the "stock" tire but remember you will need a good chunk of weight in the back. (at lest 2k pounds)

 

[powerhouseduece]

We had 3' of snow last winter and my m818 on 1600's did ok. The tractors have no weight over the rears so I had to rely on the front axle a lot. If I let my truck sit overnight, I had to let it run for a good while to let the whole drivetrain warm up, the air lines going to the sprag would freeze up and not let any power to the front axle.

Here are a few tips that I learned, I was on the road 20 hours a day during the storms;
-keep plenty of fuel in the truck at all times
-keep a roll of paper towels in the cab for the windshield
-if you find yourself somewhat stuck, do not use the throttle to get you out, put the truck in low range, shift into reverse, slowly let the clutch out with no throttle. If the truck starts to hop, your not going to move and possibly brake something important.
-take a bag of salt/sand with you along with a shovel and you'll be fine.

I hope any of this advice helps, I spent a lot of time on the road last winter.

 

[eldgenb]

in addition to the advice above I would let some air out of your tires, down to 35 psi or so to increase your ground contact patch.

 

[cjtroutt]

I drove on in the winter last yesr and it had firestone tires 831t I like them very well when we were logging out of the woods and hauling down the roads just fine. as for ndt or nddc they poopoo!.

 

[bulldog_mack13]

After the snow today I learned my M127A2C really helps on the back of the M818 - Jay

 

[militarysteel]

i wouldn't the front wheel engagement is unreliable, sure enough with that sprag you will be stranded for sure. and if you rev it too much when you get stuck your cummens will be a come-apart,

 

[nitro_rat]

Most important thing is weight on the rear end. I have pushed 2+ ft of snow with a Peterbilt on the highway, loaded. Can run highway speeds in 18" (I'd rather drive on fresh snow than a plowed road). Just throw a load of firewood or sand or something in the back and you'll be good to go. It'll be easier to steer without relying on the sprag anyway.

 

[bulldog_mack13]

Anything will come apart if you treat it like crap and not operate them like they should be. And the sprag is reliable if you know how to treat a truck that has one. Some Deuce owners are scared of the big trucks- Jay