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Tips for driving in snow..

Started by calvin streeting, 01 December 2010, 03:25 AM

calvin streeting

Hi.. finaly got my 350se running good enough to drive to work but as soon as i did the UK got hit by some snow and looking for tips on driving these cars in snow.

I found that for starters as you coast to a stop put into N as soon as posible, or the rear wheels will spin and make it harder to pull of.

Also i got stuck in a jam 7hrs to go 10miles aaarrgghh.. and as i had lights heater wipers etc on my battery wasn't being charged, and thus when i stoped to fill up with gas it would not restart.

any one else got any tips.

calvin

KenM

Driving in snow with what is effectively one wheel drive and in an auto, you're a brave man Calvin. From what I've heard these cars have less than wonderful traction when you get off a tarmac surface, assume driving on snow would be similar. Doesn't take much to drain the battery does it?, I suppose all that stuff running and just a faint trickle going back in would take its toll though, that must have been a bloody frustrating drive.

calvin streeting

Quote from: KenM on 01 December 2010, 05:38 AM
that must have been a bloody frustrating drive.

yes very.. every time i stoped it was a 50/50 chance of being able to get traction.. most times i had to get out and hack the 1 to 2 inchs of ice from the road behind the rear tiers and reverse a bit to get traction. which is not simple when people insist on driving right up to you arse... I was even thinking of writing on the back window. "back of..Liable to break down" :)

For most of the time I had to sit in the dark (no lights), and cold (no heater), which was fun.. (NOT). and i could see the engine revs with the dash lights..

but as these car's were sold across euorpe (and the world) surley someone else has experience

KenM

I can only think that; a) when these cars were new or much more numerous traffic was much less so maybe this didn't happen? b) I don't need to tell you that the roads in the UK are notorious for packing it in when you get anything more than a dusting of snow, maybe the German roads are so much better they don't face this trouble? c) set of studded tyres, very cool...

TJ 450

It would be an idea to throw some ballast material in the boot.

This is the very reason why AWD/FWD cars are preffered in climates where it snows, as you have the engine weight over the driving wheels.

Tim
1976 450SEL 6.9 1432
1969 300SEL 6.3 1394
2003 ML500

koan

Quote from: TJ 450 on 01 December 2010, 07:22 AM
It would be an idea to throw some ballast material in the boot.

And some snow chains too.

koan
Boogity, Boogity, Boogity, Amen!

haromaster87

Being in Fl I obviously don't know about snow driving first hand, but I would definitely look into snow chains or some snow tires, or both. lol And Like someone mentioned weight in the trunk would probably help a bit. I remember in Rocky 4, when he's in Russia and there's snow everywhere, the guard guys follow rocky in older MB's, and I remember the tires had snow chains. haha

sblakely

I drove  RWD car one winter, it was terrible but I got by.  (1) get the best snow tires you can buy (2) put a few bags of sand in the trunk, the extra weight helps with traction somewhat and when you get stuck you have sand readily available to put under the tires. 

Even after taking those precautions, I still couldn't make it up the driveway sometimes...  you really cant beat an AWD in the winter. 

I assume the heavy frame will be to your benefit.

careful of rust if they salt the roads in your area.  I don't dare drive mine in the winter, but maybe i'm just paranoid.

sblakely

Quote from: sblakely on 01 December 2010, 11:07 AM
I drove  RWD car one winter, it was terrible but I got by.  (1) get the best snow tires you can buy (2) put a few bags of sand in the trunk, the extra weight helps with traction somewhat and when you get stuck you have sand readily available to put under the tires. 

Even after taking those precautions, I still couldn't make it up the driveway sometimes...  you really cant beat an AWD in the winter. 

I assume the heavy frame will be to your benefit.

careful of rust if they salt the roads in your area.  I don't dare drive mine in the winter, but maybe i'm just paranoid.

For snow tires, I like hakkapeliitta.  They're very expensive, but you can drive on anything and I'm on my fifth winter with the set I have now and they still have plenty of life on them.

