Tire Chain Discussion

[Budasac]

I think the reason the manual reccomends smaller tires be used with the chains is because of the minimal clearance to the UCA BJ.

[superacerc]

I'm sure they meet the cali requirement. I believe cable styles came out because front wheel drive cars couldn't really handle the actual chains well. So that's all that's really used on most cars these days. The chains are really good for icy slippery surface conditions but in soft snow a nice M/T will do the trick. For on road driving that's all you'll really need i think.

Here's the kind i use on my car:
http://scc-chain.com/Traction%20Pages/Trac_ZChain.html

[Sal-XK]

I think the reason the manual reccomends smaller tires be used with the chains is because of the minimal clearance to the UCA BJ.

I didn't think of that good point

[jantrit]

I have a set of four of these that we got for the wife's XK V-BAR My thinking was that these were for going over Donner and if we had to chain up I'd be going slow with them anyway. The mistake people make with chains is going too fast. If you are chained up in snow you are on some really nasty stuff and you probably shouldn't be going much faster than you can walk. I didn't see any problems when I test fit them but I didn't jack up and check full lock either. I may have to go back and look at the UCA clearance again.

My golden rule is that if you have chains on.....you're in for a long slow ride. If a chain pops when you are going slow, you MIGHT be able to stop before you annihilate your body panel. If it pops while you are going fast, you're auto body shop will love you.

[WanderingTs]

Wish I had seen this thread eariler. In my previous work life in interfaced with CHP several times each winter regarding the chain conditions on I-80 over Donner Summit, and frequently talked to the CalTrans guy who actually made the call on what the chain control level was and where. While I am not 100% certain it would be the same in the Big Bear area (the north state decisions are made in Marysville, not sure what command Big Bear falls under), you will likely never have to worry about R1 controls. In almost all circumstances if the conditions get worse than R2, they close the highways. I worked directly with them every winter for almost 10 years and never saw R1 controls ever. Almost all chain installers etc who work in the snow all the time only have 4X4 with snow tires because if the plows can't keep up, CalTrans pulls the plug. Again, your area may be different, but I would guess CalTrans has the same guidelines statewide.

It is a California thing due to the funky (read:dumb) liability laws here. Can you imagine if they closed the east coast when it snowed bad?