On Fri, 8 Dec 2017 06:42:53 -0800, sms
wrote:

On 12/6/2017 6:25 PM, Clare Snyder wrote:
On Wed, 6 Dec 2017 18:55:08 +0000 (UTC), harry newton
wrote:

He who is Ed Pawlowski said on Wed, 6 Dec 2017 10:12:49 -0500:

I bought an AWD a couple of years ago. I had a couple of hills on the
way to work and passed cars sliding all over. When you put it into snow
mode you get 50-50. The traction control though will vary it as needed
from 90-10 to 10-90. In Eco or regular mode it is 40-60.

I've since retired and have no plans to drive on a snowy day again.
Nothing that can't wait for the roads to be cleared.

If you live in snow country, then these traction schemes make sense.
If you don't live in snow country, chains are a lot cheaper in every way.
And better.

They're just not as convenient.
I'll NEVER drive with chains on a front wheel drive vehicle. I've had
enough chains break on RWD vehicles - and they do a lot of damage.
They are OK for getting out of a tough spot, but you HAVE to remove
them before hitting the highway.; Since I've goneback to dedicated
snows, I've not had a situation where having chains would have been
any advantager (and I'm in "snow country")

I've driven FWD cars with chains for decades. Good quality, correctly
installed chains do not break. Incorrectly installed they will break and
cause a lot of damage to the axle and CV joint.

Chains are often legally required in western states when it's snowing or
icy. Occasionally, but not often, it's chains required for all vehicles
(R3), even 4WD with snow tires--I've experienced that twice, once on
Mount Hood, and once in Yosemite, and since I had chains for my 4WD
vehicle I was okay, but many people were stranded, believing that they
would never have to put on chains. R3 is very rare on major roads,
they'll close the road rather than institute R3.

R1: Chains are required - snow tread tires allowed.

R2: Chains are required on all vehicles except four wheel drive vehicles
with snow tires on all four wheels.

R3: Chains are required - all vehicles - no exceptions.

The California Highway Patrol will often institute chain controls even
when such controls are not technically necessary, but they do it in
order to slow people down in bad weather.

Herein the "flatlands" chains are seldom required, particularlyu with
good snow tires. Used to runsniows ion the military tires on the old
powerwagon - useless in snow without them andtop speed of about 45MPH
anyway - - .

Ran chains on the Dart in '72 on the way west a few times - broke them
a couple times too. No damage to the car, If the snow tires had been
new instead of almost worn ort the chains would not have been required
except through the Judith Gap, where "no chains, no go" was in effect
(even though we were the first car following the plough)