Hello There - Snow Chain Help Please

[joebobby]

Hello Everyone... New to this site and would appreciate any help!

Have a 2007 LR3 tires 255/60 R18 and looking for Snow Chains as it is required by CHP in California in inclement weather when traveling to Lake Tahoe. Bought a set of V=Trac Glacier snow chains and as Land Rover instructs tried to install on Front Wheels... However, the clearance with front suspension is very tight and decided that I would return chains...Are there any affordable snow chains that could be used on front axle as Land Rover suggests? or can the chains be put on Rear axle? Thanks in advance for any assistance...

Joe

 

[Learth]

Don't waste your money. Does the CHP require everyone to carry chains? Yes. Are they going to check that you have them? No. Are you going to need them on your LR3? HELL NO. Do they have a condition where chains are required on 4X4 vehicles? Yes. Have I ever seen or heard of it being enforced in CA? NO. Don't waste you money.

 

[Trynian]

Hello Everyone... New to this site and would appreciate any help!

Have a 2007 LR3 tires 255/60 R18 and looking for Snow Chains as it is required by CHP in California in inclement weather when traveling to Lake Tahoe. Bought a set of V=Trac Glacier snow chains and as Land Rover instructs tried to install on Front Wheels... However, the clearance with front suspension is very tight and decided that I would return chains...Are there any affordable snow chains that could be used on front axle as Land Rover suggests? or can the chains be put on Rear axle? Thanks in advance for any assistance...

Joe

Yes you can use chains on the rear.

These are about the lowest clearance cables outy there.
http://www.scc-chain.com/Traction Pages/Trac_SZ6.html

 

[hell pie]

I have a set of the SCC chains referenced above, for my 255/60/18 wheels. I have not used them yet, but I did practice putting them on in the garage, and they seem to fit fine with the suspension at normal height.

I was on Highway 2 a couple of winters ago and the CHP and Caltrans had set up a check point. Everybody was required to put on chains and if you didn't have any, you couldn't go beyond the check point. I didn't have chains, so I had to turn around

 

[nashvegas]

Uhh yes they do enforce it

I got stopped in a 2003 Discovery a few years ago going up to Tahoe for not having chains. The truck was better without chains than most cars with chains, which is what we told the CHP guy, but he made us turn around and gave us a warning ticket for improper equipment or something like that. So yes, they do enforce it.

 

[Learth]

There is no law that requires passenger vehicles to carry chains. There is a condition (R3) that requires ALL vehicles to have chains on each tire of the active axel. However, in decades of winter driving in the sierras, I have never seen this R3 condition. Instead, cal trans will close the road.

Again, chains are a waste of money and unnecessarily occupy space in any LR3.

 

[roverman]

Hellpie and nash, Learth says you're both wrong....perhaps you should re-recall your memories.

Learth, just put 'IMO' after your ridiculous blanket statement about chains so I don't have to argue about this...

 

[Learth]

IMO is implied by the following statement: "I have never seen this R3 condition."

And what's ridiculous is spending money on and taking up space for chains you will never need to use in CA.

 

[roverman]

The very first time I was ever in Tahoe, we got caught in a pretty big snowstorm. Cars (and SUV's) slid about a foot sideways for every foot forward in one spot. Saw one where the only thing that stopped him from plunging 500 feet off the edge was a guard rail. And these were cars going about 1MPH. All I can say is if you stopped and asked each one of them if they would like to have your extra set of snow chains, I don't think they would have said "chains are a ridiculous waste of money, and I"M FROM CALIFORNIA!!!' Again, IMO.

 

[Learth]

If not used for off-road purposes, 4 Wheel drive is an egregious waste of money if you're going to chain up when it snows. Until I experience otherwise, after tens of thousands of miles driven on snow-slicked sierra roads over several decades without chain requirements, I will not be carrying chains.