Subject: [Shop-talk] chains vs snow tires

From: "Eric J Russell" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2016 11:43:45 -0500

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

--===============7985613911893762287==
	boundary="----=_NextPart_000_00D4_01D152AE.A7910020"

This is a multi-part message in MIME format.

------=_NextPart_000_00D4_01D152AE.A7910020
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

We get the occasional snow/ice storm here in NC. NC doesn't plow/sand =
much - they just wait for it to melt a day or two later. However, being =
an ER nurse, I have to drive in it before Mother Nature takes care of =
it. I have an F250, rear wheel drive with LSD. I can usually get around =
with its "all season' tires. But when we get ice covered with snow it =
gets very difficult. I do keep a few bags of sand in the bed.=20

I am considering either real snow tires (I doubt studs are available or =
allowed) *or* chains.=20
http://www.etrailer.com/chains-1999_Ford_F-250+and+F-350+Super+Duty.htm?f=
url=3D-c2-235%7C85~16=20

What say ye, learned shop-talkers?=20

Eric Russell
Mebane, NC
------=_NextPart_000_00D4_01D152AE.A7910020
	charset="iso-8859-1"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML><HEAD>
<META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" =
http-equiv=3DContent-Type>
<META name=3DGENERATOR content=3D"MSHTML 9.00.8112.16737">
<STYLE></STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>We get the occasional snow/ice storm =
here in NC. NC=20
doesn't plow/sand much - they just wait for it to melt a day or two =
later.=20
However, being an ER nurse, I have to drive in it before Mother Nature =
takes=20
care of it. I have an F250, rear wheel drive with LSD. I can =
usually&nbsp;get=20
around&nbsp;with its "all season' tires. But when we get ice covered =
with snow=20
it gets very difficult. I do keep a few bags of sand in the bed. =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>I am considering either real snow tires =
(I doubt=20
studs are available or allowed) *or* chains. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial><A=20
href=3D"http://www.etrailer.com/chains-1999_Ford_F-250+and+F-350+Super+Du=
ty.htm?furl=3D-c2-235%7C85~16">http://www.etrailer.com/chains-1999_Ford_F=
-250+and+F-350+Super+Duty.htm?furl=3D-c2-235%7C85~16</A>&nbsp;</FONT></DI=
V>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>What say ye, learned shop-talkers? =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial></FONT>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=3D2 face=3DArial>Eric Russell<BR>Mebane,=20
NC</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

------=_NextPart_000_00D4_01D152AE.A7910020--

--===============7985613911893762287==
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Disposition: inline

_______________________________________________

[email-masked]
Archive: http://www.team.net/archive

--===============7985613911893762287==--

---

From: "Randall" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2016 09:31:36 -0800

> I am considering either real snow tires (I doubt studs are 
> available or allowed) *or* chains. 

IMO chains are a lot more hassle.  As noted, you really should run them only when you are actually driving on snow, which can mean
removing and installing several times per season.  But at the same time, they are a lot more effective than snow tires even with
studs.

If I had to choose only one, and I had to get there in any kind of weather, I'd pick chains.  But if you routinely have to drive to
work on unplowed roads, IMO it's a false economy not to get snow tires *and* chains.  Leave the tires on for the season, and carry
the chains for when it gets really bad (like frozen rain topped with snow).

-- Randall  

[email-masked]

---

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2016 16:23:30 -0500 01/19/2016 16:23:31, Serialize complete at 01/19/2016 16:23:31

This is a multipart message in MIME format.
--===============2862697665788518853==

This is a multipart message in MIME format.
--=_alternative 0078030285257F3F_=

Eric,

I actually have these chains (well, the duallie model) for a 3500 GMC 
mason dump that I use for fire wood delivery.  With the duallie, I can't 
find a 4x4 (or is it 6x6 in a duallie?).  It's great when I have the wood 
in the back, but once I deliver it, the bed is empty.  So I get almost no 
traction, and, of course I can't put sand or weights in the back because 
it will be too heavy when I have the wood.

They are a little bit of a hassle to put on and off, but you will not get 
stuck.

I would trade chains for 4x4 anyday.  But chains will get the truck where 
you want to go safety (albeit SLOWLY!)

Sent from my Commodore 64 on a 2400 Baud Modem.
Eric P
"Be as beneficent as the sun or the sea, but if your rights as a rational 
being are trenched on, die on the first inch of your territory." Ralph 
Waldo Emerson 
--=_alternative 0078030285257F3F_=

<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Eric,</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">I actually have these chains (well,
the duallie model) for a 3500 GMC mason dump that I use for fire wood delivery.
&nbsp;With the duallie, I can't find a 4x4 (or is it 6x6 in a duallie?).
&nbsp;It's great when I have the wood in the back, but once I deliver it,
the bed is empty. &nbsp;So I get almost no traction, and, of course I can't
put sand or weights in the back because it will be too heavy when I have
the wood.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">They are a little bit of a hassle to
put on and off, but you will not get stuck.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">I would trade chains for 4x4 anyday.
&nbsp;But chains will get the truck where you want to go safety (albeit
SLOWLY!)</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif"><br>
Sent from my Commodore 64 on a 2400 Baud Modem.<br>
Eric P<br>
&quot;Be as beneficent as the sun or the sea, but if your rights as a rational
being are trenched on, die on the first inch of your territory.&quot; Ralph
Waldo Emerson </font>
--=_alternative 0078030285257F3F_=--

--===============2862697665788518853==
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit
Content-Disposition: inline

[email-masked]

--===============2862697665788518853==--

---

From: "Randall" <[email-masked]>
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2016 22:04:54 -0800

> Not warm but not stuck either...

Same here, except it was a TR3 and I used the tire chains from a defunct garden tractor on regular street tires.

Randall

[email-masked]

---

From: "Randall" <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 2016 09:48:37 -0800

> So...what do you do when you're only driving over actual 
> 'snow' a few times a year? Do you still put on snow tires and 
> leave them on until spring? 

I just drive on it; with a set of chains in the trunk.  Turn off the traction and stability control; and learn to drive with only 2%
of normal traction.  It can be done.

Of course, now I live where it never snows; but "back in the day", I would routinely go out driving even when the state declared
martial law and didn't even try to plow the roads.

-- Randall  

[email-masked]

---

From: Mark Miller <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 20 Jan 2016 19:18:53 -0800

Personally I found that I was a far worse driver with LSD.  Even a bit 
of mescaline was enough to mess up any commute.

That said, I'd recommend getting a set of snow tires for the winter, 
mount them on a spare set of rims (junkyard visit time), and put them on 
when weather approaches and keep them on till final thaw.
I grew up with snow and now live where I have to choose to drive to it 
(Northern California).  As most folks here have little to no everyday 
(or ever) experience with snow there is mandatory chain use when there 
is snow or ice.  They are a pain, but do the job of at least slowing 
people way down.

Regards,

Mark Miller
[email-masked]

On 1/19/2016 10:34 AM, [email-masked] wrote:
> Subject: [Shop-talk] chains vs snow tires
> "
>
> We get the occasional snow/ice storm here in NC. NC doesn't plow/sand much - they just wait for it to melt a day or two later. However, being an ER nurse, I have to drive in it before Mother Nature takes care of it. I have an F250, rear wheel drive with LSD. I can usually get around with its "all season' tires. But when we get ice covered with snow it gets very difficult. I do keep a few bags of sand in the bed.

[email-masked]