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Snow chains on a mini bus

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Excuse the ignorance but I have never had to use chains as every year we have driven in the Alps I have had use of a Mitsubishi Showgun with snow tires so never had to use chains

This winter we are again staying in an area that will certainly be snow covered but will will snow tires be enough on a 8 seater mini bus or should I expect to have to use the chains

We are staying above la clusaz so it is by no means flat
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
@Renry, when? I.e. if tomorrow snow chains almost certainly.
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 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?
I’d be hopng to use the chains.
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Would the tires be enough for hard pack / compacted snow and chains if lots of soft stuff. ?
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Renry wrote:
Would the tires be enough for hard pack / compacted snow and chains if lots of soft stuff. ?


Snow tires should be good for everything bar ice but it depends a bit on how new / good your tires are and how well you drive. A mini bus is heavy, which can be an advantage uphill and is a disadvantage downhill.

It is probably wise to fit chains before you are stuck.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
Feck me have you not read the Idiots with or with out snow tyres thread ? 😀

Think you'll fit the category admirably 😀


Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Fri 29-12-17 22:22; edited 1 time in total
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Tyres with a y ffs!
The cost of chains in comparison to the rest of your trip is negligible, just buy some and be done with it.
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Maybe it's a troll 😀
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
What are tires?
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
Weathercam wrote:
Feck me have you not read the Idiots with or with out snow tyres thread ? 😀

Think you'll fit the category admirably 😀


Nice to see you spread your ‘pleasantries’ beyond the weather thread.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
johnE wrote:
What are tires?


Perhaps you might like to check the rest of these boards for spelling. Clearly you have nothing else better to do
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 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.
Presumably it's front wheel drive. Will it be used laden? If so you will lose a lot of grip on the front wheels, and though it probably won't be as bad as our motorhome I do get the chains out at the first sign of compressed snow.
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 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
I would think that it is almost certain that you will go through a Gendarmarie checkpoint tomorrow in the Haute Savioe where there is a Weather warning in progress. You will need to show either AWD/4x4 and Winter (mountain symbol marking) tyres or Tyres with acceptable chains/socks fitted. Good Luck!
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
If you are staying above the resort and it snows you will 2nd glad you got the chains. If it doesn't snow you'll but angry at wasting your money
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
@Renry, I would just soak it up mate. That was a pretty gormless OP. Take snowchains, you may need them, you may not, but if you do and you don't have them, everyone will laugh at you, and the ones you hold up will hate you, including the gendarmes. I have no idea why you would plan an expensive holiday, and risk losing a chunk of it because of £130's worth of snowchains.
On a personal note, I have always wanted to own a unimog with a massive snow plough on the front, so when those knob'eds block the roads because they don't have snow chains, or worse, have them but are so incompetent they can't put them on, I could just drive through punting them all out of the way. Much like the farmer in the lakes recently who's local lane was blocked just one time to many by ignorantly parked cars.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
A friend runs a minibus in the alps for their chalet, front wheel drive and equipped with full winter tyres, mostly it'll be ok but will definitely need and use chains when falling snow and other people cause the traffic to stop on gradients.

They are also located in France on a road requiring chains to be a legal obligation. It has a fair slope on it and has never needed the chains to go down but going up, fairly often. He uses Michelin self tensioning which will generally last a season use without failure.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Well, read the opening post, he did say it’s a ignorant question!!!

Hopefully, he’s read the thread by weatherman, and is a little less ignorant now. Wink
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 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?
We are hiring the vehicle from the Swiss side of Geneva airport and have indeed paid for the winter pack that includes chains. My question was based in the fact I have never had to use chains before as I have usually had use of a 4x4.
My knowledge is very limited so I was just wondering what the thoughts were on how a mini bus fully loaded would perform and if the winter TYRES would be sufficient.
I hadn’t realised these usually well mannered resources of help, knowledge and info was no longer moderated for the likes of posts made above. Such a shame however that @abc, @johnE, and of course @Weathercam who has form for such remarks should think more carefully before commenting , perhaps this is what happens when you spend half your life spouting your opinions over the www ?
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@Renry, well if it's any help - today a chalet tour operator I know well who has a chalet 100m from me had to resort to using chains on his mini bus with winter tyres, and he does know what he's doing!
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Renry, you ignore the very obvious thread that had pretty much answered your question, presumably because you didn't like the answer and was fishing for contrary "advice"?
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You'll need to Register first of course.
@Weathercam, Thank you
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
@Renry, just read the feckin instructions and check that they are the right chains for the hire vehicle as they often are wrong or bust and make sure you know how to fit them by practicing as has been well documented on here as you really don't want to be a numptie Smile
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Renry wrote:
... perhaps this is what happens when you spend half your life spouting your opinions over the www ?
Well yes. People bandying terms like "idiot" around have lost the plot and need to be taken aside by an adult and given a few pointers on how to behave in public. And the idea that people don't know what a tire is... I think if you apply yourself you'll manage to work it out.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
@Renry, you will have to have chains in the Bus (legally), you may very well need to use them even if you have snow tyres.

Top tip; before you leave GVA fit the chains on the wheels to make sure they both fit and you know how to put them on.
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@Renry, aside from the few snide replies you've had already!

I used to work in the Alps a few years back (as a rep and resort manager) and at least 2-3 times a week I had to drive the resort minibuses (VW Transporter and/or Renault Trafic). Most of the time the winter tyres were good enough but over 20+ weeks of each season I reckon I put chains on at least 5-10 days of each season. Sometimes, on the steep hills and heavy snow of resorts, winter tyres weren't enough, and sometimes when it was a bit iffy I just preferred them for mine and others safety.

Chains are for the worst case scenarios, but it's well worth knowing how too use them. And once you know what you're doing they can be put on easily in a few minutes.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Yes, have a practiceso you are ready to put chains on at first sign of liss of traction. It's impossible to predict when you'll need chains. I still can't after 15 winters spending months in the mountains with winter tyres. Used them more this year already than last couple of seasons. Good luck!
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 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.

http://youtube.com/v/4Pcdg9m7Dao
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 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
Quote:
And the idea that people don't know what a tire is...
I would suggest that this was raised sarcastically/ironically Philwig because, in the UK:

Tire: To begin to feel like needing a rest.

Tyre: A thick rubber ring, often filled with air, that is fitted to the outer edge of a vehicle wheel.
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
pam w wrote:
put chains on at first sign of loss of traction.

Finally!

Someone answers the question the OP was too ignorant to ask in the first place!

And, she answers the implicit question in the OP others were too polite to answer explicitly:
pam w wrote:
It's impossible to predict when you'll need chains. I still can't after 15 winters spending months in the mountains with winter tyres.

It’s laughable to ask a bunch of internet strangers while sitting in a warm house “if”, rather than “when”, one needs to put on snow chain!


Last edited by You know it makes sense. on Sun 31-12-17 17:50; edited 1 time in total
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Not from yesterday, but............

https://www.facebook.com/NTDTelevision/videos/2608790065829754/
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