Snow chains?

[Retread24800]

 Going south to Spain later on (over Christmas and new year) and having been caught in the UK in snow have been toying with the idea of buying a pair of snow chains, any advice/guidance or experience of say these?

http://www.ebay.fr/itm/chaine-neige-4x4-camping-16mm-HUSKY-2-pces-taille-175-75-16-/281034396597

 

[Archiesgrandad]

Don't be tempted to buy cheap chains, they won't last 5 minutes.

AGD

[Rowan Lee]

Have you thought about Autosocks? We had some chains but couldn't put them on, even in summer in the dry, so there didn't seem much point in having them. If you are just heading straight for the sun, maybe socks would be adequate. We are leaving next week, so have just bought some.

[lennyhb]

The link you gave only fits 175mm width tyres, CP tyres are normally 215 or 225.

[Retread24800]

lennyhb - 2013-11-18 6:40 PMThe link you gave only fits 175mm width tyres, CP tyres are normally 215 or 225.

That's the trouble with you guys, with my Classic ( 175/75 16) tyres I can go skating and skiing whereas you have to stick with snowboarding!!!

 

[Retread24800]

Rowan Lee - 2013-11-18 6:26 PMHave you thought about Autosocks? We had some chains but couldn't put them on, even in summer in the dry, so there didn't seem much point in having them. If you are just heading straight for the sun, maybe socks would be adequate. We are leaving next week, so have just bought some.

 

Thats is really why I posted to try and get other peoples view, I have no wish to go off piste but if its a question of no grip on a hill ..................what is best?

 

[lennyhb]

Retread24800 - 2013-11-18 9:20 PM

lennyhb - 2013-11-18 6:40 PMThe link you gave only fits 175mm width tyres, CP tyres are normally 215 or 225.

That's the trouble with you guys, with my Classic ( 175/75 16) tyres I can go skating and skiing whereas you have to stick with snowboarding!!!

(lol) (lol) (lol) (lol) (lol) (lol) (lol) (lol) (lol) (lol)

[Bojitoes]

We have been to Spain each of the last 4 years leaving early January coming back mid March and have come across a bit of snow on most trips, either going down or coming back. In nearly every case however snow chains would have been totally surplus to requirements as the speed with which the snow ploughs appear is quite astonishing compared top the UK. The only occasion when they would have been useful was when we had to follow a snow plough into a campsite at Riaza ,north of Madrid where the snow was quite deep. It was only when we left a couple of days later that we realized that we were surrounded by mountains and it was a well known ski resort!

 

After that experience we plan our routes better, taking the west France route out and sometimes back, on which we have only seen the occasional flurry and again the snow ploughs appear instantaneously. So, IMHO, if you take time to plan your route, snow chains are unnecessary and will take up a lot of space and weight.

 

Bob

[AliB]

Last year I bought a set of Lidl snow chains for the car. Although I've not used them in anger I thought they looked reasonable quality. Certainly good enough to get you out of trouble, even if they only last a few times.

This year's offer starts on 25/11

 

http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/SID-5C177E3E-B3952E0A/www_lidl_uk/hs.xsl/our-offers-2491.htm?action=showDetail&id=7632

 

[Rowan Lee]

But have you actually tried to fit them, AliB? I don't think we could manage it, hence we are getting the socks.

 

Retread, we have looked at the Autosocks website and watched all the videos and are well impressed. They are approved for use in France and if you only need them for emergencies on a main route through to Spain, then I think they are the answer. For us, anyway.

[George Collings]

I looked at the LIDL chains last year but the largest size was just too small for most 3.5 ton 'vans.

The illustration on their website showed the cross chains were widely spaced. Probably OK to get you our of trouble but might wear fast and give you and the tyres a rough ride.

I was an apprentice mechanic in the winter of 1963 and due to the damage they did to tyres suspension and bodywork resolved never to use them unless driven by absolute necessity. I supect that radial tyres would suffer even more than the stiff walled crossplies mainly used in the 60s.

As far as motorcaravanning is concerned snow and ice mean I stay home having done my share on the slippery stuff.

[hughman]

I've used them on a car in the Alps in order to escape from a ski resort. They were essential to get out, and for about the next mile or so until the road was clearer, and then we had to stop and remove them to avoid damage to the chains and the car as they're only meant for use on snow and ice.

