Snow performance - seriously impressed

[hillstrubl]

I was driving my 2011 Tahoe in the Poconos over the weekend, between 1 and 2 feet of unplowed snow on main roads. Plows were trying but couldn't keep up. I'm running Cooper Discoverer AT3s* (3 peak snow rated) and had ZERO traction issues with the center diff locked. I went skiing at Jack Frost and the parking lot looked like end of days, no issues getting in or out. Seriously impressed with how good it did without even dedicated snow tires. This is one of the best cars in the snow I've ever owned and I've had many land rovers and jeeps.

*Factory LSD doesn't hurt either

 

[Prospect62]

Fullsize GM trucks sneeze at snow. I've had square body pickups, K5 Blazers, NBS trucks, NNBS trucks and even my 2016 Suburban was no different. One thing I will say is the "AWD" or full time 4WD mode of these trucks has never felt as "polished" as some other makes. But when you need to get through the stuff, you can't beat these.

 

[Charlie207]

I was driving my 2011 Tahoe in the Poconos over the weekend, between 1 and 2 feet of unplowed snow on main roads. Plows were trying but couldn't keep up. I'm running Cooper Discoverer AT3s* (3 peak snow rated) and had ZERO traction issues with the center diff locked. I went skiing at Jack Frost and the parking lot looked like end of days, no issues getting in or out. Seriously impressed with how good it did without even dedicated snow tires. This is one of the best cars in the snow I've ever owned and I've had many land rovers and jeeps.

*Factory LSD doesn't hurt either

Our GMT900 Tahoes and Yukons don't have a center diff. or diff. lock. It's just a traditional transfer case. The Yukon Denali and Escalade have an AWD system with an open center differential.

The G80 that's in most SUVs is a locker, not an LSD, that was a different RPO code - G86.

But yeah, with good snow tires, these rigs are pretty good at getting up to speed in the snow. Can't cheat physics though, and turning and stopping a huge rig on slick roads will always be a thing. Winter-specific snow tires will always always always be better than A/T tires with 3Peak stamp, no matter what we want to believe. That's why I have two sets of wheels/tires.

 

[Charlie207]

Fullsize GM trucks sneeze at snow. I've had square body pickups, K5 Blazers, NBS trucks, NNBS trucks and even my 2016 Suburban was no different. One thing I will say is the "AWD" or full time 4WD mode of these trucks has never felt as "polished" as some other makes. But when you need to get through the stuff, you can't beat these.

Well, it's a truck 4x4 system (unless you mean the Denali/Escalade AWD system), so it'll never touch the feel of a true AWD system (ala Audi, Volvo, or Subaru, etc). They have fancy Haldex stuff that costs more to replace than our trucks are worth.

Our AUTO (faux AWD) is basically preloading the clutch in the transfer case with a small amount of pressure, and locking together the front axles to prepare to receive power in the event of sensed wheelspin. Then the transfer case clutch is, quickly, fully engaged to send power to the front. Due to that design, there's a slight, mostly imperceptible lag before the front diff. gets power. AWD cars are already mechanically connected at all times with a center diff. (not a transfer case).

It's good for what it is, but again, not a NHV champ. (that's why you get the Denali or Escalade if you want the smoothest ride out of a GMT900).

 

[West 1]

I worked Ski Patrol in the Lake Tahoe area for 23 years. As a volunteer Patroller we worked weekends when the crowds were large.

My kids loved to ski, they wanted to go every open weekend. That was not in our family budget so I joined patrol. Kids got to ski for free as often as they liked and I worked but also got to have fun.

If you were scheduled for work you had to go in all weather. Some days the roads were closed due to excess snow but they let us drive through because we help with Emergencies and search and rescue. Pushed 12-18” of snow several times and sometimes for 30 miles on a closed HWY 50 getting up there. Other days we would wrap up as late as 6:00 pm and go to our car and find 24” of snow piled up and cars stuck all over the parking lot.

In my years doing that I found the Michelin LTX tires worked very well for quiet comfortable ride and great traction while lasting 50-60,000 miles. Dedicated snow tires would have been better but these worked great and several of the Patrol members chose them.
Michelin had a more aggressive snow tire and I bought those and had them installed about the time COVID hit, I never really got to test them but I am sure they would have been better as the tread was much more aggressive but they were noisy on the highway.

I first drove a 95 Suburban, then a 2001 Yukon Denali, 2002 Tahoe(with 4.10 gears), then a 2003 Yukon, BMW X5.

