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Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:33 pm

any tips on getting a baja ready for the snow? other then putting the tow strap in it of course

Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:45 pm

I would rhino coat the bottom of it, because rust would be so bad if the snow stay on the metal. It wont start that easily in snow because it cold, so it would be nice to have the heater channel thngs hooked up to the intake. just my .o2

Sun Oct 25, 2009 5:49 pm

we don't use salt up here :D its gunna be in garage over night so it should start in the mornings then its gunna be in the sun during the day... i hope

Sun Oct 25, 2009 6:10 pm

Chains and momentum are your friends. keep moving and try to stay on top and you can get along surprisingly well for a 2wd. I'm getting excited for the snow around here this year :twisted:

Sun Oct 25, 2009 6:28 pm

gotta keep that in mind... chains wouldnt really help in the deep snow, just the ice?

Sun Oct 25, 2009 8:09 pm

chains are better then no chains in deep snow :wink: . I hope you have a turning brake in your car. You might want to also consider getting some snow tires, or maybe even some super swampers or something with a large tread in it. not saying you need it, but it would sure help to avoid the ass hat behind you in the honda, or SUV, who's going way too fast, and has regular street tires. down here in georgia, we rarely get snow, but last year we got a some. i think we got like 4 inches, and it covered the roads in snow. i saw like 10 people slide off the road, and countless others already stuck on the side of the road. also there were those, who were driving at 30-35, which was WAY to fast for the conditions. and even me in my bug with my stock 165 street tires, didn't have a problem staying on the road. but there were a few times where i had to quickly change lanes, or just pull to the side, because the guy behind me was comming up to fast, and then proceded to pass me sideways. Would have hit me if i hadn't moved, which is hard to do when your about to get hit, and trying not to panic, and still having to lightly tap the pedal to keep from spinning the tires.

Anyhoo, point is, that traction might not be a bad thing to have, at certain times, lol. best to keep a spare set of mud/ snow tires/ wheels for the snowy season......... and a 12v heater wouldn't hurt :lol:

Sun Oct 25, 2009 8:09 pm

Chains have helped my friend and I in all kinds of snow. They help you keep the momentum up to stay on top. We've plowed through snow about 2 feet deep but we're able to "float" on the upper layers of it. We both have a 3inch lift and run 30" tires all around also which help. I just need to turn up my rear torsion a notch to stiffen it a little. Right now it's at a stock adjustment and when I compress the suspension the chains dig into my fender a little.
Do you have a group of people you run around with? Depending on the kind of snow we've had to have a friend with a 4wd tracker cut some ruts for us to run in. Anything much wider and we'd have a heck of a time running the trail.

Sun Oct 25, 2009 8:39 pm

My Baja is great in the snow. BFG A/T's, well maintained brakes and a trained foot, no problem. I just wear Carhartts as I have no heat. :)

Kyle

Sun Oct 25, 2009 8:52 pm

i've found that driving in the mud, is very similar, or even identical to driving in the snow. and i do a lot of mud driving. so when that one day of heavy (to us :lol: ) snow came, i didn't have any problems at all driving around, as many around me were sliding off the road, lol. where i go mud boggin, there are a LOT of trees, so you pretty much have to make your own imaginary road to dodge them. so far, i've never hit one. gotten close a few times, but never hit a tree :lol: .

Soooo, if you want to prepare for snow driving, so find yourself a nice construction site, or a trail, and try driving in that stuff. the same deal goes with mud. keep moving, or you'll sink and get stuck. Same as snow.

Sun Oct 25, 2009 8:54 pm

I have lived in Georgia all my life and have seen some good snow. I learned to drive off-road so I really haven't had any problems. Just like off-road, you can air your tires down some for better traction. It gives your tires a wider foot print to stay on top of the soft stuff.

Sun Oct 25, 2009 9:00 pm

baja72 wrote: I have lived in Georgia all my life and have seen some good snow. I learned to drive off-road so I really haven't had any problems. Just like off-road, you can air your tires down some for better traction. It gives your tires a wider foot print to stay on top of the soft stuff.

PM sent.

Sun Oct 25, 2009 9:29 pm

snow is a blast in a baja. they go pretty good, but tend to not want to steer in the deep stuff. thats were your steering brakes will help. I've had alot of fun with mine in the snow.

http://s61.photobucket.com/albums/h80/2gr8dgs/?action=view&current=snow24feb2007005.flv

Sun Oct 25, 2009 9:37 pm

yeah, me and my brother need to put turning breaks in it... thinkin over thanksgiving. i'll be posting questions from what should i get to how to do it. so pay attention people :D

Mon Oct 26, 2009 7:25 am

I live at 8750' in Colorado and have been driving in the snow every winter for almost 20 years. I had a couple of bajas back in the early to mid 90s when I worked and spent every day off at the ski areas. Drove on snow packed roads almost every day for 5 months a year.
Bajas are a blast in the snow.
What I learned: Bug heaters suc extra bad under 28 or so degrees. Early morning drives and late nights drives after work would be under 10 degrees. Can make splashback on the windshield a night mare. I used to have to scrape the windshield (inside and out) constantly.
Used to run one of my heater ducts to the carb to keep it from freezing.
All 4 aired down studded snow tires of a stockish (not too big) size are the best. Newer BFG AT aired down are my second favorite.
Chains rule. I could drive up the ski slopes no problem with chains. Just dont spin and high center.
Momentum is your friend. Just not too much.
Brakes? I never really got my brake bias perfect for snow driving. Could get scary fast. I would just not use them very much.
Softer suspension. I reindexed my torsion bars and it killed my snow driving performance. The stiffer suspension would make one tire loose traction very easy.

Keeping the windshield clear was always the biggest problem. Weak wipers would bog down in heavy snow, wipers not fast enough period, couldnt get enough fluid on the windshield to do much good and windshield freezing.
Clean windshield and flat spare.
Never had the $ for a gas heater.

Mon Oct 26, 2009 7:01 pm

dont forget someting to defrost your windshield.

Mon Oct 26, 2009 7:23 pm

Ed Carp wrote: dont forget someting to defrost your windshield.

Thats why i keep a a squeegy (how the hell do you spell that, lol), inside the car specifically for that :lol:

Mon Oct 26, 2009 8:39 pm

think i'm gunna try to hook up a little electric heater (http://www.sportsimportsltd.com/12243648voin.html) to the stock vents so that'll work as a window defroster. Also i was thinkin about paddle tires for when the plow doesnt come that day *seems like a good idea but i dunno*

Mon Oct 26, 2009 8:58 pm

paddle tires will provide no lateral traction in the snow similar to a bogger in mud, great for going straight not so good for going straight on any sort of side hill etc.

In snow mud tires are not the best, a decent all terrain tire is the ticket.

Mon Oct 26, 2009 9:05 pm

good thing i didnt find that one out for my self :shock: good call :D

Mon Oct 26, 2009 9:13 pm

here is southeast texas, it only snows every 10 years or so but last year it was time. my baja is setup for mud. self cleaning goodyear mtrs and super king 700 x 15s. while it was snowing, i went out to play and had no problem with build up or sliding/pushing.