4x4
1 a.m., blizzard conditions, hospital calls for bloodelivered as quickly as possible for trauma patient bleeding out in surgery. (MVA not wearing seat-belts.)
We encounter deep snow for which chains would be good.
Then 25 miles of clean highway surface.
Then several miles of deep drifted snow.
Then 10 miles of dry surface.
Then deep snow in the town to the hospital.
This makes using chains an impediment.
Are snow tires, or snow tires with studs, as effective as chains?
Though most weight is on front wheels, Ford says to place chains only on rear wheels due to steering structures and clearances of front wheels.
Your opinions?
Thank you.
These are the varying conditions that modern “real” snows with the snow flake emblem were made for. Studs are not needed for deep snow, only hard pack or icing conditions. Your Expedition may be front weight bias unloaded, but chains in the rear assume a loaded state.
I’m sure your car has both 4wd and awd capability making the drive train ideal along with traction control. Use 4 wd and disengage traction control in really deep snow. You’re fine for winter conditions with winter tires. In emergency del, notify the state police and highway department for road clearing assistance. In really difficult conditions, we’ve had good luck around here asking the state guard units for help…choppers and Humvees make deliveries pretty routine in any condition.
When I served as a medic in a state guard unit, we “routinely” gave assistance to causes such as yours.
Robert:
I’m wondering if this is an accidental duplicate posting (or a delayed posting from a few days ago). Much of this was discussed in your posting from a few days ago.
If it is a new post and you still have questions, can you briefly help us understand the conclusions you arrived at from the many answers in your first post? I’m trying to save a duplicate thread with all the same discussions.
Thank you.
State patrol is notifed of such deliveries but resources are often unavailable.
I reset the odometer at a certain mile marker so know how many miles I have accomplished from that point.
Helicopter is unable to fly due to adverse weather.
Should we have gotten an H3 Humvee instead of the Expedition?
My previous post appeared under Repair and Maintenance, even though I clicked on General Discussion.
Also, I am now wondering about snow tires with studs instead of plain snow tires.
Thanks.
How often have you been called on to transport blood in blizzard conditions? Tell the truth now…You are obsessing over an event that happens rarely if ever, correct?
The Front Range of the Rockies is a semi-arid region where blizzards are rare events indeed. When it gets bad enough that Ford Expeditions riding on aggressive all-season tires can no longer travel, chains are the ONLY option that would offer any meaningful improvement. In an earlier post you mentioned inflating the tires on this vehicle to 44 PSI. This will GREATLY reduce traction in heavy snow. Under those conditions, 25 PSI will provide MUCH greater traction and is safe enough if you keep your speed below 50 MPH as “blizzard” driving would require you to do.
Seems EVERY time we have a blizzard, once a year, a distant hospital calls for an emergency transport.
No blizzard in 2008.
The M+S tires at 44 psi for best fuel mileage and for when we are reaching high speeds - up to 100+ mph.
Snow tires would be kept atheirecommended pressure.
We drive slowly in bad conditions and try make up for lost time in dry stretches.
For one good storm, I almost put on chains.
North of Denver, there was no snow.
There I would have removed chains.
Greeley, Colorado was snowed in.
I managed to progress, almost got stopped in a few places, then got stuck in the hospital parking lot. Carried the blood and platlete boxes into the hospital.
After that, Greeley probably beefed up their blood supply so you may wait a long time for the next call…
They all try to bank more before big storms arrive.
But they may have trauma cases or other situations which cause these complications.