Pirelli 21’s in Snow Mode

[Der]

Went out this morning in the 3 inches of snow we just got here in Atlanta. Was being very careful and almost slid into my community’s entry gate. Managed to get back up the incline to the house and parked her in the driveway, which is also inclined. Twenty minutes later I looked out the window and the truck had slid 20 ft down the driveway and was sitting in the middle of the snowy street. WTF?

I’m no newbie to winter driving, born and raised in Maine. But I expected a bit more in terms of traction. This was a complete fail. I suppose it’s the street Pirellis?

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[josh0]

I can only speak for myself, but last winter I was actually very impressed with the stock 21s in the snow. I experienced no issues at all driving in several inches of fresh snow on dirt and gravel or on inclines.

 

[Jacopa]

Ice? I see no way a parked 7000# car would slide 20 ft unless it was on ice

 

[JackRussellRacing]

How much tread is left on your 21's? At what pressure?

 

[Marchin_MTB]

There was another post about this a while back. A PSA about parking on an incline over snow. It included video and that truck had the AT wheels/tires.
https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/threads/psa-careful-parking-on-any-incline.12738/

parking brake is in the rear only on most vehicles. Once the fronts let’s go, it can slide.

conditions may have been just right to melt and freeze the snow, drastically reducing friction.

 

[ndmiller]

I'm in Atlanta and shoveled my driveway with no issue. Would never go out in 3 inches of snow (in Atlanta) as there is no salt, sand or plowing of any kind. On sharp inclines park with wheels turned.

Going out in this is asking for trouble and from what I've heard from my area many accidents and people in ditches or left their cars and walked home. Darwin award for all of them in my mind.

 

[doit82]

There was another post about this a while back. A PSA about parking on an incline over snow. It included video and that truck had the AT wheels/tires.
https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/threads/psa-careful-parking-on-any-incline.12738/

parking brake is in the rear only on most vehicles. Once the fronts let’s go, it can slide.

conditions may have been just right to melt and freeze the snow, drastically reducing friction.

This....

You do not need ice to slide. All that weight compresses the snow and turns it to ice under the tires. And once it starts going.......

 

[Marchin_MTB]

This....

You do not need ice to slide. All that weight compresses the snow and turns it to ice under the tires. And once it starts going.......

Yes. And at that point it really doesn’t matter much what tires you have. If you look at the thread from a year ago, several people commenting on how this exact thing happened in their heavy ICE cars.

 

[NY_Rob]

Years ago, our Jeep Cherokee slid down our inclined driveway out into the street. We had good AT tires on that vehicle, but as others have mentioned, the parking brake only locks the rear wheels, so once they break loose... down she goes regardless of tire type.

You can always throw some salt, sand or even dirt just behind the rear tires in case you suspect trouble.

 

[Der]

This....

You do not need ice to slide. All that weight compresses the snow and turns it to ice under the tires. And once it starts going.......

Yes this seems like the right explanation.

 

[Der]

How much tread is left on your 21's? At what pressure?

tires have 13000 miles on them. Inflated to 49 psi

 

[Glembi2]

I was thinking last year about picking up wheel chocks but now am wondering whether they would work at all. If the rear wheels are on ice, the chocks would be on ice as well.

 

[runningdenver]

I'm sure it was also related to the pirellis. I'm in Colorado, and got my R1S late 23 with the pirellis. The first snow storm we had, I went out in it, and was not at all impressed by the tires / grip. The vehicle felt very 'squirrelly'. After reading multiple threads here, I bought a second set of wheels with nokian haka winter tires and switched to them. It made a MASSIVE difference. Far more secure feeling, far more traction. No 'scary' moments. In Atlanta, this is a rare enough event that it doesn't make sense for you to get a full set of winter tires, but based on my experience- the pirellis were certainly part of your issue too.

 

[Greg Chick]

Thanks to all that posted here, I am reminded about a pakked car sliding, I had forgot.

A wise reminder.

 

[Bullwinkle]

Went out this morning in the 3 inches of snow we just got here in Atlanta. Was being very careful and almost slid into my community’s entry gate. Managed to get back up the incline to the house and parked her in the driveway, which is also inclined. Twenty minutes later I looked out the window and the truck had slid 20 ft down the driveway and was sitting in the middle of the snowy street. WTF?

I’m no newbie to winter driving, born and raised in Maine. But I expected a bit more in terms of traction. This was a complete fail. I suppose it’s the street Pirellis?

Either your tread is gone or you had frozen rain just before the snow. I drove the Pirellis until December and switched to the 21 inch Michelin Defenders because the Pirellis are not great in the winter--but they were never that bad.

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