Alright I know this has probably been posted a hundred times and I personally hate it when people keep reposting the same question over and over, but how does a Lightning do in the snow and during the winter?


First a little background on myself and my driving experience. I live in Indiana so we dont' get too bad of a winter, but still. I've been driving sports cars, 300ZX turbo and now a Porsche 944, for most of my driving life so I'm used to rear wheel drive in the winter. I compete in SCCA Solo II competition, or autocross, which is basically an introduction to road racing, low speeds, tight turns, learn to drive your car on the edge. I would consider myself and above average driver.


Thanks in advance for your help!!

 

The Lightning is terrible in the snow. Having said that, I live in Missouri where most winters are not that severe, and I drive my truck every day. You just have to be extremely careful in the snow.

 

We must not be in the same Indiana.

I just put 16in tires on the rear, and 210lbs of sand in the back. I get around fine. I even get to work before the 4X4 do.

It looks bad, but gets the job done.

 

I never had a problem driving the Lightning through the snow. F1's, and no weight to boot. These were Ohio / Michigan winters, and I thought the truck did fine. I had no complaints in the years that I have driven the Lightning in the snow. Prior to that, I had driven Mustangs, and T-Bird turbo coupe through the snow.
No Problem with the Lightning!

 

I go to school at Rose-Hulman in Terre Haute, and my point of reference is the harsh lake effect winters of north west pennsylvania where my parents live. I did a search before I posted and saw something about the smaller wheels for the winter. Does this really make that big of a difference?? What size wheels do these trucks come with stock??

 

I was just giving you a hard time about the weather here. It will be 60 on Monday and snowing on Tuesday. This year has not been that bad.

Now onto the tires:
Stock is a 295/45-18 Goodyear Eagle F1. They are NOT rated for snow. There is a sticker on the door jamb about not using them in snow, ect. Some people run them year round with no problems. I put the 16's on before the first snow, and will take them off this month.

Right now I have Nitto 404 285/50R-18 (i think) on the front, and will run the 5 "good" F1s I have on the rear till they are gone. Then get some more Nitto's.

 

i'm definetely not one for harshing people on the search button.......but i have to on this one.

Their has been 206 bazillion posts and arguments on this.

My suggestion.........get a beater and put the lightning away.

I would be more worried about some a-hole slamming into you then you slamming someone. Drove my lightning the first winter i had it in the snow. Luckily for living in New England, we only had like 2 minor storms. Alpine II tires on 16" wheels, and over 300 lbs in the back and still the truck was useless. I live on a hill and i had to drive all the way around and come in the back side of my street because i could even begin to get up it.........

 

I live in Evansville, which is about as far south in Indiana as you can go, and from my experiences, I would never drive my truck in the snow unless it was absolutely necessary. People down here drive terrible in the snow, and thats what you have to look out for. Just last week we had a dusting with a few small ice patches, which claimed ridiculous amounts of cars. But thats just my 2 cents. By the way, we had over 22 inches of snow right before christmas, and I know the lightning wouldn't have made it through that. Good luck though!

 

I could not have a more identicle story that my Brother tallimeca,

Drove it the first Winter, and it was absolutely impossible

I also live on a street that no matter how you come home you must climp a VERY SLIGHT, BUT LONG uphill

I tried Concrete in the Bed, I tried hundreds and hundreds of lbs of sand, and on MANY OCASSIONS I not only got stuck, but actually started sliding backwards down the hill.

I should add the Cobra was as bad or worse.

"NO VEHICLE" has a real major problem on a nice coating of snow,
it's the frigging slush, ice, and inclines that make my Lightning impossible.

 

I bought mine for a year round driver. I'm buying blizzaks and putting some weight in the bed, and praying for the best.

 

I snow blow my driveway and still with minor residual snow or wet/slush mixture I can't get the L outta the driveway. I don't even try anymore. I drive a company truck If I didn't have that I would have a beater.

However there aren't hills in the midwest like there are here. Give it a shot, you can buy a beater any day of the year.

 

What kind of wheels are those? I was thinking about trying to find another wheel like the one used for the spare.

JS

 

That is a regular F150 rim. The spare is a black rim with holes, they didn't have any of them, so I traded my spare for one and paided for one.

 

mine hybernate. someday I'll retire to year round fun

 

I'm in the chicago area and I have about 200lbs of weight in the bed and the Factory F1's. Now we've had some snows this year that have been significant, but I was still able to make my 50mile commute without an issue.

Of course, my truck is a brand new '04 so the F1's are in really good shape. I won't fool you, you have to be careful in driving and it can get a bit "white knuckle" in deep snow, but you can get around.

I'm sure the Posi diff helps that alot. If I had my preference though, I would have put the 16" wheels with the Blizzak's on them. I just didn't have the $$ to shell out for them.

just my .02

Shaummy