Tire Chain Recommendations

[Egg_Head]

My son has been working/living in Aspen, CO and with the snow already flying we are considering tire chains for his 2013 Escape 2WD. He lives in town and does not need to drive to work but would need these for forays to local ski areas, short trips etc. I don't see him putting on chains and busting it down I-70 to Denver in a blizzard, these would be more of an insurance policy. My understanding is Aspen does not regularly plow the streets in town. Tire size is 235/50/18. Appreciate input from actual users.

 

[CapriRacer]

I tend to think of chains for extreme conditions. But if someone lives in a snowy area, they need to set up their vehicle for the conditions they usually encounter.

So I think he needs to talk to the locals and ask them what they do. And given the time of the year, I'll bet they've already made their preparations!

 

[PontiacHO]

Traction cables are as good and less noise. Less wear and tear on the tire also. Campbell used to be a great supplier for cables.

 

[atikovi]

My son has been working/living in Aspen, CO

Probably 80% of the people that have four wheel drive cars never need the four wheel drive. Living in places like Aspen would be the exception. Why not just get a 4x4?

 

[CheezWhiz]

Yeah he definitely has the wrong vehicle. That being said, while cables are not *quite* as good as something like a V-bar chain, they are still *way* better than even the very best snow tires. Plus most new cars do not have clearance for chains anyway. Get some cables.

I like these for relatively easy installation:

Peerless | Z®-Chain

peerlesschain.com

 

[Sequoiasoon]

Good back up plan for extreme. First would be to get him 4 true winter tires, not all weather, not all season, not all terrain. Preferably on separate rims so he can store them and swap himself if possible.

My FWD Sonata would do 7-8" fresh snow no issue, ground clearance being the problem after that. My FWD Accord same thing as well as my son's FWD Forte. We also carry a collapsible shovel, tow straps, shackles and tow hitch pin (for those that might help us out if stuck).

This was Sonata to see if I would get stuck, just because it's easy in a parking lot with no traffic. I did. I forgot to turn off ESC and it killed my throttle. I shoveled 1ft in front and back of each tire, turned off ESC, backed up and drove out.

 

[Rand]

First thing is to get winter tires.

Chains you have to drive very slow and they are huge PITA to put on and remove.. get wet and dirty.. Takes a few times to figure them out so you need to practice before needed. IF you dont install them correctly they can do major damage if they get loose.

Even with FWD Good tires are all the difference.. you can actually have more stability in fwd as the rear wheels being unpowered wont slide around as much.
AWD is better and helps you get moving but either way you have 4 brakes and 2 wheels that steer.

 

[CheezWhiz]

i can see fwd and snow tires being great in a relatively flat area but i am gonna assume aspen has some steep hills ... and i think it's gonna be tough getting up a steep icy hill with fwd and even the best snow tires ...

 

[Rand]

i can see fwd and snow tires being great in a relatively flat area but i am gonna assume aspen has some steep hills ... and i think it's gonna be tough getting up a steep icy hill with fwd and even the best snow tires ...

If you were replying to me I'd agree but chains are for after Winter tires.. not instead of.

If you dont have to get out into the slop and try to put on chains while cars are driving past... and drive to your destination at 10-15mph.. Thats always a plus.
also chains wear out very fast if there isnt continuous ground cover ie you dont want salted spots down to the actual road with no snow etc.

I would buy the easiest installing low pro "chains" or traction cables. If you really need them more than on very rare extreme occasion a different vehicle is also needed.

 

[Astro14]

He doesn’t need AWD, or chains, as much as he needs snow tires. Get four proper winter tires. Lots of good options exist in Colorado. Discount Tire will even store your summer tires for you if you’re short on space.

Then, get a set of these: https://a.co/d/2lBdaac

There are times when Chain Laws are in effect, and he will need a set.

The time to learn the installation technique, by the way, is on a sunny day on dry pavement in a parking lot. Side of the road in a Blizzard isn’t the time.

As mentioned in other threads, two of my kids have FWD cars in ski areas, with 4 proper winter tires. They do just fine, in all conditions.

 

[CheezWhiz]

If you were replying to me I'd agree but chains are for after Winter tires.. not instead of.

If you dont have to get out into the slop and try to put on chains while cars are driving past... and drive to your destination at 10-15mph.. Thats always a plus.
also chains wear out very fast if there isnt continuous ground cover ie you dont want salted spots down to the actual road with no snow etc.

I would buy the easiest installing low pro "chains" or traction cables. If you really need them more than on very rare extreme occasion a different vehicle is also needed.

yeah i run studded snow tires on a 4x4 truck in northeast WA. My experience with chains/cables comes from hunting season in October when I still had my all-terrains on. So I was using them on forest roads, crawling at 10 mph or less trying to get safely out of the woods until I reached the hard road, then took them off.

