What kind of snow can a F250 drive through?

I have a cottage about a mile off the paved road. The first half of the
gravel road has 25 degree down slopes and the second half has 25 degree up
slopes. It can have several feet of wet Northeast snow.

5 years ago I tried taking a Rav4 4wd in with about 6" of snow. I got to
the midpoint, but it just spun on the uphill. Fortunately it did better
going back on it's own tire tracks.

How would a Ford F250 4x4 do? I have access to a 1995 rigged for
snowplowing. What depth of snow could it reliably handle.

Needless to say, I know nothing about 4x4s, except that I will not be trying
my wife's Grand Caravan 4wd.

"toller" > wrote in message
...
> I have a cottage about a mile off the paved road. The first half of
the
> gravel road has 25 degree down slopes and the second half has 25
degree up
> slopes. It can have several feet of wet Northeast snow.
>
> 5 years ago I tried taking a Rav4 4wd in with about 6" of snow. I got
to
> the midpoint, but it just spun on the uphill. Fortunately it did
better
> going back on it's own tire tracks.
>
> How would a Ford F250 4x4 do? I have access to a 1995 rigged for
> snowplowing. What depth of snow could it reliably handle.
>
> Needless to say, I know nothing about 4x4s, except that I will not be
trying
> my wife's Grand Caravan 4wd.
>
>

Without any extra weight in the bed you might go through 4"-5" on level
ground with GOOD tires. Traction is the issue, more weight is better. IF
your planning on just using the truck to go in/out of there and don't
need the use of the bed, Go fill some big bags with sand and put them in
the bed with straps to hold them in place.


--
Steve Williams



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As another poster said, weight is key as well as tires. I have a
Tacoma...with my snowmobile in the back, its solid in slipperly conditions
and makes for good weight to get through snow. Although not necessary for
deep snow. Tires I find are key for deep snow...narrow tires that cut
through it and easier for the engine to turn. I find wide tires make me slip
all over the place and strains my truck trying to get though it.

As for a big V8 and wide tires, can't speak to that.

"toller" > wrote in message
...
> I have a cottage about a mile off the paved road. The first half of the
> gravel road has 25 degree down slopes and the second half has 25 degree up
> slopes. It can have several feet of wet Northeast snow.
>
> 5 years ago I tried taking a Rav4 4wd in with about 6" of snow. I got to
> the midpoint, but it just spun on the uphill. Fortunately it did better
> going back on it's own tire tracks.
>
> How would a Ford F250 4x4 do? I have access to a 1995 rigged for
> snowplowing. What depth of snow could it reliably handle.
>
> Needless to say, I know nothing about 4x4s, except that I will not be
trying
> my wife's Grand Caravan 4wd.
>
>

Carry tire chains ... the weather might be great going in, but if it starts
to snow heavy while yer there ...

There are so many variables that no one could give you an authorative
answer. Tires, differentials (locking, limited slip, open?), chains,
driving skills, clearance all add up.

The only vehicle that is stated as being able to do what you want is
an Hummer H1 (NOT AN H2!) but there are bound to be many that can also
chug it up.

On Mon, 01 Aug 2005 16:14:29 GMT, "toller" > wrote:

>I have a cottage about a mile off the paved road. The first half of the
>gravel road has 25 degree down slopes and the second half has 25 degree up
>slopes. It can have several feet of wet Northeast snow.
>
>5 years ago I tried taking a Rav4 4wd in with about 6" of snow. I got to
>the midpoint, but it just spun on the uphill. Fortunately it did better
>going back on it's own tire tracks.
>
>How would a Ford F250 4x4 do? I have access to a 1995 rigged for
>snowplowing. What depth of snow could it reliably handle.
>
>Needless to say, I know nothing about 4x4s, except that I will not be trying
>my wife's Grand Caravan 4wd.
>

On Mon, 01 Aug 2005 19:00:54 -0400, Peter D. Hipson
> wrote:

>There are so many variables that no one could give you an authorative
>answer. Tires, differentials (locking, limited slip, open?), chains,
>driving skills, clearance all add up.


This is the best answer I've read. I've taken my F-250 in over a foot
of snow without problems on some occassions and then struggled with
4-6 inches at other times. Lots of variables!

That being said, a typically equipped F-250 will do better in the snow
than a typically equipped RAV 4.

Matt
99 V-10 Super Duty, Super Cab 4x4

My buddy's Rav4 had it's transfer case replaced this past
winter after the gears got stripped from driving in the
snow/ice. Interesting how the tranny held up better than
the TC.

