Take me to school on snow chains

So I'm driving the wife and baby up to Wisconsin for Christmas this year, and since there's a good chance we'll be driving through heavy snow sometime during the week, I figure getting snow chains is a good idea. Problem is I grew up in North Carolina, where we cancel school for a week for the mere forecast of flurries, so I have no experience with what to look for, what to spend, heck, even how to install them. Anybody got suggestions, recommendations, horror stories, etc. to help me out?

Thanks in advance! :D

unless your going off roading in a blizzard, there is no reason you would need chains. and i don't think Wisconsin allows chains on their paved roads.

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Originally Posted by orion

unless your going off roading in a blizzard, there is no reason you would need chains. and i don't think Wisconsin allows chains on their paved roads.

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X II...

Any roads you travel will more likely than not be plowed well enough for a VX with even marginal snow tires to get through.

Spend the chain money on a AAA membership...:_snowplow

What is your tire situation?

Racing slicks or All-terrains?

Sorry, should have specified this before, but we're driving the wife's Axiom instead of the VX (need the extra room for 2 + baby + dog + stuff). Her vehicle does have TOD, but has less ground clearance and less capable tires (I'd say they're AT's, but meant mostly for dry/wet, not snow/ice) than the VX. Obviously plowed roads won't be an issue, but her folks live in a very rural area of northern WI so there's a good chance we'd be driving in some areas that would be less frequently plowed. I agree that snow chains are likely to not be warranted in any case, and if you guys think I'd be good without, I certainly wouldn't mind saving the money for something I wouldn't use just once a year. Just trying to be (reasonably) prepared.

Thanks for the legal heads up Orion, I hadn't even thought of that. Good to have someone from up that way to weigh in.

:hj: However, my wife would probably say F@#$ Minnesota, Paul Bunyan lived in WI, not in MN, Badgers rule, etc etc etc - crazy rivalry you guys have up there.

If you've got better tires on the VX...switch'um for the trip...:smilewink

Keep an eye on the weather as you get nearer. Chances are you can pick up a better selection of snow chains at a better price should you need them when you get to WI than you can get in an area that doesnt usually require them

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Originally Posted by circmand

Keep an eye on the weather as you get nearer. Chances are you can pick up a better selection of snow chains at a better price should you need them when you get to WI than you can get in an area that doesnt usually require them

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Come now, that's why Al Gore gave us the internet. :D

I agree with the lot. You will most likely not need chains. I lived in Chicago most of my life and I never chained up once. Unless you plan on climbing hills on some unmaintained back country roads, I think you will be fine. Being that most of the terrain is flat, I highly doubt you will have any trouble getting around. That's not to say you need to drive safe in these conditions, but you should be fine with the Axy.

The only time I have ever used chains was out here. I once drove over the pass (from Reno to Sacramento) in the middle of a blizzard with a rental car. Chains were required for all non-4x4 vehicles. So I went to Wally World and got the cheapest chains I could find. Let me just say, putting them on was NOT fun. They work, but they are a serious pain in the bootie.

Bart

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Originally Posted by vt_maverick

Come now, that's why Al Gore gave us the internet. :D

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Shipping and Handling

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Originally Posted by nfpgasmask

The only time I have ever used chains was out here. I once drove over the pass (from Reno to Sacramento) in the middle of a blizzard with a rental car. Chains were required for all non-4x4 vehicles. So I went to Wally World and got the cheapest chains I could find. Let me just say, putting them on was NOT fun. They work, but they are a serious pain in the bootie.

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I know exactly what you mean. The last time I was on business travel to northern Cali we went through the pass over to Lake Tahoe and got caught in a blizzard on the way back. (Absolutely crazy to see the NHP (I think?) push a wooden shack onto the middle of the interstate to stop vehicles for chain inspections.) They let us pass without chains because we had rented a Subaru Forrester (AWD), but we still skidded off the interstate anyway while going down a long downhill grade. Turns out all the AWD technology in the world won't overcome cheap rental fleet summer tires. :rolleyes:

Btw, I was looking around the internet at snow chains and found these:

http://www.thule.com/~/media/Product...08&thn=1&w=618


K-Summiut K11

I would never dream of spending that kind of money, but geez those things look bad-*****. And seems like installation would be MUCH easier if you don't have to worry about looping the chains over the back of the tire.

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Originally Posted by circmand

Shipping and Handling

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...which is why Google added the "Free Shipping" checkbox to their shopping search page. ;) But your point is well made.

You might also try out Auto Socks. I have still never seen them in use, but I've heard good things about them. They seem kind of expensive to me...

Overkill, I live near two ski resorts in the CO mountains and I dont carry chains. The only time I found them really useful was throwing them under the tires of a truck to gain traction on ice. Chains work great and are not bad to have for emergencies but you'll probably never use them.

That thule setup looks ridiculous, someone should try using them for offroading... vt maverick?? you found em'


I also agree with Ldub- AAA is great

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Originally Posted by mdwyer

You might also try out Auto Socks. I have still never seen them in use, but I've heard good things about them. They seem kind of expensive to me...

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x2. I have no experience with the AutoSocks either; but on a traditional passenger-type car, I believe the AutoSocks might be quite effective. Obvisously, they're extremely lightweight and they appear to be very easy to install.

