Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ engine mounts

Jeep Sliding in Snow

nfaust1257

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I'm the lucky new owner of a 2000 Jeep TJ. Having never owned a Wrangler before I had always seen them as the offroad/winter king of the road. We just got a big storm here in NE Ohio, and while getting on the road I felt my self sliding while braking a lot... more than I figured I would. I was not going very fast and and not a hard breaker by any means. Having owned a 2001 Jeep Grand C in the past I was surprised by the difference in handling. My question for you all are do I just need to get better at handling the TJ or is there anything I can do to make this ride have better traction in the winter?

I'm new to automotive work and am learning a lot by replacing parts to this car, as I am making these repairs I figured if there is anything I could do to get better traction I should while I have some time and money to put into it.

2000 Jeep Wrangler
4.0 L 6L engine

I took it to a machinic just for a visual inspection and got the below notes:
- Tires are 31X10.50R15LT Goodyear Wranglers with some good tread still on them.
- Upper and lower Ball joints are in poor shape both sides. I will be replacing these next week - could this be an issue?
- Will need toe bar and draglink assembly
- Needs alignment
 
I'm the lucky new owner of a 2000 Jeep TJ. Having never owned a Wrangler before I had always seen them as the offroad/winter king of the road. We just got a big storm here in NE Ohio, and while getting on the road I felt my self sliding while braking a lot... more than I figured I would. I was not going very fast and and not a hard breaker by any means. Having owned a 2001 Jeep Grand C in the past I was surprised by the difference in handling. My question for you all are do I just need to get better at handling the TJ or is there anything I can do to make this ride have better traction in the winter?

I'm new to automotive work and am learning a lot by replacing parts to this car, as I am making these repairs I figured if there is anything I could do to get better traction I should while I have some time and money to put into it.

2000 Jeep Wrangler
4.0 L 6L engine

I took it to a machinic just for a visual inspection and got the below notes:
- Tires are 31X10.50R15LT Goodyear Wranglers with some good tread still on them.
- Upper and lower Ball joints are in poor shape both sides. I will be replacing these next week - could this be an issue?
- Will need toe bar and draglink assembly
- Needs alignment

I don't know when ABS became mandatory but my jeep doesn't have it, a 97. Does yours have ABS and have you ever driven a vehicle without it?
 
Wranglers are not that great in the snow. The short wheelbase and simple 4WD system do not help either.

A Subaru will outperform a Wrangler in the snow by leaps-and-bounds, as will almost any modern, intelligent 4x4 or AWD.

The best thing you can do to make your Wrangler perform well in the snow is buy snow tires like Blizzaks for instance. Dedicated snow tires make all the difference in the world when driving in the snow. M/T (and even A/T tires in many regards) are not ideal for packed snow.
 
Wranglers are not that great in the snow.

A Subaru will outperform a Wrangler in the snow by leaps-and-bounds, as will almost any modern, intelligent 4x4 or AWD.

The best thing you can do to make your Wrangler perform well in the snow is buy snow tires like Blizzaks for instance. Dedicated snow tires make all the difference in the world when driving in the snow. M/T (and even A/T tires in many regards) are not ideal for packed snow.

Agreed on all accounts. I have an 05 auto, no ABS, no traction control and the wheel base is short. I have BF Goodrich A/Ts and it slides like crazy when braking on packed snow, likes to oversteer with too much throttle etc. I find it a lot of fun actually.

My best suggestions would be to lower tire pressure to ~20 psi. Drive slower in general, start braking sooner and expect to slide and be prepared for it. The best race car drivers in the rain are the best because they know to how to drive fast in the rain. Similar concept. Learn to drive with a vehicle with minimal driver aids and expect to slide.
 
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I'm the lucky new owner of a 2000 Jeep TJ. Having never owned a Wrangler before I had always seen them as the offroad/winter king of the road. We just got a big storm here in NE Ohio, and while getting on the road I felt my self sliding while braking a lot... more than I figured I would. I was not going very fast and and not a hard breaker by any means. Having owned a 2001 Jeep Grand C in the past I was surprised by the difference in handling. My question for you all are do I just need to get better at handling the TJ or is there anything I can do to make this ride have better traction in the winter?