"Matt Mead" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 01 Aug 2005 19:00:54 -0400, Peter D. Hipson
> > wrote:
>
> >There are so many variables that no one could give you an
authorative
> >answer. Tires, differentials (locking, limited slip,
open?), chains,
> >driving skills, clearance all add up.
>
>
> This is the best answer I've read. I've taken my F-250 in
over a foot
> of snow without problems on some occassions and then
struggled with
> 4-6 inches at other times. Lots of variables!
>
> That being said, a typically equipped F-250 will do better
in the snow
> than a typically equipped RAV 4.
>
> Matt
> 99 V-10 Super Duty, Super Cab 4x4

"toller" wrote:
>I have a cottage about a mile off the paved road. The first half of
>the
>gravel road has 25 degree down slopes and the second half has 25
>degree up
>slopes. It can have several feet of wet Northeast snow.
>
>5 years ago I tried taking a Rav4 4wd in with about 6" of snow. I
got
>to
>the midpoint, but it just spun on the uphill. Fortunately it did
>better
>going back on it’s own tire tracks.
>
>How would a Ford F250 4x4 do? I have access to a 1995 rigged for
>snowplowing. What depth of snow could it reliably handle.
>
>Needless to say, I know nothing about 4x4s, except that I will not be
>trying
>my wife’s Grand Caravan 4wd.

There is no set rule here on snow depth because it depends alot on the
nature of the snow. If it is a light powdery snow, you should be able
to get through 2 to 3 feet of it but if it is the heavy wet stuff in
can suck down even a big truckwhen it packs under the axles nad the
bigger you are the harder you are to get unstuck. Also the grades you
have is some cause for concern in snow and icy with a heavy truck too
once you loose traction and start to slide. Personally I would
reocmmand something in the middle. The RAV4 is not really a trail
blazing vehical and the truck is not a perfect solution either. I
would suggest a vehical maybe a little bigger than the RAV4 with more
tire and undercarrage clearance and enough wheel well clearance to be
able to use tire chains if it get ugly or you get trapped because
chains can take you places that no tire can dream of in ice and snow.
In a used vehical, a 2001 and early Cherokee (now discontinued) would
be a pretty good choice for this with good clearance and proven
offraod performance and yet not too terrible to extract/dig out if you
get stuck. Last winter after a 16+ plus snowfall I was running my
plow truck on a simular lane to clear it and even though I had 4
studded snow tires and a good bit of ballast, I lost traction on a
incline and slide in slow motion into a slight ditch. Between the
condition of snow and ice and grade I could not get out and another
4x4 could not budge me. (I should have put my chains on first but I
though I did not have them with me either but I found out later that I
did have them with me) I flagged down a back hoe and he was able to
pull be out on the ice and snow covered lane with a long chain that
kept him in a flat area.

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On 4 Aug 2005 20:38:38 -0400, SnoMan >
wrote:

>
>I would not be so bold, the Hummer was not designed with snow in mind
>and all that extra weight is not a asset climbing grades in snow.
>Neither is its high CG. It would get smoked by lighter vehicals with
>good tires.

You can be bold... However, having had both for many years, I can tell
you that the Hummer is excellent in snow. CG doesn't affect snow
performance, but ground clearance does (Once your undercarriage starts
to plow snow, its all over for you. The Hummer's almost smooth, 17"
clearance pushes virtually no snow at all.

"Peter D. Hipson" wrote:
>On 4 Aug 2005 20:38:38 -0400, SnoMan
>
>wrote:
>
>>
>>I would not be so bold, the Hummer was not designed with snow in
>mind
>>and all that extra weight is not a asset climbing grades in snow.
>>Neither is its high CG. It would get smoked by lighter vehicals
>with
>>good tires.
>
>You can be bold... However, having had both for many years, I can
tell
>you that the Hummer is excellent in snow. CG doesn’t affect snow
>performance, but ground clearance does (Once your undercarriage
starts
>to plow snow, its all over for you. The Hummer’s almost smooth,
>17"
>clearance pushes virtually no snow at all.

What works on the flat and level and what works on icy snow covered
hills and grades is a different matter. I have pushed snow for 20
years plus in a lot of different vehicals of differents sizes and
weights and with tractors and loaders too. I make it a point to
"master" snow and the different types of it. I have lived with it
too at temps of 50 below as well and in blizzards. A Hummer would not
be a good choice for his needs and would be nasty to extra when he did
get stuck and you can get stuck without even dragging your
undercarriage when the snow is right. A very heavy vehical in okay if
you are basically on the flat and level in snow but throw in a long
lane with steep grades and it is no longer the prime choice here, I
know first hand. One year I could not make a grade on a snowy lane
that I was not dragging on without chains, even though I had 4
studded nasty snow tires at 9000 lbs yet a jeep cherokee without studs
and with good tires made it with little effort. For his needs he needs
more than a RAV4 (which was never really meant for that) but less than
a Hummer or a big 4x4 pickup if he is just trying to break trail.

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