[Vwdiesel] winter adventure
Tad
tadc at europa.com
Wed Jan 9 14:34:23 PST 2013
Agree about chains on the front of the VW and about seemingly arbitrary
chain requirements.
Fortunately they don't seem to do any enforcement around here, so I just
use my judgement and ignore the signs. on a couple occasions I've put my
chains on, only to find that the road is basically bare pavement and they
apparently hadn't gotten around to changing the signs. :(
I've found that my Golf with all-season tires does just fine as long as the
road is decently sanded. The only time it gets dicey is on glare ice or
when the snow is coming down so fast that the sand gets buried.
On Wed, Jan 9, 2013 at 2:11 PM, Roger Brown <r.c.brown at ieee.org> wrote:
> I guess there are pluses and minuses for both axles:
> http://www.rubicon-trail.com/**jeep101/chains.html<http://www.rubicon-trail.com/jeep101/chains.html>
>
> I kind of use a modification of "chains on the front axle" with my
> 4Runner. I have selectable lockers in both front and rear axles and I find
> that if I lock up the front axle (spool) and leave the rear axle unlocked
> (open) it works really well in snow and ice. With the front end locked up
> you just point the tires in the direction you want to go and assuming you
> don't overpower the traction, you'll go in that direction. And the rear
> tires will just follow along in the front tire tracks.
>
> I like chains on a front wheel drive VW, you get the benefits of the
> chains for engine power, braking and steering. Only problem is if you have
> a long way to go with chains on, it feels like heck with the vibrations
> through the steering wheel. This is especially true if there is not much
> snow, like you run into when CalTrans puts up the chain control signs.
> I've had to drive like an hour at the 25MPH speed limit with just patches
> of packed snow on the otherwise clear road. If I am on the main roads
> through the Sierra (like I-80), you pretty much have to put up with it as
> they seem to patrol those roads a lot. If I am on a secondary road, I
> usually pull over after a few miles and take the chains off if the
> conditions are not that bad.
>
> CalTrans has 3 levels of chain control and I have only ever seen the R3
> signs one time in 30+ years. It usually goes from R1 or R2 to closed:
> http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/**roadinfo/chcontrl.htm<http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/chcontrl.htm>
> I do remember one trip I did over I-80, me and a buddy had come through
> from Reno after a multiple-day storm has the passes closed. We stopped at
> the summit to spend a half day skiing. After a clear morning, the weather
> turned stormy again so we headed back home down off the summit. No signs
> or anything at the on-ramp but the freeway was absolutely deserted. It was
> hard packed snow, a bit of blowing snow but otherwise no problems. We only
> saw one vehicle on the hour or so drive back and it was stuck on the side
> of the road, appeared to be abandoned. My buddy called CHP to report the
> vehicle in case they did not know about it and the dispatcher was puzzled
> when he told them where we were. Turns out the freeway was closed on the
> east side for avalanche danger, but since we had gotten on after the pass,
> we were OK. Other than that, it was the most uneventful trip back from the
> mountains, ever; no traffic, no crazy drivers!
>
>
>
> On 1/9/2013 1:37 PM, Tad wrote:
>
>> Hmm, I guess I should stop laughing at the SUV drivers around here who
>> put chains on the
>> rear when we get 1" of snow.
>>
>> ... nah. :)
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Jan 9, 2013 at 12:31 PM, Roger Brown <r.c.brown at ieee.org
>> <mailto:r.c.brown at ieee.org>> wrote:
>>
>> Suppose that is the case for driving say on icy pavement. But
>> figured for pulling
>> uphill, I needed traction in back where the weight was. Didn't have
>> any issues
>> steering. I actually do have 2 set of the chains now, so can chain
>> up all 4 if
>> needed. Actually with just the pair of chains in back it was like
>> driving a tank,
>> just point the truck where you wanted to go and hit the gas. Kind of
>> took the fun out
>> of the deep snow driving. Only time in 16 years that I needed chains
>> with that truck,
>> carry them to meet the CalTrans chain requirements, though, but have
>> never been asked
>> to show that I had them. I need to check if those chains fit on my
>> new tires, they
>> are 35x12.50 and the old ones are 33x10.50.
>>
>> I need to see if I can fit chains on my '82 diesel pickup. With the
>> taller than stock
>> tires, not sure if there is clearance or not. I have some cheap
>> cables for it but
>> would like to get the easier to install z-chains if I can fit them.
