Thread: Tire chains- for you frigid people

I'll shortly be moving to place that requires chains at least some parts of the year, but I haven't a clue about them. We carry tow chains 'round these parts Where is a good place to get them and what is a good type?

Well, I live in Canada, so you'd think we'd be experts - but tire chains, as far as I know, are illegal in all 10 provinces - they just chew up the road too badly. A good set of winter tires have always done right by me, though.

Good luck!

Mark

Originally Posted by Milton Man

Well, I live in Canada, so you'd think we'd be experts - but tire chains, as far as I know, are illegal in all 10 provinces - they just chew up the road too badly. A good set of winter tires have always done right by me, though.

Good luck!

Mark

When one of your seasons is called construction, I can understand that

Yup, you got that right! Here in Canada, we really only have 2 seasons - winter and construction - both of which are undriveable! Ha!

Mark

I would say that it depends upon where to where you are moving. Here, Colorado, a good set of snow tires (I like Blizzak), will do you right, and if you need to use chains (whene there are chain restrictions on the mountain passes) then you really should not be driving period.

However, if you are dead set on getting chains, just go to your local auto parts shop, (Checkers, pepboys, autozone, ...) and they should have the chains. Make sure the chains are the right size for your tires.

Matt

Snow tires hmm? Do you just have an extra set of wheels with tires laying around for snow? That's not a half bad idea. You can tell how much snow we get here

Winter tires, snow tires - same difference - the big thing is that they're made of a more pliable rubber that won't freeze - whereas summer tires and all seasons will freeze at about -10 to -15C (0F?) and become hard providing you no grip at all. Also, winter tires have snow shedding tread patterns, and micro serrations (friable? auto-regenerating) in the rubber compound to help with traction on ice.

I'd check with your new local municipality if chains are even legal first...

Mark

Yeah, snow tires = winter tires.

You don't "need" a second set of wheels, because your local tire shop should be able to swap out your tires on your existing wheels. However, they charge about $50 each time, so a set of cheep steel wheels pays for themselves in a couple of years.

When I previously said "chain restrictions", that means that you are required to have atleast chains on your tires, or 4 wheel drive. If you don't, and you get stuck on the pass, then you are paying a very heafty fine.

It got down to -19 F on Sunday night/Monday Morining, so regular tires were slipping all over the place here.

Matt

Not that I want chains...I honestly don't care. I just want to make sure I've got the right equipment. There are precious few people that know how to drive in snow/ice in Oklahoma (which naturally ****es me off), so I don't want to be that yokel ****ing people off when I move. The upside is, the city snow plow probably isn't a Silverado with a blade attachment

I'm sure this will rise some folks' hackles, but here's the view from Buffalo, NY:

Get an all wheel drive car with really good snow tires.

I have a Jeep Wrangler (4WD), my gf has a Subaru Forester (AWD). Which car would I rather have if I were driving on two foot deep unplowed roads or in a snowy field? The Wrangler, with BFG ATs.

But for everyday mixed road driving in winter conditions, it'a a lot better to have an AWD.

Believe me, I wouldn't have believed I would say this four years ago, but you can't keep the Wrangler in 4wd all winter if you do mixed highway/road driving (unless you want to change the tranny yearly), and it doesn't kick in in a fraction of a second when you need it on a snowy road.

And I don't know about chains -- I think they're illegal in most states, including NY. My dad swears by studs, but I think they're illegal too.

As with everything, YMMV.

cass