New Winter Sprinter Driver

LSLdriver · Dec 8, 2008

Wow, do I need some advice. I own a 2008 sprinter and boy was last week nuts as far as winter driving. To get to the point can I get some advice on handling the sprinter on the ice/snow and the wind with it. I got blown almost sideways in Iowa last week during the snow. Are you sprinters that bad as well???

:

Thank in advance!!

moose · Dec 8, 2008

Go to the SEARCH tab above & enter the words "skid pad training"
then Google it & get it done !
it is the best investment in Safety you will ever make.
& it is a lot of fun too.

or you can try loaded your sprinter into a truck...
like this :
http://www.denverbrown.com/28fedex.jpg

Moose.

RLENT · Dec 8, 2008

LSLdriver said:
To get to the point can I get some advice on handling the sprinter on the ice/snow and the wind with it. I got blown almost sideways in Iowa last week during the snow.

I know that the newer (07 and up) Sprinters have a heavier rear sway bar than the previous ones (06 and earlier)

I put a heavy-duty rear sway bar and air springs on mine (an 06) and it helped immensely with the handling - used to be whenever a big truck would pass me it felt like I was gonna get sucked or blown out of my lane ..... no more. So suspension upgrades would be one possibility. The other one is just two words and completely free:

Slow Down.

I rarely drive over 60 mph anymore - usually I'll drive between 51 and 58 mph - largely for economic reasons. But ..... one thing is for sure: stuff happens much slower at those rates of speed - than at say 65 or 70.

LSLdriver · Dec 8, 2008

Thanks moose for the advice on the training and I will get it done asap. I really like the idea of just putting my truck on another. That would be easier.

LSLdriver · Dec 8, 2008

I have extra leaf springs from the factory. I wonder if that is the same as the air springs. Have you heard anything about air tabs?

Jack_Berry · Dec 8, 2008

my method is to find a snowy parking lot and practice oversteer. make sure to stay a long way away from lightpoles. yeah as rlent said slow down. no load is as important as your safety.

maybe ovm can advise on the effectiveness of airtabs and side wind blasts.

RLENT · Dec 8, 2008

LSLdriver said:
I have extra leaf springs from the factory. I wonder if that is the same as the air springs.

Nope .....

Air Lift Company

Have you heard anything about air tabs?

Supposed to be good - like Jack sez, OVM has probably had them the longest, with Turtle running a close 2nd mebbe ......

bill98 · Dec 10, 2008

I have air-tabs on my 2007 sprinter and they stop you from being pushed to the side from the big trucks

MoonProwler · Dec 10, 2008

Hey LSL
Ive been driveing a 2004 sprinter. Haveing fun are ya? First off, your driveing a windsail as far as the sprinter goes. Part of your daily routine needs to be checking winds where you are and where your going. Its really your only defence for driveing a sprinter in the wind. Anything over 25 mph is gonna be a handfull.
As far as winter driveing. Drive according to your present conditions. SLOW DOWN.
Also make sure you are driveing on winter tires, anything else, be ready to slide.
I have drivein in Canada, New York, Penn, Mich, Ohio, Ind, Ill, Iowa, Mo, Neb, Ks in the winter, so I do know what I'm talking about.

LSLdriver · Dec 10, 2008

What kind of tires are you using. I have the continental tires that came with the van and not real impressed with them. By the way windsail is an understatement.lol

LSLdriver · Dec 10, 2008

bill98 said:
I have air-tabs on my 2007 sprinter and they stop you from being pushed to the side from the big trucks

Bill do you remember how much you paid for the tabs and have they made a difference in gas economy?

D Team Brothers · Dec 11, 2008

I'm driving a 08 with airtabs and Cont. tires. I've got past experience in a GMC van, so I have something to compare with. The airtabs seem to reduce wind shear down to what a normal van would experience, plus they keep the rear view clear during storms. I checked with my tire dealer about the best winter tires and he said the Cont. M+S was among the best out there - and that was with him knowing he would lose a sale. Two points; my van carries 1500lbs of weight all the time - weight really helps so consider a false floor with weight under it. Second is snow chains; vans find themselves in unusal situations and with rear wheel drive you should expect deep snow and stuck situations. Good luck. JMO, Jack

OntarioVanMan · Dec 11, 2008

Sorry I am late checking in...they are trying to run our dogs off...run into a fishin hole of loads and trying to fish them all out....pool is pretty shallow these days.....

Don't know if the air tabs do anything for slippin and sliddin...but they sure do work on the wind and the side to side issues...

I just run with ANY economy tire with semi-aggressive tread design on the rears....even a 220 buck tire will get stuck!!!

RLENT · Dec 11, 2008

I'm running Michelin LTX M+S at the moment ...... not sure if I like them as much as the Michelin LTX A+S that came with the van from the factory (ask me again in three months)

I ran the A+S all last winter ..... never had a problem ..... and I spent most all of last winter up north in the ice and snow. No tire is a substitute for actually knowing how to drive in adverse weather conditions - as OVM says you can get stuck with any of them.

LSLdriver · Dec 11, 2008

Jack- how have the conts worked out? I am going to get snow tires when I get home and just down the road is a cont dealer. The company I work for is a stickler for sticking with the empty weight ticket subtracted from the gvw and with my sleeper I can only carry 1500 lbs to start with and have not added weight because of that. They say we can be weighed at any time. Thank you for the reply and will check out the cont snow tires.

gotta go · Dec 11, 2008

LSLdriver said:
Bill do you remember how much you paid for the tabs and have they made a difference in gas economy?

Airtabs are $2.75 a piece, you need 3 per foot. In addition to improving handling the back of the van will stay clear of snow build-up.

D Team Brothers · Dec 12, 2008

I am running the original Cont. M&S tires, not full snows. I only have 35000 (4 months) on the van, but the tires run smooth and quiet and there is no wear yet. As the tire pros said; no snows or even studs needed when running highways 98% of the time, as long as the driver uses common sense 100% of the time! JMO Jack

OntarioVanMan · Dec 12, 2008

gotta go said:
Airtabs are $2.75 a piece, you need 3 per foot. In addition to improving handling the back of the van will stay clear of snow build-up.

takes from 36 to 40 airtabs to do an 02-06 Sprinter..the 07/08's may take a couple more since they are a bit bigger.

Moot · Dec 12, 2008

D Team Brothers;275632... my van carries 1500lbs of weight all the time - [/quote said:
Is that 1500 lbs. of freight or ballast? In the winter I carry three 70# sand tubes I get at Menards (save big money) and one inner tube cut in half that is filled with sand. The ends are tied off. Think giant link sausage. I guess the inner tube to weigh about 100#. That gives me just over 300# sitting slightly forward of the rear axle when running light or empty.

If I have two pallets on, two of the tubes stack on the passenger side against the wall, one goes under the bunk and the sausage fits in the side door well.

If I get a heavy load that will put me over gross with the sand I do some pothole repair and buy new sand tubes.

It works for me.

Oh yeah, I personally wouldn't try crossing the border with a false floor. Maybe a fake sausage, but never a fake floor.