rear end sliding
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From: Temperance, MIchigan
rear end sliding
Michigan Mercedes and snow. Need I say more ?
I am all over the road with this car in the snow. I just added lbs of weight to the rear trunk. This helped some with traction but the tail must be really light.
I did have the switch in winter mode so the take offs are in 2nd gear.
I do have new tires as well. less then 30days old
Any Ideas ??
I am all over the road with this car in the snow. I just added lbs of weight to the rear trunk. This helped some with traction but the tail must be really light.
I did have the switch in winter mode so the take offs are in 2nd gear.
I do have new tires as well. less then 30days old
Any Ideas ??
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Joined: Nov 2004
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'98 E320 4Matic, '85 380SL
It's probably your tires. What do you have?
If you're in western Michigan, you can drive down to South Bend, IN and get a set of winter rims & snow tires from Tire Rack. Winter tires turn the W210 into a tank in snow.
If you're in western Michigan, you can drive down to South Bend, IN and get a set of winter rims & snow tires from Tire Rack. Winter tires turn the W210 into a tank in snow.
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Joined: Nov 2004
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'98 E320 4Matic, '85 380SL
The main benefit of front wheel drive in snow is that all the weight over the drive wheels prevents you from getting stuck. Once you're moving, many of the advantages of FWD diminish.
Handling is compromised both in dry and snow when the drive wheels are also the wheels that steer, as is the case with FWD. In my experience, it's much easier to control a RWD car in an emergency sliding situation than a FWD car.
You can certainly get into more trouble with RWD (throttle-on oversteer) if you don't know what you're doing, but you also have much more leeway pulling out of a slide.
Handling is compromised both in dry and snow when the drive wheels are also the wheels that steer, as is the case with FWD. In my experience, it's much easier to control a RWD car in an emergency sliding situation than a FWD car.
You can certainly get into more trouble with RWD (throttle-on oversteer) if you don't know what you're doing, but you also have much more leeway pulling out of a slide.
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Joined: Dec 2006
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From: Boston, MA
2002 E320 4matic 92K (bought 12/20/06). 2000 E430 4matic (RIP 12/9/06) :(
One trick is to shut off the traction control in bad snow. I did this yesterday and got out of a tough situation...sometimes you want the wheels to spin, even if they're not getting FULL traction. The push may allow you to creep over a hurdle while the wheels keep spinning. I have all wheel drive, but I still got stuck in one spot yesterday here in Mass. trying to hurdle over a bunch of snow in a driveway after a plow had walled us in. After shutting off the traction control, I was able to glide over it.
..and tires certainly mean a lot. I had softer Conti's on my last w210 which were much, much better in the snow due to the softer compound. My harder Pirelli's on the E320 are nice and all, but they ride rougher...though they have stiffer sidewalls that allow the car to handle better, next time I'm getting Conti all seasons...they do the job even in tough snow, and I think I'd rather have the quieter ride.
..and tires certainly mean a lot. I had softer Conti's on my last w210 which were much, much better in the snow due to the softer compound. My harder Pirelli's on the E320 are nice and all, but they ride rougher...though they have stiffer sidewalls that allow the car to handle better, next time I'm getting Conti all seasons...they do the job even in tough snow, and I think I'd rather have the quieter ride.
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Joined: Dec 2006
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From: Boston, MA
2002 E320 4matic 92K (bought 12/20/06). 2000 E430 4matic (RIP 12/9/06) :(
I heard winter tires in general aren't that good in the rain, that summer tires are better? I haven't used any Michelin's before that weren't stock though.
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Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Bronx, NY
2018 W222 S-560 4-Matic
I have Micheline Pilot Exalto's all season on my E-320; It just snowed here in NYC yesterday....I think there pretty good in the snow, the OEM michelines sucked last year, I was sliding all over, the Exalto all seasons are pretty good, In heavy snow areas I put the car in 2nd gear or 3rd with the setting on W. As long as theres snow/ice I keep the W on, and when needed I'll turn the traction off, if I need a good spin to get out of a spot.
But any rear wheel drive car is not going to be the best in the snow. Unless you have the 4-matic or some kind of rear wheel car with all wheel drive. In Michigan I can only imagine how much snow you get!
But any rear wheel drive car is not going to be the best in the snow. Unless you have the 4-matic or some kind of rear wheel car with all wheel drive. In Michigan I can only imagine how much snow you get!
