Towing in Snow

[SledheadMXZ]

Back in 04 I traded in my 97 Explorer V8 for an 02 Pathfinder SE 4x4. Great truck, but did I buy the wrong truck for my needs? I tow a snowmobile trailer with two sleds up north. Total weight is about 2k lbs. I figure. The Explorer was great in the snow. The Pathinder, not so much. When I bought it, it had the original Toyo Tranpaths, which got me stuck in the snow. I replaced them with Michelin LTX M+S a couple of years ago, but they're only a little better. I have a hard time getting up steep hills with my trailer. Is it because the truck is too light, or is it that I'm using the wrong tires? I don't want to trade the truck because I like it. It certainly has enough power to pull the load, but I really can't afford to get stuck on a hill in the snow. Any suggestions? Thanks!

[pathfinder9035]

well the truck is definitely not light...it weights about 4200+ lbs probably more then your v8 explorer. Sounds like its jstu your tires man. i have 01 se 5 speed and i get up snow pretty easily with my bf longtrails...try going up a size like me. even pulling a boat up a hill on a dirt roads in the summer is easy...but snow is probably different. i now have 245 75 16 sized tires.

oh yeah remember if u have a 5 speed you can only tow 3500 lbs...transmission not strong enough.

[SledheadMXZ]

You're probably right about the tires. Fortunately it's a auto, so I can tow 5k.

[coledog188]

I have Firestone Destination A/T's that work great in the snow! I've pulled 4 cars out of the snow so far this winter...great traction!

[MagicM]

Michelin LTX M+S <- these are more of a 3 season tire, that can handle some minor short snow falls. but for anything more extreme you need winter/studded tires to gain better traction. As for weight of the 2 cars a 02 SE Pathfinder weight in about the same 4100 Lbs range, so it's most likely tires.

[SledheadMXZ]

Thanks!

[SledheadMXZ]

Good advice... I think you're right. Thanks!

[Chris92SE]

I would say it's definitely tires. You have a pretty heavy rig that is 4wd. Traction is your biggest problem.

I have dedicated studded snow tires mounted on separate wheels for my 2001 QX4 and I have zero problems in the snow. We already had a couple of feet earlier in the year and I live on a hill. My in-laws built a house up in the woods with an unplowed, very steep, road and the Q goes GREAT.

I got my tires at Les Schwab (tire store throughout the NW US). They are Signet Winter Trax and have a pretty basic snow pattern.

If you snowmobile and are up in the mountains, probably the best thing to do is hit Craigslist and buy a set of cheap wheels (16s are the cheapest that fit over the brakes). Then, get a set of actual snow tires. Most of the all seasons or "M+S" tires that are out now don't really handle that great in the snow. If you change them yourself (when you will actually use them) you can get many seasons out of them.

[pathfinder9035]

hey man i also think its the open diff or that fake lsd that we all have. U should go get yourself a real lsd and u wont be slipping that much anymore. With my viscous lsd, i cant even make a turn without spinning the wheel.

[LeroyBrown]

go get some good snow tires.