I discovered a neat trick for snow-stuck cars

I made a discovery this week when we were hit by a pretty massive snow storm. I was dumb and hadn't swapped the snow tires onto the Miata yet, so what do you know, I was going nowhere. I was trying to get the car into the driveway (I was parked on the street) to do the job, but the thing didnt want to budge.

We tried rocking it back and forth, bouncing it, I had my buddies sit on the trunk, heck we even shoved all sorts of stuff under the wheels. That thing wasnt going anywhere.

I finally had the idea to let the rear wheels spin and have both my buddies push on the SIDE of the car, forcing the rear end to slide around and hopefully gain some traction. What do you know, that did the trick! The rear came out of the little ice patch I had created and I was able to get the car into the driveway.

I got stuck later when I had the snows on, and we did the same thing, and sure enough it worked a charm. Got me onto a new patch of road where the car was able to grab and take off.

My neighbor was having issues later that day in his little FWD SUV. His wife was in the car watching him try to dig around the wheels, go from drive to reverse to drive again. I came over and told him to throw it into drive and just hit the gas. He did, and me and my friend pushed the front left fender of the car. Sure enough, the front swung out and that was enough to get him moving.

Not sure where he was going but I hope it wasnt far.

Anyways, cool little trick that I had never thought about. Just push the drive wheels of the car from the side and let it slide. Figured I'd share.

New to the north are you? Haha. There are even more tricks. But we consider them standard procedures in Vermont.

Haha. I was wondering the same thing (how far north). Here in Michigan we learn that while riding our Big Wheels on the snow.
Good for you though. Most people today would just give up and call AAA

Ah. The seat of invention is necessity. You made a "hill people" LSD.

Ha! Figured I was reinventing the wheel. I had just never thought to push the car from the side before. Then again, last winter I had a killer set of winter tires on the E36. I've never gotten stuck before, I mean that thing was a beast in the snow. Before that I had a CRX that was also awesome in a storm. This is the first winter I've had to deal with being stuck

Pushing from the side is a lot safer, too. A few years ago there was a big deal where someone tried to push a car uphill from behind (I know, right) and the driver was too slow on the brake when it rolled back.

Their helper didn't get seriously hurt, but it was a pretty dramatic accident.

vwcorvette wrote: New to the north are you? Haha. There are even more tricks. But we consider them standard procedures in Vermont.

I thought we called it doing donuts.

I know if you have a true LSD, you can spin the tyres fast and then put the clutch in, the wheels stop but the momentum remains, pushing the car forwards

Back in the days of 3spds, we often started in 2nd gear. early traction control

For FWD: e-brake, wheels turned, give it gas.

Works similarly to your experience pushing on the side.

Side note: front digs were fun in my Jeep...

https://youtu.be/yKhUlWfGUNc

The rear is sliding around a lot because the driveway was plowed, but in actual 6in+ snow it works great... Could do u-turns in that thing inside 2 parking spaces.

Trackmouse wrote: Ah. The seat of invention is necessity. You made a "hill people" LSD.

I learned something too!

Key West Florida. Car hasn't been stuck yet!

As a recent florida convert, i have to admit its a lot easier to not get stuck in the winter down here.

mndsm wrote: As a recent florida convert, i have to admit its a lot easier to not get stuck in the winter down here.

I saw sand blowing across Hwy-90 yesterday, and it took a second for my brain to register that it wasn't snow.

Edit: Oh, and the Altimax Arctics have really good traction in sand too. That surprised me a bit.

mad_machine wrote: I know if you have a true LSD, you can spin the tyres fast and then put the clutch in, the wheels stop but the momentum remains, pushing the car forwards

This should be mandatory reading in all Driver's Ed courses in any state that gets snow more than twice a winter. I'm in NH. We got like maybe 4" of snow yesterday throughout the day. Really a quite unremarkable storm. The following sequence of events really happened-

I have a cold. I am tired. I get into bed at 9pm. At that precise time, my neighbor decides he needs to move his car off the street or get it towed. He starts his car- a nice-ish focus ST... with summer tires... and a sleep depriving exhaust... He tries the throttle rock, no luck. He tries sustained power. no dice. He's still at this nightmare at 10:30 when I have enough. He's beating the everloving snot out of this car and going absolutely nowhere with it. I put some boots and pajama pants on and head outside. He was trying to drive out in the direction that he was pointed on the street, which was slightly uphill. The whole block reeked of burnt clutch and rubber. Poor car.

It took no more than 2 minutes to get him unstuck with the 'turn the wheel full lock, moderate throttle, push from the side and let it turn downhill' trick. Granted, he probably needed a second body to do so, but I swear it- the second a snowflake falls from the sky people lose all rational train of thought and instantly turn into morons.

Many newer vehicles now have "traction control" which adds to the situation.

Pushing sideway works but i rarely used it. I used the "keep the car moving method" Traction controls that cant be turned off are real holy m3berkeley in the snow.. hard to get out when stucked, hard to turn in snow banks... the price to pay in 300hp fwd cars..

Here in quebec, i used to drive various low power fwd cars. They are the best winter cars. Then i got a miata with lsd... wich leada to the subaru legacy. No more winter whining !

We got around 15 inchs yesterday, didnt need to shovel to go skiing 50 miles away. Good car :D

golfduke wrote: but I swear it- the second a rain drop falls from the sky people lose all rational train of thought and instantly turn into morons.

FTFY for life here in Atlanta. Drives me berkeleyin nuts!! I'm very happy to be out of the snow, but every time it rains you'd think it was a blizzard. Hazard lights on, wipers at full blast, 25mph on the highway.

Four winters with traction control. No problems.

Haven't got stuck yet.

I can turn it off, haven't found the need.

Snow tires are a help, I am sure

drainoil wrote: Many newer vehicles now have "traction control" which adds to the situation.

yup... the car decides to not let the wheels spin, just as you need the extra wheelspin... i'm pretty sure that making traction control mandatory was a law that was written by Big Tow Truck and passed by their lackeys in congress..

I've seen a few times where just turning off traction control was enough to get a car moving.

I also particularly like the RWD trick of kicking the tail out slightly under power to correct for understeer. Once the rear slip angle goes up enough, the front end grabs again and you re-gain steering authority.

novaderrik wrote:

drainoil wrote: Many newer vehicles now have "traction control" which adds to the situation.

yup... the car decides to not let the wheels spin, just as you need the extra wheelspin... i'm pretty sure that making traction control mandatory was a law that was written by Big Tow Truck and passed by their lackeys in congress..

The "Big Tow" lobby?

novaderrik wrote:

drainoil wrote: Many newer vehicles now have "traction control" which adds to the situation.

yup... the car decides to not let the wheels spin, just as you need the extra wheelspin... i'm pretty sure that making traction control mandatory was a law that was written by Big Tow Truck and passed by their lackeys in congress..

This. I believe Tire Rack determined that winter tires generate maximum forward snow acceleration at something approaching 40% slip rate. It began to level off above that, but the chart showed nearly linear improvement from zero wheelspin up to 40ish%.