Driving in SnowThis may sound like a stupid question, but when stopping on snow-covered roads with an automatic transmission, is it better to manually downshift or take it out of gear? I drive a 4x4 S-10 for personal use and an ambulance for a part-time job. I have been told both ways and really would like to find out which is the best.Darrin Smithby e-mail
On snow-covered roads the key to safe stopping in slippery conditions is to not shock the tires to the point that they lose traction with the pavement. You want to do everything as smoothly as possible. If you make quick inputs (steering, braking, or accelerating) you can begin to slide, and when you slide, you lose directional control. You would never slam your foot on the brakes or mash the throttle when driving on slick roads, right? The same can be said about not rapidly downshifting to the point the tires spin significantly slower than the road speed. If you do it right, we see no reason you can't downshift one gear at a time to control your speed, and use the engine's drag with your brake system to bring the 4x4 to a controlled stop. A better strategy may be to keep the transmission in the next lower gear than you would normally be in if the roads were dry. This way you can slow the vehicle just by easing off of the throttle. We can't think of any reason you would want to pop the transmission in Neutral before you hit the brakes. Regardless of what techniques you use, make sure your tires maintain their traction with the road as much as possible, and make sure to give yourself more room to slow down without having to use excessive downshifting or brake input.
Dodge Drivetrain IDI have an early model Dodge Ram Charger. I'm not sure of the year, but the front end is shot and needs new axleshafts, hubs, and bearings. As far as I know the axles are all stock, and I was curious as to what the original axles and transfer case were in this truck and what other trucks I might find at the junkyard to use as axle donors.James Mattsonby e-mail
It's a safe bet your front axle is a Dana 44 with or without locking hubs. The rear axle could be a Chrysler 831/44- or 911/44-inch axle. The transfer case will either be an NP203 or NP205. If the transfer-case shifter has four shift positions it's a 205. If it's got five, it's a 203. You should be able to use almost any Dana 44 or 60 front axle at the junkyard from a '73-'93 Dodge Ramcharger or pickup.
Submission information: Questions should be as brief and concise as possible. We will answer as many letters as possible each month, but due to the large volume of mail, we cannot send personal replies. Letters are subject to editing for length, as space permits. Always check state regulations before modifying a vehicle with pollution controls or one that will be driven on the street. Write to: Nuts & Bolts, 4-Wheel & Off-Road, 6420 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90048-5515, fax 323/782-2704, e-mail david.kennedy@primedia.com