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June, 2025

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RWD hoewagon for the Cottonwoods

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StoinkyDoinky
Posts: 60 - Karma: 569
title pretty self-explanitory unless you're dyslexic or sum
anyways i own a ford exploder (explorer) that i love to death. seats fold down so i can get cry myself to sleep in comfort. anyways its a damn rwd. and i live in utah. no im not selling it. no im not buying a winter beater. (in my defense i paid $4k for a $7k car.) last winter was aight, never went up the canyons bc my acl decided to go away but it did pretty well just around town. question is, what's my best move if i wanna go up the cottonwoods in that ish? traction law isn't my main concern, moreso i dont wanna get stuck and frick up everyone's day. i've thought about 250lbs of ballast in the back, cheap takeoff blizzaks, or chains.
Jul 18 2024 11:44AM
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eheath
Posts: 61964 - Karma: 126,838
Well, you have to use chains when the traction law is in effect.
Jul 18 2024 11:57AM
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StoinkyDoinky
Posts: 60 - Karma: 569
eheathWell, you have to use chains when the traction law is in effect.


understandable but i'm asking what the best option is. i could go blow $500 on a set of 3pmsf tires so i'm legal but i'm broke. ski bus also fricks hard. just wondering if people have experience in canyons with rwd.
Jul 18 2024 12:08PM
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eheath
Posts: 61964 - Karma: 126,838
StoinkyDoinkyunderstandable but i'm asking what the best option is. i could go blow $500 on a set of 3pmsf tires so i'm legal but i'm broke. ski bus also fricks hard. just wondering if people have experience in canyons with rwd.


Maybe you're misunderstanding the law, regardless of your tires, if you have 2WD you are required by law to use chains when the traction law is in effect.
Jul 18 2024 12:28PM
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fabbe
Posts: 943 - Karma: -10
Yeah, you is a pick me on the low, i know u bluff, yeah
Jul 18 2024 12:58PM
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skierman
Posts: 8610 - Karma: 9,587
StoinkyDoinkyunderstandable but i'm asking what the best option is. i could go blow $500 on a set of 3pmsf tires so i'm legal but i'm broke. ski bus also fricks hard. just wondering if people have experience in canyons with rwd.


If you're incapable of figuring this out on your own, stay the fuck off the road because you're dumber than shit.
Jul 18 2024 1:06PM
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SendyMcSendyface
Posts: 3170 - Karma: 28,786
RWD is fine in the winter, if you have good tires and some weight in the back. Throw a couple of sandbags in the trunk, get some real winter tires and chains, and you'll be all set. Use your chains when the chain law is in effect. Don't be one of those morons that thinks they can sneak up without chains, you'll just end up fucking your car, and holding up traffic for everyone else driving up.
Jul 18 2024 2:13PM
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StoinkyDoinky
Posts: 60 - Karma: 569
my brothers i'm not asking for lip here. literally just asking if anyone had experience with chains, snow tires, or anything of the like with a rwd car. asking this question so i don't figure out the hard way that chains aren't enough to make it up the canyon. that's all
Jul 18 2024 2:15PM
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StoinkyDoinky
Posts: 60 - Karma: 569
SendyMcSendyfaceRWD is fine in the winter, if you have good tires and some weight in the back. Throw a couple of sandbags in the trunk, get some real winter tires and chains, and you'll be all set. Use your chains when the chain law is in effect. Don't be one of those morons that thinks they can sneak up without chains, you'll just end up fucking your car, and holding up traffic for everyone else driving up.


this what i needed my good sir thank you. may your dm's be flooded for years to come
Jul 18 2024 2:15PM
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eheath
Posts: 61964 - Karma: 126,838
StoinkyDoinkymy brothers i'm not asking for lip here. literally just asking if anyone had experience with chains, snow tires, or anything of the like with a rwd car. asking this question so i don't figure out the hard way that chains aren't enough to make it up the canyon. that's all


if chains didnt work, wouldn't you think they'd not allow 2WD at all? just follow the rules and you'll be fine.
Jul 18 2024 2:22PM
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StoinkyDoinky
Posts: 60 - Karma: 569
eheathif chains didnt work, wouldn't you think they'd not allow 2WD at all? just follow the rules and you'll be fine.


you right, gonna just suck it up and get chains. thanks for yalls input
Jul 18 2024 2:31PM
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eheath
Posts: 61964 - Karma: 126,838
StoinkyDoinkyyou right, gonna just suck it up and get chains. thanks for yalls input

Unfortunately it's the only option and you will make it up for sure, weird that your explorer isn't 4WD.
Jul 18 2024 2:41PM
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StoinkyDoinky
Posts: 60 - Karma: 569
eheathUnfortunately it's the only option and you will make it up for sure, weird that your explorer isn't 4WD.


texas car owned by a broke ass school teacher lmao. atleast the V8 fricks
Jul 18 2024 2:42PM
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SlushSeason
Posts: 1235 - Karma: 9,052
The traction law allows 2wd with 3PMS tires. 4wd only needs mud and snow tires
Quote from cottonwoods page on Utah.gov "2WD: 3 peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) tires (on all four tires)
is the minimum requirement. Traction devices such as chains are also
acceptable."

