997 Snow Chains

[thorny]

Hi guys and girls,

I'm fairly new to PH but am loving the banter on the Porsche forum especially!

I have a 997 C4S and was wondering if you can fit snow chains to the front wheels? The rears are too wide to obtain any for and I don't really want to buy a whole new set of wheels/tyres...

Is there a technical reason why you are not supposed to fit them to the fronts? I know that the car has rear wheel bias but surely if the rears slipped on snow power would be diverted to the front and the chains would then grip?

Many thanks for any opinions!

[phelix]

What does the owner's manual say?

[thorny]

Haven't looked at it yet as the thought only occurred to me today but I have phoned my OPC, spoken to sales, parts and the workshop and no-one could give me a definitive answer...

[phelix]

thorny said:

and no-one could give me a definitive answer...

Now there's a surprise!

Check the manual and see what it states. Narrower tyres are better in the snow in any case and chains are really only of use in hard pack snow or on ice. Odds are there will be slush and light snow enroute; that's when you'll be cursing yourself for not having fitted proper snow tyres. Summer tyres are shite in the snow. Plus chains usually limit you to 50 kph; life really drags on at those speeds.

[thorny]

Phelix,

Thanks for the info... Will look into prices of some 18s!

[limegreennutter]

thorny said:

Hi guys and girls,

I'm fairly new to PH but am loving the banter on the Porsche forum especially!

I have a 997 C4S and was wondering if you can fit snow chains to the front wheels? The rears are too wide to obtain any for and I don't really want to buy a whole new set of wheels/tyres...

Is there a technical reason why you are not supposed to fit them to the fronts? I know that the car has rear wheel bias but surely if the rears slipped on snow power would be diverted to the front and the chains would then grip?

Many thanks for any opinions!

Snow chains, do you know something we don't!!!

[PorkScratching]

Just been through this very thing with my 997C2S - wheel size 305/30/19.

Very simply:

- You cannot fit snow chains to any 997 - don't even bother trying.
- Autosock don't do the correct sizes
- Spider Spikes don't do the correct sizes

Your only option is to fit proper winter tyres but will need to fit these on an 18in wheel. You're looking at about £2000 from an OPC for a set and before Xmas they were quoting a 7 week wait in the UK.

I took my 997C2S to Meribel on summer tyres and had no problems but there wasn't that much snow.

Anything else more specific let me know and I'd be happy to answer.

[thorny]

Yep - may well take the risk, it's just always sod's law that it will bucket down just before I go!

I remember getting embarassingly stuck in my M3 in a car park in Val d'Isere and getting two random French guys to push me out...

[2something]

This is the previous thread:
www.pistonheads.co.uk/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=48&t=337163

As you maybe have the option of putting the chains on the front which Erik doesn't have, you might be in with an outside chance. Whether using chains on a Porsche, or even putting them on the front two wheels in a '4' is a good idea is another matter.

[PorkScratching]

thorny said:

Yep - may well take the risk, it's just always sod's law that it will bucket down just before I go!

I remember getting embarassingly stuck in my M3 in a car park in Val d'Isere and getting two random French guys to push me out...

Depending on where you're going you may want to consider what we did. I tried for ages to find chains, etc for my 997C2S before going. Couldn't find anything but was still determined to drive down rather than a sleazyJet flight.

In case the weather was bad I arranged a crappy rental from Albertville. In case the weather was looking bad I was going to drive down and leave my car at a long term underground car park there and then take the crappy rental up the last mountain bit. Overall it works out way cheaper than buying the chains anyway.

One piece of advice if you're taking your 997 and intend to leave it at a ski resort. Leaving the car uncovered is fine (I did) but make sure you cover the windows. Mine didn't like frozen snow on the windows as I opened the doors (they can't move down a little) and the solenoid controlling this started to trip out. Had to melt the ice and then keep covered for the rest of the hols.

Cheers.

[thorny]

Great, thanks for all the suggestions and tips guys. Erik, that sounds like a pretty good option, just in case...

[sidicks]

PorkScratching said:

Just been through this very thing with my 997C2S - wheel size 305/30/19

[anorak mode on]
Point of detail - doesn't the C4S have 305/30/19s, and the C2S have 295/30/19s ??
[anorak mode off]

Sidicks

[ross]

I have a 997 C4S tto, and you can (theoretically) get snow tyres for the 19 rims...the contis or Pirellis listed here:

www.pneus-online.co.uk/porsche-tyres-advice.html#911

I checked last week andd the Contis were avilable but the Pirellis were difficult to get. Not sure about snow chains though, although there are some on the porsche website listd for the 997.

[PorkScratching]

sidicks said:

PorkScratching said:

Just been through this very thing with my 997C2S - wheel size 305/30/19

[anorak mode on]
Point of detail - doesn't the C4S have 305/30/19s, and the C2S have 295/30/19s ??
[anorak mode off]

Sidicks

Sidicks - I may be wrong but the C4S definitely has 305/30/19 but I think the C2S can run both the 305 or 295 (I think the non S may have 295).

My C2S definitely runs 305s.