Author Topic: Is 10" safe for a truck? (Read 3934 times)

Shaggy · « **on:** Jan 11, 2004, 04:52 PM »

After reading all of these charts that tell you not to drive a full size truck on less than 15" if solid ice, today I saw 4 full size 3/4 and 1 ton trucks with plows on 10" of ice and only 5" of it was solid black ice. Not only were they on it, they were plowing a 1/4 mile circle track for cars to race on. Plowing bumper to bumper, side by side, and then they would stop and park next to one another to talk for a while.

So....monkey see monkey do, and onto the lake I went. I had the windows open and all I could hear, for at least 5 feet on either side of the truck was the ice cracking.....loudly! the other noise I heard was water running, but it wasn't the lake, it was my buddy in the passenger seat wetting his pants, so I turned off the radio because the religious channel was doing some prayer thing. No, it was him again quietly praying to God we would live. I had already turned around by now and was heading back to the beach at that time.

And the poor guy that had his traps all set up in a nice pattern......the plows just made the oval around him, needless to say he was packing up, and he looked a little upset.

Polar · « **Reply #1 on:** Jan 11, 2004, 05:38 PM »

Loads on Ice Required Minimum Ice
Thickness in inches Description of
Safe Moving Load
1-3/4 One person on skies
2 One person on foot or skates
3 One snowmobile
3 A group of people walking single file
7 A single passenger automobile
8 A 2-1/2 ton truck
9 A 3-1/2 ton truck
10 A 7 to 8 ton truck

Webguy · « **Reply #2 on:** Jan 11, 2004, 05:42 PM »

I laughed out loud reading your post Shaggy! I went on 7" of hard black ice today at the boat launch today just to see if it would hold my '99 Explorer and it did. Amazing stuff, that good ice! I wouldn't have gone on it with my truck unless I knew I could get out if I went through (shallow water with hard bottom).

Shaggy · « **Reply #3 on:** Jan 11, 2004, 05:54 PM »

I believe your chart more than the ones I have. I was on my atv one year and went out to check the ice, I got off the quad, grabbed the pick and slammed it into the ice, it went through on the second strike, I almost lost the pic. Me and my quad were on 3 inches of total black ice, this ice was so clear you could see bottom 10' down. After that I was chicken to ride the quad back so I just put it in first and let it idle its way to shorewhere it would just stall out on the hill. But the whole way back to shore you could see the ice moving like a small swell in the ocean.

RyGuy · « **Reply #4 on:** Jan 11, 2004, 06:36 PM »

Here's another good table. Remember black ice and white "snow" ice are two different beasts.

2" One person on foot
3" Group, in single file
5" Group (6-8 people) together
7½" Passenger car (2 ton gross)
8" Light truck (2½ ton gross)
10" Medium truck (3½ ton gross)
12" Heavy truck (7 to 8 ton gross)
15" 10 tons
20" 25 tons
25" 45 tons
30" 70 tons

smeltshack · « **Reply #5 on:** Jan 11, 2004, 06:49 PM »

Saw a truck and a car out on 10-12" of ice today.
Heck if its crackin around yah i'd say get the heck off lol

fishboy899 · « **Reply #6 on:** Jan 11, 2004, 06:51 PM »

I would wait till there is at least 12". We had 10" where I fished today and no one had trucks or cars only snowmobiles and atv's.

BlackIce · « **Reply #7 on:** Jan 11, 2004, 09:24 PM »

I drove my 99 Explorer on 10" (estimated). Ice popped like crazy driving in and out. Saw other trucks much bigger parked in a group out further than I was so I figured I was safe. Not to mention the 20 or so vehicles parked on the ice at shore.

GEM_EYE_GUY · « **Reply #8 on:** Jan 11, 2004, 10:57 PM »

10 inches is OK if we're taking YOUR truck.

We need 12 inches if we're taking MY truck.

lip ripper · « **Reply #9 on:** Jan 11, 2004, 11:25 PM »

i have drove on 10 but only hugin the shore line i like to wait till theres atleast 14 before igo fishin mid lakehump in 35 feet of water dont need my bronco on the bottom spooking fish

LIP RIPPER

richstick · « **Reply #10 on:** Jan 12, 2004, 12:25 PM »

why risk it? 10" here can drop to 8" 20 feet up the lake... How good is your insurance, and do you feel like losing it once you file that claim? Also, do you forever want to be "that idiot that went through"? I don't.

fly_chaser · « **Reply #11 on:** Jan 12, 2004, 01:21 PM »

aka Billy the Kid · « **Reply #12 on:** Jan 12, 2004, 04:58 PM »

Don't worry about your insurance,, they'll cover it,,, believe me

at least in MI, they will. On another note,,, there was a full size F150 on Lake St. Clair today,, on 6.5" of ice.

