Downsides of driving a truck in winter

This is very important to know if you plan a long distance move to Minneapolis. Every moving process has its own downsides. Most of them depend on the season you chose for moving. If you plan to move during the winter, then it might not be a good idea for you. Especially if you do a „do it yourself“ move with your own truck. Here are some of the downsides of driving a truck in winter. You must be aware of them if you want to have a successful and stress moving process.

Downsides of driving a truck in winter depending on the type of the truck

Ever wonder why people fall down in winter so often? Why cars lose control and slide away? It all falls down on the traction of the vehicle! This is a significant problem for moving trucks. For instance, driving a four-wheel-drive truck, fully engaged, all tires will have the same function. This is very good because it doubles the traction of a truck. Two-wheel drive trucks are at disadvantage here and have a high risk of having a crash. The weight of the truck plays a huge role! For balancing purpose around 60% of the trucks weight is placed over the front wheels. The rest of the weight, around 40%, lays in the back.

Now, the catch with trucks is that they are made to carry more items, therefore more weight is distributed to the front. Now, the problem begins with 2 wheel drive trucks. Especially those with rear while drive. Because a part of the weight of the vehicle is transferred to the back while driving. This creates more traction on back wheels. Lighter the back part of the truck, less the traction, thus making it easy to spiral out of control during winter driving. It is very important to address this issue if you are planning a long distance moving to Minnesota. Driving during winter is hard enough, and not to mention a truck full of items. A lot of driving professionals advise not to do it if you are not experienced enough. So if you do not have a history of long drives with heavy loads, then hire long distance movers Minneapolis that will surely help you. Professional drivers and workers will deliver your items safely to your new house.

How to address the issues of winter road – weight and tires solution

These two problems are really easy to solve. All you need to know is some basic laws of physics and to have patience. First things first, solving the tires issues is a piece of cake. When you buy a brand new truck, the original tires are for all seasons. It all falls down on the thread of the tires. Do not get fooled easy! They might look good and deep but, depending on their pattern and the quality of said tire, they could be meant for dry roads. Maybe they are perfect for hot weather, sand, and earth, but winter tires are a totally different thing. If you want to stay safe during winter driving then buy appropriate winter tires. As technology advances, so does the manufacturing process. Today, winter tires are a totally different category, and they raise road safety for over 60%. This is just one of the downsides of driving a truck in winter! The other issue is road salt! Yes, we know, it raises the temperature and prevents the road from icing up. But, it also deals a lot of damage to tires as well. Constant driving over salt produces low-quality tires. That can bring you much closer to an accident!

Addressing the weight of the truck 

Weight is a whole different area of issues. To cover it properly, you must distribute the weight on even places. An out of control vehicle on the icy road is the last thing you need. A proper thing to do when planning a long distance moving is to ask your City Moving and Storage Minnesota movers for advice. Whether or not you decide to carry a certain load yourself, always ask for advice revolving your safety on the icy road. If you own a 2WD truck, the best thing you can do is to put more weight in the back. As we mentioned before, when you drive, more weight is transferred to the back. If your rear end is heavy, there is more traction on the road. Thus making it almost impossible to lose control over your vehicle. One of the downsides of driving a truck in winter like this is fuel usage.

Basic winter driving equipment

As with every season, there is special equipment people use when travelling. Driving during winter is no different, and it does require some things, even by the law! Especially if a long winter drive is waiting for you. One of those must have thins are:

• Fully charged cell phone with an extra battery.
• Tire chains, if you get stuck.
• Jumper Cable.
• Tools used to clean windshields and break the ice from it.
• Washer fluid.
• Bags of salt and sand. Like tire chains, they will help you move your truck if you are stuck.
• First aid kit. It is very important to keep it with yourself. It falls down to a category of items you must not pack in the back of the truck.
• The blanket is very important if the weather is very cold.
• Water and food.
• Batteries and flashlights.
• Of course, proper winter clothing. One of the downsides of driving a truck during winter is the very cold weather.

There is more to it than this basic equipment. Not only will they make that move a lot easier, but you will save more money if you have them. How? You will have more options if you ever get in a bad situation. Also, consider other options to cut loses on long distance move as well.

Ask the experts

There is always this option! Ask the experts about the downsides of driving a truck in winter! They will help you with good advice and even point out some tips and tricks! Research driving courses your community offers. Every city offers courses on winter driving! Might as well consider taking them. Search the internet for more advice on winter driving that can help you get through this tuff process.

Do not let winter scare you! Today, the roads are in good condition and technology is at its peak. There are certain concerns you must be aware off, but nothing that dangerous. Keep in mind that not all downsides of driving a truck in winter revolve around safety. Most of them are based on economic reasons. If you are a seasoned winter driver, leave some tips and tricks for your fellow readers! We are sure they more than glad to read about them!