STOP SNOWING DAMMIT

"Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him" (tylerssvtfocushateshim)
02/23/2014 at 03:35 • Filed to: halp

My car's been stuck the last three days. I'm making a store run tomorrow, what should I get? Salt? Sand? Kitty litter? What else?

Long story short, my apartment parking lot has this shitty process where snow will melt in the day and ice over at night, so it keeps building on itself and if you get stuck it's damn near impossible to get going again. Luckily I haven't had to go anywhere that required a car, but tomorrow I'm going to go get salt and a shovel since my shitty landlord won't. Any other things I should pick up?

That's about a half-inch of ice under the snow. Speaking of which, here's how high the snow is in front of my car. I'm in high-top Nikes and it's taller than they are.

DISCUSSION (31)

offroadkarter > Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him
02/23/2014 at 03:40

Does that thing even have a limited slip? Or snow tires?

You need to pick up something that shoots fire, just don't get arrested.

Singhjr96 > Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him
02/23/2014 at 03:43

Car cover for snowy days so you can literally pull all of the snow off. Depending on how cold it is and how old your car is, lock de icer. Windshield scraper. Gloves. Scarf. other tips:Keep your gas tank half full to avoid gas line freeze-up. Avoid using your parking brake in cold weather if possible.

Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him > offroadkarter
02/23/2014 at 03:47

Open diff (even in SVT trim) and big chunky snow tires, but that ice, man. The front tires are in a bit of a depression since the snow keeps melting and freezing so I can't even push it out either. Normally this car on snow tires is perfectly fine, the ice is just killer. I'll be on the lookout for a flamethrower of any kind, seems like it's the only way to get through.

Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him > Singhjr96
02/23/2014 at 03:51

Thank you for the tips!

Zibodiz > Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him
02/23/2014 at 03:53

Salt really only works if the sun is shining on it. Sand is fine, but messy and it takes a lot. I would recommend traction boards. They're basically a plastic ladder that you lay in front of your car and drive on them like ramps. Great for getting out of an ice patch.

The other thing, of course, would be cleated tires for at least the front, but that's a little spendy.

Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him > Zibodiz
02/23/2014 at 04:00

I'll definitely look for traction boards, thank you. Seems like what I'd need. I'm on snow tires now but the ice is just killer, especially since it's kind of frozen around the fronts so they're in a bit of a rut.

jkm7680 > Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him
02/23/2014 at 07:15

I heard stick your floormats under the front wheels, when you want out (It is's Fwd)

The Dummy Gummy > Singhjr96
02/23/2014 at 07:50

Avoid using your parking brake? This is the first I'm hearing of this. Does it lock up or freeze or something?

Roberto G. > Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him
02/23/2014 at 08:19

What's written on that paper?

thebigbossyboss > Singhjr96
02/23/2014 at 08:28

Seeing as a park a manual transmission car on my sloped driveway, using the parking brake is necessary.

Thisnewformatisrubbish > Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him
02/23/2014 at 09:06

Rope, come a long puller. Self recovery gear. All you need then is an anchor.

DontMakeMeUseTheAllCapsKey > Roberto G.
02/23/2014 at 09:20

The detail of Jalopniks never ceases to amaze me. I cracked up laughing that such minutia would be noticed, but you are right, and now i am curious too. Thanks for the laugh, Autovox, have a good sunday.

Slave2anMG > Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him
02/23/2014 at 09:36

Beer. Stay home and drink it if at all possible. Beer.

therevengeofthesaab (really likes pre-2005 hondas right now) > Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him
02/23/2014 at 10:04

Where do you live???

desertdog5051 > Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him
02/23/2014 at 12:04

Chicken wings, sauce, beer and settle in and watch Daytona and lust after warm weather. Oh, maybe some movies for when the race is over.

Singhjr96 > The Dummy Gummy
02/23/2014 at 17:06

Well I never use my brake even in warm weather unless i'm on a hill. But I've had a few people tell me of parking brakes freezing up and not moving. I guess it applies more to places like Canada and Alaska, and older cars.

http://www.wikihow.com/Free-a-Frozen-…

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/auto-parts/bra…

The Dummy Gummy > Singhjr96
02/23/2014 at 17:22

Nice. Thanks. I was worried. I use mine all the time. Even in my wife's auto (boo). I've read it helps take pressure off the gear box and can give a longer life and reduce issues. Not sure how true that is haha

Singhjr96 > The Dummy Gummy
02/23/2014 at 17:27

Well think about it. when you put you car into park, there is a parking prowl in your tranny that is made so it stops the driveshaft from moving. if your on a hill the cars weight will be pushing against this prawl, because the weight of the car will cause it to roll, which moves the wheels, which are attached to your transmission. But when your car has the parking brake on, the stress is being put on your brakes. not on that prawl in your tranny. Atleast i'm pretty sure that's how it works. That's why I don't use the brake if i'm on flat ground. i.e. my garage. So people recommend always using the parking brake, some people say don't unless you have to because it wears down the brakes.