>>
>>
>>
>> On 1/9/2013 11:37 AM, Tad wrote:
>>
>> Roger- great pics.
>>
>> One question - I thought conventional wisdom was that chains go
>> on the front axle
>> of a 4wd?
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Jan 9, 2013 at 11:28 AM, Roger Brown <r.c.brown at ieee.org
>> <mailto:r.c.brown at ieee.org>
>> <mailto:r.c.brown at ieee.org <mailto:r.c.brown at ieee.org>>> wrote:
>>
>> I have some of the SCC Z-Chains for my 4Runner. They are of
>> the quick fit
>> type and
>> they really work well:
>> http://www.scc-chain.com/tire-**____chain-finder/traction-__**
>> product-__choices/z-chain/<http://www.scc-chain.com/tire-____chain-finder/traction-__product-__choices/z-chain/>
>> <http://www.scc-chain.com/**tire-__chain-finder/traction-**
>> product-__choices/z-chain/<http://www.scc-chain.com/tire-__chain-finder/traction-product-__choices/z-chain/>
>> >
>>
>>
>> <http://www.scc-chain.com/__**tire-chain-finder/traction-__**
>> product-choices/z-chain/<http://www.scc-chain.com/__tire-chain-finder/traction-__product-choices/z-chain/>
>>
>> <http://www.scc-chain.com/**tire-chain-finder/traction-**
>> product-choices/z-chain/<http://www.scc-chain.com/tire-chain-finder/traction-product-choices/z-chain/>
>> >>
>>
>> I've only used them one time and was able to put them on
>> with both rear
>> wheels buried
>> to the axle in deep snow, got them on and snugged down
>> without having to roll
>> forward
>> or back and I think I was wearing gloves the whole time:
>> http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/__**__CA-4/Images/Apr21/Image05.**jpg<http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/____CA-4/Images/Apr21/Image05.jpg>
>> <http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/_**_CA-4/Images/Apr21/Image05.jpg<http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/__CA-4/Images/Apr21/Image05.jpg>
>> **>
>>
>>
>> <http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/_**
>> _CA-4/Images/Apr21/Image05.jpg<http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/__CA-4/Images/Apr21/Image05.jpg>
>> <http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/**CA-4/Images/Apr21/Image05.jpg<http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CA-4/Images/Apr21/Image05.jpg>
>> >**>
>> When I put them on, we were on a "snow run" with my 4WD
>> club, driving over
>> deep snow:
>> http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/__**__CA-4/TR_2001_04_21.shtml<http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/____CA-4/TR_2001_04_21.shtml>
>> <http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/_**_CA-4/TR_2001_04_21.shtml<http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/__CA-4/TR_2001_04_21.shtml>
>> >
>>
>>
>> <http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/_**_CA-4/TR_2001_04_21.shtml<http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/__CA-4/TR_2001_04_21.shtml>
>> <http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/**CA-4/TR_2001_04_21.shtml<http://www.4crawler.com/4x4/CA-4/TR_2001_04_21.shtml>
>> >>
>> I didn't actually need the chains for traction on my truck,
>> but the other two
>> trucks
>> were stuck at the bottom of a steep hill that was getting
>> icy with the sun
>> going down.
>> I ended up strapping both trucks behind mine and pulled
>> both up the hill
>> shortly
>> after that photo was taken. Could have probably towed one
>> at a time up the
>> hill but
>> it was getting cold and I didn't want to fool around with
>> turning around a
>> bunch of
>> times on the narrow path we had made. But I was really
>> impressed with the
>> ease of
>> install on those chains and the traction with the zig-zag
>> pattern.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On 1/9/2013 11:08 AM, Tad wrote:
>>
>> I can attest to the plastic Thermo-T cracking and
>> causing mysterious
>> issues. Also the o-rings can leak air, but overall it's
>> nice to have the
>> extra heat.
>>
>> Re: chains, if you actually plan to use them (vs.
>> emergency backup), I'd
>> suggest investing the extra $ in one of the new
>> quick-fit designs that are
>> MUCH easier to install and adjust (not to mention more
>> durable) than the
>> cheapo cable chains. I've struggled, drew blood,
>> damaged bodywork with and
>> broke/lost on the road those crappy cable chains for the
>> last time.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> Roger
>>
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>>
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>> >>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> Roger
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>>
>
> --
>
> Roger
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