How To Handle a Rear-Wheel Drive Truck In The Snow [Infographic]

Truck need a little help prepping for winter?

Bring your truck into your local AAMCO Minnesota today.
Snowy roads can be difficult to drive on, prepare your rear-wheel drive truck.

What is Rear-wheel drive?

Before we get to handling a rear-wheel-drive vehicle in snow, it’s important to know how your rear-wheel-drive truck operates. Sports cars, SUVs, as well as trucks, often come with rear-wheel drive (RWD). This drivetrain system works for even weight distribution and optimal handling. Vehicle’s with an RWD system use the rear wheels for power, while the front wheels handle the steering. However, during snowy conditions, RWD vehicles will perform dismally compared to all-wheel, and front-wheel drive vehicles.

Ideally, your rear-wheel-drive truck works by distributing all its weight. It delivers inferior traction on slippery surfaces compared to AWD, FWD or even four-wheel-drive vehicles. In short, your rear-wheel-drive truck won’t be able to accelerate properly in icy or snowy conditions. Rear-wheel drive trucks have a high probability of losing control, fishtailing, or sliding off the road.

Why is Driving My Rear-Wheel Drive Truck More Challenging in the Snow?

The main reason why it is difficult driving your rear-wheel-drive truck when it snows is primarily due to weight distribution. For most vehicles, the engine is placed at the front, meaning a lot of the vehicle’s overall weight is at the front. Therefore, front-wheel drive vehicles will have more advantages over the rear-wheel driver truck since most of the weight is directly over the wheels, offering confident acceleration over slippery conditions.

Your rear-wheel-drive car is tougher to drive especially when it loses traction. When a front-wheel-drive vehicle experience wheel spin, they will under-steer, but the vehicle will still move forward. When a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, on the other hand, loses traction, it will over-steer or fishtail. Most automobiles sold in the U.S that are rear-wheel are often wide-body sports cars or trucks that have little weight over their rear wheels. All these factors significantly affect your driving capability during winter.

How to Handle your Rear Wheel drive Truck in the Snow

• First things first, Add some weight. The main reason your rear-wheel driver truck handles poorly in the snow is due to a lack of sufficient weight over the rear wheels. To compensate for this, you could add cinderblocks, snow or sandbags to aid traction and help handle better in ice or snow.
• Getting snow tires is a viable option. Snow tires are specially designed to help improve traction in snow or ice.
• Improve your driving habits by practicing winter driving. First and foremost, it’s important to drive slower than usual during winter to give you more room to stop. While slowing down, brake early or softly to avoid sliding or slipping off the road. Approach corners with ease, and slow down much earlier than you normally would in normal conditions.
• Finally, Practice! Practice! If you live close to a parking lot, take your rear-wheel-drive out for a practicing session when it gets icy or snowy. The more acquainted you are about how your vehicle handles in the snow, the better you’ll adapt to driving.

Reacting to Snow or Ice Conditions

So, how can you keep yourself safe when you encounter a slick terrain? Here are a few helpful tips.

• Stay calm. It’s important to calm down when approaching a slick road, getting frustrated or stressed will force you into making rash decisions, which could be dangerous.
• Drive slow. Driving fast on icy or snowy roads will put you in greater danger of getting into an accident.
• Accelerate gradually. Wintertime is not the best time to floor your pedal, driving too fast will lead to loss of traction and potentially spinning out.
• Ease into braking. Slamming your brakes on an icy road can easily lead to spinning out of control. Instead, steer into the skid then gradually accelerate to gain back control.

How can AAMCO Minnesota Help?

Having the right tires during winter is a great way to stay safe on the road and improve your winter driving. However, the best way to make sure your rear-wheel-drive truck is ready for winter is to be ready beforehand. Visit your local AAMCO Minnesota service center for a full winter car care service. We specialize in Full vehicle inspection for Winter, Seasonal Car Care Service, Suspension Repair and Service, Battery Maintenance and Service, Auto-Tune up Service, Factory Recommended Maintenance and Service and many more.

Are you having handling issues with your rear-wheel-drive truck? Contact us today, our customer care representatives will be more than glad to assist you with any information you might need this season.

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