Singhjr96 > The Dummy Gummy
02/23/2014 at 17:34

The parking pawl locks the transmission's output shaft to the transmission casing by engaging a pawl (a pin) that engages in a notched wheel on the shaft, stopping it (and thus the driven wheels) from rotating. The main components of a parking pawl mechanism are the parking gear, parking pawl, Actuator rod, cam collar, cam plate, pivot pin and parking pawl return spring. The mechanism assembly is designed so that the parking pawl tooth collides and overrides the parking gear teeth (ratchets) until a safe engagement speed for the vehicle is reached. Software controls are put in place to avoid this condition and engage the pawl only when the vehicle has come to a stand still.

Most vehicle manufacturers [3] and auto mechanics [4] do not recommend using the transmission's parking pawl as the sole means of securing a parked vehicle, instead recommending it should only be engaged after first applying the vehicle's parking brake . Constant use of only the parking pawl, especially when parking on a steep incline, means that driveline components, and transmission internals, are kept constantly under stress, and can cause wear and eventual failure of the parking pawl or transmission linkage. The pawl might also fail or break if the vehicle is pushed with sufficient force, if the parking brake is not firmly engaged. Replacement can be an expensive operation since it generally requires removing the transmission from the car.

It is highly inadvisable to use the parking pawl to stop a vehicle in motion. Modern parking pawls are connected to a safety mechanism that prevents the pawl from engaging unless the vehicle is stopped first. The pawl mechanism is generally not strong enough to stop a vehicle in motion, if it engages at all. Under that much stress, the pawl may simply break off in the transmission, leading to costly repairs.

From wikipedia

The Dummy Gummy > Singhjr96
02/23/2014 at 17:45

Solid info. thanks! That was pretty much my understanding, but never had any confirmation. I guess I should have googled it haha

Singhjr96 > The Dummy Gummy
02/23/2014 at 17:52

haha, yeah. It was actually my drivers ed teacher that told me about this, but not as in depth.

Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him > therevengeofthesaab (really likes pre-2005 hondas right now)
02/23/2014 at 23:34

North-central Indiana (Purdue University specifically). Normally my car with its snow tires is perfectly fine in this weather, the ice has just accumulated to the point its impossible to move in my parking lot.

Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him > Roberto G.
02/23/2014 at 23:35

An apology to the other tenants for being a dumbass and getting my car stuck in basically the middle of the lot. I'm at an angle too so I feel even worse. Then again, it's not like they're going anywhere either, they're just as stuck as I am.

Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him > DontMakeMeUseTheAllCapsKey
02/23/2014 at 23:37

It's just an apology to the other residents for getting stuck in like the middle of the lot. They're stuck too, but I still feel kinda bad that my asshattery could inconvenience them.

Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him > jkm7680
02/23/2014 at 23:38

I know that trick, yet I don't have rubber floormats unfortunately. I've actually helped a few people around campus with rubber floormats, you'd be surprised how few people know how well it works.

Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him > The Dummy Gummy
02/23/2014 at 23:40

I actually had problems with my caliper sticking before, so unless it's above 40 degrees i just put it in reverse or first.

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Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him > Thisnewformatisrubbish
02/23/2014 at 23:42

I was actually considering that since there's a huge tree just out of shot that I could use as a pulley. Definitely something to think about...

The Dummy Gummy > Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him
02/24/2014 at 00:05

I'm exactly the same way. It's normally in reverse with the e-brake

DontMakeMeUseTheAllCapsKey > Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him
02/24/2014 at 06:56

cool. thanks for the answer. very considerate and smart, especially during a winter storm, when tempers can be short and people are stressed. logic also can get buried under enough snow, so the note was a good idea. I can see someone thinking, "why would they just leave their car here, it doesn't make sense!" Hope it wasn't too much trouble to get out of the snow, and that spring arrives for your part of the country soon. Thanks again, and have a good day.

Roberto G. > Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him
02/24/2014 at 14:51

That was a nice move.

Tyler's SVT Focus Hates Him > Roberto G.
02/24/2014 at 18:10

I try to be as pleasant of a tenant as possible, especially since it's my first year in this apartment. The five people I share the building with have all lived there for many years so I'm trying not to be the douchey new guy who moves in and immediately causes chaos. It was going well up to this point :P