good-bye

[kidwrecked]

Good-bye delica hello yard goat. No more wild adventures with kids, camping, open roads, etc.
Unless some other poor soul has had thier own difficulties and buys all the parts at a reasonable price, then it is now a life of hard labour on the farm.

The rear end swings around pretty fast on icy roads. This is our second major accident from swinging around on ice. (with different drivers....we try not to make the same mistakes over).

Everyone was safe but a little sore.

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[nxski]

OUCH! Glad to hear everyone is ok. I hope ICBC will take good care of you on this one, it's a shame to lose such a nice ride.

[mark]

This is a real shame, but am happy to learn that everybody's OK (metal and glass can always be repaired/replaced; such is not always the case with flesh and bones!)

[FalcoColumbarius]

Good news that everyone is okay. What will you do now?

Falco.

[pajerry]

Must be a SWB thing :)

Good luck with ICBC, I'm sure they will be kind to you.

[jessef]

Glad to hear everyone is okay.

You're not the only one that encounters the 180 degree spin around in an L300. It's happens to many owners every winter.

It is simply the nature of the beast. The short wheel base and non-balanced front-rear weight ratio provides for some butt clinching moments on slippery surfaces or at high speeds.

[pajerry]

The short Paj is no better. Ask me how I know! We hit the ditch loaded with four people and gear last xmas on the straights outside of Calgary. Good thing we were going slow enough and went off in the middle snow drifts without flipping and not into the lake on the right. To make it better we even got out without a tow. Though I was in 2wd, it will be 4-Hcl on ice for now on.

After more experimenting in controlled conditions I think the superselect is deceiving in the snow as it still puts more power to the rear and looses traction very easily. Probably another reason why careful or not, its easy to ditch it. I even noticed that on gravel, easy to oversteer, harder to correct.

[thedjjack]

That should buff out

Happy everyone walked away. Yep my Jeeps spin just as well.

Good tires, Good shocks, rear sway bar (yep this is the point that a rear sway bar helps), low speed, and luck. But it happens (ice is ice).

My rear slider and gear storage at the back makes my L300 closer to 50-50.

It will make a great farm truck!

[Yokohama]

Carry extra weight in the rear to increase grip! Several hundred pounds+ of sand is good! That is what we do around here. The sand also comes in handy when you need to put some down on the ice.

How much are you looking to get out of it?

[MardyDelica]

Glad everybody is ok. car can be replace but not human being
hope all of you guys will be well later.
L300 short wheelbase is always hard on icy road.
i drive L300 for almost 6 years here in canada, L300 works really good on heavy snow but not good on icy road.
you got to be slow. dont mind the other who follow you hanking horn.
L400 is better on patchy of ice.
if icy. try to lower the tire pressure to bite the ice.
if not it will just slide.
pls take care
cheers;
Mardy

[RichD]

Not commenting on OP's accident (:-() but rather all these comments from Lower Mainland peeps about L300 being specifically bad on winter roads. As an experienced Winter driver and L300 owner I totally disagree.

Put it in 4WD for Winter, use appropriate tires, add some weight (like, a lot) over rear axle and slow down. This advice is the same for every vehicle. And anyone who knows Winter driving knows that recovery is easier in a short wheel base vehicle.

Specific to the L300: 1700kg front axle, 800kg rear axle. Where do you think the most important drive wheels are?

[nxski]

I don't find it especially bad either. I had a 2002 civic with Michelin x-ice tires and it was definitely worse than my Delica with BFG AT's. Definitely drive slow, I don't put mine in 4x4 or weigh down the back (sometimes 4x4 if the entire road is covered with snow or ice). A few trips to abandoned parking lots to do donuts, slides, e-brake turns, etc and some urban offroading in local parks is not only very fun but gives you an excellent grasp of your vehicles capabilities.

[konadog]

After nearly 4 years piloting my L-300 around I agree with Rich and nxski. I feel very comfy driving on winter roads in it.

Sorry your bus got wrecked

[Firesong]

Sorry to see those pictures, glad everyone is ok.

I like my L300 in the Winter.
Don't mind the handling at all on ice or snow.

No different than considering any rear wheel vehicle.
I actually find the lack of big power an asset in keeping
the vehicle in control but being functional.

I remember as a kid spinning around our 1978 long box ford
3/4 with a supercab on the gravel (accidently). Always something
going on.

Good luck with the next ride.

FS

[Stewart]

On extremely slippery black ice at highway speeds my van likes to go instantly, wildly sideways at the slightest provocation. It's because the rear end is too light when the van is empty. It's a good tip to throw a few sandbags or something to add weight in the back as well as running your tires a little softer. I don't think 4 wheel drive is any good for the van over 70-80kmh and maybe not for safe handling at those speeds but by all means use it if that's how slow you have to travel.