"Paul Rooney" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 26 Sep 2004 10:43:56 -0700, "Generic" >
> wrote:
>
> >
> >"Paul Rooney" > wrote in message
> .. .
> >> On Sun, 26 Sep 2004 09:51:44 -0700, "Generic" >
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >> >
> >> >"Paul Rooney" > wrote in message
> >> .. .
> >> >> On Sat, 25 Sep 2004 23:36:29 GMT, Lon >
wrote:
> >> >> > Snow tires tend to be of two varieties. The mud and snow will
> >> >> > typically have rather large tread voids in order to deal with
> >> >> > deep packed or loose snow. Deep as in several inches. A more
> >> >> > typical "snow" tire is really an ice tire...with tread compound
> >> >> > that stays soft at very low temperature, tends to be
hydrophilic,
> >> >> > and will typically have a lot of small cuts or sipes to give
more
> >> >> > gripping edges on ice. The best of these may be almost as good
> >> >> > as studded tires.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Chains are for severe conditions. Even the cable style will
cause
> >> >> > a lot of vibration. Should be used at very low speeds only.
> >> >
> >> >> Thanks.
> >> >> Can you keep snow tyres on all winter and drive on snow-free roads
OK,
> >> >> or do you have to keep changing them over when you get onto clear
> >> >> roads?
> >> >
> >> >Tires are generally safe on clear roads but the wear, noise and
handling
> >can
> >> >be worse than a regular street tire. The mud & snow type can be
> >incredibly
> >> >loud vs. a street tire. It depends on the particular tire.
> >
> >> Thanks. What kind of conditions would chains be able to cope with, do
> >> you know?
> >
> >The major use for tire chains is on 2wd vehicles in ice and not too deep
> >snow on paved roads. They give a 2wd the ability to move when it would
> >otherwise spin its wheels or slide off the road. They'd probably help
> >somewhat off road, in mud for example, but in practice the people who go
far
> >off road get a specialized 4wd vehicle.]
> >
> >[Tire chains are thoroughly miserable to use. Traditionally you must lay
> >them out then drive on top, and attach clips from behind dirty and wet
> >wheels. In the middle of bad weather on the side of a road. Then you
have
> >to drive a few feet and tighten them or they'll fall off. Then you must
go
> >25mph or less to avoid tire damage, and they can scratch wheels or slap
> >against the bodywork. When you finish the wet and dirty chains must be
> >stored somewhere. Some systems have improved on this routine a bit, but
> >professional chain installation is big business during ski season in
places
> >like Lake Tahoe.]
>
> Thanks. I'm thinking of situations when, for example, you park up at
> the top of a mountain pass (I'm in England, by the way) and go on a
> day's walk, only to find the weather turns bad and there's fairly deep
> snow by the time you get back to the car. I wonder whether chains
> would get me out of such a situation.
> There are some easy-fit chains available on the internet, though I
> don't know how easy they really are to fit in a blizzard!
>

It'll depend on the particular conditions, but they'll give you better odds
of getting out than having nothing. If the snow is deeper than the ground
clearance of the vehicle you may still get stuck. The Lake Tahoe region is
at the top of the mountains in California, so drivers passing through
typically put chains on somewhere on the up slope and take them off on the
down slope.

-John