I'm new to automotive work and am learning a lot by replacing parts to this car, as I am making these repairs I figured if there is anything I could do to get better traction I should while I have some time and money to put into it.

2000 Jeep Wrangler
4.0 L 6L engine

I took it to a machinic just for a visual inspection and got the below notes:
- Tires are 31X10.50R15LT Goodyear Wranglers with some good tread still on them.
- Upper and lower Ball joints are in poor shape both sides. I will be replacing these next week - could this be an issue?
- Will need toe bar and draglink assembly
- Needs alignment

4x4 helps you go, not stop. Good tires and practice in an empty parking lot… not one that has light poles in the middle so you don’t hit it while you’re learning how far you’ll slide. Ask my highschool self how I know..
 
The fat tires (compared to those on a car) and relatively short wheelbase make for a vehicle that tends to want to spin when the traction gets low (snow and/or ice on the road); usually when slowing down or making sharp turns at speeds over 20-25MPH.

Engaging the front axle can help by adding traction for acceleration and slow turns, but it isn't any help when slowing down on slippery roads.

Obviously fixing any suspension, brake, or steering issues is important, but adjusting your driving habits will be key to enjoying the TJ regardless of weather conditions.
 
Agreed on all accounts. I have an 05 auto, no ABS, no traction control and the wheel base is short. I have BF Goodrich A/Ts and it slides like crazy when braking on packed snow, likes to oversteer with too much throttle etc. I find it a lot of fun actually.

My best suggestions would be to lower tire pressure to ~20 psi. Drive slower in general, start braking sooner and expect to slide and be prepared for it. The best race car drivers in the rain are the best because they know to how to drive fast in the rain. Similar concept. Learn to drive with a vehicle with minimal driver aids and expect to slide.

I guess I would also add, start braking SLOWLY and continually. The idea is to NOT lock up the font wheels, but to load up the front suspension and get weight over your main braking/steering wheels. You can practice this concept on a bicycle by only using the front brakes vs the rear brakes. You will be able to stop much much faster using the front brakes because that is where the weight has transferred and you have maximum potential friction coefficient of your tires.

However, the moment you lock up the front wheels, all that friction coefficient stuff goes out the window you got skis on the front.
 
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#1 get better tires that are "3-peak rated" or dedicated snow tires, depending on what makes sense for your situation.

#2 learn to drive the vehicle in the conditions

#3 run the tire PSI for the condition

When it snows here, not very often, we get very wet snow. I currently have KO2s on my Jeep and Mechelen LTXs on my truck, both do well in the snow here.
 
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One more tire-related factor is age. How old are the tires that have 'some good tread left on them'? Just because there may be a good amount of tread left doesn't mean the tire's in peak condition to do what it was made to do. If your tires have signs of dry rot or are old (typically 6 or more years old), I'd suggest new ones that'll help your cause.
 
Snow chains might help after a heavy storm. I have them, but my 4x4 Jeep TJ never needed them. I took my Jeep to Big Bear one weekend on a date, and we got hit by a big storm, and I still didn't need them and I had them with me. I did have to use 4 high for a bit, but that was it. The roads and everything had been plowed. Even at the ski resort where we went to ski in the fresh pack. Someone had even dug out my Jeep and driveway at the rented house. I just had to scrap my windshield. That was weird. The lawns had three feet of snow.
 
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I'm the lucky new owner of a 2000 Jeep TJ. Having never owned a Wrangler before I had always seen them as the offroad/winter king of the road. We just got a big storm here in NE Ohio, and while getting on the road I felt my self sliding while braking a lot... more than I figured I would. I was not going very fast and and not a hard breaker by any means. Having owned a 2001 Jeep Grand C in the past I was surprised by the difference in handling. My question for you all are do I just need to get better at handling the TJ or is there anything I can do to make this ride have better traction in the winter?

I'm new to automotive work and am learning a lot by replacing parts to this car, as I am making these repairs I figured if there is anything I could do to get better traction I should while I have some time and money to put into it.

