Taste of Winter

[tny]

I am almost ready. All I need is to move the snow blower to its winter position close to the garage door! That should happen one of these days.

I love the snow!

Sponsored

 

[Deleted member 1634]

Or in places where they don't use salt on the roads and you need chains/studs for traction in the ice. Or when you drive on unplowed roads. Both of those situations apply to me which is why I have a set of chains in my truck. I used to put them on the front tires for stopping traction - I won't be able to do that on my new Ranger due to the small tolerance between the tire and strut in the front. But they definitely come in handy around here. Mostly for stopping - not getting going.

Chains definitely have their place, but I agree with you - on normal roads, most cars can do pretty well without them assuming a driver who knows how to drive in the snow.

If you're purely in a winter environment then snow tires & studs will work better than chains. If you're a long distance driver then chains are your only options because you'd melt snow tires in the hotter places and the studs would be illegal.

Absolutely. But around here we don't have snow enough of the time, which is why chains work well. You can put them on when needed and take them off when you don't. Mountain passes are typically the place where they are needed. But interestingly enough, I've never used them in the passes - when I've gone over the roads have always been in good shape and they were not needed. The only place I use them normally is when i'm on unplowed roads or when we get a big dump of snow - they are useful until our limited snowplows can plow the roads.

Exactly, chains are good for when winter driving is not an everyday occurrence and snow tires aren't worth it. With a good set of snow tires, you can deal with most unplowed roads and dumps of snow. Any dump of snow too deep for snow tires, is also too deep for chains to work either because getting beached is going to be the problem. The only thing then is tracks. haha

Ice is also a good call for chains as well like you said. Ice is the worst and the kind of thing that needs that metal digging in type of action. Studs would help with that too, but those are illegal (here at least). I'd much rather drive on hardpack snow for the whole drive than intermittent ice patches. In the end, snow can be dealt with, ice is a different story.

 

[MT19RANGER]

Exactly, chains are good for when winter driving is not an everyday occurrence and snow tires aren't worth it. With a good set of snow tires, you can deal with most unplowed roads and dumps of snow. Any dump of snow too deep for snow tires, is also too deep for chains to work either because getting beached is going to be the problem. The only thing then is tracks. haha

Ice is also a good call for chains as well like you said. Ice is the worst and the kind of thing that needs that metal digging in type of action. Studs would help with that too, but those are illegal (here at least). I'd much rather drive on hardpack snow for the whole drive than intermittent ice patches. In the end, snow can be dealt with, ice is a different story.

Speaking of tracks, who's going to be the first to get a set... I've seen these online over the years in various types.

 

[shred5]

I live where there is plenty of snow and no one uses chains. As a matter of fact it is illegal on some roads because they rip up the roads.

As a skier I have been to places that require chains in the mountains. Laws very by state but in some states tires that have the 3 peaks snowflake symbol on them are ok instead of chains.

 

[395Runner]

Just a quick California FYI- Last winter season Caltrans was requiring All Vehicles to carry chains in chain control situations.

I got turned away in a storm despite being in a 4x4 ram 1500 with 3 peaks tires. We were pissed!

You could be in an Arctic Truck with balloon 44s on it and you'd still get sent back without chains. You need a set just to show the chain control guys- you don't actually need to put them on!

 

[P. A. Schilke]

Just a quick California FYI- Last winter season Caltrans was requiring All Vehicles to carry chains in chain control situations.

I got turned away in a storm despite being in a 4x4 ram 1500 with 3 peaks tires. We were pissed!

You could be in an Arctic Truck with balloon 44s on it and you'd still get sent back without chains. You need a set just to show the chain control guys- you don't actually need to put them on!

