possible snowy/icy driveway hill

[DMartin9N-2N]

Good afternoon:
I have a slightly uphill portion on the driveway, mostly shaded during day. I have had problems in past years with snow and/or sleet preventing me driving up hill with my 2005 Silverado 2-wheel drive pickup. I have five old tire/wheel assemblies in the bed for weight, also an 80 pound bag of "melting crystals".
My question: How am I going to make use of the melting crystals so I can get up my driveway? Snow is expected in a couple days. Medically, I am having slight problems walking, so I need a solution that does not require an athlete. Suggestions, please....

 

[pcrh]

Hi:

Health issues aside, winter can really suck. I have a similar issue except the driveway is steep snow/ice covered and a good 5 car length climb. Using some sort of melting crystals can work but needs to be reapplied. Does your area allow for studded tires? Yes, there is a cost for tires but would be a 4 or five year solution if cared for.

My solution is to take a running start and go faster up the hill trying not to loose traction. Occasionally I do not make the hill and need to take a second try. So far I am successful each time but studded tires are in my future.

No really easy solutions to your problem.

 

[DoubleO7]

Run errands before the slippery conditions are predicted.

Then stay home until they are gone.

Put studded tires on the back, or a set of Bridgestone Blizzack tires on your truck.

Plus about 1000 pounds of weight in the bed.

five old tire/wheel assemblies in the bed for weight,

Not enough weight unless they are rear tire assemblies from a tractor that are filled with fluid.

 

[DoubleO7]

On a serious note, get you a pair of "Crampons", yep that is what they are called.

Many styles out there.

MUCH cheaper and less pain than a broken leg or hip................................

https://www.amazon.com/AGOOL-Traction-Grippers-Non-Slip-Crampons/dp/B07K23BB9L

 

[Tom in Mo.]

You didn't say where in the country you live or whether the driveway is rock or paved. One time about 30 years ago I used salt on my rock hill and when it melted the snow and ice it also ruined the rock bed so it turned into slop with no bottom. I'll never make that mistake again.
Hire a neighbor kid to plow it.

 

[Brian G. NY]

You didn't say where in the country you live or whether the driveway is rock or paved. One time about 30 years ago I used salt on my rock hill and when it melted the snow and ice it also ruined the rock bed so it turned into slop with no bottom. I'll never make that mistake again.
Hire a neighbor kid to plow it.

That must have been a really poor grade of shale or something less.
The crushed stone here in my part of NY state is pretty much impervious to salt.

 

[olddavid]

From experience I know that studded tires will make a big difference. Chains work best but it is a pain putting them on and then taking them off once you get to pavement.

 

[Mike Van]

I like sand with a little salt mixed in. The grit will keep you moving.

 

[joeysmith]

Good afternoon:
I have a slightly uphill portion on the driveway, mostly shaded during day. I have had problems in past years with snow and/or sleet preventing me driving up hill with my 2005 Silverado 2-wheel drive pickup. I have five old tire/wheel assemblies in the bed for weight, also an 80 pound bag of "melting crystals".
My question: How am I going to make use of the melting crystals so I can get up my driveway? Snow is expected in a couple days. Medically, I am having slight problems walking, so I need a solution that does not require an athlete. Suggestions, please....

Look around for landscaping contractors
They may come salt or sand it for you
Probably not a horrible price
Definitely cheaper than falling or wrecking

 

[old]

Good afternoon:
I have a slightly uphill portion on the driveway, mostly shaded during day. I have had problems in past years with snow and/or sleet preventing me driving up hill with my 2005 Silverado 2-wheel drive pickup. I have five old tire/wheel assemblies in the bed for weight, also an 80 pound bag of "melting crystals".
My question: How am I going to make use of the melting crystals so I can get up my driveway? Snow is expected in a couple days. Medically, I am having slight problems walking, so I need a solution that does not require an athlete. Suggestions, please....

Back when I still had a 2 wheel drive pickup I would put a loader bucket of gravel in the bed behind the rear axle. If I got stuck I'd stop grab the shovel I kept in the bed and throw some gravel under the tires and then was able to keep going. I even used that trick years ago when an 18 wheeler could not get out of a Casey's General parking lot due to him spinning out. I told him I could help him and he looked at me and said no way that truck will pull this rig and I said true but the gravel in the back will do the trick and it did

 

[kencombs]

You didn't say where in the country you live or whether the driveway is rock or paved. One time about 30 years ago I used salt on my rock hill and when it melted the snow and ice it also ruined the rock bed so it turned into slop with no bottom. I'll never make that mistake again.
Hire a neighbor kid to plow it.

I've seen similar happen in my area. Lots of dense clay a foot or so down. So snow/ice melt creates a lake a few inches deep and the water can't escape, left and right is frozen soil, below is the clay, so the upper foot or so is just a mess.

 

[cleddy]

Good afternoon:
I have a slightly uphill portion on the driveway, mostly shaded during day. I have had problems in past years with snow and/or sleet preventing me driving up hill with my 2005 Silverado 2-wheel drive pickup. I have five old tire/wheel assemblies in the bed for weight, also an 80 pound bag of "melting crystals".
My question: How am I going to make use of the melting crystals so I can get up my driveway? Snow is expected in a couple days. Medically, I am having slight problems walking, so I need a solution that does not require an athlete. Suggestions, please....

We had a driveway with a steep hill up one way and a medium steep hill on the other loop. We almost always had trouble getting out with the old 2-wheel drive chevy's back in the 60's when it seem to snow more. Studs and chains would help but then a very slow trip to town with chains. My Dad would back the 1950 2-ton grain truck in the barn and we would throw on about a half of load of baled hay. Then we could go right up the hill and almost everywhere-It was a slow trip but we didn't know any better because the truck always had the same pace. We had chains for the truck we could use in extreme snow conditions.

 

[olddavid]

I have a slightly uphill portion on the driveway, mostly shaded during day. I have had problems in past years with snow and/or sleet preventing me driving up hill with my 2005 Silverado 2-wheel drive pickup. I have five old tire/wheel assemblies in the bed for weight, also an 80 pound bag of "melting crystals".
My question: How am I going to make use of the melting crystals so I can get up my driveway? Snow is expected in a couple days. Medically, I am having slight problems walking, so I need a solution that does not require an athlete. Suggestions, please....

Assuming mostly ice (not deep snow) go as far as you can. Put melting crystal behind the wheels. Back up onto the melting crystals. Apply melting crystals where you spun and several feet beyond that. Try it. Repeat as necessary. The crystals might just give enough extra traction to move. Gravel or sand might work even better.