FWD car okay for chasing?

[Doug Russell]

Hi everyone I've never chased before but I'm looking to begin doing so this season. My vehicle is a 4 cylinder FWD Honda and I am a little concerned about it for two reasons. First, the lack of AWD/4x4 seems concerning to me given the road conditions that storms can produce. Second, a car is at a huge disadvantage against an SUV or a truck during a crash. There is, however, one great advantage in that I get 39 mpg on the highway. Anyone feel alright chasing in a FWD car? I live in SW Iowa and will only be using paved roads.

 

[Todd Lemery]

If you are going to stay on paved roads, you'll be perfectly fine. Intentions to stay on paved roads can melt away pretty quick though when the only road that doesn't take you twenty miles out of your way while chasing a storm isn't paved.....

 

[David Williams]

I got stuck in the mud during a chase about 2 years ago. Fortunately, I didn't get hit with hail or a tornado because the storm was still maturing. However, sitting there and watching the storm move away and develop was frustrating. I chased last year and avoided unpaved roads, but I missed some good opportunities to get close. I like to get close to tornadoes... within reason. I'm no Reed Timmer, but I prefer being within half a mile. Further out just doesn't do it for me. So, I reasoned that I'm driving thousands of miles for a few tornado encounters and I'm severely limiting myself by sticking to paved roads. That doesn't make sense. I should go all in. So, I decided to buy a 4x4 vehicle to get off paved roads, and I'm happy and confident in my choice. Therefore, you have to know what you want when chasing. If you want to get close, sticking to paved roads will get frustrating and sooner or later you're going to take a chance and go off road. And there's just no getting around it. If you see an opportunity and you just assume the road will be good, you'll be inclined to take it. However, if you're not concerned with getting close and you don't mind for shots and structure and having to drive around a bit , then sticking to paved roads won't be an issue. Good luck

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[Marc R. O'Leary]

You'll be fine. A FWD Honda still has a better chance than a RWD car for navigating questionable roads. Good tires should be considered though, as that makes a huge difference.

As for your worries about crash safety, figure modern cars are safe in general. But think about what you're getting into (rain, wind, slick conditions), and consider that an SUV or truck inherently wants to roll over in an emergency situation due to high center of gravity. All of this is neither here nor there though, just be aware of your surroundings and other traffic, and don't drive like an idiot.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Any car is OK for chasing as long as you don't drive on the muddy roads. Even 4WD is not enough for some of those mud roads, seems like every year I hear of a chaser with a big truck getting stuck and needing a farmer's tractor to get out.

 

[James Hammett]

Getting stuck is a risk no matter what you drive if you leave paved roads. I chase in a AWD Subaru but chased in a FWD Honda for years. The FWD got me in and out of sticky situations just fine. AWD does provide a bit more margin for overestimating road quality. When you do get stuck chances are you're stuck worse though. Most of chasing is long drives on paved roads and driving a small FWD is a big advantage there with the better gas mileage.

 

[Doug Russell]

Thank you everyone for sharing your experience! I feel better and am going to give it a go once the season starts . My wife just picked up a new wide angle lens and a new tripod and I've been glued to RadarScope learning how it works.

 

[ericjkelly]

Have an AWD Subaru Outback and twice ended up in the ditch last year (was able to get out both times with minimal help).

Staying on dry roads is key, but the reality is we dont always have that option. The right tires on a FWD car will work.

Side note....I will NOT get stuck this year. Going with more of a AT tire than a passenger highway tire.

 

[Dan Robinson]

I think it was David Drummond who pointed out in a previous thread that the problem with Plains mud is that it "cakes" onto the tires and in the wheel wells, meaning any tire tread is going to end up the same way - a wheel made of mud spinning helplessly in a mud rut. All of the big trucks/vehicles in chasing have gotten stuck at one time or another - the DOWs, the TIV and the Scout, Dominators, etc. Plains mud is an equal-opportunity vehicle eater.

 

[Michael Hook]

I've been chasing in a 2010 Honda Fit since 2012 and it's done just fine, but since the ground clearance is low, it don't venture onto dirt roads often. I've had a few occasions where I had to bail on potential tornadoes because of having to stay on pavement including what would eventually become an EF-4 in Kansas. We had the initial tornado but could not continue the chase due to the Kansas mud. It's great on gas and it has sufficient room but at times I wish I had an SUV or truck. But to counter that, if I'm going on a week long chase, I resorted to renting a truck for the off roading requirements. I agree with others, I've seen cars, trucks, SUVs, and specialty vehicles stuck so it's not always a bad thing hanging to the pavement. It's an added bonus getting great gas mileage but to me that's only a factor when gas was 4 bucks a gallon.

My motto... I chase BIG storms in a really little car.




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[James Hammett]

Going with more of a AT tire than a passenger highway tire.

I have a set of Grabber AT2's on my Impreza. They're inexpensive, perform great, and resist hydroplaning very well. Only trouble I get into now with AWD and those is on the "cake batter" mud. Any sloping of the road grade is enough to pull you into the ditch on that stuff...slick as ice.

 

[Jeff Duda]

I have only ever chased in a FWD vehicle and have many excellent tornado experiences (including large and strong tornadoes as well as close calls). IMO, if you think the difference between you and decidedly better tornadoes is a 4WD vehicle, then you're doing something wrong. It's rare for me to feel like I have to leave paved roads to get a satisfactory shot of a tornado. Even so, I duck off onto dirt roads all the time, but only when they're dry or only marginally wet. Usually if you put yourself in the inflow region to the tornado you're mostly out and ahead of any precip, so the roads should stay dry until the tornado is very close. In HP situations, is it really worth it to get into the bear's cage on a muddy road?

 

[James Hammett]

if you put yourself in the inflow region to the tornado you're mostly out and ahead of any precip

Indeed. Combine that with approaching from the east so you can backtrack over known-good roads to escape and you're golden.

In HP situations, is it really worth it to get into the bear's cage on a muddy road?

That was me on June 4, 2008 down by Creston, IA after dark. Almost got mowed by a tornado I couldn't see after getting high-centered on a muddy road. The damage path cut through the field right next to where I was stuck. Never again.


FYI this was the event that had me looking for a more capable vehicle. Other options would include keeping your distance after dark
Also - the roads were already muddy from earlier storms out ahead of this one. In situations like that with unmaintained roads all you can do is stay on the pavement really.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Here's a good example of the "wheel of mud" from Brandon Sullivan. He's got one of the best 4WD setups of any chaser:

https://twitter.com/btsullivan91/status/833466897882558468

 

[Randy Jennings]

For the new chasers out there, one should point out that you don't have to use dirt roads to get stuck. Many of the two lane country roads that you will chase on have no shoulder, so be careful when you pull off the road to look (and yes please pull off so others can get by) or use a farmer's "driveway" to turn around in. Lots of chasers have gotten stuck on the side of paved roads.