They worked great but for sure I could see not wanting to put them on along the side of a busy road! And I would not expect cables to last long on pavement.

I would imagine an AWD with snow tires is a much more practical choice than trying to use cables on a frequent basis.

 

[CheezWhiz]

He doesn’t need AWD, or chains, as much as he needs snow tires. Get four proper winter tires. Lots of good options exist in Colorado. Discount Tire will even store your summer tires for you if you’re short on space.

Then, get a set of these: https://a.co/d/2lBdaac

There are times when Chain Laws are in effect, and he will need a set.

The time to learn the installation technique, by the way, is on a sunny day on dry pavement in a parking lot. Side of the road in a Blizzard isn’t the time.

As mentioned in other threads, two of my kids have FWD cars in ski areas, with 4 proper winter tires. They do just fine, in all conditions.

I've never had a fwd car so can't speak to this directly, but it seems like every year I see fwd cars with snow tires getting stuck trying to get up the South Hill in Spokane? So I can't completely understand how a fwd car would be fine in Aspen even with snow tires.

Not trying to argue, just pointing out my observations. I think I'll always have an AWD or 4x4 so I guess it doesn't really matter to me, but I am curious how your kids manage so well?

 

[Astro14]

I've never had a fwd car so can't speak to this directly, but it seems like every year I see fwd cars with snow tires getting stuck trying to get up the South Hill in Spokane? So I can't completely understand how a fwd car would be fine in Aspen even with snow tires.

Not trying to argue, just pointing out my observations. I think I'll always have an AWD or 4x4 so I guess it doesn't really matter to me, but I am curious how your kids manage so well?

I offer two explanations:

1. The cars that you see getting stuck may be equipped with all seasons, not actual winter tires.
2. My kids are good drivers, better than the bozos you have observed.

Though the latter is true, I suspect that the first is more likely. Look, I used to live in Vermont. I used to live in Colorado. I still have a car in Colorado.

I managed great with RWD, or FWD, in those places, when equipped with winter tires. There is simply no comparison between actual winter tires (not all seasons, and not all terrain, and not even 3 PMSF tires) and anything else.

I’ve seen AWD cars crashed with regularity on the streets of Stowe, and on the highways of Colorado. None had snow tires, though.

 

[CheezWhiz]

I offer two explanations:

1. The cars that you see getting stuck may be equipped with all seasons, not actual winter tires.
2. My kids are good drivers, better than the bozos you have observed.

Though the latter is true, I suspect that the first is more likely. Look, I used to live in Vermont. I used to live in Colorado. I still have a car in Colorado.

I managed great with RWD, or FWD, in those places, when equipped with winter tires. There is simply no comparison between actual winter tires (not all seasons, and not all terrain, and not even 3 PMSF tires) and anything else.

I’ve seen AWD cars crashed with regularity on the streets of Stowe, and on the highways of Colorado. None had snow tires, though.

well i definitely think there is an art to not stopping completely on a hill if you can help it ... and probably some of the traction control algorithms in newer cars help ... and it's a fairly infrequent occurrence when cars DO get stuck on the hill ... but still, for me personally, an AWD or 4x4 is always going to be in the cards. Maybe if I didn't do the forest road thing that would change, dunno.

 

[Rand]

Around here if cords/steel belts are poking though.. well that is sorta like a studded tire AM-I-RIGHT?

well i definitely think there is an art to not stopping completely on a hill if you can help it ... and probably some of the traction control algorithms in newer cars help ... and it's a fairly infrequent occurrence when cars DO get stuck on the hill ... but still, for me personally, an AWD or 4x4 is always going to be in the cards. Maybe if I didn't do the forest road thing that would change, dunno.

traction control is usually the number 1 reason you get stopped/stuck. Pulls too much throttle, lose momentum etc.

 

[Astro14]

well i definitely think there is an art to not stopping completely on a hill if you can help it ... and probably some of the traction control algorithms in newer cars help ... and it's a fairly infrequent occurrence when cars DO get stuck on the hill ... but still, for me personally, an AWD or 4x4 is always going to be in the cards. Maybe if I didn't do the forest road thing that would change, dunno.

I have three AWD/4WD vehicles. For sure, if you’re buying a new one for snow country, then, yeah, get an AWD. For forest roads, ground clearance, good all terrain tires, and 4WD would absolutely be on my list. And my old 4 Runner, that spent a lot of time on such roads, had all three, including a 2” lift kit and BFG AT KO.

But no matter the drivetrain, if you’re in snow country - winter tires.

I just put winter tires on my youngest daughter’s FWD SUV - Continental Viking Contact 7. She, like her siblings, is a big skier, and though she lives in Boston, will be out in the ski areas of New England this ski season.

