[AT] The terror strikes again. - Studebaker speed response

[jtchall at nc.rr.com]

For me and the 3 2wd drive trucks I've run, a LOT of weight in the rear is 
the only way to go. Only one of those trucks didn't handle very well. I got 
stuck in my driveway in 2 inches of snow. 3/4 ton Chevy with something 
ridiculous like 10 ply tires and enough HP to win a tug of war with a 
semi---I had to haul a bunch of suitcase weights to it to get it to move. Of 
course I got that same truck stranded up against a tree trying to turn 
around in the grass after 1/4" of rain.  That truck was just not built for 
riding, it was made for serious towing and hauling, and had the fuel economy 
to prove it!

John

-----Original Message----- 
From: charlie hill
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2014 9:27 PM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] The terror strikes again. - Studebaker speed response

john I put some weight in the rear of my 4 WD truck if possible but
usually not more than 200 or 300 lbs.  I know those who don't have 4 WD or
don't want 4 WD or just don't believe in it for one reason or another don't
want
to hear this but there really is a dramatic difference when driving in snow
or
anything else slick or deep.   There is even a slight improvement in
stopping
but not significant.

When you have 100 miles of snow in front of you and everyone on the highway
is going 20 miles and hour and sliding and you can go 45 mph and track
straight
as an arrow (assuming you can find an open stretch of road with none of the
2wd's in
your way) it makes a huge difference.  Three years ago on my Christmas trip
I-95 was
basically a parking lot from Petersburg VA to Emporia VA.  Both lanes
jammed, going
no faster than 35 at best with constant jamming on breaks with folks sliding
in the ditches.
When I got off of I-295 and merged into 95 I noticed there was no traffic on
the service
road that runs along side of the interstate with just a wire fence between
the two.
I managed to get into the right lane and took  the exit onto the service
road.   It had not
even been plowed.  The snow was probably 4 to 5 inches deep but I was
cruising down
it at about 40 mph and passing everything on the interstate.  I followed
that service road
all the way until it runs out near Emporia.  I never had a problem at all.
When I left
Fredericksburg VA I was in auto 4WD.  By the time I got to Emporia I was
locked in 4 WD and
ran that way all the way to my home in New Bern, NC.

Just outside of Rocky Mount NC the right lane had been plowed but the left
had not.  There was
a long line of cars in the right lane going about 25 mph.  I pulled into the
left lane and was passing them
in about 3" of slush at about 40 mph.  When I got to the front of the line
of about 25 cars I saw why they
were all behaving so well.  The lead car was a NC Highway Patrol trooper.
I went right on by him in his
Crown Victoria with Goodyear Eagles on the back and he looked at me as if to
say "I wish I had 4 WD".
I knew if I screwed up and spun out or hit the ditch he was going to throw
the book at me but there was no
way in the world he could even attempt to catch me and he didn't try.  I
didn't have any issues.
I could have gone faster but didn't want to press my luck because you never
know when something unexpected
will happen.

Charlie

-----Original Message----- 
From: jtchall at nc.rr.com
Sent: Tuesday, June 03, 2014 5:51 PM
To: Antique tractor email discussion group
Subject: Re: [AT] The terror strikes again. - Studebaker speed response

Am I the only one that weights down their 2wd truck and keeps driving? Been
doing it for 25 years with never a problem. I pack the weights right in the
back to make it squat pretty good, probably over a 1,000 lbs of old harrow
discs and sometimes suitcase weights. My wife had a '92 Thunderbird and I
had to put a couple suitcase weights in it but it would still go really
well, now she had front wheel drive.

And yes I like my antilock rear brakes.

John Hall


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