Snow tyres or snow chains?

[YRRunner]

Driving to a ski-ing holiday in Europe in the New Year and there will no doubt be a little "off piste" driving going on (un gritted side roads, fresh snow fall etc, etc). Once near the resorts, will I be best served with chunky off road tyres or snow chains? I am going there for a few months, so taking an extra set of tyres on the roof rack is no hardship really. Thank you for any advice and suggestions.

[Gazzab]

Both. You cant use snow chains on anything but full on covered in snow/ice on the roads.
You cant go up the mountain without chains in the boot.

[YRRunner]

It's a full fat RR TDV8. Any recommendations for where to source chains from please?

[camel_landy]

If you're going to be there a while, get a set of winters fitted before you go (a second set of rims from e-bay is the way to go). Then get yourself a nice Thule set of chains from an on-line store or just get a set from a supermarket when you get there.

M

[mr pg]

A FFRR with winters is unlikely to need chains in my opinion. Most ordinary cars make do with winters in the mountains.

[Gazzab]

mr pg said:

A FFRR with winters is unlikely to need chains in my opinion. Most ordinary cars make do with winters in the mountains.

Isn't it a legal requirement to have chains?

[camel_landy]

Gazzab said:

Isn't it a legal requirement to have chains?

Yes.

So although a RaRo on winters will probably never have to fit chains, it's best to have them just incase (Better to have and not want, than to want and not have!!).

M

[Nick1point9]

mr pg said:

A FFRR with winters is unlikely to need chains in my opinion. Most ordinary cars make do with winters in the mountains.

Unlikely, yes. But it's pretty foolish not to take precautions.

[Nick644]

I have lived for part of the year, (winter), in Andorra, opposite a ski resort for the past 10years. A decent set of snow tyres will be all you need. By all means throw a set of chains in the back I've only ever used chains once, (to test them out!). Never had a need to use them and I've driven in some pretty dire conditions at times. Four wheel drive and grip of snow tyres, (which stay soft and grippy in the cold) will take you up and down a steep icy/snowy tarmac road a person couldn't walk. If you are planning on travelling a little off road in the snow/ice, down a very steep farm track etc, you might need them. You can't drive much over 10mph on chains, which is a pain and they are enormously awkward to put on in freezing conditions! I wouldn't rely on all season tyres or pure off road tyres.

When the police see you are in a 4x4 with snow tyres, they won't stop you, (but then again check this in France, as they are pretty anal, you might need a set in the back to cover regulations, along with two breathalysers, (French approved), a luminous jacket inside the main cabin of the car, set a light bulbs etc...).

Edited by Nick644 on Monday 11th November 19:37

Edited by Nick644 on Monday 11th November 19:38

Edited by Nick644 on Tuesday 12th November 16:08

[Nick644]

I have lived for part of the year, (winter), in Andorra, opposite a ski resort for the past 10years. A decent set of snow tyres will be all you need. By all means throw a set of chains in the back I've only ever used chains once, (to test them out!). Never had a need to use them and I've driven in some pretty dire conditions at times. Four wheel drive and grip of snow tyres, (which stay soft and grippy in the cold) will take you up and down a steep icy/snowy tarmac road a person couldn't walk. If you are planning on travelling a little off road in the snow/ice, down a very steep farm track etc, you might need them. You can't drive much over 10mph on chains, which is a pain and they are enormously awkward to put on in freezing conditions! I wouldn't rely on all season tyres or pure off road tyres.

When the police see you are in a 4x4 with snow tyres, they won't stop you, (but then again check this in France, as they are pretty anal, you might need a set in the back to cover regulations, along with two breathalysers, (French approved), a luminous jacket inside the main cabin of the car, set a light bulbs etc...).

Edited by Nick644 on Monday 11th November 19:37

Edited by Nick644 on Monday 11th November 19:38

Edited by Nick644 on Tuesday 12th November 16:17

[Harry Flashman]

Gazzab said:

Both. You cant use snow chains on anything but full on covered in snow/ice on the roads.
You cant go up the mountain without chains in the boot.

