Advice on getting uphill in slippy conditions

[danielj]

Looking for some tips or advice on uphill driving in slick and slippery conditions as per the pics below. I know, I know, it's not exactly Mount Everest. And it's not exactly snow or mud up to the windows but the problem was this: ground was soft under the snow and wheels started spinning and could get no grip. Tyres didn't dig any more than a few inches then just spun away on the slick ground. Usually rear wheels would spin and front didn't turn at all. I did have mud thread tyres on and was in 4L and tried it with and without using a bit of momentum.
As can be seen from the pics, approaches from various angles got me to about the same place just below the steepest spot. I did manage to get about 100 yards further by going around the side under the trees and getting a bit of grip on the tree roots to keep me going but got caught again with wheels spinning once past the trees.
Any tips or hints for next time I tackle it.

<a href="http://s743.photobucket.com/albums/xx77/danielj2500/?action=view&current=snow2.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx77/danielj2500/snow2.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s743.photobucket.com/albums/xx77/danielj2500/?action=view&current=snow3.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx77/danielj2500/snow3.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
(The one set of tracks going higher up than the others are actually the tracks left when backing down after getting up by going along under the trees.)

<a href="http://s743.photobucket.com/albums/xx77/danielj2500/?action=view&current=snow1.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx77/danielj2500/snow1.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>
This is the approach up along the field to the steeper part.

 

[makeitfit]

What tyres are they?
If you really had toi get up there try backwards. Also you could do the old traverse thing:thumbs

 

[lacroupade]

Theres no magic answer really Dan, other than try keeping it in as low a gear as you can.....setting off in second etc..the temptation to floor it is just a losing battle as you know!

Sheet ice and slimy mud/snow like that are things that even 4WD will struggle with....I've slid backwards down a few hills in my time in brown trouser mode!!

I'm sure someone will come up with a few suggestions, but as to whether they'd work in reality, well I somehow doubt it....

You could always buy a 2CV? :lol

 

[danielj]

They are a Savero tyre. Thread type shown in pic below. Should have 7 to 9 mm thread dept left on them yet.
I didn't really need to get up there at all but that's no reason not to try.

<a href="http://s743.photobucket.com/albums/xx77/danielj2500/Mazda/?action=view&current=tyres.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i743.photobucket.com/albums/xx77/danielj2500/Mazda/tyres.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

 

[danielj]

Theres no magic answer really Dan, other than try keeping it in as low a gear as you can.....setting off in second etc..the temptation to floor it is just a losing battle as you know!

Sheet ice and slimy mud/snow like that are things that even 4WD will struggle with....I've slid backwards down a few hills in my time in brown trouser mode!!

I'm sure someone will come up with a few suggestions, but as to whether they'd work in reality, well I somehow doubt it....

You could always buy a 2CV? :lol

Did try it in 1st without accellerator and it crawled away to about the same spot. I'm all ears for suggestions and I'll find out soon enough whether they will work or not. That said the 2CV suggestion is a non-runner.

 

[R1cho]

try driving in a zig zag shape from side to side at a slight incline this way your're not going straight up.

 

[Fez_uk]

they look more like a all terrain type of tread to me.

 

[danielj]

try driving in a zig zag shape from side to side at a slight incline this way your're not going straight up.

Will try that. I did try to keep reasonably straight though as sideways movement across the hill did give some sideways sliding back down the hill.

 

[R1cho]

the zig zag thing is a trick i learnt from mountain biking, cant see why it won't work in a 4x4, same thing on a bigger scale,i have also seen grass track racers do this with their vans to get on to the fields with their trailers

 

[danielj]

they look more like a all terrain type of tread to me.

They could be a bit along those lines as they may not be on the more aggressive side of mud tyres although they are more blocky and aggressive than most AT's.

 

[makeitfit]

Like I said, traverse it
I also think those tyres are ATs, get some open tread muds on there, that'll help a bit:thumbs
If it was fresh snow you'd be ok though

 

[makeitfit]

My personal preferred method though
Give it some beans and shift mud :sly
Prob no further up but it's more fun and annoys the bobble hats:lol

 

[danielj]

Like I said, traverse it
I also think those tyres are ATs, get some open tread muds on there, that'll help a bit:thumbs
If it was fresh snow you'd be ok though

Will give it a shot.
They may be AT's. I didn't buy them off the shelf as an MT tyre, or an AT tyre for that matter. Bought them from a breaker. Will keep an eye out for something with more of an open thread.

 

[danielj]

My personal preferred method though
Give it some beans and shift mud :sly
Prob no further up but it's more fun and annoys the bobble hats:lol

I'll give that a shot as well (but will have to wait until my Dad is gone away for the day so I know he is not looking out his kitchen window at the bottom of the road at me cutting his field to bits :naughty :naughty).

 

[R1cho]

well bloody hell traverse means zig zag, i knew i was right lol

 

[danielj]

well bloody hell traverse means zig zag, i knew i was right lol

:clap :clap :clap :clap Hope to try it out on Monday and will let you know how it goes.

 

[solarman216]

If your front wheels were not spinning same as the back you were not in 4 wheel drive, simples, if you have auto hubs are they working? if manuals did you lock them first, you should have flown up that in 4x4, Rick

 

[kbekl]

as above really does sound like you were in 2wd i got stuck on a grass hill when mine failed

the easiest way to tell on snow/mud are the tyres at the fron digging in the same as the rears

 

[11redrex]

as above really does sound like you were in 2wd i got stuck on a grass hill when mine failed

the easiest way to tell on snow/mud are the tyres at the fron digging in the same as the rears

you'll need a helper for this, bit difficult to see the front wheels from the driving seat

Having said that, when I got stuck in some marshy ground I put it in gear (4L 1st gear), slipped the clutch to get it spinning, and got out to see if the front wheels were doing anything. They weren't, ie. 4WD not working.

 

[kbekl]

you'll need a helper for this, bit difficult to see the front wheels from the driving seat

Having said that, when I got stuck in some marshy ground I put it in gear (4L 1st gear), slipped the clutch to get it spinning, and got out to see if the front wheels were doing anything. They weren't, ie. 4WD not working.

ah forgot that mirror on wing helps lol:thumbs