Hi Gabe,

Yep..happened to me with CHP. We were on the 1985½ Aerostar Ok for Production signoff drive heading up to Mammoth Lakes Lodge. We had a total of 15 vehicles...a passel of Aerostars and competitors as well as an E350 PDV (Parcel Delivery Van) set up as a mini machine shop. Turing this "train around proved to be somewhat problematic" and we headed back down the road and hit a Western Auto into which we pulled in and filled up the parking lot. Guy behind the counter was dumbfounded when we said we needed 15 sets of chains. Finally he asked...Okay, what tire sizes?...Sheesh Good question and I pulled out my spec book for the trip and gave him all the tire sizes except for the PDV, so the helpful executives all poured out and came back with the tire sizes...yes..Sizes...so I had to go back out and read the sidewall myself. Do not remember the total amount but it was somewhere around $2 grand on my Visa... The armed with 15 boxes of chains, we began the process of installing them...Another big mess. Execs trying to be helpful made it worse but we managed to get them on the vehicles with one hiccup...the people doing the Dodge caravan put them on the rear tires of a front wheel drive vehicle....So after a few laughs we corrected the situation...and back and through the CHP roadblock to the Lodge, some 4 hours late. The kitchen was closed but they opened it up for us, which was nice...then the power failed...it was a cold night with no heat in the lodge... When we got back to San Francisco we dumped all the chains in the hotel dumpster....

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[BDoc]

Just a quick California FYI- Last winter season Caltrans was requiring All Vehicles to carry chains in chain control situations.

I got turned away in a storm despite being in a 4x4 ram 1500 with 3 peaks tires. We were pissed!

You could be in an Arctic Truck with balloon 44s on it and you'd still get sent back without chains. You need a set just to show the chain control guys- you don't actually need to put them on!

It's my understanding WA state does the same thing - no chains, they turn you around. If you have them, you're good to go. Never worried about chains because I stay off the mountains in the winter...lol. That changes this year since my youngest is heading over the mountains to attend school. Looks like I'll be buying several sets of chains now.

 

[NVHoonigan]

I have the same excited feeling for winter this year that I did 5 years ago when I bought my 2011 Ranger 4x4 after getting tired of driving my 02 Mustang in the snow. Finally being able to keep traction was so nice and made going to work at 6 am (before the snow plows get off the mountains and into the city) a lot easier! Can't wait to see what this baby can do!

 

[IdahoRanger]

If it's R-3 in CA even 4WD with snow tires will be asked to chain up. I carried chains in my Forester but the chain control never asked and always waived me through.

 

[RedlandRanger]

Interesting - not that I travel the passes that often, but I've never been stopped to check for chains. I've always been fine in 4WD on the passes.

 

[VAMike]

Along these lines, does anyone have any chains they've tried and recommend on the ranger? Does this typically badly-written line in the manual mean that you shouldn't put chains on just one rear wheel (duh) or that you can only put chains on the rear: "Only use snow chains in pairs on the rear axle"?

 

[DrRoger]

do they use their 4 way flashers in the rain?
it seems like this is becoming the norm for the drivers who are out of their comfort zone.
i had seen it start with snow storms, and i get it, it may help with visibility when the snow is blowing, but now they have started putting them on during the rain. its stupid and pointless in my opinion

Some US highways REQUIRE flashers if you are below 40 mph.

 

[RANGER_MARC]

Along these lines, does anyone have any chains they've tried and recommend on the ranger? Does this typically badly-written line in the manual mean that you shouldn't put chains on just one rear wheel (duh) or that you can only put chains on the rear: "Only use snow chains in pairs on the rear axle"?

It could only mean, yes, duh, don't put chains on only one rear wheel, you have to put them on both (or none) (or all four).

 

[Ranger Danger]

Not related, at least to chains...I remember my good friend was taking me to the airport in the middle of a snow storm (great guy!) to fly out to Arizona for the first time..(Yes it was like being in Paradise in Jan!) he had just placed two front snow tires on his Toyota Corolla and while cruising along the highway we just started doing 360's coming to rest against the middle barrier...un-damaged and un-harmed. We made it to the airport and my flight was only delayed 10min as we flew into the storm, and I watched just how flexible a passenger jet is while sitting in the back first and only time I felt a little ill flying...and my friend immediately went and got all four snow tires setup.

 

[RedlandRanger]

It could only mean, yes, duh, don't put chains on only one rear wheel, you have to put them on both (or none) (or all four).

I doubt you can put chains on the front of the Ranger unless you put spacers on or different tires. I don't think there is enough clearance for even cable chains.

Sponsored