# Winter is Coming. Santa. Presents. and TRACTION.
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/winter-is-coming-santa-presents-and-traction/144699
**Category:** Canada Nissan Automotive
**Created:** [October 15, 2006, 10:00pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/winter-is-coming-santa-presents-and-traction/144699 "2006-10-15T22:00:09Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@240sx2nr](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/240sx2nr)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2006, 10:00pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/winter-is-coming-santa-presents-and-traction/144699/1 "2006-10-15T22:00:09Z")
on a RWD,
what’s a good way to keep the wheels down in winter,
and have traction?..
I’ve heard about putting a shitload of bricks, or cinder blocks in the back,
any other good ideas?..
-1
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### Author:  [@apex\_drifter](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/apex_drifter)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2006, 10:13pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/winter-is-coming-santa-presents-and-traction/144699/2 "2006-10-15T22:13:59Z")
I just put on some really good winter tires (ultra grip gw3’s) and drove according to the conditions. . .remember you want handling and braking the most, which is up front. . .
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### Author:  [@Buddyworm](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Buddyworm)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2006, 11:17pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/winter-is-coming-santa-presents-and-traction/144699/3 "2006-10-15T23:17:54Z")
Get winter tires. You don’t need weight in the back. Go easy on the throttle and all will be well.
B-Wurm 😃
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### Author:  [@beatshack](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/beatshack)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2006, 11:47pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/winter-is-coming-santa-presents-and-traction/144699/4 "2006-10-15T23:47:12Z")
bricks in the back will help with traction while accelerating but will hinder your braking 60 to 0 kmh time (good ol inertia)
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### Author:  [@RS13](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/RS13)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2006, 7:09am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/winter-is-coming-santa-presents-and-traction/144699/5 "2006-10-16T07:09:43Z")
Do not use weights in the back. If you do end up going sideways it is more weight to control and it can always move around in the back making the car extremely unstable.
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### Author:  [@JVD](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JVD)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2006, 11:22am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/winter-is-coming-santa-presents-and-traction/144699/6 "2006-10-16T11:22:32Z")
Just get really good winter tires(do some research). You’ll be fine.
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### Author:  [@TyPhOOn](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TyPhOOn)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2006, 12:57pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/winter-is-coming-santa-presents-and-traction/144699/7 "2006-10-16T12:57:22Z")
S13s are weighted very well and winter tires are all that is needed to be honest …
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### Author:  [@sil\_eightyRPS13](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/sil_eightyRPS13)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2006, 1:56pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/winter-is-coming-santa-presents-and-traction/144699/8 "2006-10-16T13:56:04Z")
bricks??..lol ever here of sand bags(use 1 or 2 at most)…get some studded tires as they are the bes!t i had uniroyal tiger paws, then got studs put in…they were killer on my 180sx!
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### Author:  [@TyPhOOn](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TyPhOOn)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2006, 2:35pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/winter-is-coming-santa-presents-and-traction/144699/9 "2006-10-16T14:35:10Z")
hahaha those studs were sparking and flying out most of the time 😛
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### Author:  [@mikesim](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/mikesim)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2006, 3:29pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/winter-is-coming-santa-presents-and-traction/144699/10 "2006-10-16T15:29:26Z")
> [@TyPhOOn](#):
>
> S13s are weighted very well and winter tires are all that is needed to be honest …
i agree with this 100%, factory VLSD is good too.
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### Author:  [@apex\_drifter](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/apex_drifter)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2006, 5:30pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/winter-is-coming-santa-presents-and-traction/144699/11 "2006-10-16T17:30:31Z")
does your car have abs? i wouldn’t recommend driving it if it doesn’t. . .
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### Author:  [@CA18DET-180SX](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/CA18DET-180SX)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2006, 5:46pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/winter-is-coming-santa-presents-and-traction/144699/12 "2006-10-16T17:46:10Z")
> [@nismo240r](#):
>
> does your car have abs? i wouldn’t recommend driving it if it doesn’t. . .
pffff, Every vehicle I have ever driven in winter (except my tempo) was RWD and had no ABS. Good tires and threshold braking and your set.
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### Author:  [@the.k.w.c](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/the.k.w.c)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2006, 8:39pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/winter-is-coming-santa-presents-and-traction/144699/13 "2006-10-16T20:39:33Z")
sand bag it lol :anal
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### Author:  [@PyreXXX](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/PyreXXX)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2006, 9:22pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/winter-is-coming-santa-presents-and-traction/144699/14 "2006-10-16T21:22:01Z")
ABS is actually worse in winter. Locking the wheels up creates a pile of snow in front of the tires and helps the car stop faster (leaving you no directional control, but that’s another matter entirely! :)) due to additional friction. I know it sounds stupid, but it’s real car physics and can be easily searched for.