I spent quite a bit on those tires and wheels, as well as the tires and wheels for my V70R, and for the tires and wheel for my other two kids, back when those cars were actually mine and they were just starting out.

I don’t just say this about winter tires - I have spent the $$.

For forest roads - that old 4 Runner was brilliant at the task. Small size, great clearance, good approach and departure angles, lots of torque with just a bit of lift and some great tires. Never even got close to stuck, in woods, on sand, in dirt, in mud. Shown here at the bottom of a 800 foot deep valley, on the banks of a stream, in northern PA, having managed several miles of true off road.

 

[CheezWhiz]

I have three AWD/4WD vehicles. For sure, if you’re buying a new one for snow country, then, yeah, get an AWD. For forest roads, ground clearance, good all terrain tires, and 4WD would absolutely be on my list. And my old 4 Runner, that spent a lot of time on such roads, had all three, including a 2” lift kit and BFG AT KO.

But no matter the drivetrain, if you’re in snow country - winter tires.

I just put winter tires on my youngest daughter’s FWD SUV - Continental Viking Contact 7. She, like her siblings, is a big skier, and though she lives in Boston, will be out in the ski areas of New England this ski season.

I spent quite a bit on those tires and wheels, as well as the tires and wheels for my V70R, and for the tires and wheel for my other two kids, back when those cars were actually mine and they were just starting out.

I don’t just say this about winter tires - I have spent the $$.

For forest roads - that old 4 Runner was brilliant at the task. Small size, great clearance, good approach and departure angles, lots of torque with just a bit of lift and some great tires. Never even got close to stuck, in woods, on sand, in dirt, in mud. Shown here at the bottom of a 800 foot deep valley, on the banks of a stream, in northern PA, having managed several miles of true off road.

View attachment 188506

i get it! i have KO2 for summer and arctic LT for winter.

 

[Sequoiasoon]

well i definitely think there is an art to not stopping completely on a hill if you can help it ... and probably some of the traction control algorithms in newer cars help ... and it's a fairly infrequent occurrence when cars DO get stuck on the hill ... but still, for me personally, an AWD or 4x4 is always going to be in the cards. Maybe if I didn't do the forest road thing that would change, dunno.

The traction controls try to limit to like 8% wheel slip, iirc TireRack had a test and showed true winter tires have grip to over 50%. Owners manuals tell you to disable traction control if you need to get unstuck. Most people don't read the manual or even know what that button is for. Radio controls through voice etc no issue, traction control button

AWD/4WD and true winter tires help for getting going especially if you get stuck behind someone on hills. AWD/4WD doesn't help to stop and turn.

We have both AWD and FWD. FWD is my daily, if heavy snow is forecasted I'll take the Pilot AWD mainly for the unplowed and messed up entrances and exits from highway. I'll also use SAND mode which disables the traction control and uses the rear diff clutches when going slow. Normal speeds, it stays in regular AWD for the safety side. Only used SNOW mode once playing in a remote area, playing. Throttle response was poor and almost got stuck with all the nanny stuff. Sand mode took care of that.

Around here if cords/steel belts are poking though.. well that is sorta like a studded tire AM-I-RIGHT?


traction control is usually the number 1 reason you get stopped/stuck. Pulls too much throttle, lose momentum etc.

My snow picture from Sonata I forgot to turn that off and got stuck trying to turn around. Disabled it and no issues.

 

[CheezWhiz]

The traction controls try to limit to like 8% wheel slip, iirc TireRack had a test and showed true winter tires have grip to over 50%. Owners manuals tell you to disable traction control if you need to get unstuck. Most people don't read the manual or even know what that button is for. Radio controls through voice etc no issue, traction control button

AWD/4WD and true winter tires help for getting going especially if you get stuck behind someone on hills. AWD/4WD doesn't help to stop and turn.

We have both AWD and FWD. FWD is my daily, if heavy snow is forecasted I'll take the Pilot AWD mainly for the unplowed and messed up entrances and exits from highway. I'll also use SAND mode which disables the traction control and uses the rear diff clutches when going slow. Normal speeds, it stays in regular AWD for the safety side. Only used SNOW mode once playing in a remote area, playing. Throttle response was poor and almost got stuck with all the nanny stuff. Sand mode took care of that.


My snow picture from Sonata I forgot to turn that off and got stuck trying to turn around. Disabled it and no issues.

welp. if i get stuck i just reach down and pull the transfer case shifter back as far as i can ...

 

[Rand]

welp. if i get stuck i just reach down and pull the transfer case shifter back as far as i can ...

If you get stuck high centered on snow.. that aint helpin.

You are going to need a buddy, some type of winch, or be out shovelin.

Low range doesnt do jack for that type of situation.