Take me to school on snow chains

[vt_maverick]

So I'm driving the wife and baby up to Wisconsin for Christmas this year, and since there's a good chance we'll be driving through heavy snow sometime during the week, I figure getting snow chains is a good idea. Problem is I grew up in North Carolina, where we cancel school for a week for the mere forecast of flurries, so I have no experience with what to look for, what to spend, heck, even how to install them. Anybody got suggestions, recommendations, horror stories, etc. to help me out?

Thanks in advance!

[orion]

unless your going off roading in a blizzard, there is no reason you would need chains. and i don't think Wisconsin allows chains on their paved roads.

[Ldub]

unless your going off roading in a blizzard, there is no reason you would need chains. and i don't think Wisconsin allows chains on their paved roads.

X II...

Any roads you travel will more likely than not be plowed well enough for a VX with even marginal snow tires to get through.

Spend the chain money on a AAA membership...

[JAMAS]

What is your tire situation?

Racing slicks or All-terrains?

[vt_maverick]

Sorry, should have specified this before, but we're driving the wife's Axiom instead of the VX (need the extra room for 2 + baby + dog + stuff). Her vehicle does have TOD, but has less ground clearance and less capable tires (I'd say they're AT's, but meant mostly for dry/wet, not snow/ice) than the VX. Obviously plowed roads won't be an issue, but her folks live in a very rural area of northern WI so there's a good chance we'd be driving in some areas that would be less frequently plowed. I agree that snow chains are likely to not be warranted in any case, and if you guys think I'd be good without, I certainly wouldn't mind saving the money for something I wouldn't use just once a year. Just trying to be (reasonably) prepared.

Thanks for the legal heads up Orion, I hadn't even thought of that. Good to have someone from up that way to weigh in.

However, my wife would probably say F@#$ Minnesota, Paul Bunyan lived in WI, not in MN, Badgers rule, etc etc etc - crazy rivalry you guys have up there.

[Ldub]

If you've got better tires on the VX...switch'um for the trip...

[circmand]

Keep an eye on the weather as you get nearer. Chances are you can pick up a better selection of snow chains at a better price should you need them when you get to WI than you can get in an area that doesnt usually require them

[vt_maverick]

Keep an eye on the weather as you get nearer. Chances are you can pick up a better selection of snow chains at a better price should you need them when you get to WI than you can get in an area that doesnt usually require them

Come now, that's why Al Gore gave us the internet.

[nfpgasmask]

I agree with the lot. You will most likely not need chains. I lived in Chicago most of my life and I never chained up once. Unless you plan on climbing hills on some unmaintained back country roads, I think you will be fine. Being that most of the terrain is flat, I highly doubt you will have any trouble getting around. That's not to say you need to drive safe in these conditions, but you should be fine with the Axy.

The only time I have ever used chains was out here. I once drove over the pass (from Reno to Sacramento) in the middle of a blizzard with a rental car. Chains were required for all non-4x4 vehicles. So I went to Wally World and got the cheapest chains I could find. Let me just say, putting them on was NOT fun. They work, but they are a serious pain in the bootie.

Bart

[circmand]

Come now, that's why Al Gore gave us the internet.

Shipping and Handling

[vt_maverick]

The only time I have ever used chains was out here. I once drove over the pass (from Reno to Sacramento) in the middle of a blizzard with a rental car. Chains were required for all non-4x4 vehicles. So I went to Wally World and got the cheapest chains I could find. Let me just say, putting them on was NOT fun. They work, but they are a serious pain in the bootie.

I know exactly what you mean. The last time I was on business travel to northern Cali we went through the pass over to Lake Tahoe and got caught in a blizzard on the way back. (Absolutely crazy to see the NHP (I think?) push a wooden shack onto the middle of the interstate to stop vehicles for chain inspections.) They let us pass without chains because we had rented a Subaru Forrester (AWD), but we still skidded off the interstate anyway while going down a long downhill grade. Turns out all the AWD technology in the world won't overcome cheap rental fleet summer tires.

[vt_maverick]

Btw, I was looking around the internet at snow chains and found these:




K-Summiut K11

I would never dream of spending that kind of money, but geez those things look bad-*****. And seems like installation would be MUCH easier if you don't have to worry about looping the chains over the back of the tire.

[vt_maverick]

Shipping and Handling

...which is why Google added the "Free Shipping" checkbox to their shopping search page. But your point is well made.

[mdwyer]

You might also try out Auto Socks. I have still never seen them in use, but I've heard good things about them. They seem kind of expensive to me...

[VXorado]

Overkill, I live near two ski resorts in the CO mountains and I dont carry chains. The only time I found them really useful was throwing them under the tires of a truck to gain traction on ice. Chains work great and are not bad to have for emergencies but you'll probably never use them.

That thule setup looks ridiculous, someone should try using them for offroading... vt maverick?? you found em'


I also agree with Ldub- AAA is great