Papalangi

Even running Toyo Observes on mine, I can get stuck if the pavement is not visible.  Doesn't need to be real deep, just a light dusting is enough.  I've had other RWD cars do better than this one.

Michael
'83 300SD, I'm back!  It's the son's new car (12/2020)
1976 450SEL, 116.033  Sold it to buy a '97 Crown Vic.  Made sense at the time.
1971 250C, 114.023
1976 280C
1970 250/8

calvin streeting

ok thanks everyone..

I am going to get a bag of rock salt, for boot ballast, and gritting road, i thought thats what i payed taxes for but o well. A small shovel, might try and get one of those fold up military ones. and maybe a small ice axe. I might consider snow chains but as it snows very rarely here i don't think its realy worth it.

oh and tell people i am going to work at home? :)

s class

Quote from: sblakely on 01 December 2010, 11:13 AM
For snow tires, I like hakkapeliitta. 

That brand name sounds Finnish.  they would know a thing or two about driving on the snow. 


[color=blue]'76 6.9 Euro[/color], [color=red]'78 6.9 AMG[/color], '80 280SE, [color=brown]'74 350SE[/color], [color=black]'82 500SEL euro full hydro, '83 500SEL euro full hydro [/color], '81 500SL

arman



Honestly I don't dare to drive the w116 right now... Normally it's in the garage a couple of hundred meters away but as it started snowing so suddenly and this early, it's still standing in the driveway.

I've tried to drive the car once in snow and it was a nightmare. What happens is that when you start to brake, the front wheels will lock before the rears do. So the car is pushing through the blocked front wheels. I had to put it in neutral to get to a stand still hitting the curb and all because I locked all 4 wheels. The fact that it is an automatic transmission combined with RWD and very low weight in the back does make all worse.

I have to add that I was driving with summer tires and that makes a major difference AND the motor was cold when I started driving, which is not ideal because the engine is very strong as it idles quite a bit higher than when it has warmed up.
So if you are planning to drive your car the whole winter I seriously recommend to change to M&S (mud&snow) tires. Studded are even better, but I guess those are not allowed where you live.
It might be tough to find the right dimension. I suggest that you use the dimension that is normal for the W116 280SE: 185/70-14. This tire has a smaller section which will give you extra pressure (higher friction) in the contact patch.

Nokian hakkapeliitta is indeed a Finnish brand. Here in Sweden they are very popular. But Bridgestone, Continental and Michelin, among others, also sell M&S tires. M&S tires are quite expensive and I hope you can find the right dimension. The difference besides the profile is that the rubber is much softer at low temperatures, providing better friction.
General expectations are that it is gonna snow much more in the near future in Northern Europe, because of a climate change due to a change in gulf stream in the Northern Atlantic Ocean. I haven't seen so much snow before as we have had in the last two years.



1974 W116 450 SEL 340.000km
Black exterior (040), olive green velours interior (966)
[url="http://gallery.w116.org/v/show_room/Armans450sel/"]http://gallery.w116.org/v/show_room/Armans450sel/[/url]

calvin streeting

Ok.. about snow and mud tires. My jorney to work is mostly motorway over the south downs (M20). this means that one side can be completley clear and the other a nightmare. now i asume snow tiers would wear realy quickly on no snow.

So maybe snow chains would help as they can be added and removed as nead, "saying that 4 spare wheels would add some ballast :)". so what are the pro's and cons for both snow chains, and tiers..

It nice to have help from other countries that have the amount's of snow that the UK might get in the future..


KenM

I wouldn't go down the chains road Calvin, they are a monumental pain in the proverbial if you have to take them on and off frequently, the car is just all wrong for this kind of driving full stop, as Arman said with the weight all in the front and rear wheel drive, with no manual transmission to slow you down it's more fun than the roller coaster, only with less control...
Bottom line mate is you need a Suby wagon, awesome little cars, get you anywhere anytime and never break down, just not quite as stylish unfortunately.