Should I air down for wet / snowy roads? Nitto 35” Ridge Grapplers

[JLJS74]

I don’t have snow rated tires and I’m interested in what I can do to improve traction on wet/snowy paved roads (other than buy new tires). I have a four door 2018 JL Rubicon and am running Nitto 35” Ridge Grapplers (35x12.50 R 18LT F) with 20K miles. Just seems like I slip/slide more than I should. The grip definitely improves when I shift into 4H, but I wanted to see what advice people have to improve traction in 2H assuming the outside temps are in the 10-35 degree range (Chicago area) on paved roads that have slush and/or a couple inches of snow. Should I air up (high 30s or 40) with the concept being to push down to the road’s surface or air down (mid 20s?) to float over the surface but grip the slush/snow? My next tires will be snow rated, but I’m trying to buy time with these for now.

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[DirtRoad]

If the roads are bad enough that you need to keep it under about 50 mph, you can use 4hi and probably air down a few psi. I wouldn't go much under 30 psi probably. If the roads are good enough that you can do more than 50 mph, I wouldn't air down. Going fast with underinflated tires makes them heat up more than they should and wears out your sidewalls. Airing up isn't a good idea IMO since it'll minimize the contact patch on ice and that's not good.

Since it's easy to use the transfer case lever, I'd use 4hi anytime it's slushy or there's snow on the road and just flip it to 2hi if the road gets drier.

 

[INCRHULK]

I don’t have snow rated tires and I’m interested in what I can do to improve traction on wet/snowy paved roads (other than buy new tires). I have a four door 2018 JL Rubicon and am running Nitto 35” Trail Grapplers (35x12.50 R 18LT) with 20K miles. Just seems like I slip/slide more than I should. The grip definitely improves when I shift into 4H, but I wanted to see what advice people have to improve traction in 2H assuming the outside temps are in the 10-35 degree range (Chicago area) on paved roads that have slush and/or a couple inches of snow. Should I air up (high 30s or 40) with the concept being to push down to the road’s surface or air down (mid 20s?) to float over the surface but grip the slush/snow? My next tires will be snow rated, but I’m trying to buy time with these for now.

Don’t air down, you make the contact patch wider, and you’ll lose grip. You want a narrower contact patch that “breaks through” the snow to road surface. Practice switching between 4hi and 2hi on the fly for traction and control.

 

[Cougar8000]

Don’t air up for sure and don’t air down

I am in northern burbs Chicago as well.Take a lead shoe off and you would be fine. MyJLU allows me to be in 4H all the time so this Sunday on 94 that is what I was doing

remember. Easy throttle easy break and keep your distance and ya shall be fine

ps. I am in 35 as well and always run then at 29

 

[JLJS74]

Thanks. I made one edit which is that I’m running Ridge Grapplers (not Trail Grapplers, which are mud tires).

I’m not driving with a lead foot, and my cold PSI is 32. I think these tires are just not good in snow (not talking about feet of snow, talking about inches). You might say that’s obvious since they aren’t snow rated. I like them otherwise, but just wanted to see if there was anything I could do to improve snow traction other than change my tires. I know some people recommend siping, as an example, so was just curious for any/all advice. Thanks all!

 

[Offroad]

My wife runs Ridge Grapplers. They are an awesome all around tire, except snow! After the first couple snows, we now run Blizzaks in the winter. They're unstoppable in the snow!

 

[JasonInDLH]

The larger voids in your tires don’t hold snow in the tread as opposed to a dedicated winter tire. Not much you can do. Will definitely notice greatly improved grip on snow with something like Blizzaks or Nokian Hakkapeliittas (just to name a couple of my favorites). Duratracs are a good option as well.

 

[J0E]

Don’t air down, you make the contact patch wider, and you’ll lose grip. You want a narrower contact patch that “breaks through” the snow to road surface. Practice switching between 4hi and 2hi on the fly for traction and control.

Exactly

The larger voids in your tires don’t hold snow in the tread as opposed to a dedicated winter tire. Not much you can do. Will definitely notice greatly improved grip on snow with something like Blizzaks or Nokian Hakkapeliittas (just to name a couple of my favorites). Duratracs are a good option as well.

Studded Duratracs or Nokian are the ultimate for ice, won't help much on pure snow.

proves the snow/ice air down is a myth.

 

[blnewt]

When it comes time for new tires assuming you're still living where you are, I'd consider a 3peak snow rated tire. These have better snow/cold performance and typically have rubber that's more compliant in freezing temps. Goodyear Duratracs, BFG K02s, Toyo AT3, Mickey Thompson Baja ATs, Cooper AT, are probably the most common sets that have the 3 peak snow rating. If you like Nittos I think the Terra Grapplers are snow rated too (but not sure).

 

[AcesandEights]

Here is a very general principle: wide when dry, narrow when wet.

You typically want to run a wider footprint when conditions are dry and a narrower footprint when they are wet. Snow is solid, but that doesn't mean it is dry. It is every iteration of dry and wet, depending on temperature and conditions. Since your conditions are roadways, which means your snow isn't "dry", but is probably slushy, or driven through, I'd stay up in psi and only drop (air down) if you're driving on fresh, more powdery snow. Just my $0.02.

Bottom line though, you have crappy tires for the conditions you're driving. If you care more about wet/snow conditions, you need different tires. I just went to Nittos site and looked at those tires. They show them as having very good wet traction. You can tell that's not right. They have "rigid tread blocks to reduce flex" and little siping. That's a tire that is marketed as good for wet traction, but would be marginal. That tiger can't change its stripes. You cannot make it a snow performer by airing up or down. It might be marginal off road in the snow, but it's not a commuter tire in the snow. Best to get a second set of tires, or switch to something like a BFG KO2.

 

[NyRey87]

Don’t air down, you make the contact patch wider, and you’ll lose grip. You want a narrower contact patch that “breaks through” the snow to road surface. Practice switching between 4hi and 2hi on the fly for traction and control.

Sorry for the stupid question but you can switch between 2hi and 4hi on the fly without being in park or neutral? I have only had my Jeep a month and we just got a few inches of snow last night and the roads conditions were terrible this morning, I knew I wouldn’t be going over 50 so I kept it in 4hi the whole way.

 

[AcesandEights]

Yes, you can shift "on-the-fly", but only between 2hi and 4hi. You have to come to a stop for 4low.

 

[NyRey87]

Yes, you can shift "on-the-fly", but only between 2hi and 4hi. You have to come to a stop for 4low.

Awesome! Learn something new everyday!

And I thought I read all the stuff I needed to about it in the owners manual, must’ve skipped over that part!

 

[INCRHULK]

Sorry for the stupid question but you can switch between 2hi and 4hi on the fly without being in park or neutral? I have only had my Jeep a month and we just got a few inches of snow last night and the roads conditions were terrible this morning, I knew I wouldn’t be going over 50 so I kept it in 4hi the whole way.

You can shift between 2H and 4H on the fly under 50mph. The faster you’re going the harder it can be to shift. Usually shifting from 4H to 2H takes very little effort.
Shifting to 4L needs you to be in neutral and either stopped or moving no more than a couple of miles an hour.

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