Snow Lessons ...come on..in you come

[Zak33]

Right you poor frozen lot..its lesson time.

First.....tyres...if its snowy...let about 7 or 8 seconds of air out of each.

So....take air cap off valve....and use the edge of it to push the valve in..and hold for 7 seconds....do all round...

remember to pump up after snow....it DOES work....its no use in ice....but then sod all is use in ICE but on snow ...works.

Next...clear the snow PROPERLY..even from the base of the screen...around the wiper arms..

people every year OVER HEAT their wiper motors from moving so much snow...if you need too....stop every now and again and clear it all away. Same around edges of screen where snow builds up.

Carry a botte in the car...a squuezy washing up bottle...with water and screen wash is in....then, when the screen gets all bunged up with dried salt and you cant see when the sun shines on it....wind window down....reach out and squirt onto glass while using wipers....

the bottle stays warm in the car, you can top it up in the warm at home/work, and its easy to use

CLEAR THE ROOF of snow...all of it....cos when you drive off and the car gets hot inside, then the roof panel gets warm...

the snow melts...and the ENTIRE ROOF SHAPED SNOW-MOULD skids down across your windscreen and you drive off the nearest cliff

trust me...do it.

Do NOT blow hot air at the screen all the time and TURN OFF the rear heated screen when its melted....you dontr want salty snow drying on the glass...cos the wipers wont work.

More soon....be carefull people

[XTR]

nice one zak... But, but, but i find it more fun to throw the car around the corner launching all the snow on the roof of the car at pedestrians walking past (*only advised if the gritter has been around, otherwise you'll slide and plow the pedestrians down*)

[Zak33]

ITS WORSE WHEN THE LORRY IN FRONT, ALL 18 FOOT LOND ROOF OF IT....DROPS IT ON THE CORSA FOLLWING BEHIND...

it was like watching an up-and-over roll-over garage door come down...each bit was about 3 feet of ridig snow/ice coming off the roof, (over the trailing edge of the lorry's roof) before it broke off....musta been 6 of these bits, each 8 feet wide...

unreal..the Corsa hit a WALL of snow half a dozen times

poor sod.....and it applies to cars too...so don't let it happen to you. Clear your own and watch the one in front.

[Zak33]

driving time.....tricky but you'll all get it fast enough.

1st: as you drive away from home, hit the gas hard for a split second, a few times to judge the grip and to feel the car slide about a fraction...build up confidence.

Next....at about 10 mph...pull the handbrake on and drive forward...no turning....just FEEL IT....feel the way the car gently slides sideways..only a few degrees....

and in my opinion...ALWAYS DRIVE WITH YOUR RIGHT HAND ONLY.

in snow you must be able to steer gently and smoothly and its easiest with your right hand cos you are all used to changing gear with your left....so try it..force yourself....

pull the handbrake up and use the throttle to pull gentle along and steer to compensate for sideways drift...

go on...try it....nice and slow...feel the back grip. Its like a parachute....it slows you bettetr than you know

[Tumble]

I love this time of year... it's the only time of year when my car is faster and better handling than anyone elses

[Jiff Lemon]

Jeffs Starting off tips:

MOST IMPORTANT: Do all of this at least 10 minutes before you normally would set off.

1) get in car, shut door (stop interior light draining precious battery!). Make sure nothing is going to come on before you switch ignition on, we want to save every last bit of battery life for starting.

2) If you've got a diesel, give it 2 lots of glowplugs (wait for light to go out, or better still wait for the "clunk" of the relay).

3) attempt to start car - if it does catch within 5 seconds, Stop. Don't just wind the starter over and over.

4) Once started, switch on heaters, heated rear screen and headlamps.

5) Run round car clearing snow and ice from car.

Wait until screen is perfectly clear before setting off.

[5lab]

bah, wish i had propper snow. i wanna drive sideways

[5lab]

3) attempt to start car - if it does catch within 5 seconds, Stop. Don't just wind the starter over and over.

if it doesnt catch within 5 seconds, stop and let the battery 'recover' for 10 seconds then try again

4) Once started, switch on heaters, heated rear screen and headlamps.

actually, leave yer headlamps off - whats the point in draining you battery more? the less you have on the faster you will recharge the battery. also, the engine will heat up faster if you have your heating off - this will reduce wear on the engine.. i personally choose to have all blowers on cold (to stop condensation) and just scrape off what you have to

5) Run round car clearing snow and ice from car.

