Jerome10
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First truck I've ever owned. Been driving in snow since day 1 with my license so that is nothing new to me for.... too long a time now. But I've always had sedans until now.
Often don't need to venture out much when the roads are snow covered but I did this past weekend and had an "incident" that actually spooked me a bit and I am very very hard to spook even in the snow.
On the expressway, traffic was doing approx 40-45mph. No issues with corners or on ramp acceleration (windy area through mountains). I am cautious and felt that that speed seemed about right. Did have folks passing me maybe 10mph faster.
When time for my exit, I gently squeezed on the brakes well in advance of my exit (ramps tend to be slippery) and was very shocked when the rear end got very squirrely on me. This was a straight brake, no corner or anything, just trying to slow down. ABS started activating in the rear immediately while I got very nervous about the rear end coming around and spinning out. Rear end shimmying side to side. Extremely light brake pedal pressure.
What shocked me so much is that all curves were negotiated prior to the braking with zero issue. Acceleration zero issue. But the braking, which to me is usually zero issue other than making sure you have enough stopping distance, was one of the few times in my life I felt like a car might rotate on me and spin out. The front end seemed to still have traction while the rear clearly did not.
I'm wondering if this is a "problem" in general with trucks. I was well aware of the issues getting moving from a stop because of the light rear end and RWD. That's OK. Either pop in 4x4 or just take my time (I've had a couple RWD BMWs too, so not unfamiliar with that feeling). I also know that if I felt that spooked I was probably going too fast for conditions or the road just at that particular area had a little frost on it or something. That is 100% my responsibility.
But is this normal that during straight braking like that that you can shift so much weight forward that even a slight loss of traction in the rear can quickly make that back end start swaying around on you? I was rather surprised that the truck didn't just engage ABS and track straight, no side-to-side swaying in the rear, like all my sedans have done when I lose some traction during braking. I've never had a back end feel like it was going to come around on me that easily and with such a light brake pedal press. I expected 4 wheel ABS and straight tracking.
I generally have put full winter tires on my sedans. Since I don't generally have to always drive in snow I skipped for the truck but I am now HIGHLY considering it again. I know that will absolutely help.
But is that rear end "action" during braking a thing with pickups generally in slippery conditions? Or did I just happen to hit the perfect bad condition at exactly the time I was hitting the brakes and just a bad situation that isn't really any fault of the truck?
Trying to understand better what I can expect driving a pickup in winter conditions vs a sedan.
As an aside, had an old Corolla before the F150. Other than the FWD and very deep snow (the only time I could get myself stuck), I hate to say it but the Corolla I've found vastly vastly better in winter driving than the truck. Thing was a tank, always knew what the car was doing, very maneuverable, very stable, and it didn't have ABS or stability control. I had FUN with that car in the snow. Just couldn't stop it. I'd hoped a truck might be even better but other than not worrying about deep snow thanks to 4x4 and feeling much safer in the event of a crash... I'd take the Corolla on winter tires every time, hate to say. Truck just seems much less stable and more prone to swing that back end on me.
Often don't need to venture out much when the roads are snow covered but I did this past weekend and had an "incident" that actually spooked me a bit and I am very very hard to spook even in the snow.
On the expressway, traffic was doing approx 40-45mph. No issues with corners or on ramp acceleration (windy area through mountains). I am cautious and felt that that speed seemed about right. Did have folks passing me maybe 10mph faster.
When time for my exit, I gently squeezed on the brakes well in advance of my exit (ramps tend to be slippery) and was very shocked when the rear end got very squirrely on me. This was a straight brake, no corner or anything, just trying to slow down. ABS started activating in the rear immediately while I got very nervous about the rear end coming around and spinning out. Rear end shimmying side to side. Extremely light brake pedal pressure.
What shocked me so much is that all curves were negotiated prior to the braking with zero issue. Acceleration zero issue. But the braking, which to me is usually zero issue other than making sure you have enough stopping distance, was one of the few times in my life I felt like a car might rotate on me and spin out. The front end seemed to still have traction while the rear clearly did not.
I'm wondering if this is a "problem" in general with trucks. I was well aware of the issues getting moving from a stop because of the light rear end and RWD. That's OK. Either pop in 4x4 or just take my time (I've had a couple RWD BMWs too, so not unfamiliar with that feeling). I also know that if I felt that spooked I was probably going too fast for conditions or the road just at that particular area had a little frost on it or something. That is 100% my responsibility.
But is this normal that during straight braking like that that you can shift so much weight forward that even a slight loss of traction in the rear can quickly make that back end start swaying around on you? I was rather surprised that the truck didn't just engage ABS and track straight, no side-to-side swaying in the rear, like all my sedans have done when I lose some traction during braking. I've never had a back end feel like it was going to come around on me that easily and with such a light brake pedal press. I expected 4 wheel ABS and straight tracking.
I generally have put full winter tires on my sedans. Since I don't generally have to always drive in snow I skipped for the truck but I am now HIGHLY considering it again. I know that will absolutely help.
But is that rear end "action" during braking a thing with pickups generally in slippery conditions? Or did I just happen to hit the perfect bad condition at exactly the time I was hitting the brakes and just a bad situation that isn't really any fault of the truck?
Trying to understand better what I can expect driving a pickup in winter conditions vs a sedan.
As an aside, had an old Corolla before the F150. Other than the FWD and very deep snow (the only time I could get myself stuck), I hate to say it but the Corolla I've found vastly vastly better in winter driving than the truck. Thing was a tank, always knew what the car was doing, very maneuverable, very stable, and it didn't have ABS or stability control. I had FUN with that car in the snow. Just couldn't stop it. I'd hoped a truck might be even better but other than not worrying about deep snow thanks to 4x4 and feeling much safer in the event of a crash... I'd take the Corolla on winter tires every time, hate to say. Truck just seems much less stable and more prone to swing that back end on me.
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