 

So they got us out of trouble, safely, but, they are a royal PITA to fit and remove, especially when you are invariably doing this in unpleasant conditions. You need to practise fitting and removing them at leisure so you know what you're doing when the time comes.

 

I've now got Autosocks for the car but haven't needed to use them yet. I'm doubtful that they are robust enough to deal with a 3.5 tonne camper though, so I've got some chains for that. May never be needed, but they are cheap enough to be better safe than sorry.

[AliB]

Rowan Lee - 2013-11-19 7:40 AM

 

But have you actually tried to fit them, AliB? I don't think we could manage it, hence we are getting the socks.

 

.

 

Yes, I have fitted them to my car - a Volvo. No different to fitting any other make of snow chain. As stated I have not used them in anger. It would not be pleasant fitting them in a snow storm, hence practice in good weather.

[Steve928]

Retread24800 - 2013-11-16 4:15 PM Going south to Spain later on (over Christmas and new year) and having been caught in the UK in snow have been toying with the idea of buying a pair of snow chains, any advice/guidance or experience of say these?

http://www.ebay.fr/itm/chaine-neige-4x4-camping-16mm-HUSKY-2-pces-taille-175-75-16-/281034396597

I have these Husky 4x4 chains and have used them (to good effect) 3 times so far, twice in snow and once on mud.As stated by others do practice fitting them in good conditions first, but fitting really is not a difficult job especially with the good clearance around the wheel that motorhomes tend to have.If I was buying again I may consider snow socks having now seen how effective these are on hard-packed snow, but I'm not sure that they would be as good in loose snow or soggy mud!I don't think that the Husky chains would be considered as cheap and they have German TUV approval, so perhaps archiesgrandad in post#2 is warning against buying other cheaper chains?Certainly mine have lasted longer than 5 minutes already and look as good as new.

[AliB]

Steve928 - 2013-11-19 11:00 AM

 

 

I don't think that the Husky chains would be considered as cheap and they have German TUV approval,

 

 

Just had a look at the chains in my car boot. They also have TUV approval.

[Rowan Lee]

I have just spoken to a guy at the Roofbox Company, who supply both chains and socks. They are based in Cumbria and use the socks on their Sprinter vans. Whilst he acknowledged that the vans were not always fully loaded, he said they worked very well indeed and were ideal for going from untreated roads to treated roads for a short distance and then back onto untreated roads. I've bought mine now. If I ever have to use them, I'll post again and let you all know how I got on. But really, I hope they are just an insurance policy.

[Tea Cup]

How snow chains work on wet muddy ground (eg summertime). Front wheel vans have no grip then. I did use the underwheel plastic things a couple of weeks ago, it was good enough to get me going, but as LIDL has chains coming up next week, I wondered if it would be worth carrying them winter/summer.

[fjmike]

I was recently in Costco and they had the Michelin Autosocks, thinking they may well be an alternative to snow chains I Googled the brand and make and I was surprised at the number of hits on how useless they were so didn't bother with the purchase

[pepe63xnotuse]

Tea Cup - 2013-11-19 6:58 PM

 

How snow chains work on wet muddy ground (eg summertime). Front wheel vans have no grip then. I did use the underwheel plastic things a couple of weeks ago, it was good enough to get me going, but as LIDL has chains coming up next week, I wondered if it would be worth carrying them winter/summer.

 

 

Tea Cup

 

Re: "Muddy ground"

 

For a few years now, we've carried 'chains for use when we're on music festival sites and of the couple of times we've "deployed" them, as has been said above, they can be a REAL pain in the ar*e to fit/take off!

(...fitting ours involves scrambling around on your hands and knees!) and they really need to put on before you get stuck(..so not always possible, as you may block an access road/gate to do so..)

 

Although on the occasions we've used them they have worked, it does scare me to think of what damage they could do if you happened to clack something buried in the mud(a rock/brick end) and they broke...?

..or they picked-up a *"stoney clump", which ended up taking out a brake hose..?!...

(*Areas around muddy gateways etc, tend to have had stone/hard-core tipped into them at some stage or other...)

 

We had a side/retaining chain link break once..luckily the main body of the chains, stayed put... :-S

 

We still a carry them..but I'd only really use them as a last resort..

(..and I don't think your average campsite warden would be to pleased with having his pitches ploughed up! (lol) )

 

I've carried four of these for a few yews now and they've got us OUT of some sticky situations..

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Hand+Tools/Ground+Drainage/Ground+Guard+Single+Tile/d10/sd3226/p94411