http://blog.rv.net/2008/02/driving-in-poor-weather/ RV Campground & Camping Information - RV, Motorhome, Camper, Travel Trailer & 5th Wheel Owners Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:54:04 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 http://blog.rv.net/2008/02/driving-in-poor-weather/comment-page-1/#comment-1037 dakzuki Sat, 23 Feb 2008 17:10:44 +0000 http://blog.rv.net/2008/02/12/driving-in-poor-weather/#comment-1037 It is worth mentining that HID headlights have the same issues as LED taillights regarding heat and icing . They do ne generate enough heat to melt frost and ice either. I have them on a car and must clean them off in the morning if they are frosted. It is worth mentining that HID headlights have the same issues as LED taillights regarding heat and icing . They do ne generate enough heat to melt frost and ice either. I have them on a car and must clean them off in the morning if they are frosted.

]]> http://blog.rv.net/2008/02/driving-in-poor-weather/comment-page-1/#comment-876 Al Grayson Mon, 18 Feb 2008 12:10:39 +0000 http://blog.rv.net/2008/02/12/driving-in-poor-weather/#comment-876 Light Truck and motorhome tires are not as large (tread contact patch) in proportion to the loads placed on them, and to make them wear well and have low rolling resistance are made with harder rubber compounds than automobile tires. These do not have as good adhesion as typical automobile tires, so no matter how good the brakes are the vehicle will take longer to stop, especially on dry roads. On wet or snowy roads the difference is not as great, and the higher contact patch pressure reduces the tendency of the tire to "ride up" on the water (hydroplane) or snow. So contact with the pavement is maintained better - on snow, up to the point where the snow packs and holds the tire tread off the pavement. On ice nothing sticks very well except special rally racing "hydrophilic" tires, which as far as I know are not to be had in LT or motorhome tire sizes. Ice is slipperiest just below the freezing point, for the pressure of the tire on the ice melts the ice in a thin film, creating a quite effective lubricant between the tire and the ice. Studs are not nearly as effective as commonly thought. They work well only on hard ice. The studs themselves are slippery on pavement, detracting from the adhesion the same tire would have without studs installed. They are also illegal in many jurisdictions during part or all the year. How can you have your studded tires exchanged for non-studded tires in the middle of a trip? Only by having the studs pulled out (and discarded). Further, they ruin the roads. I-90 in eastern Washington has deep troughs worn in the concrete in the tire tracks! Snow tires are good for...snow (and mud). They have much less rubber in contact with a dry or wet road surface than a regular highway tread tire. "All-Weather" tires are a compromise between snow tires and warm-weather road tires. They have a more open tread than regular highway tires and more rubber on the road than snow tires. As always, for the best traction on snow or ice, chains do the best job. Cable "chains" are easiest to install and the least rough riding. They do not grip nearly as well as real chains, but may be enough. Cross-link chains do a good job. Cross-link chains with twist-bar "teeth" bite even more effectively. Diagonal cross chains provide better side ways grip against side slipping but somewhat less straight-line grip. Light Truck and motorhome tires are not as large (tread contact patch) in proportion to the loads placed on them, and to make them wear well and have low rolling resistance are made with harder rubber compounds than automobile tires. These do not have as good adhesion as typical automobile tires, so no matter how good the brakes are the vehicle will take longer to stop, especially on dry roads.
On wet or snowy roads the difference is not as great, and the higher contact patch pressure reduces the tendency of the tire to “ride up” on the water (hydroplane) or snow. So contact with the pavement is maintained better – on snow, up to the point where the snow packs and holds the tire tread off the pavement.
On ice nothing sticks very well except special rally racing “hydrophilic” tires, which as far as I know are not to be had in LT or motorhome tire sizes. Ice is slipperiest just below the freezing point, for the pressure of the tire on the ice melts the ice in a thin film, creating a quite effective lubricant between the tire and the ice.
Studs are not nearly as effective as commonly thought. They work well only on hard ice. The studs themselves are slippery on pavement, detracting from the adhesion the same tire would have without studs installed. They are also illegal in many jurisdictions during part or all the year. How can you have your studded tires exchanged for non-studded tires in the middle of a trip? Only by having the studs pulled out (and discarded). Further, they ruin the roads. I-90 in eastern Washington has deep troughs worn in the concrete in the tire tracks!
Snow tires are good for…snow (and mud). They have much less rubber in contact with a dry or wet road surface than a regular highway tread tire.
“All-Weather” tires are a compromise between snow tires and warm-weather road tires. They have a more open tread than regular highway tires and more rubber on the road than snow tires.
As always, for the best traction on snow or ice, chains do the best job. Cable “chains” are easiest to install and the least rough riding. They do not grip nearly as well as real chains, but may be enough. Cross-link chains do a good job. Cross-link chains with twist-bar “teeth” bite even more effectively. Diagonal cross chains provide better side ways grip against side slipping but somewhat less straight-line grip.

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