I found the full size SUV body GM’s were great. I think due to the extra weight over the rear tires compared to trucks. Many times at end of day the Toyota, Subaru, Audi, Honda 4 wheel drives would be stuck and digging out. I could just put the car in gear and drive out. The height, weight, tire size all helped keep good traction and helped get the car moving in deep snow. On Ice, the only thing to help was studded tires or chains. 4x4 does get you moving but for Stopping 4x4 is zero help so you better be going slow.
The X5 was a nice car with great traction but sat lower and could not plow snow as well. Plus I was less willing to abuse the X5 in tough stuff. Did not bother me to work the GM vehicles hard.

The Denali and the X5 were great but did not offer the Low Range option. Sometimes in tough conditions it is really nice to have the Low Range option.
Some on the Patrol owned Toyota 4 runners or pickups and swore by them. I never got the urge. They got the same MPG as my full size, did not have the traction, power or comfort of the full size. One 4 Runner owner stated he got 14 mpg, my Yukon and Tahoe got 14-17.

I installed Dual Batteries in my Tahoe and Yukon. You always want your car to start at the end of a long day working in the snow.

Had to retire from Patrol 2 years ago. A lot of that job is very physical and a younger man can do it better, I was 64 when I pulled out.

 

[exp500]

I was driving my 2011 Tahoe in the Poconos over the weekend, between 1 and 2 feet of unplowed snow on main roads. Plows were trying but couldn't keep up. I'm running Cooper Discoverer AT3s* (3 peak snow rated) and had ZERO traction issues with the center diff locked. I went skiing at Jack Frost and the parking lot looked like end of days, no issues getting in or out. Seriously impressed with how good it did without even dedicated snow tires. This is one of the best cars in the snow I've ever owned and I've had many land rovers and jeeps.

*Factory LSD doesn't hurt either

I'm really happy with AT3's for many miles over ten years.

 

[SpareParts]

I really like the Goodyear AT tires. Served me well for more years and sets i don't even know how many.

 

[Charlie207]

I worked Ski Patrol in the Lake Tahoe area for 23 years. As a volunteer Patroller we worked weekends when the crowds were large.

My kids loved to ski, they wanted to go every open weekend. That was not in our family budget so I joined patrol. Kids got to ski for free as often as they liked and I worked but also got to have fun.

If you were scheduled for work you had to go in all weather. Some days the roads were closed due to excess snow but they let us drive through because we help with Emergencies and search and rescue. Pushed 12-18” of snow several times and sometimes for 30 miles on a closed HWY 50 getting up there. Other days we would wrap up as late as 6:00 pm and go to our car and find 24” of snow piled up and cars stuck all over the parking lot.

In my years doing that I found the Michelin LTX tires worked very well for quiet comfortable ride and great traction while lasting 50-60,000 miles. Dedicated snow tires would have been better but these worked great and several of the Patrol members chose them.
Michelin had a more aggressive snow tire and I bought those and had them installed about the time COVID hit, I never really got to test them but I am sure they would have been better as the tread was much more aggressive but they were noisy on the highway.

I first drove a 95 Suburban, then a 2001 Yukon Denali, 2002 Tahoe(with 4.10 gears), then a 2003 Yukon, BMW X5.

I found the full size SUV body GM’s were great. I think due to the extra weight over the rear tires compared to trucks. Many times at end of day the Toyota, Subaru, Audi, Honda 4 wheel drives would be stuck and digging out. I could just put the car in gear and drive out. The height, weight, tire size all helped keep good traction and helped get the car moving in deep snow. On Ice, the only thing to help was studded tires or chains. 4x4 does get you moving but for Stopping 4x4 is zero help so you better be going slow.
The X5 was a nice car with great traction but sat lower and could not plow snow as well. Plus I was less willing to abuse the X5 in tough stuff. Did not bother me to work the GM vehicles hard.

The Denali and the X5 were great but did not offer the Low Range option. Sometimes in tough conditions it is really nice to have the Low Range option.
Some on the Patrol owned Toyota 4 runners or pickups and swore by them. I never got the urge. They got the same MPG as my full size, did not have the traction, power or comfort of the full size. One 4 Runner owner stated he got 14 mpg, my Yukon and Tahoe got 14-17.

I installed Dual Batteries in my Tahoe and Yukon. You always want your car to start at the end of a long day working in the snow.

Had to retire from Patrol 2 years ago. A lot of that job is very physical and a younger man can do it better, I was 64 when I pulled out.

Before I switched to running Nokian ATs in the summer I used to run those Michelin LTXs. Really good tires.