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Any 2WD (RWD) Z66 owners living in winter states?

N

ngrome

Full Member
Joined
Sep 7, 2016
Messages
144
Location
Chicago, IL
From what I understand, being a new AV owner, one of the differences between the Z66 and Z71 model, which I have, is that the Z66 is rear-wheel drive only.

So any of you guys living in states which have snow that own a Z66 (or 2WD AV in general), how do you cope?  What tires you use or recommend?  Do you do anything else with regards to coping with winter with your 2WD AV (e.g., driving tactics, etc.).  TIA
 
I'm the original owner of an 03 Z66 and we get a fair amount of snow here in southern Indiana.  I've never found the 2-wheel drive to be an issue for me.  The truck is my daily driver - over 300K miles on it.

At least 10 years ago I bought aftermarket wheels for it and put summer high performance tires on them.  I kept the stock wheels and have been running them with snow tires every year since.  Right now they've got Firestone Winterforce tires on them, which I've been very happy with.  I've also run some less expensive Mastercraft tires as well on those wheels in the winter.

For years I put the winter tires/wheels on the truck around Veterans Day (it's a paid holiday for me) and put the summer tires/wheels back on the truck the first nice weekend in April.  With it being warmer and milder than usual this fall I decided to push back my fall changeover to Thanksgiving weekend this year.

Keep in mind that Avalanches have a better weight balance front to back than most pickups.  That together with the locking diff that came as part of the Z66 package, if you've got decent tires on the back of the truck it will perform pretty well for you.  We've got 3 ways out of our neighborhood and all three require climbing a hill.  I've never been not able to get the truck out when I wanted to go out, but there have been times when it's taken a few runs at the hill in front of our house to get to the top.  I've never intentionally added weight in the bed of the truck but that might also be helpful but I've never felt the need to do that.
 
enoniam said:
I'm the original owner of an 03 Z66 and we get a fair amount of snow here in southern Indiana.  I've never found the 2-wheel drive to be an issue for me.  The truck is my daily driver - over 300K miles on it.

At least 10 years ago I bought aftermarket wheels for it and put summer high performance tires on them.  I kept the stock wheels and have been running them with snow tires every year since.  Right now they've got Firestone Winterforce tires on them, which I've been very happy with.  I've also run some less expensive Mastercraft tires as well on those wheels in the winter.

For years I put the winter tires/wheels on the truck around Veterans Day (it's a paid holiday for me) and put the summer tires/wheels back on the truck the first nice weekend in April.  With it being warmer and milder than usual this fall I decided to push back my fall changeover to Thanksgiving weekend this year.

Keep in mind that Avalanches have a better weight balance front to back than most pickups.  That together with the locking diff that came as part of the Z66 package, if you've got decent tires on the back of the truck it will perform pretty well for you.  We've got 3 ways out of our neighborhood and all three require climbing a hill.  I've never been not able to get the truck out when I wanted to go out, but there have been times when it's taken a few runs at the hill in front of our house to get to the top.  I've never intentionally added weight in the bed of the truck but that might also be helpful but I've never felt the need to do that.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. Reason I ask is because I too live in the midwest and just picked up a 02 Z71 with non-functioning 4WD.  I was thinking of putting off its repair this winter until I save up money to get it done, so i was going to treat the truck as a 2WD obviously in the meantime.
 
The Z71 package also included the locking diff.

Unless you plan to drive through several inches of snow you shouldn't have much problem.
 
enoniam said:
The Z71 package also included the locking diff.

Unless you plan to drive through several inches of snow you shouldn't have much problem.
Click to expand...

That's encouraging, thanks!
 
Unless you live in the mountains or in the bad parts of Alaska I assure you that you won't have snow as bad as I drive through on a daily basis in the winter time. My pretty much stock truck is very nice in the winter. The almost 50/50 split makes a HUGE difference. I only put it in 4x4 mode when I want to play in the snow or I am on the back roads with very few other vehicles because of the deep snow and no idea where the road ends... Luckily the shoulders are frozen too so if I do go off the road it is not a big deal.

The biggest thing is to have decent tires. I have standard "cheap" all weather tires. If you use winter tires you may never need 4wd.

If you drive smart with decent tires 4wd is really not needed with these trucks in the winter. Not like the work trucks where we have to put +300lbs in the bed just to be able to get the truck to move..

Rodney
 
Tires are key. I live in Toronto, so lots of snow, but  mostly ice these days.
I had a Z66 as first Avy and it was the best driving Avy I owned. Then onto basic LT 2wd.. still ok. Now I have a Z71 (only 2wd) and upgraded to Cooper winter tires. These are the best tires I've used. Ice, deep snow all ok. Sometimes you got to work it.... but in the end, never been stuck or towed.
4x4 with winter tires are better, but a 2wd with Snows and locker, all good.... 11 years and running with 2wd, no issues yet.

Although my first truck was a F150 with no locker or snows...hmmm... stuck all the time. Nothing like a 1 wheel drive with all season tires...  :9:
 
Just moved from Ohio to TN. Have owned my 2002 Z-66 for about 10 years. My house in Ohio was in the country and had a driveway about 1/8 mile long with a slight grade. Have always used Hercules Terra Trac tires. In the winter I would add about 300 lbs of sand bags  in the bed and never had any issues. BTW I've typically run the the tires about 75000 miles and they work well when towing. Current mileage on my Avy is 282000.
 
I was an Operations Manager for a Manufacturing plant, my rule of thumb was: if I could't get out of my drive way in my Avy, I would close the plant due to weather.  :D
 
I live in Dallas, we don't get much snow. 
We have ice storms that might last for 3-4 days.
My Z66 does very well and can go where ever I need.
My Avalanche does better than my wife's Volvo.
The only way to make slide is to turn off the traction
Control. With the TC turned off then it becomes a handful.
 
I am located in Flint Texas located in the Tyler area and have not had to drive my Avy in icy conditions, I am confident that it will handle it just fine. I am not in a hurry to see it ice up anyway it can get bad
 
Live in northern Ohio and with the traction control, I've never had any problem with the snow.  Sometimes I even turn it off so I can have some fun.

I've even kind of purposely tried to get it stuck in snow and haven't yet...always gets me out.
 
enoniam said:
I'm the original owner of an 03 Z66 and we get a fair amount of snow here in southern Indiana.  I've never found the 2-wheel drive to be an issue for me.  The truck is my daily driver - over 300K miles on it.
Click to expand...

I have an '03, Z66 as well as an '06 LS....I live in Noblesville Indiana..same for me on both trucks. never had a problem. including my trips home to Detroit and Ontario Canada...
 
when I had my '02 Z71 I never put it in 4WD other than to exercise the differential...I'm looking to possibly get back into the market on a 2WD Z66...thanks for this information everyone.

Bill
 
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