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Dashing in the snow-covered highways, climbing rocky terrains, or crossing a river, jeeps are up for any challenges and obstacles on the way. Four-wheel drives don’t go against the laws of physics. However, many jeep owners are guilty of driving around in chilly temperatures without proper care.
Many people often ask me – are Jeep Liberty good in snow. The simple answer is Yes. These Jeeps are well suited to drive in snow-clad pathways and other harsh conditions with aggressive tires, four-wheel drive, straps, and other essential equipment on board.
If you have heard jeep owners complaining about issues when driving in the snow then that’s probably because they ignore the simple winter driving tips. While the jeeps are in general well-suited to ride in the snow, there are a few limitations, such as they are not good at stopping in slopy areas,
Furthermore, the jeep tires often do not have siping and many of us don’t have ABS (anti-lock braking system) just because we don’t expect it to stop on the trails. Jeeps typically have a short wheelbase with a much higher center of gravity that creates some restraints in winter.
The key to easy winter driving lies in doing it smoothly, without any sudden movements. Please bear in mind that the scenario may differ in different types of terrains, and the more you practice, the more confident you will be. In this post, we have created a list of important things to make your jeep winter-ready.
Be Prepared For The Snowy Trails
Until the frost arrives, narrow tires will be your best friend and help you improve your game. When the snow starts blanketing the road, you will need to upgrade your jeep with higher floatation tires. If your jeep has got hubs then we suggest that you lock them before venturing out.
When the weather forecast calls for snow, remember that the four-wheel drive may not be of much use to you. It all depends on your driving skills and technique. Some people use ashes and cat litter to get unstuck, so you may carry what you think can help you in your ride.
Layer of snow
Your jeep riding performance will depend on the type of snow you get in your location and how deep the blanket is on the road. If there’s a shallow sheet of snow, it will be more forgiving than a thick blanket. When there’s an ice crust on the road, make sure you tread lightly with minimum abruptness. This will maximize your chances of staying above the road.
If the snow is deep, the best way to keep riding on the trail is to keep the engine close to the highest horsepower (about 3,000 rpm), while keeping the wheel speed under control. A high wheel speed will freeze the snow in the tires while a slow speed will prevent snow from cleaning out and you may sink.
Things To Remember With Jeep Liberty On And Off-Road
When driving on road, you can get to the bottom with big jeep tires so starting is not a big deal. If there’s too much ice at the bottom, maintain minimum wheelspin while leaving a stop sign. The key is to keep the wheelspin down to be on the safe side.
When driving off-road on a snow-clad trail, we suggest that you start with care. Similar to deep mud or sandy road, make the best use of the throttle and clutch for the smoothest launch. This will enable you to maintain a forward movement without sinking into the white sheet
When you need to stop, we suggest that you leave more following distance than you expect is required. No matter what’s in front of you (another vehicle or a tree), always give it enough time and space.
When there’s shallow snow, ice (both white and black) is the enemy and it can turn out to be really dangerous. Returning home at dusk or after dark, you must be careful about the areas that had ice on them earlier. Sometimes bridges may have ice all day long due to cold air from below.
Despite all safety measures, if you still hit ice don’t panic or lock up your brakes. Most people feel that locking up brakes may help them stop faster, however, this is not always true. When the brakes are locked up, you sometimes have no control at all.
The best solution is to pump the pedal similar to a human-powered ABS. If you are new to jeep driving, we would suggest that you go to a place that gets first snowfall or ice storm in order to practice how to pump the pedal.
Downshifting may help at times if you are really smooth with it. Simply dumping the clutch to a downshift may not get you anywhere. So, be smooth with the cloth and this can dramatically decrease the downshifting and also reduce the stopping distances.
When driving off-road in shallow snow, it leaves some space for the braking technique. If you are leaving an adequate following distance, locking the brakes can be a good option. When there’s some loose surface beneath the snow, pumping brakes may take forever to stop you.
Remember that deep snow is the equalizer. If they don’t properly plow the snow in the area you are driving, after a good snowstorm, there won’t be much difference between stopping on-road and off-road. While locking the brakes might be a good idea, you may have a hard time if you brake through the crust or nosedive into the snow.
Tips To Maintain Jeep Liberty Tires In Winter
Yes, jeeps are more forgiving than other vehicles as they are sturdy, robust, and can take a lot of beating. However, there are a few things you need to keep in mind to keep your jeep winter-ready. Your tire’s air pressure is perhaps the first thing you need to consider.
When did you last check on the jeep tires’ air pressure? Most people I know do not remember or they think it was probably done in the last oil change. Others don‘t care until they notice something wrong in the vehicle. They live by the belief that they’ve got four-wheel drive and all-season tires, so nothing can go wrong.
If you are lucky, things may actually go fine until you are forced to slow down quickly to avoid an obstacle. This can be risky for both wet and dry pavements, so make sure you check on the tires’ air pressure more frequently.
Keeping a tab on the condition of your tires and knowing which variety is most suitable for winter driving can create a huge difference in how your vehicle reacts when you need to avoid an accident. If you are a beginner, we suggest that you take help from experts to choose a suitable tire size.
Steering On/ Off-Road Performance In Snow
When you are on or off-road, you will realize that the four-wheel-drive only helps at lowering the speed. If you choose to drive at a higher speed, you may want to pull it out of the four-wheel drive. Let’s take a closer look at the steering performance of jeep liberty on and off-road in snow.
On-road
When riding on the snow-clad pathway, the biggest gripe is pushing and steering at the same time. You can benefit by slipping the throttle. Again, this may send you much faster off the guard. To put things under control, you will need to take some weight off the front tires so that they can take you where you want to go.
If you are steering on a slippery icy road, we would suggest that you leave the four-wheel drive. The ice will help you steer to the direction you wish to go and also keep the short-wheelbase from spinning.
Off-road
When steering your jeep off-road, we suggest that you stay in the known track, provided they are not too deep. Always keep the jeep in a four-wheel drive and also lower down the road speed if you have to create your own track. These things will improve your chances of success and also increase your horsepower.
Safety Tips For Winter
- Always stay away from the trees while driving as the snow around trees melt quickly due to the heat they dissipate. These melting points often get covered with light wind-driven snow, creating traps for vehicles.
- Snow meets snow to create good traction, but the same is not true for ice. Hence, we suggest that you take extra care when driving over icy sheets.
- Remember that going downhill on a snow-clad terrain is easier than driving uphill. So, while it may be easier going downhill on a trail, it may not be a similar experience uphill.
- Some people prefer putting chains on the tires for better performance on snow. However, you must make sure there is enough clearance, and chains are tightly installed. Consider tying chains with heavy rope or heavy tarp tie-downs, plus make sure you only use the best quality chains.
Related Questions
What is a good tire for Jeep liberty in winter
The Highway Tires offers good braking and traction in the freezing conditions for average owners. These tires are designed in a way to deliver a good performance on ice, snow, and slush. The Touring Tires offer better on-road dynamics, All-Terrain Tires are good for off-road driving, and Mud-Terrain/ Maximum Traction Tires are great for off-road travelers.
What is the average life expectancy of Jeep
A jeep is sturdier than other four-wheelers and they can last for up to 15 years. With good care and maintenance, you can add more years and they can last up to 20 years
Do jeeps have any limitations
Some of the main issues associated with jeeps include limited comfort and poor handling. It does not have much to do with dependability. While jeeps are mostly considered as reliable vehicles, people mostly romanticize the idea of owning a jeep.
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