Chains - how often do you need them?

[Flat4]

Snow forecasts for CHCH and the ski season coming up have got me thinking - how often do you really need chains on an AWD Subaru?

We often take the wagon down south for road trips and will probably be doing a few ski field trips, and I\'m trying to justify the cost. They could have come in handy on Burkes pass the other weekend (see pic) otherwise never needed to use them.

So to those of you who regularly hit up the ski fields, how often do you use them?

[boon]

I used to take my STI up Turoa nearly every weekend during winter. Although it only saw snow a few times it was surprisingly capable when it did. It felt more steady than my Hilux Surf in anything less than about 10cm of snow.

I never had to put chains on it.

Edit: We drove all over British Columbia in winter in a 2wd Ford Taurus (yuck) and never needed chains. Its really about knowing how to drive in those conditions and allowing for the huge difference in how the car will handle. Snow is pretty grippy, it\'s ice that\'s slippery.

[subieboy]

Well I drove in the big snow of 05, the bigger snow of \'12 and drove up and down hills without chains...

Also drove in Waiberia in snow many a time and never used them... Then again I did do NMV, Rover and Mog training back in the day in the Army so learn\'t how to drive smoothly and use my head...

[Flat4]

Cheers this is all good info, I\'ve done a bit of driving in the snow but I\'ve only driven up ski field roads a couple of times when the acess roads have been pretty good

If the roads are restricted to 4WD or chains only what are the chances of being allowed up in a car like mine without them?

[subieboy]

NIl

If they stipulate chains carry them or stay at bottom of hill

[DRFVDR]

Carry them, even if you never fit them still carry them because there will be that one time that they will save your skin.

I drive(professionally) on the Ohakune Mt road every winter ( for the last 25 years) and we carry chains in most of our 4wd vehicles, and these vehicles are set up for winter conditions ( tires mainly). I rarely have to fit chains but sometimes I choose to ( mainly coming down empty on extreme days), I would prefer to have them and not need them than run off the road trying to be "man", cant afford the damage nor the downtime.

[Flat4]

Wise words, I\'ll keep hunting on trademe for a good deal.

Are the ladder type ones all good or is it worth spending a bit extra for some diamond ones?

[DRFVDR]

 Flat4 said:

Wise words, I\'ll keep hunting on trademe for a good deal.

Are the ladder type ones all good or is it worth spending a bit extra for some diamond ones?

Spend the extra

ladder type chains are for mud use only

dangerous on snow ice as you have no sideways protection

[boon]

 Flat4 said:

Cheers this is all good info, I\'ve done a bit of driving in the snow but I\'ve only driven up ski field roads a couple of times when the acess roads have been pretty good

If the roads are restricted to 4WD or chains only what are the chances of being allowed up in a car like mine without them?

The up is not what gets you, if you hit ice on the way up you might slow down a little or have to take another run at it.

It\'s the gravity-assisted falling off the road on the way down that\'ll get ya.

[DRFVDR]

 boon']

[quote name='Flat4 said:

Cheers this is all good info, I\'ve done a bit of driving in the snow but I\'ve only driven up ski field roads a couple of times when the acess roads have been pretty good

If the roads are restricted to 4WD or chains only what are the chances of being allowed up in a car like mine without them?

/quote]

The up is not what gets you, if you hit ice on the way up you might slow down a little or have to take another run at it.

It\'s the gravity-assisted falling off the road on the way down that\'ll get ya.

I have never really had an issue going up mainly because of 2 things a/ I am usually loaded so extra weight always helps b/ if i slip i usually stop

I have had some major issues coming down empty which is why I will chain up on the way down more often than going up.

Also helps when going down dodging idiots in surfs coming up

[gazzy2000]

in that big snow of 2006 ground clearance was just as important as 4wd,

so much snow! a lowered car was more like a bull dozer

[Flat4]

Haha when the front bumper becomes a grader you know you\'re in deep shit

Another question, chains on (moderately) lowered cars, do they fit?

[DRFVDR]

I doubt it, you may have to try and see but they usually have bugger all clearance as they are

[Flat4]

This is the sort of clearance I have, lowered but pretty similar to a standard GTB, should I give up the hopes of taking this up the ski field and settle for shuttles? ha

[DRFVDR]

That should be heaps of room, BUT taking a shuttle is always the safest way to go, if in doubt, shuttle

[Rhy]

mate that is heaps of room. IV had to put them on my gt and it has the same about of clearance but the look of your photo. in most cases you shouldn\'t need chains if your on a gritted road any way but saying that, i use the rule of if the snow is deeper then the width of your chains then it maybe time to put them on because regardless of awd you wont be far from having little to no traction.

and also if your on a road were chains must be carried and the police pull you over and you don\'t have any $150 -$250 fine regardless of the type of car you have.

[Stodart]

 We are borg said:

Carry them, even if you never fit them still carry them because there will be that one time that they will save your skin.

I drive(professionally) on the Ohakune Mt road every winter ( for the last 25 years) and we carry chains in most of our 4wd vehicles, and these vehicles are set up for winter conditions ( tires mainly). I rarely have to fit chains but sometimes I choose to ( mainly coming down empty on extreme days), I would prefer to have them and not need them than run off the road trying to be "man", cant afford the damage nor the downtime.

Totally agree about carrying them ALWAYS , you may get up the hill ok but its coming down thats harder, driven on snow is very slippery almost like ice , very difficult to brake/stop on, ie use gears (rule of thumb come down in same gear you drove up in) increase following distance exponentially

Its the other idiots on the road .that don\'t know what they\'re doing and are ill prepared that you have to look out for.

thats assuming the tyres are suited to driving in snow, thats the most limiting factor, next to driver ability, if not even more of a reason to carrying/using chains. I don\'t have much faith in electronic traction aids in winter driving conditions ie ABS , traction control etc

there was a classic case of this on TV news recently of a late model Prado with its front wheels locked up and sliding down a Dunedin hill street covered in snow.

have always carried chains from mid may to mid septmeber as far back as l can remember (35 years)

Have been using winter tyres (in the southern lakes area) since 1995 for myself and professionally in commercial passenger service also (7 winters in the southern lakes area including ski field tranfers and 24 hour service (taxis).

they (winter tyres) do make a difference especially in ice, they\'re aren\'t a substitute for stupidity etc.

ideally if used its most convennient to get another set of rims and have them permanently fitted. get 4 to 5 winters out of a set just put on set on Outback before this icy winter blast. have some for brumby as well, as well as chains in both vehicles