So there was a snowstorm here yesterday. A lot of sleet too and below freezing temps. The snow has turned into blocks off ice.
Is it safe to drive over that? The plow buried my driveway in. I was just thinking of driving over it. That bad for the tires? Put the jeep in snow mode? Rock mode?
Driving over frozen snow? Good luck going over that without leaving your bumper behind, at least clear out the lowest point of your front end before going into it.
Snow mode is what I always use on snowy or icy roads. Put it in ORII and select snow mode afterward. It should stay in snow mode. Do you have a skid plate? Just be careful you don't break anything underneath the Jeep.
We had the same snow storm as you here in New Brunswick Canada. I have a 14 Limited Hemi without QL. I didn't clear my driveway out before work. Just drove through the drifts and bank. Have done this numerous times. As long as the bank isnt ice you'll be fine. Jeep pushes right through it. Takes a lot to get it stuck in snow.
I would think ROCK mode is more for off road crawling over large rocks as the Jeep must be in 4WLO range for it to work. I've always used SNOW mode in a variety of snow conditions, including hard frozen piles created from street plowing, and never had a problem.
Definitely "Snow" mode
I was driving some single-lane logging roads today that were sheer ice from melting hard packed snow. A few times, I thought there was no way that I was going to get up those slippery hills. Too narrow to turn around, but the Jeep just motored up the hill. Fun afternoon in Muskoka
Same storm here dumped a lot of snow. Snow melted and turned into crusted icy pile of snow. Anyway ...
A bit disappointed with my GC. I think the whole lower facia is a mess. Found out that all this plastic stuff hanging low right in front of tires makes things difficult and is prime to rip it out. I know you can take a lower facia out but it is a pain. A bit disappointed with this design (probably compromise to improve MPG). My old beater truck didn't have any problems with anything where jeep would scrape front.
So there was a snowstorm here yesterday. A lot of sleet too and below freezing temps. The snow has turned into blocks off ice.
Is it safe to drive over that? The plow buried my driveway in. I was just thinking of driving over it. That bad for the tires? Put the jeep in snow mode? Rock mode?
Here's a pic of my Grand Cherokee at a hotel in Philly. Those bastards plowed me in and the snow was basically all ice. I just drove up and over the ice and I didn't even think to raise up the suspension for more clearance. It took two tries, but I didn't do any damage to the vehicle.
For those with ACC / FCW the round sensor is being hold in place by 3 small plastic clips (part# 68085813AA ). Extremely easy to knock this thing out of alignment. Don't ask why I know this...
There are 2 reasons I could imagine the V8 "might" be better in snow than the V6;
1. the greater weight of the V8 allowing more traction (given otherwise identical vehicles).
2. likely turning less rpm when working, so, if the tires do start to spin they are spinning at a lower initial speed (hypothetically, 3rd gear low rpm in V8 vs 2nd gear higher rpm in V6), therefore affording more initial traction, allowing an easier opportunity to modulate/recover and get back into "hooked up" driving. This "theory of mine" is in keeping with the trans starting out in 2nd gear when in snow mode, again, lower rpm...
Thanks Mike. You bring up some very good points.
The GC is heavy to begin with, so in snow mode with 50/50 torque split, the extra weight of the Hemi could help front wheel traction. The Hemi does rev less with more torque available on take-off. Snow mode starts in 2nd gear and uses traction control to help the tires hook up and not spin.
While out for dinner a couple of weeks ago, it started to pour rain on the snow-packed laneway. Needless to say, it turned into a slippery sheet of ice. I had trouble shuffling out to the car. Unbelievably, my Hemi in snow mode, had no trouble getting up the sloped laneway by basically just letting it crawl up the hill off-idle.
To answer someone's post above, I think rock mode would be only in 4low which by its nature locks the center diff full time. I think any mode with 4low selected would do this.. Someone mentioned that snow mode is 50/50, but I think I've read it can go 80 front if needed. Please correct me if I'm wrong, it's really hard to find clear facts about this drivetrain.
I tested my 2012GC on a steep hill (10% grade?) in about 6inches wet snow on OEM GY tires. From a standstill, as expected, even in 4low, it lost traction and all four wheels spun. At least ALL spun! No vehicle no matter the drivetrain, can overcome this. Thus only option in that type situation is momentum. Going "slow" is usually safe, but sometimes gets you stuck. I laugh at vids of 2 feet of fluff being pushed by a 4x4, because that's easy. Snow type makes all the difference (or ice).
I personally drive in snow mode on anything slick in winter, and shift to 1 at a stop manually to have more fun!
Thanks for this. I imagine that Sand and Mud would allow for spinouts? I don't live near snow & ice but I too will want to test this out like you did when I get to some snow and ice, if there's a clear parking lot.
I feel like you guys are really over thinking this stuff. Most of what I've driven has had traditional 4WD which is basically what rock or sand mode is doing in high range. Even in those modes the stability control is going to step in if the back starts to come out.
On ice you're not going to have any magic by changing modes. The only thing that will give you a real advantage is studded or chained tires. Everything here turned to ice on Christmas Eve last December and while it was incredibly slippery (like hard to walk in parking lots slick), my Wrangler was fine in 4 high and mud tires. It's all about knowing how to handle the vehicle and that generally starts with going substantially lower than your average idiot appliance driver who thinks AWD is magic and they can still do 50 on curvy back roads.
I dealt with snow that immediately turned to ice in January. Not nearly the same experience as some others here, but by taking it easy (and also intentionally pushing the Jeep for fun) in Snow Mode, I had no problems even on iced hills other vehicles couldn't get up. I used chains once not knowing what the conditions actually were. Slow and gentle, nothing abrupt, is key. My entire driveway was a minimum of 1" solid ice; I was falling, as was my dog, but my Jeep pulled in and out with regular all season tires with zero issues.
Just don't be an idiot and go over a high parking curb like I did, and partially tear away your bumper while backing out. ??*♂
So far, I've never needed chains where I live.
I assume you could only use them on the rear of our GCs. I can barely fit a finger tip between the UCA ball joint and my KO2s.
In San Francisco it almost never snows, but only a few hours east on I-80, climbing over the Sierra Nevada Mountains over Donner Pass, there can be a lot of snow. If a bad storm comes through, chains will be required.
I'm trying to figure out what I would need for that. Maybe something that's called Spike Spiders?
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