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do you drive your ST in heavy snow

I Bleed Ford Blue

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#1
For those who just got dumped on by mother nature, do you drive your ST in heavy snow like what we just got? What drive mode do you use? What tires? I still have the stock 20" michelin A/S tires.
 

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Autoworker

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You must live on the southeast side of the state.Here in Northwest Ohio, we’ve got a half inch total for the season! Yea, if it ever snows, we’ll dive the Explorer in it.
 

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I Bleed Ford Blue

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Thread Starter #3
No, I'm just west of Cleveland. We got about 8" so far and it's still coming down.
 

Autoworker

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#4
I would imagine the 20” Michelin’s are better in snow than the 21” Pirelli’s.
 

Cdubya

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#5
10-12" in Broadview Hts, OH where i live. Downtown CLE, maybe 8". Travelled 25-35 mph on highway this morning using "slippery" mode and on snow tires. Still slipping and sliding some. you just have to respect mother nature. Plus roads seemed barely plowed during the early morning today. My golden rule: if you can't see the black of the tarmac because of snow cover, don't drive faster than 35!!
 

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#6
Just got about 14inches in buffalo overnight. Didn't even shovel the driveway.. left it in normal mode and literally just pushed my way out without 1 wheel slipping.

Stock 20s. Slippery mode helps for sure but normal mode is a beast on its own.
 

Sgt1411

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#7
The Normal Mode AWD system in the Explorer is pretty damn good in the snow, even with 21" wheels and OEM performance tires. I run a set of PIU steel rims with Bridgestone Blizzaks V1's and the thing goes anywhere. Using the steel wheels in the winter is just safer if you ever did slide into a curb or something buried under snow it's cheaper to replace a steel wheel then an OEM 21" aluminum wheel.
 

Cdubya

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#8
Just got about 14inches in buffalo overnight.
I don't envy you! Buffalo is some kind of crazy when it comes to snow! I grew up in Toronto where there was a lot of snow too but those Canadians know how to plow!
 

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#9
I don't envy you! Buffalo is some kind of crazy when it comes to snow! I grew up in Toronto where there was a lot of snow too but those Canadians know how to plow!
I almost took a picture this morning to show my boss when digging out my wifes escape.. who of course was parked in front of me in the driveway.

The snow/drift pile was covering all 4 wheels and halfway up the doors of the ST. Pulled it open as hard as I could to knock the snow over... kicked the boots and threw her in drive and just pushed my way out.

Out of a Subaru WRX, 18 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 19 Explorer XLT and the 21 ST... the ST is the best in the snow, even lowered.

I absolutely love driving in snow.. open parking lots and turning trac/advance trac off and it's the ultimate donut machine!!
 

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#11
10-12" in Broadview Hts, OH where i live. Downtown CLE, maybe 8". Travelled 25-35 mph on highway this morning using "slippery" mode and on snow tires. Still slipping and sliding some. you just have to respect mother nature. Plus roads seemed barely plowed during the early morning today. My golden rule: if you can't see the black of the tarmac because of snow cover, don't drive faster than 35!!
Came from the west side across 480 & 22 this morning, heading out to the Chagrin area briefly - the ST handled it great. Unfortunately the normal 30 minute drive took about 90, but I stayed on the road. Even on some of the side streets that were pretty deep, I had no troubles at all. Not even thinking about fussing with snow tires.
 

Chaseg08

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I live in the Colorado mountains between Golden and Boulder and drove my ST through 4" on unplowed incline last Friday on my way home. The 21" Pirelli's were terrible compared to my BFG KO2s on my truck and the pirelli snow tires on my wife's Escape. Still, I made it home safely just being cautious and taking my time. I see how people over-react and wreck all the time in my canyon. Tires make as much of a difference as driving ability.
 

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#13
I have noticed that normal just plows along. Slippery reduces throttle and seems to up the nanny features. Snow mode is hoon mode, locks all four wheels, allows them to spin, aka donut mode.



Sent from my SM-N981U using Tapatalk
 

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#14
I have noticed that normal just plows along. Slippery reduces throttle and seems to up the nanny features. Snow mode is hoon mode, locks all four wheels, allows them to spin, aka donut mode.



Sent from my SM-N981U using Tapatalk
Agree completely, snow mode was an absolute blast in this last one we had here in the DMV... these things are too much fun in the snow... ill probably change my mind when it comes time to detail it again though lol.
 

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