"polygonum" wrote in message
...
I live in a very hilly area - and, though we live off a decent quality
tarmac road, we can get effectively cut off quite easily. Year before last
(IIRC) we were unable to drive out for about three days. The level roads
were mostly passable but the slopes were impossible. So, in my deep
ignorance of these matters, I have been contemplating getting some snow
chains.

Really only think I might need them for extremely local use so certainly
not worth spending very much. Hence Lidl's latest has appeal:

http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/xchg/l...ndex_36482.htm

Am I barking thinking they might help in changing the drive from
impossible to manageable?


I have a set somewhere.
They do work wonderfully well in snow and you can easily drive at 30mph but
as soon as you get onto a road which has been gritted with tarmac showing
through you have to slow down to about 10mph just when everyone else is
starting to speed up.
You then have to find somewhere in all the snow and slush to take the chains
off without impeding the other traffic.
Your fingers freeze and you need some seriously waterproof trousers.

I used them in bad winters in Derbyshire to get the last half mile up the
side of the valley.

I've only used them once since we moved to Suffolk, in a very bad winter.

One other thing - you do need clearance around the wheel arch for the chains
to flail around.
A lot of modern cars, especially with alloy wheels and low profile tyres
which come close to the wheel arches are not suitable for snow chains.

Used them on a Peugeot 504 Estate (wonderful car) and a Volvo 760 Estate.
Too scared to use them on my current Volvo 850 - I think there is a high
risk of damage.

On the subject of M&S tyres - had them on the rear of the Volvo 760 and they
were O.K. for a little mud or minor bits of snow but didn't make an amazing
difference over normal tyres.
No comparison in heavy snow with snow chains, and IMHO if you are
contemplating needing chains then M&S tyres just won't cut it.

Chains are designed to be fitted without taking the tyre off or jacking up
the car.
Long time since I did it, but roughly...
You drape the (loosened) chain over the top of the tyre, hold it in place
with a temporary clip, then roll forwards for half a wheel turn then tighten
everything up.
You may have to lay it out first and drive into the middle of it - as I say,
long time ago.
Run for a little, stop, and tighten up again.
After that, loads of fun as long as you are on a decent depth of snow.
Generally need to do it one wheel at a time, so a long time to fit
especially the first few times.

Cheers

Dave R

--
No plan survives contact with the enemy.
[Not even bunny]

Helmuth von Moltke the Elder

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