2000 Jeep Wrangler
4.0 L 6L engine

I took it to a machinic just for a visual inspection and got the below notes:
- Tires are 31X10.50R15LT Goodyear Wranglers with some good tread still on them.
- Upper and lower Ball joints are in poor shape both sides. I will be replacing these next week - could this be an issue?
- Will need toe bar and draglink assembly
- Needs alignment

I drove from Amherst to Sandusky this morning at 6 AM, I work at NASA's ATF if you know where that is. Long trek that's pretty much against where the lake effect snow hits. I'll be honest with you here, I struggled on my way in to work this morning in a FWD 6 speed Jetta. The roads were really rough because the snow hit like a brick, rough enough I'd say even a 4wd Jeep was gonna have a fun time staying straight. If you have poor alignment and loose steering components, fighting the loss of traction and soft snow is gonna be tougher than with a tighter front end. Time to get the pickle fork out.

This may also come as a surprise to you because it sort of did to me when I had a TJ, but you don't have ABS. At least the odd's are fairly straight that you don't. So it's back to the good ol' 1980's for you. Gently pulse the brake pedal if you're sliding coming to a stop. It's not ABS, but it will help.
 
A lot of modern AWD systems are so chocked full of electronics I actually prefer my TJ with a short wheelbase, high center of gravity, and 10.5 inch wide all terrains over these crappy modern systems. The exception of course being Subaru. I used to have a Subaru Legacy that thing was amazing in the snow even with just all seasons. The Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Infinities disappointed me.

If one of these luxury vehicles skid even a little it comes to a screeching halt, often sideways in the middle of the road in a situation where the TJ would just drift a little then continue straight. I have never needed winter tires but obviously they help. Ice is another story, that's where you need studded tires or chains.

As for braking, I think my TJ has decent braking power in the snow. TJ's can be fun in the snow but obviously they aren't that safe at speeds above 50.....but you can put it in RWD and do some sick donuts in parking lots.
 
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One more tire-related factor is age. How old are the tires that have 'some good tread left on them'?

Yes, age generally makes rubber harder. Also the "good tread left on them" may not have enough, or any sipes left. Good tread is only good on dry roads.

Sorta, in this case, 4 high locks both axles together so you have the same braking front and rear which can be better, emphasis on can after they do the learning you mentioned.

That's the other part I was thinking of. 30+ years ago my buddy always needed 4wd to stop his Scout II in the snow because he had NO rear brakes.
 
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No offence to anyone, but I didnt even bother reading more than the "king of winter". I have to use 4x4 to get out of my freakin barn on flat ground where I keep the TJ and the YJ. Seriously, its 20 miles to town and the last thing Id drive when its snows here is the TJ. The wife's 4runner would kick any of the dozen jeeps, CJ's, XJ's, MJ, YJs and TJ's I've owned over the decades in the snow. Some years ago a guy was absolutely hell bent that a TJ what the most capable vehicle on earth for his wife to get to work in during winter snows. He must hate his wife is all I will say. Keep guzzling that koolaid boy. The only vehicle more worthless in the snow is my 7200 lb boat anchor 4x4 super duty ferd.
 
The issue is the driver more than the Jeep. If you understand what a Jeep can and shouldn't be expected to do , you will be fine.
I totally throw the Bull shit flag on AWD being superior in snow to " primitive 4X4 " . This is only true if the driver doesn't have the skill set required to drive in winter conditions. Subaru's are the living example for this , any bull di.. I mean person can get in one and drive it without a clue of what the drive train is doing
and feel confident . However AWD is not freaking magic !
The hands down best snow vehicle we had was a 1980 K-20 Suburban 4X4 with a 350 / CH465 truck 4 spd. 50/50 weight distribution , good power, clearance
and control on down hill runs made it fantastic.
 
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If you think that your TJ slides, you should drive one in the snow with a rear locker.

Seriously though, the short wheelbase is what the issue is. It takes practice. 4 High will help.
 
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Novak Conversions Jeep Wrangler TJ engine mounts