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Snow Chains for Land Rover Discovery

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
I read that it is now compulsory in many Swiss and French Alpine villages to carry (if not use) a set of snow chains for the vehicle you may be driving.

Qs:
1. I anyone's experience are they really necessary on a manual gearbox TD5 Disco with a good set of Michellins?

2. If chains are required, which axle is recommended.....I find conflicting advice on the net. e.g Front, rear or both?


3. Any experinced Landy drivers with recommendations as to what makes to use/avoid would also be helpful.


Thanks in advance.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Bryan, regarding 2, I would have thought front first then rears, but you'd be better to have them on both.
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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?
Bryan, May I politely suggest that you use the search facility (its in the user facilities drop down menu top left,) there are lots of previous threads dealing with this issue.
To summarise you MUST have chains by law in France to go into the mountains in winter, and yes the Police do check. Hopefully you won't need them but you might! Which axle? I suggest you ask the call the Land Rover customer care line to get the 'Horses mouth' answer.

Also ensure you take out European /breakdown recovery insurance wink
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 You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
Bryan, The word I've had for 4WD vehicles is chains on the driven wheels . . 2 or 4 it's your choice, as is whether you're on 4-Season rubber or dedicated snow hoops. If all you're doing is driving round on regular tarmac to a resort then 4WD on Snow lugs or RWD with chains will get you there. If you are staying in a mountain hut at 2200M you need to equip like a snow bison including a winch Little Angel
PS look to the manufacturer if it's a new vehicle, your warrantee may be affected by using chains inappropriately.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
boredsurfin,

Have YOU tried the Search Facility?
Try typing in Snow Chains.......44,000 plus entries.....

Is it me?

SNOW is NOT a good search term on A SNOW HEADS chat room!

Chains just gets lots of entrires by Darky................strange that.......
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 You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
Bryan, I tried to find ski's on your website wink

Tyres or Winter gets a more sensible result Toofy Grin

Here's a good thread to be going on with Toofy Grin
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=14077&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=tyres

This one make you think.....
http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=11807&start=0&postdays=0&postorder

and this ones a 6 page long thread on driving to the alps

http://snowheads.com/ski-forum/viewtopic.php?t=12036&highlight=peage


Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Fri 21-07-06 13:47; 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...
Masque,

You are absolutely correct........manufacturers hate snow chains... (or love them if used with even the slightest incompetance).........(incompetance driven by kneeling on slushy wet snow, in the dark, with trucks and buses charging by with mooring chains from the TITANIC wrapped around their wheels, chucking great lumps of muck at you)
Trying chain fitting on the drive way on a sunny october sunday morning is just not the same......
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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!
Bryan, if you use the search facility, type

snow and chains

and change the option so that it is find ALL words, not just find ANY. That will give you <500 results.
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 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.
Still loads. Bryan, we have a pair of chains for our X-trail. Got them from The Roofbox Company, as they had the best selection. We drove last Winter to the alps, and even in quite deep snow didn't need them, and weren't asked to use them . BUT-it is still a legal requirement to carry them.
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 Ski the Net with snowHeads
Ski the Net with snowHeads
Bryan, even though I carry them, never had to use them on the Freelander even in bad weather. Regarding front or rear, it depends on if you are going up or coming down - put on the back for going up, and up front on the way down.

As an aside, I've tended to hire from Edge 2 Edge for around £30ish a time.
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
I've driven a 4x4 Daihatsu round the alps for the past nine winters. I have never needed to put chains on it even when in snow up to the axles. The police have never asked me about chains, and have waved me past whenever I've seen them checking cars and requiring drivers to chain up.

Frankly, I wouldn't bother with the expense of chains for a Discovery - it's going to be pointless.
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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.
FWIW Chains on the front wheels for going down hill - helps braking and steering. Chains on the rear wheels for going up - better drive.

You may have a good set of tyres on, but are they winter tyres. These have a deeper, wider tread on them so they give grip on snow. Don't put winter tyres on in the UK, drive to the mountains and back again. You will not have much tyre left at the end of it. They get hot and wear quickly.

Unless your used to driving on snow, stick with chains.
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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
Bryan, I was asked at Basle one year to show that I had snowchains for my Freelander, I didn't need to use them for the whole trip but I was asked.

If you can afford them spikes spyder chains are excellent, you fit little disks over your wheel hubs before you leave the uk (and they can stay on forever if you like) then when you need chains in the alps it takes about 30seconds to fit per wheel, no need to get down on your hands and knees in the dark as per normal chains
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
Bryan, as reminded by D G Orf, if buying chains buy spikes spiders if for nothing else, the fact that they are adjustable so fit differing tyres sizes. Cheaper in the long run. I have 5 sets of chains hardly used in the shed Laughing So far the spikes spiders have been used on 3 different cars and compared to 4x4 chains a lot lighter Toofy Grin

http://www.spikesspider.com/
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
narrowlast, I think there are carcase and lug shape peculiarities on winter hoops too, designed to move more as they load and unload to shed the compacted snow between the tread, you always see lots of snow being thrown off show tyres.
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Bryan, We have a Disco 2 which we have used in the alps for two winters. I have driven with the standard tyres on snow - last year I got some snow tyres and they are much better. For our model, the manual says put chains on the rear wheels. (I think some of the narrower tyres may allow you to put them on the front.) Chains make a big difference and do give much better control in awkward situations. It's a heavy vehicle. But just for a straightforward drive to the resort the normal tyres will probably do ok.
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
After spending last season in France I reckon a tow rope and a shovel are also good bits of kit to keep in the car, we kept one of the metal collapsable avalanche shovels in the boot and the tow rope saw plenty of action, fortunatley we helped others out rather needing a tow ourselves. Snow tyres are great but a bit over the top if I was only spending a week in resort, I'd buy chains (we had them as well as the snow tyres on a 4 x 4 but did only use them about 6 times in the end)
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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?
What a terrific bunch you all are....Fantastic advice.......thought there would be a variety of opinions (as there always is).....thank you all for the trouble and time taken to reply.
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