MUSKY 2004 · « **Reply #13 on:** Jan 12, 2004, 05:10 PM »

I NEED 12" BEFORE I GO OUT IN MY TRUCK , BUT THATS JUST ME. IVE SEEN PEOPLE OUT ON A LOT LESS. $:-\$

bigfish57 · « **Reply #14 on:** Jan 12, 2004, 08:20 PM »

I wait for 16" espeshially if I am unshure about where springs are on a particular body of water.

Big Dawg · « **Reply #15 on:** Jan 12, 2004, 08:27 PM »

january 3rd or 4th, coming back from squam lake, saw a full sized chevy blazer(old style) on 10in of ice and saturday while i was at my bobhouse, saw a full sized dodge ram towing a camper also on 10. could hear the ice crackin under em and was hoping they dont go thru and they didnt so i guess its ok to drive out to where my bobhouse is with a cevy silverado ext. cab huh? i think we'll wait till atleast 12in.
Dave

grumpymoe · « **Reply #16 on:** Jan 13, 2004, 02:12 PM »

last year we set the shanty up on a solid 14" of ice. i am a white knuckler when it comes to ice of any thickness. this year, we set up on a new lake late november after a good cold snap. the ice was clear with little or no snow cover. this time it was 8-9". i would not move out from shore until the following week when it thickened to about 10-11". some people were driving all over the place with 4wd pickups, but not me. what it comes down to is the quality of the ice when it freezes. (clear is the best). the one thing i wont do, is trust someone elses word for how thick it is. setup when you feel comfortable, safe, and at ease. when its cold and you can hear ice cracking loudly when driving, it may be a bit unnerving but generally safe. grump

bigredonice · « **Reply #17 on:** Jan 13, 2004, 05:27 PM »

not that i would recommend it, but 6" of clear blue will hold an 87 dodge full size...dont ask how i know how

cid · « **Reply #18 on:** Jan 13, 2004, 07:50 PM »

I wait for 15" to drive
How many lakes do you know where the ice thickness NEVER varies

I see Ice crack under a 4 wheeler that was 12 of crystal clear solid ice.
Wonder about car insuance too. What if you go through say 7-8" of ice with a vehicle, will they actually cover that?

crappieloo · « **Reply #19 on:** Jan 13, 2004, 09:47 PM »

I dont know about insurance paying for my car or truck, and i dont care. I got checked in the middle of a lake by thhe police and they said be carefull and make sure your car doesnt go through cause the EPA cleanup and recovery will really cost you,$$$$$$.

timmo · « **Reply #20 on:** Jan 20, 2004, 01:08 PM »

water is made for boats and such not cars and trucks ask the guy who plowed for the chenango lake perch derby in norwich his truck brand new with plow sat in 17 feet of water for at least a month before they figgured how to get it out while it was in the water i and a friend got down on the ice and with hands to our eyes we peeked down and saw minnows swimming across the dashboard quess he left the window down there at that time was at least ten inches of ice ill stay dry on shore thank you very much by the way the fine was 500.00 a DAY times this by 30 and then add the bill to the salvage company and price of new truck what a stunt bet ya he is still paying his dues is it now worth it to impress other fishermen NOT

fishermanjake · « **Reply #21 on:** Jan 20, 2004, 01:28 PM »

i had i guy pull out and do a circle around me and my friends with his full size suv. Then the guy pulls up ten feet from my tip-up, which is about 50 feet awasy from us and starts fishing. I won't drive on less than 10 with a truck, because its such a liability if it goes through. I'll go ice fishing on two but I will only get wet and cold if i go through and mabey loose 50 bucks of gear at most. Also I have confidence i can get out if i go through. But my point is, if your driving on marginal ice, less than a foot, don't bring other people down with you nomatter how safe you think it is.

P.S. we were the only people out on the lake when that happenned.

coldbum · « **Reply #22 on:** Jan 20, 2004, 03:27 PM »

i carry a signal flare gun for idiots like that in autos, snowmachines and atvs too, I have lost over a dozen tipups to mornons racing up and down the lake.. not to mention almost losing my life several times...

trust me a shot from one of those 10 ft ahead of the usually helps the get the hint that its a large lake and there is plenty of ice for everyone
Stay away!

big walleye · « **Reply #23 on:** Jan 20, 2004, 07:45 PM »

That is to good. Your story brings me back a few years agoas I was fishing Netley Creek on the red River. Their was only 6 inches of ice but as I was sitting in my shack praying for the big one to bite I stated feeling the ice shake and a loude rumble. Some idiot decided to drive his Ford Ranger on the ice. I have never seen so many people run out of their shacks. The driver slowly backed off the ice. the rule of the thumb is to never trust the ice. Vehicles go through on 3 ft of ice. You just never know.

News:

Author Topic: Is 10" safe for a truck? (Read 3934 times)

GEM_EYE_GUY

lip ripper

aka Billy the Kid

MUSKY 2004

grumpymoe

cid

timmo