Traditional Tire Chains
Thinking about buying traditional tire chains? Read reviews first. Own them? Tell us how they're working for you!
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old wrench
Have a pair of cable chains.On a front wheel drive pontiac Bonneville they hit the front struts .There is too much slack in the chains even using chain tighteners.as per manuf.and driving 5 miles an hour. Better suited for a truck or SUV.with more clearance between the tires and suspension.
jamuck
I have been using traditional chains for over twenty years. Living in the Adirondacks and working as a contractor, I have eschewed four wheel drive as a crutch for people who don't know how to drive in the snow. Occasionally we have a job at the bottom or top of a long dirt driveway and the only way in or out is with my chains. The key to putting them on successfully is to do it before you need them. If I am doing this every day I can get the chains on in about two minutes. If I only need them a couple of times a winter, it can take five to ten minutes. They do make a lot of noise but they can get me almost anywhere.
pindoctah
I don't live in a place where I have much need for snow traction. In Seattle, it snows a few inches to a foot every few years. I have used cable chains on all the cars I own. They have been pretty reliable, getting my car to where I don't need to use them. I use them on snow and Ice, until I get to pavement that is clear then take them off. Drawbacks are they can be annoying to put on and take off, (only if it is cold, and snow is on the ground). They break at moderate to high speed, and seem to wear out quickly on bare pavement. Positives: They are fairly inexpensive, easy to transport or store, easy to find in your tire size. I figure, just don't go anywhere in a hurry and the radial cables will get the job done.
Katney
In the last several years we have taken up snowshoeing, and to get to the places where there is enough snow for the sport, it is often necessary to go on windy mountain roads with chains required if you don't have four wheel drive. We did solve that problem by getting a four wheel drive vehicle (Subaru Forester) and getting the tires syped. (Don't ask me what that means or if I have spelled it correctly.) We have the chains for it, but haven't had to use them so far. Our previous vehicle, a 2004 PT Cruiser, did great in these situations with the chains. The first time we had to use them, it took us about twenty minutes. After that it was much quicker and easier. A couple of caveats. REad the directions a couple of times the first time you use them. Really--READ THE DIRECTIONS. Sometimes it is easier to get the chains in place on the front wheels if you turn the wheels slightly one direction or the other. And don't get into a situation where you have to do this late at night on an isolated icy hill with a dim flashlight.
Maytag
I have a 3/4 ton Chevy K2500. I pull a camper with it, all year long (I live in it while working out of town). I got stuck in a campground in the hills, in the ice one time and had to use my chains. Real tire chains, not cables. They are the best. I have needed them on some other occasions as well, but the important thing is to remember that if you need chains to drive, you shouldn't be driving very fast, anyway. 4WD will help you get going, but won't slow you down if going too fast on ice.
satisficer
I drove a 2-WD pickup (about the worst snow configuration you can get) while working on an Indian Reservation (which, largely because of federal policy, will have about the worst maintained roads you are likely to find in the US) in South Dakota in winter. Even on hills and ice, cables gave great traction and I never got stuck. I also never went over 20 mph and they were hard to put on but I was happy they were there.
espo
I have used both Cambel and Weeds brands. Both worked well. Once thay are fitted to your tires they are easy to remove and install. Must drive at low speeds and keep tight or cross bars can break and cause body damage. Trying to go around a corner at speed is like running in high heals.
Snf
I visit Vermont in the winter and have used cables and snow chains. I take a good amount of time to put them on, whereas the locals have explained ability to put them and take them off to get down/up a hill. so I've left them on for the duration of my local drive, for example from remote snowy cabin to grocery via cleared main road. a local vermonter suggested this was illegal if the highway was free of snow. is it?
yeah
There is no substitute. I have used a set similar to those shown in the pic on my front wheel drive Grand Am. On packed snow, plowed or not, there was no stopping me. I was feeling kind of invincible one day trying them out, took on a steep snow packed hill from a dead stop. Go easy on the gas pedal and away I went. Very impressive. Kind of a pain to install but well worth the trouble. Don't plan on going over 30 mph, your dashboard will rattle to pieces.