Hi

still being snowed-in, I wondered if anyone can recommend any snow chains suitable for 18" Zenith wheels? I would only need them to climb a 200yd gradient ?

cheers

C

Snowchains are actually illegal for use on British roads as they chew up the tarmac: we never (well, hardly ever) get snow deep enough for them to cut through the ice but not reach the road surface.

Chains are also at least twice the price here that they charge on the Continent.

Wait for the snow to melt!

A friend bought some off

snow-chains.co.uk Snow Chains Car 4x4 Trucks and Lorries - Snow Chain Help line: 020 89773825

To fit his car last year when in went to the Alps

look for snow socks, although I was fairly certain most chains and socks stop at 16"

AutoSock/Auto Sock.The Textile wheel cover for Driving in Ice and Snow.Auto Socks get you Home!

they've got them to fit

I had to put my chains on last night to get my Octy home in Sheffield after a trip to the ski village. I bought them last year to go to the Alps. Just got the cheapest RUD (good make) ones from roofbox.co.uk. £50. Nearly got the Snow Socks, but happy with the chains and there is some debate about the french alpine police's stance on the socks. The chains take less than a minute per wheel to fit once you've done it a couple of times.

At the Ski Village...

At home with the chains on...

Snowchains are actually illegal for use on British roads as they chew up the tarmac: we never (well, hardly ever) get snow deep enough for them to cut through the ice but not reach the road surface.

Chains are also at least twice the price here that they charge on the Continent.

Wait for the snow to melt!

when your self emplyed and been stuck for two days and the temperature is still on zero obviously the snow is not melting! and you live in a rural area which is not gritted you have to try somthing!

I have some snow socks for my 18" Zeniths. Easy to put on/take off, machine washable and they work very well

It's voodoo i tell you.

MPM

I assume you have a steel 16" spare, so buy another one like it and put winter tires on both, then fit them to the front of the car.

You need to remember to corner like you have a full fish bowl on the back seat, but it will get you there. Snow chains aren't useful until you just about feel you should be turning back. Plus, using them too much will feck your suspension.

Oh, get some bags of sand, sawdust, salt, whatever you can get your hands on and spread it where you need the extra grip.

Hi

still being snowed-in, I wondered if anyone can recommend any snow chains suitable for 18" Zenith wheels? I would only need them to climb a 200yd gradient ?

cheers

C

You could have swept and gritted the gradient yourself in two days by now!! :P

I assume you have a steel 16" spare, so buy another one like it and put winter tires on both, then fit them to the front of the car.

You need to remember to corner like you have a full fish bowl on the back seat, but it will get you there. Snow chains aren't useful until you just about feel you should be turning back. Plus, using them too much will feck your suspension.

Oh, get some bags of sand, sawdust, salt, whatever you can get your hands on and spread it where you need the extra grip.

No No NO! I know technically it will get you moving, but it is specifically recommended against doing this.

It is more dangerous that just normal tyres. Mainly because if you go around the corner the front can grip and you'll just spin on the wrong side of the road (fwd, rear you just don't steer).

Look at some of the all season tyres that have the severe winter rating if you want. Nokian WR and apparently Vredestein Quatrac 3 have this rating and should get you going if you get caught out.

Otherwise get a full set of 4 steel wheels and put full on winter tyres on the car for the winter months.

I did mention you have to corner like you're carying a fish tank on the back seat.

Recommendations are made to ensure that even the dumbest driver out there is still safe if he follows them. But, for a skilled driver (I don't think the average vRS driver is a noob) running with all seasons tires on the back is not that much difficult from a fast corner in the summer, or an even faster corner on the track.

But there are all season tyres which might well be ok and performance tyres which are rock hard and useless in the cold/snow.

I get what you're saying, but still a bit :S

Wonder if the OP could get event out to fit him a set of nokian WR, Quatac or other snowflaked all seasons

My drive is 50 yds long with slight uphill to the road, so yesterday i shoveled the snow up to one side and this morning it looked good apart from you could not stand up outside the garage without holding on plus the fact my bl-----dy back is killing me , wished i left it there.

18" and chains is a no go! Wont fit properly, will damage bodywork and shocks (at front).

If you could use a snow sock to move the car (not to drive).

Mixed tires, grip up front and no grip at the back (wintertires front and summertires back) will give you a handling more wicked as the wickedest 911. You wont be fast enough to catch the rear. To climb up a straight hill it may work, but dont try to make a quick sideways movement. (as said before --> fishtank )

If you want to be really winterequipped you will need 15" (normal octavia) or 16" (VRS with 312mm frontbrakes) wheels with winterrubber. Here you can still use snowchains (for the VRS only on 6x16 ET50)

If I had 18s and especially just for light use in the UK I'd get the socks.