Sandbags are totally the way to go. They shouldn’t move around at all once placed in the back of the car.
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### Author:  [@Nis240](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Nis240)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2006, 10:12pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/winter-is-coming-santa-presents-and-traction/144699/15 "2006-10-16T22:12:08Z")
> [@PyreXXX](#):
>
> ABS is actually worse in winter. Locking the wheels up creates a pile of snow in front of the tires and helps the car stop faster (leaving you no directional control, but that’s another matter entirely! :)) due to additional friction. I know it sounds stupid, but it’s real car physics and can be easily searched for.
>
> Sandbags are totally the way to go. They shouldn’t move around at all once placed in the back of the car.
ABS is worse…Man i am learning new things everyday. Physics will tell you that there is a greater coefficient of friction when two surfaces have stationary contact with each other. The coefficient is reduced once the surfaces are sliding against each other.
I beleive physics…Not some random Snow Piling explanation.
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### Author:  [@drader](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/drader)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2006, 10:19pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/winter-is-coming-santa-presents-and-traction/144699/16 "2006-10-16T22:19:54Z")
I prefer no ABS, you have more control over the braking.
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### Author:  [@jdms13rhd](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/jdms13rhd)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2006, 10:41pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/winter-is-coming-santa-presents-and-traction/144699/17 "2006-10-16T22:41:31Z")
just toss a KA24 long block in the back. That should do it. I hear if you go up and down the alleys in edmonton you can find them chillin out.
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### Author:  [@PyreXXX](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/PyreXXX)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2006, 11:04pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/winter-is-coming-santa-presents-and-traction/144699/18 "2006-10-16T23:04:01Z")
You know, I didn’t feel like hunting down the explanation, but I should have known that I would have to. Now, let’s triangulate my statement with multiple references, shall we?
1. [CanadianDriver.com](http://CanadianDriver.com):
> If you’ve got anti-lock brakes (ABS), remember that in icy conditions they require slightly more distance to stop. ABS doesn’t make you stop any quicker, just more safely, because locking up the wheels means a loss of steering control.
[http://www.canadiandriver.com/winter/wintertips.htm](http://www.canadiandriver.com/winter/wintertips.htm)
1. Quebec Government winter driving tips:
> On the other hand, stopping distances will be longer on snow or ice than they would be using a traditional braking system. The moral of the story : do not overestimate the power of an ABS system…
[http://www.mtq.gouv.qc.ca/en/securite/hiver/conseils.asp](http://www.mtq.gouv.qc.ca/en/securite/hiver/conseils.asp)
1. Canadian Association of Road Safety Professionals
> Using four wheel lock up
> the driver loses full control of the vehicle, increasing the chances of spinning out; however, it results in the shortest stopping distance\* in snow and slush (because of the snow plow effect).
>
> - Note that this is not true on glare ice because a sliding tire melts the ice forming a boundary layer of water on the ice, which results in a reduction of the available friction.
[http://www.carsp.ca/winter2.htm](http://www.carsp.ca/winter2.htm)
And finally, the piece de resistance:
4) Transport FUCKING Canada
> Is the stopping distance shorter with ABS?
>
> No! From early commercials, it may have looked like you could stop on a dime. That instantaneous stop is not realistic. When braking on dry or wet roads your stopping distance will be about the same as with conventional brakes.
>
> **You should allow for a longer stopping distance with ABS than for conventional brakes when driving on gravel, slush, and snow. This is because the rotating tire will stay on top of this low traction road surface covering, and effectively “float” on this boundary layer.**
>
>
>
> **A non ABS braked vehicle can lock its tires and create a snow plow effect in front of the tires which helps slow the vehicle. These locked tires can often find more traction below this boundary layer.**
[http://www.mucda.mb.ca/aboutabs.htm](http://www.mucda.mb.ca/aboutabs.htm)
Remember, I never mentioned ice - just snow.
I was unable to find the reference to the snow plow effect that I originally heard from automotive journalist Jim Kenzie, who I respect, but he also wrote an entire article about the myths of ABS brakes.
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### Author:  [@Nis240](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Nis240)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2006, 11:14pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/winter-is-coming-santa-presents-and-traction/144699/19 "2006-10-16T23:14:08Z")
I like all your examples…But science doesnt lie. Any **experienced** driver should be able to replicate ABS or even be better than ABS…Its all about threshhold breaking (What ABS does) Never try to tell me that locking up your brakes is the fastest way to stop.
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### Author:  [@CA18DET-180SX](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/CA18DET-180SX)
#### Post date: [October 16, 2006, 11:33pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/winter-is-coming-santa-presents-and-traction/144699/20 "2006-10-16T23:33:48Z")
We learned about the snowplow effect in snow in school when we learned our abs module. Basically the question is: Do you know how to drive in your car in winter? and always no your limitations.
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