MyE28.com

Seems every year here in the south we get a freak storm or three, and I dont wish to be stuck at the house again. Christy just bought an X3 and I wanna be prepared.
What are the best brand snowchains out there? Surely you northerners have some good intel.

Thanks in advance.

Kyle in NO wrote:

Brian:

In my experience with chains, which brand you use doesn't make as much of a difference as getting them fitted right. Always important to fit them when the weather is good, and practice putting them on. I've seen too many people wait until the snow is flying to buy their chains, much less put them on, and they cuss at the chains...

Kyle in NO wrote:

http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?p=1063351#1063351

davintosh wrote:
In my experience with chains, which brand you use doesn't make as much of a difference as getting them fitted right. Always important to fit them when the weather is good, and practice putting them on. I've seen too many people wait until the snow is flying to buy their chains, much less put them on, and they cuss at the chains...

Yeah, definately will get the correct ones for the tire size. I have zero experience with chains, hence the wisdom requested. Just want something quality and tested true. Nothing worse than being stuck at home with no booze.

Thanks for the info.

Chains are only good if you like going 5mph. Nokian WR tires. They're technically all seasons, but don't let that fool you, they'll let you freaking dance in the snow.

Cactus wrote:


Chains are only good if you like going 5mph. Nokian WR tires. They're technically all seasons, but don't let that fool you, they'll let you freaking dance in the snow.

I haven't tried the Nokians, but am duly impressed by my Blizzaks. Four of them (even the near bald set I replaced last year) and LSD will get you around better than any front-drive vehicle on the road.

Another vote for a good winter (not necessarily snow) tire. They're better for traction on dry pavement when it is cold, too.

And it's a good idea to have some plastic cable ties in case they don't fit as well as they could even if they're the right size. Along with a way to cut them off. Don't forget the rubber band tensioner either. Is that trucklet 2 or 4 wheel drive? If it's 4, chains may be required by law, but I doubt you will ever need them.

Mike W. wrote:And it's a good idea to have some plastic cable ties in case they don't fit as well as they could even if they're the right size. Along with a way to cut them off. Don't forget the rubber band tensioner either. Is that trucklet 2 or 4 wheel drive? If it's 4, chains may be required by law, but I doubt you will ever need them.

Its all wheel drive.

What is this "snow" you speak of?

tsmall07 wrote:Another vote for a good winter (not necessarily snow) tire. They're better for traction on dry pavement when it is cold, too.

...And another!

If you are so concerned about snow that you would consider chains, you should just be running real winter tires. The few times things have been bad enough for me to run chains, we probably should not have been on the road at all, and it was really uncomfortable.

Run real winter tires and be happy. The Dunlop Winter Sports are a great handling option. I've had Blizzaks (performance and non-performance) and Nokian Hakka-2s. All of them did great great in various wintry conditions.

I put a few of these bad boys on, mostly city plow trucks and what not.

http://www.onspot.com/

If I don't need snow chains (and I never have), you sure as hell don't. Put on some decent snow tires if you want (no studs, or the noise will drive you more insane than you already are) and you're golden. Frankly, with my Jeep, I don't even bother with that. I use an all-season Yokohama on it. I've run the Geolandar HT-S for years with no complaints. Before last winter, I picked up a set of the somewhat more aggressive AT-S, which is significantly noisier ... and we got almost no snow, so I don't really have an opinion on them in snow. I expect them to be at least as good. Where you are, you get heavy wet snows that pack into a close approximation of wet ice. The BMW traction control will deal with most of that (and heat up your brakes, as well) and Christie just needs to know she can't drive like gangbusters in it.

Brian in TN wrote:Surely you northerners have some good intel.

Yea, we don't use the damn things.

As everybody else has already said, the right tires mean you don't have to worry about it. I doubt you'd need a dedicated set of winter/snow tires where you live, but good quality all-seasons as opposed to 3-season or summer tires should allow you get through just about anything with that X3.

Remember that the AWD system will only help you GO and turn with more stability, it doesn't do a damn thing to help you stop when it gets slick. If you can remember that, you should be fine.

Jeremy

Another vote for a real set of winter/all season tires, bolt them on when the first snow is forecast and take them off the end of February.

Kenny Blankenship wrote:What is this "snow" you speak of?

I was wondering that too.

Heres some from last winter.

Brian in TN wrote:

That's all wrong. . .I know Biden would cup the balls.

oldskool wrote:

Brian in TN wrote:

That's all wrong. . .I know Biden would cup the balls.

True dat. But this was a "drone" strike.

Did somebody say "chains"?

Brian in TN wrote: Nothing worse than being stuck at home with no booze.

Just stock up on booze now and save your money.

Another vote for good snow tires,
I had blizzaks on the touring and it was a monster..
I got two winters on them in the Mtns of NC which gets more winter than you do.
Chains suck balls,
Christy would have a hard time putting them on and they will f*ck up your paint on the wheel wells...
My first winter in NC a long time ago, I used them and they damaged my brand new car...
Buy good snow tires, mount them on cheap wheels and just switch them when the time has come.