Snow chains?

aya28ga

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Like others have said, its not the snow that's the biggest problem, its the ice. A quarter-inch of freezing rain will cause more problems for drivers than 4 - 6 inches of snow, and 4 wheel drive doesn't help a great deal on ice.

Most tow truck operators will tell you that the biggest percentage of vehicles they pull out of ditches during a storm are 4 wheel drives; for some reason, a lot of 4x4 owners seem to think they're exempt from the laws of physics......
 

LanceR

Six Pointer
Contributor
Living here in often frozen central New York we do see a lot of times where freezing rain or snow hitting an above freezing temperature road leave a coating of ice. Even without ice the first snow of the year always brings out the stupid in folks, even those who have lived and driven here all their lives. When we had our first snow of the year this year it came at night. Onondaga County (where Syracuse is) had 99 accidents by late morning and that didn't count the city of Syracuse.

Four wheel drive and all wheel drive can be a big help but the best help is driving within the capabilities of the vehicle. Anticipating curves, stops, hills etc becomes a way of life if you want to stay between the ditches. My truck has Cooper Discoverer AT3 tire which are about as highly rated in snow as truck tires come. My wife's car has Bridgestone Blizzaks for its winter running shoes. Nothing handles ice or snow better than a true snow tire although I understand why they are not common in North Carolina.

If you use chains use them on all four wheels or you will be less safe than if you didn't use them at all. Also, remember that modern vehicles do not have the clearance in the wheel wells that older ones did. Your owners manual will tell you whether it is safe to use chains. Chain are specifically prohibited for some vehicles. Two wheel drive trucks typically have less wheel well clearance than 4x4s do, too. I've seen fuel tank filler necks ripped off, inner wheel wells ripped out etc due to lack of tire to wheel well clearance with chains mounted or from chains mounted with too much slack. If you use chains be very careful to check at very low speed to be sure they don't rub when turning...... And drive slowly. Generally, chains are meant to drive 25 MPH or less. Again, you manual will likely address max speed with chains.

If I have to mount chains on a vehicle or tractor at home I drape them over the wheel and use a floor jack to pick the vehicle up. That way I can dress and center the chains easier than if the wheel is sitting on them. We collect military vehicles and even have chains for the 6x6s. Wrestling a chain onto a 50" tall super single tire with a deep off road tread is no fun so when on the road with the big trucks we use the hydraulic jack out of the toolbox placed under the axle beam when mounting chains.


Lance
 

QBD2

Old Mossy Horns
^I had a set of AT3's on my Tundra, and I thought they were pure garbage in the snow. BFG, Nitto, and the cheap Capitols on there now are far superior in the snow, IMO
 
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