eheathMaybe you're misunderstanding the law, regardless of your tires, if you have 2WD you are required by law to use chains when the traction law is in effect.
Jul 18 2024 3:46PM
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eheath
Posts: 61964 - Karma: 126,838
SlushSeasonThe traction law allows 2wd with 3PMS tires. 4wd only needs mud and snow tires
Quote from cottonwoods page on Utah.gov "2WD: 3 peak mountain snowflake (3PMSF) tires (on all four tires)
is the minimum requirement. Traction devices such as chains are also
acceptable."


no shit, that must have changed recently because as far as I knew it was 2WD was chain required. post that link for OP
Jul 18 2024 3:54PM
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muffMan.
Posts: 2912 - Karma: 27,865
Rwd for sick drifts
Jul 18 2024 4:43PM
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StoinkyDoinky
Posts: 60 - Karma: 569
i guess i wasn't clear in my original post. i've skied the cottonwoods for ten years, i think know the traction laws and whatnot. i was specifically asking for personal experiences on whether tires, chains, or some magical spell on my car would work best, and other tips for rwd cars. something along the lines of sendy's reply.
Jul 18 2024 4:44PM
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StoinkyDoinky
Posts: 60 - Karma: 569
muffMan.Rwd for sick drifts


you should see me in school zones
Jul 18 2024 4:45PM
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eheath
Posts: 61964 - Karma: 126,838
StoinkyDoinkyi guess i wasn't clear in my original post. i've skied the cottonwoods for ten years, i think know the traction laws and whatnot. i was specifically asking for personal experiences on whether tires, chains, or some magical spell on my car would work best, and other tips for rwd cars. something along the lines of sendy's reply.


might be fine with the tires especially if theyre new, but if its super snowy you might wanna have chains on hand.
Jul 18 2024 4:52PM
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Train
Posts: 57 - Karma: 176
Put a locker in the rear end
Jul 18 2024 5:08PM
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muffMan.
Posts: 2912 - Karma: 27,865
StoinkyDoinkyi guess i wasn't clear in my original post. i've skied the cottonwoods for ten years, i think know the traction laws and whatnot. i was specifically asking for personal experiences on whether tires, chains, or some magical spell on my car would work best, and other tips for rwd cars. something along the lines of sendy's reply.


Honestly don’t know how bad it gets there but rarely put my truck in 4WD in bridger canyon and i70 past two seasons.


These were the cheapest LT tire with the snowflake I could find, and were fantastic. Cost me like 600-700 for a set, 265/75/16s. Basically felt the same as a set of studded tires I previously.

https://www.discounttire.com/buy-tires/rocky-mountain-all-terrain
Jul 18 2024 5:34PM
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mikem
Posts: 968 - Karma: 9,915
Tires > 4wd in lcc

a 4wd with fucked tires is just as fucked as as a rwd with fucked tires

guy was right about trac law. Tires alone can pass. Reason eheath was confused is I think they changed it when they rolled out the sticker program/not checking at the mouth.

What id do is buy fucking nice tires. You can get em cheap on ksl typically. Then buy some beater ass pair of chains and throw those in the back. weight in the back wouldn’t hurt

experience. Sometimes my old ass Tacoma doesn’t go into 4wd. Which requires more thought when going up lcc. Oh and have been broke with shit tires before.
Jul 21 2024 12:11AM
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SlushSeason
Posts: 1235 - Karma: 9,052
mikemguy was right about trac law. Tires alone can pass. Reason eheath was confused is I think they changed it when they rolled out the sticker program/not checking at the mouth.

As guy: yeah my fwd hatchback with Blizzacks does way better than most Taco bros with M+S tires.
2wd = 4wd on the downhill. On the uphill it can be a little harder with 2wd, but LCC doesn't have any really steep sections like BCC. Just get good tires and try to avoid going too slow uphill
Jul 21 2024 1:57AM
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BigPurpleSkiSuit
Posts: 9643 - Karma: 71,781
2nd the good tires.

I remember pushing a brand new AWD Mercedes with a Cali plate out of a parking spot and telling him to gun it up a hill to get out and he barely made it

Then a 2WD 2010 prius happily pulled out and wen on its way in the spot next to us.

Difference was the prius had snow tires
Jul 23 2024 4:08PM
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SendyMcSendyface
Posts: 3170 - Karma: 28,786
BigPurpleSkiSuit2nd the good tires.

I remember pushing a brand new AWD Mercedes with a Cali plate out of a parking spot and telling him to gun it up a hill to get out and he barely made it

Then a 2WD 2010 prius happily pulled out and wen on its way in the spot next to us.

Difference was the prius had snow tires


facts. I plowed through shit in my old FWD volvo with an open diff and solid winter tires that I couldn't get through in my 4runner with a locker and dogshit tires.
Jul 26 2024 2:39AM
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FakeKalmar
Posts: 2516 - Karma: 21,026
You winter tire laws sounds spooky. I'm rocking studded tires for the whole winter.
Jul 26 2024 4:33AM
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eheath
Posts: 61964 - Karma: 126,838
ramlaKramlaJYou winter tire laws sounds spooky. I'm rocking studded tires for the whole winter.


Utah has a pretty mild climate, we don't get snow pack and ice on roads, it's either fresh snow, slush or plowed with salt. Studs are pretty rare in SLC.
Jul 26 2024 10:38AM
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TRVP_ANGEL
Posts: 12719 - Karma: 120,295
Not getting up/down cottonwoods via horse travel is a big mistake buddy. While yall are stuck up there id be sallying forth to me hearth on my steed dakota
Jul 28 2024 11:52AM
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