I would much rather give AutoSocks a try before hassleling with bulky heavy PITA chains. Plus; if a cross-link breaks on traditional chains, the resulting slinging chain will beat the ba-Jesus out of your exterior fenderwell causing expensive body damage.

The AutoSocks warrant serious consideration as a chain alternative and are easy to stow anywhere in a passenger-type car (even under the seat). Just my .02:bgwb:

a couple 25 pound bags of sand will give you weight over the wheel wells. You can pour them out on the ground in front and behind tires for traction if you get stuck and use in the sand box for your kid if you do not end up needing them for traction.

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Originally Posted by circmand

a couple 25 pound bags of sand will give you weight over the wheel wells. You can pour them out on the ground in front and behind tires for traction if you get stuck and use in the sand box for your kid if you do not end up needing them for traction.

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Lol, okay okay, I get the picture. Thanks for the feedback guys, I'll save the money and invest it in a fiberglass skid plate to protect my front bumper. :D ;)

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Originally Posted by vt_maverick

Thanks for the legal heads up Orion, I hadn't even thought of that. Good to have someone from up that way to weigh in.

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Just wanted to pass this along, I found it on one of the snow boot websites:

Wis. Stat. § 347.45 (2003) 347.45. Tire equipment. (1) All automobiles, motor trucks, motor buses, truck tractors, trailers, semitrailers and mobile homes when operated upon a highway shall be completely equipped with tires inflated with compressed air and all other motor vehicles when operated on a highway shall be equipped with tires of rubber or of some material or construction of equal resiliency. No person may operate on a highway any motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer or mobile home having any metal tire in contact with the roadway, except that tire chains of reasonable proportions may be used when required for safety because of snow, ice or other conditions tending to cause a vehicle to skid, and except as provided in sub. (2)(c)(2) No person shall operate on a highway any vehicle, including farm tractors, self-propelled farm implements, implements of husbandry, animal drawn vehicles and road machinery, if such vehicle has on the periphery of any of its tires any block, stud, flange, cleat, spike or other protuberance of any material other that rubber which projects beyond the tread of the traction surface of the tire, except that: (b) Tire chains of reasonable proportions may be used on any vehicle when required for safety because of snow, ice, or other conditions tending to cause a vehicle to skid. (c) A pneumatic tire may have embedded in it wire or wire coils for improving traction on ice and snow, but such tire shall be so constructed that the per cent of wire or wire coils in contact with the roadway does not exceed, after the first 1,000 miles of use or operation, 5% of the total tire area in contact with the roadway. During the first 1,000 miles of use or operation of any such tire the wire or wire coils in contact with the roadway shall not exceed 20% of the total tire area in contact with the roadway. Tires equipped with tungsten carbide studs shall be limited in usage and design as follows: 1. The department shall, by rule, designate the times of year during which any type of tire described in this paragraph may be used. 2. Such tires may be used only on authorized emergency vehicles, school buses, vehicles used to deliver mail and automobiles with out-of-state registrations and then only if such automobile is in the course of passing through this state for a period of not more than 30 days. 3. Such studs shall not project more than one-eighth inch beyond the tread surface of the tire or recutting is an acceptable and safe practice, nor does this subsection apply to regrooving or recutting done in a tire recapping process.

So I guess it depends upon whether the cop thinks the conditions warrant your use of chains.

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Originally Posted by mdwyer

You might also try out Auto Socks. I have still never seen them in use, but I've heard good things about them. They seem kind of expensive to me...

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Thought I'd pass along this link for what appears to be an upgraded version of an AutoSock (in addition to cloth, it also has rubber traction pads with embedded steel spikes to further increase ice traction). Looks like they run about $25 more than the Auto Sock ($125 total).

http://www.snobootz.com/howitworks.php

Edit: Looks like only a couple of sizes are $125... the correct size for the Ax would be $310! :eek:

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Originally Posted by circmand

a couple 25 pound bags of sand will give you weight over the wheel wells. You can pour them out on the ground in front and behind tires for traction if you get stuck and use in the sand box for your kid if you do not end up needing them for traction.

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vt- i consider myself pretty well versed in snow driving as i drive through the colorado snowy mountains on a regular basis... your axiom will do JUST FINE in the snow (former member morgan-tec had an axiom that would leave my VX sitting still in the mountains)

if you have AT tires you wont have any problems as others have stated.
however, ill agree with circ that you should pick up some sandbags to throw in the trunk, they are going to increase your traction, and also if you do get stuck you can use them to help you get out (as circ stated). and they are fairly inexpensive
thats my opinion.

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Originally Posted by pbkid

ill agree with circ that you should pick up some sandbags to throw in the trunk, they are going to increase your traction, and also if you do get stuck you can use them to help you get out (as circ stated). and they are fairly inexpensive
thats my opinion.

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Especially when you live on a beach. ;) :D

In My personal opinion.. Chains are for getting yourself out of a problem and to the nearest shelter. That's it.. if they can't keep the road passable there is nothing so important in the world that you need to drive on a road you wouldn't slip and fall on if you are walking.. Good luck and good weather.

Jeff

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Originally Posted by Solitude

In My personal opinion.. Chains are for getting yourself out of a problem and to the nearest shelter. That's it.. if they can't keep the road passable there is nothing so important in the world that you need to drive on a road you wouldn't slip and fall on if you are walking.. Good luck and good weather.

Jeff

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Yes I think a good donut sale would be worth it.