Wait until screen is perfectly clear before setting off.

yep pretty much..

another tip, make sure the tips of your windscreen washer jets arnt frozen up. if they are, try warming them up a bit with something - washer fluid has antifreeze properties (so if your lazy you can use your jets to clear your windscreen) but my tips have been frozen lately (and my windscreens gettin dirtier.. should really remedy that)

[Jiff Lemon]

if it doesnt catch within 5 seconds, stop and let the battery 'recover' for 10 seconds then try again actually, leave yer headlamps off - whats the point in draining you battery more? the less you have on the faster you will recharge the battery. also, the engine will heat up faster if you have your heating off - this will reduce wear on the engine.. i personally choose to have all blowers on cold (to stop condensation) and just scrape off what you have to

Once the engine is running, the alternator will provide ample current to charge the battery as well as run all the electrics. The idea of putting the headlamps on is twofold:

1) Warms the lamp up, removing any condensation from inside.

2) Puts a little more load on the engine, forcing it work that little bit harder, thus warming up a little bit quicker.

[5lab]

i dont *think* that altinators actually work depending on how much current is being used. i might be wront but im pretty sure they will always generate the same amount of current when, say the engine is doing 2000rpm. the reason i say this is if you have a car with power steering, and turn the steering with the car idleing and stationary, the lights sometimes dim a bit.. not much, just a bit..

[TiG]

Well I have to say i'm suprised no-one has said anything about using 2nd gear to start off or anything like that. First gear is basically pointless in my car in the conditions we've had, 2nd gear made keeping the car under control much easier to deal with.

TiG

[5lab]

agreed for fwd or lots of power - my rwd underpowerd tank is fine in this weather in 1st

incidentally - use engine braking more if you dont have abs. if you need to stop in a hurry then slam the car into first while braking - this should both slow the wheels down and help stop them locking

[Jiff Lemon]

i dont *think* that altinators actually work depending on how much current is being used. i might be wront but im pretty sure they will always generate the same amount of current when, say the engine is doing 2000rpm. the reason i say this is if you have a car with power steering, and turn the steering with the car idleing and stationary, the lights sometimes dim a bit.. not much, just a bit..

/jiff points at his City and Guilds Level 3 auto electrical certificate and recalls his 4 years as an autoelectrician.

[Zak33]

as it goes....and alternator does monitor voltage drain and correct its charging accordingly....

they dont charge any faster or harder above about 3000 revs tho....so dont rev the carp outta it.

but its a motor trade thing to jump a flat car, and then whack the side lights on to help it charge better....the combo of a minor drain give the alternator a bit of a challenge and it goes at the job a bit better....

cant fully expaline it tho./....sorry

next....

drive on SNOW not ICE....so choose to drive on the slushy stuff, not the shiny stuff......ie DONT follow the wholeworld...make your own route

UNLESS the road shows through underneath AND its not sheet ice.

Use slush and 1st gear to slow down going DOWN HILL....clutch up....no throttle...tyres in the slush and snow...down you go.

and if you have to slow a fraction....gentle handbrake action...the snow builds up in front of therear tyres and you can steer to compensate.

[Zak33]

but the most vital lesson is in your HEAD.

Confidence....be brave but not foolish.

Dont shirk at the first trial....but if need be, get out and test the road first.

The tyres will give MORE grip than your shoes in most cases cos they have a ton of car pushing down on them....but ONLY with gentle input.

Steering....softly softly.....if its not turning, turn LESS not more...and a tweak of the handbrake to straighten up the angle...get a little cocky in a quiet road and give it a tweak...

build up confidence...

so if it DOES all go Pete Tong....you are calm enough to NOT BRAKE HARD.....try to STEER, not brake.

If you are having trouble getting up a hill, and IF you have room tio turn about......dont forget REVERSE....

this sounds silly....but....if you have your nose in a hedge....when you go backwards and then intend to go back down hill, you wont be able to turn forward and dowhill cos the car will still be facing UPHILL....

so point the wheels UPHILL and grab reverse.....

does that make sense....? nope..I'll try again.

Hold on

[Zak33]

to get back down hill safely on a failed climb...youmust get the NOSE of the car past the half-way mark..ie get the nose lower down the hill than the tail.

Inevitably you see people trying to do a U turn......and they always try to turn right (cos thats the side they wanna go down on) but that involves CLIMBING the hill...it aint gonna happen...

so instead REVERSE back left into the hedge....then....when you cant go anyfurther.....grab 1st...reverse the steering lock to right....HOLD THE HANDBRAKE ON TIGHT and spin the wheels down the hill......cos the back will have no prefered route....(handbrake is on, so it wont roll, and therefore ALL directions including turning on their own axis have the SAME RESITANCE) the car will spin in its own length..(give or take a foot)

So when you wanna turn tight.....form stationary.....handbrake on and full lock...but to get to that stage you must use gravity and reverse gear.

OK?

PS....none of this helps 5lab or David in their RWD beasts

thats a whole different kettle of fish