Checking out snow chains for 11-21 December EK trip for a LR Disco 4 2012 and I see that snow chain design has come a long way - http://youtube.com/v/mLDn1pJIvHg
Its a budget break and I'm not keen on spending OTT for chains which will only be used this year on a single car trip (all other trips this year and usually are flying). Not using the car in resort - have underground parking.
The Disco is a most capable 4x4, even in summer tyres. I'm not buying winter tyres.
I'm anticipating not having to use the snow chains that I will have in the car but they should be useable on the road in/out if conditions dictate.
1. Any suggestions for snow chains?
2. Anyone rent snow chains?
3. Second hand snow chains for LR Disco 4 2012? (separate wanted posts going in snowheads and pistonheads)?
I've never driven the socks but been driven in them (X5) and the socks rocked for a 20 minute emergency stint.
4. If I take them instead of chains, would they meet the Gendarmes' inspection criteria?
Any pointers gratefully appreciated.
Don't want a discussion of when snow chains are/not needed - I will be carrying a set...
The Disco is a most capable 4x4, even in summer tyres. I'm not buying winter tyres.
..
And how would this most capable 4x4 behave when you are driving downhill and press on a brakes pedal, the laws of physics would not apply to "the most capable"?
The Disco is a most capable 4x4, even in summer tyres. I'm not buying winter tyres.
..
5 winters ago we went to les carroz on our now vintage (and sold ) rear drive merc e class estate, with winter tyres, went to Flaine for a day early season and it was one of these "most capable 4x4" that partly blocked the entrance to the carpark with all 4 wheels going round. With winter tyres the merc just went round it.
Going downhill as mentioned above with summer tyres on a slippy road.....not fun
Gendarmes will make you put chains on it if they are required, as you don't have winter tyres, and so if you don't have chains its no go. Last year on snowmaggedon, gendarmes were ok with socks, as the car in front of us produced them from the boot and gendarme was ok. They do wear fast it they see tarmac.
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
We have an old LR which we took in march this year and bought "Maggi the one, suv &4x4 " std type chains for it, they cost £86 for one set of two . We were out in the alps for two weeks in march but never needed them as it was too dry in both ste foy and val cenis, my wheel size is 255\65\16 so probably smaller than your more current model but they go up to 275\40\19 as a maximum and are listed as "THE ONE 4X4 120" the 120 denotes their model number \size range.
I've only ever used traditional fit\type chains and had no issues with fitting them, still using a set that are ten years old on our VW that we bought for €39 at a champion hypermarket in samoens and they've never been repaired so see no reason to buy anything really expensive.
After all it is free
After all it is free
Having rolled a car on Summer tyres on a gentle snowy road (5 mph if that, feet off pedals, let the engine do the braking, gentle sideways slide off the road and roll down an embankment into a field, no-one injured) my personal preference is for Winter tyres in low temperatures. As others have said, they beat a 4x4 on Summer tyres.
This is an interesting (to me) video comparing two cars, a 2 wheel drive and a 4 wheel drive, with Winter and with Summer tyres, driving on an indoor ski slope. http://youtube.com/v/mfuE00qdhLA
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@Grinning, I posted this about my Disco on another thread a few weeks ago:-
Quote:
.....and as crap as any non-winter tyre in snow. For pure traction i.e. getting moving, they were fine but I was once merely a passenger sitting in the drivers seat as I went down a snowy/icy street near where I used to live. It was a steepish road and a neighbour had got herself stuck. I was able to pull her out and get her car to safety but when I went to go home down the hill I suddenly found myself not-in-charge of a 2.7 tonne sledge. By some miracle I avoided hitting anything and regained a little bit of control by hitting a patch of soft snow.
It made me realise that a big 4x4 is good for some things but going downhill in ice and snow isn't one of them.
When I changed my Disco for an Audi A6 Allroad I bought a set of winter wheels and tyres. They went on the car last weekend and will be on until Easter.
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Thanks all - sourcing chains
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@Grinning, and how did you came to this conclusion? Chains are not a replacement to winter tyres, they go as an extra option on winter tyres (with the big probability you would never need chains when your car is equiped with winter tyres).
I am smug and angry when I take over many drivers on summer tyres already on flat roads leading to or from mountain roads - if it snows, most of drivers on summer tyres have white nuckles and their teeth scraping the driving wheel. Chains would be useless in these conditions and no 4x4 will help - I saw a few spining arround while driving on a straight flat sections, presumably not knowing of how to apply brakes under conditions (fortunately low speeds and further from me but still each time I see it there is 'brown trousers' allert).
Last edited by snowHeads are a friendly bunch. on Thu 26-11-15 11:35; edited 1 time in total
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
I would have thought a discovery with auto socks would go any where. Especially if you had 4.
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
They worked in snowmeggedon last year on a front driver.
You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@Filthyphil30k, it would help you to get arround the mountain for a few dozen km IF you drive at very low speed and IF the road is indeed covered in snow. If it is slush (usualy is as roads are cleaned and with salt mixture), or black ice, neither auto socks nor chains would be any good, on the contrary - could be worse and more dangerious.
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@mooney058, I was assuming winter tyres, sorry.
Disco with snow tyres would be safe in those conditions.
Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
30kmh, seemed plenty fast last year.
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@JohnHSmith, thanks for that video (and the one it links to). Very informative. I've been using a small AWD car with winter tyres for the last five years, about 6 weeks driving in the Alps each winter. Occasionally had some very difficult conditions to drive through, but not needed to fit chains once in that time. On one spectacularly bad day the Gendarmes were stopping all traffic in Bourg St Maurice requiring chains be fitted. No chains, you weren't allowed to drive any further, to Les Arcs, Val d'sere, Tignes, or to St Foy, etc. The nearby SuperU soon ran out of chains from what I heard. The only cars that were allowed through without fitting chains were 4x4s fitted with winter tyres (the Gendarmes checked for the snowflake symbol on each tyre). For the convenience and safety winter tyres are definitely a worthwhile investment in my opinion, (as well as being a requirement in some countries).
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Each to their own. In the extreme conditions, chains are what you need. But you do have to make a conscious decision to stop. Get out of the car. And fit the chains in those conditions. Winter tyres (especially when combined with 4WD) do in fact get you through most things. Based on my own personal experience, my preference is for Winter Tyres with chains as a rarely to be used back up. But each to their own
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I'd suggest the OP checks if the chains actually fit. There's very little clearance with D4 wheels for chains.
After all it is free
After all it is free
My set of winter wheels and tyres is still sitting in the barn. I must get around to fitting them, but while the average temperature still seems to be well above the optimum for winter tyres there doesn't seem much urgency.
FAQ
Poster: A snowHead
) rear drive merc e class estate, with winter tyres, went to Flaine for a day early season and it was one of these "most capable 4x4" that partly blocked the entrance to the carpark with all 4 wheels going round. With winter tyres the merc just went round it.
