Snow and Ice driving tips

[H3Jim]

wouldn't picking up the tags make the front end even lighter?

[Hi yo silver]

I've driven ambulances, school buses, fire trucks, charter buses, and taxied airplanes in Vietnam, but this is the most I've learned about driving in the snow since I was riding shotgun as a flagboy on a school bus in the West Virginia mountains!  My regular driver was a great guy that I still remember.  He taught me a lot, too.  Thanks for sharing the expertise, Guys!

[bobofthenorth]

wouldn't picking up the tags make the front end even lighter?

I'm sure it does but the time I would lift them is climbing a hill where you are right on the edge of breaking traction.  This is when you really need the egg under your right foot - there's times in snow on an ice base when you can feel the drivers letting go momentarily and then grabbing again - that's when you want to lift the tags.  I've only ever had the bus in that situation once & I don't intend to go back there but I've had that feeling enough times driving in the frozen north to know that you want every possible bit of weight on the drivers when it happens.  Similarly on the downhill side you want to be able to use the jake so you maintain steering control but you don't want the drives to lock up.

IMNTBHO

[prevost82]

I agree Bob ...I too live in the great white north (interior of BC) and drive on snow covered roads for 3 to 4 months of the year. I uses my jakes all the time and rarly use my brakes, contrary to many, that say not too,  down south that drive in snow. I lift the tag on some of the steeper grades, 6 to 8%, if they are snow covered, going up and down the grade. To me using the brakes is just plain scary
Ron

[NJT 5573]

Ron, I drive like you, like to let the jake do the work. Want to remind everyone about keeping them dry though. If they are wet, they aren't gonna work and they are going to pull to one side as they dry. You can travel some distance w/ no or little brake if they are wet. I frequently test mine in rain and snow. You just ride them until you get some heat in the drums and they dry out. In a major rainstorm its about once or more a mile. I also always put some heat into the drums before I stop in freezing weather to avoid the shoes sticking to the drums.