Are you sure about this? My understanding is that with full snow rated tyres, gendarmerie will let you go up the mountain without chains...this from a fellow Defender owner who spent last season in Chamonix, with winters on. No issues with the police, even when they were making everyone without proper winters put chains on. But his tyres were properly snow rated with the US triple peak/snowflake symbol. I thought that Équipement obligatoire states that snow chains OR winter tyres must be used?

Found this: http://www.natives.co.uk/in-resort/advice-for-driv...


Clarification would be great, as I'm driving to the Alps for the winter!

Edited by Harry Flashman on Monday 11th November 19:16

[camel_landy]

Harry Flashman said:

Clarification would be great, as I'm driving to the Alps for the winter!

FFS - Take a set of chains!!!

Quibbling over the legalities won't help one bit when you're sliding to a hairpin on a mountain pass.

Think of it as an insurance policy & If you never use them, it'll be a bonus.

M

IIRC - The manual says to fit chains to the front wheels.

[LFB531]

I got caught in some proper snow with my RRS last February in Morzine. Car running on road biased Yokohamas. Didn't miss a beat wherever I went and oozed past winter tyred rear wheel drivers from Germany. Easy to forget that in a decent 4wd driven sensibly, we are already well ahead of the game.

Did have chains with me but ordinary ones won't fit the front of a Sport as no clearance even on standard 19" rims so a real last resort.

Having said all that, Winters going on for my January trip!

[Marcellus]

In France eVen a Defender with full snow tyres legally must carry snow chains in the Alps.

Reality is that you will never need to fit them, but if on UK plates and the Gendarmes are stopping tourists at the bottom of the mountain they will also stop you.

The difference is when they see you've got them and have full snow tyres fitted they will let you on your way, whereas non 4x4 drivers will have to fit their chains there and then.

As for 10mph max..... It's not that bad iirc 30mph is the stated max for chains and you soon get used to the feel of the wheel that it becomes quite reassuring when you're driving with them a lot.

[Harry Flashman]

Thanks chaps. For the sake of 70 quid I shall buy a pair to keep in the back of the truck. Properly big chains needed as tyres are in 285/75/16 flavour i.e. a bit on the big side...

[YRRunner]

Just a little confused as it said on the Thule site that on a 4x4, the chains should go on the fronts. Isn't a FFRR constant 4x4? If not, which axle generates most of the power? Do you suggest a set of 4, or just 2 for the fronts/rears? Thank you guys.

[Gazzab]

I have a couple of discos. Both fitted with grabbers. Not a snow tyre but good in the snow. However my house is at the top of a hill that is in the top ten road bike time trials in the uk ie it is very steep and pretty high up. We don't get gritted. Chains make a massive difference. You can fit them and be pretty confident even on sheet ice. Have even got a set of the spike spiders. Expensive but easy to fit and they are even better than thin chains.

[camel_landy]

YRRunner said:

Just a little confused as it said on the Thule site that on a 4x4, the chains should go on the fronts. Isn't a FFRR constant 4x4? If not, which axle generates most of the power? Do you suggest a set of 4, or just 2 for the fronts/rears? Thank you guys.

Yes, the RaRo is permanent 4x4 and when you're using chains, I wouldn't worry about power (other than having too much of it)!

You'll want chains on the front as you'll want to be steering the car too...

M

[edc]

Last winter the FFRR was left at home and I went to the Alps and up to Tignes in my Audi A1 with standard tyres and a pair if snow socks. We were stopped on the ascent to put them on and left them on for driving round the resort. Sure the locals on winters were quicker than me but I didn't need to be quick and had no problems.

[Marcellus]

On a permanent 4x4 if you need chains you put them on the front.

If you think logically, which axle does the steering? Which axle does the braking? How important is power?

To pick up on another point someone said about not being able to get chains for the lack of clearance.... I had the same issue with my RS6, so went to a friendly chain stockist and tried.... We got them to fit but agreed no full lock and also needed to jack the car up to get them on..... Bit of a faff and took me longer than my usual couple on minutes to get the chains on but used a trolley jack so not too much.