Driving a Rubicon in the Snow

[Atomic-Mouse]

Twenty thousand comedians out of work and your trying to be funny!?

I’ve only been able to find metric chains. I don’t know what the conversion of 35x12.5x17 to metric.

You do know Google is good for more than just porn right.

Google: tire size conversion
https://tiresize.com/converter/
that was easy.

Sponsored

 

[Av8Chuck]

Thats just because kalifornia is a bureaucracy laden hell, and the people in charge have zero common sense, and a love of over-regulation. R2 would be all thats required in a normal world.

No argument there.

 

[LAM]

Thanks. I’m only getting chains because the park service says there required and 4x4s don’t have to use them but they have to carry them. Since it’s the park service in California they probably will check. it’s cheap insurance to get some inexpensive chains but if like to get some that would fit. I don’t expect to have to use them.

I had the same thoughts before my Kings Canyon and Sequoia trip. Offhand I did not see any Bay area stores that had Jeep sized chains. Even online choices were near $500. And I wanted something that might work for both 33” and 34” tires and was not too sure of what chain sizes might work for that. The worst thing would be to get some and later find they don’t fit, or are too big for the wheel well. So I decided to wing it. As far as the park checkpoints they both asked. The first ranger just told me I should have them but he let me go. To the second I gave him my chains in the back story. But thinking about it as long as these checkpoints let you pass with snow rated tires and 4 wheel drive - which they always do - you are never also going to put on chains. Then, when something goes wrong it will be too late.

 

[Ratbert]

Glad you said that. Same here. Colorado native scratching my head at all the anxiety in this thread over having the perfect set up. I bet I've been over Vail over 1,000 times in all type of weather, in all types of vehicles. The only time I've ever chained up a 4x4 is off road, on logging roads in bumper deep snow, and only if I couldn't make any headway. Chains on paved roads? Nooooo. Only on a rear drive. In a 4x4? 4H and whatever tire is on the vehicle, close enough for rock n roll.

Colorado is one thing. We don't see much ice. At all. Other parts of the continent, however, do.

 

[LAM]

One thought, though, for your Yosemite trip. The towns along all the ‘tourist’ roads going into the Sierra have numerous places with signs selling and renting chains. That might be a choice rather than buying them.

 

[Ratbert]

Here's another situation where it doesn't matter if you have 4wd, chains are required: https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/st...ffer-alternatives/DQZ6SG2I6RDUPJLXIYUTS76RIQ/

4wd helps you go. It does nothing to help you stop.

 

[Twisted10]

been driving in western ny winters for 30+ years. my feelings on "setup"....

 

[zouch]

weren't you trying to be funny? sure seemed like it.
would be sad if you were serious with a question like that.

chains are available in all sizes via the keyboard at your fingertips, as are size conversion charts. shouldn't be too much work for you to find something you admittedly don't intend to use anyway.

Twenty thousand comedians out of work and your trying to be funny!?

I’ve only been able to find metric chains. I don’t know what the conversion of 35x12.5x17 to metric.

 

[tk1700]

Les Schwab used to run a deal, buy chains in the fall and return them unopened in the spring for a full refund. My dad did it a couple times, new car and bought chains. 3 years later sold car and returned chains for refund.

 

[Ridge2Far]

I've been driving in winter snows since I was 11 years old. The first vehicle I learned to drive was a 1941 Willys.

As @Jtphoto, @Pape and @Tredsdert have said, the type of snow makes a big difference. There are basically two types of snow, dry and wet. Dry snow doesn’t pack well and is not good for making snowballs or snowmen. Wet snow has varying degrees of moisture and can be great for making snowballs and snowmen.

Dry snow can be so dry it will billow up around the vehicle as you drive through it and the tires can cut down through the snow and nearly reach the ground. It tends not to pack-up in front of the tires. When you stop in dry snow, it usually isn’t too hard to get moving again.

Wet snow is another matter. It packs-up under and in front of the tires. When you stop in wet snow that’s more than a foot deep, there can actually be a “wall” of packed snow in front of the front tires. It's a bit like having chocks in front of both front tires.

IMHO, a narrow tire is better than a wide tire in wet snow. A wide tire creates a wide wall of packed snow that must be overcome while a narrow tire has less surface area it has to break through to get moving again. A wide tire is great for floating over the sand or crawling over rocks and perhaps in goopy mud, but give me a narrower tire in deep, wet snow every time.

If you’ve ever plowed wet and dry snow you’ll know what I’m talking about. Dry snow will flow around the plow like dust powder while leaving a fairly uniform ridge on either side of the plow - unless the plow is angled. Wet snow will pack up and you can actually see a slab of snow sliding along the ground well ahead of the plow. Normally any wet snow that comes around the plow, comes around in blocks or chunks. If you stop the plow, or the slab gets too large to push, it will be hard to get moving again.

I bought my 2018 JLUR 3.6 MT used a few years back with Ironman 33X12.50R20 tires mounted on Black Rhino 20x9.5 rims. Not my first choice. I will be looking for a different setup when these need replacing.

 

[Atomic-Mouse]

I put the ice chains on my skidder today, 15 feet long, 350 lbs each and I have to use a modified hi-lift jack to tighten them. These would be perfect for a Jeep

 

[Ridge2Far]

I put the ice chains on my skidder today, 15 feet long, 350 lbs each and I have to use a modified hi-lift jack to tighten them. These would be perfect for a Jeep

Wicked

 

[BRuby]

Just got back from skiing. Always amazes me how much traction these shitty half-worn KO2s have in snow with ice under. Went up in 2H no problem. Yes fishtails a bit - but traction control keeps complete control - adds a bit of fun and entertainment. Tested by stopping on some ice and turning around 180 on a flat access road. Backed up and sure enough zero traction in 2H - stuck in a second. Popped in 4H and zero slippage - pulled right out. like on dry pavement. Down hill in slush and ice - no problem again. Just popped in second manual mode and these KO2s bite with full control. Not exactly sure what it is - but these crap KO2 tires are very secure. Way better traction vs our Subie sedan full-time AWD with full snows. Wifey always asks for the Jeep over the Subie when roads are unplowed and treacherous. She trusts the Jeep - so that says something.

Must be user error when the KO2s get blasted by haters. Yes this is a crappy do it all tire - so not great at anything. But certainly is plenty good enough on snow slush ice wet dry up and down ski resort roads. Saw 2 cars in the ditch today - so roads were very slick and iced right up.

Did have the best day of the year this season. So that was positive as well. Over a foot of fresh on the black diamond closed slopes. Super nice. Super fun.

 

[Deleted User 38384]

Shoot I forgot all about this thread... Second it started hitting 70° in Texas, I forgot about what winter even was...

Looks like a good week ahead! I don't know about the 9th though...

 

[JINO]

If you have good AT tires, air down to 12 psi, you won't need chains. Maintain a slow steady speed over inclines and declines.
Where i live, chains are necessary in your vehicle if there's snow/ice on the ground, but never make 4x4s put them on.

If wheeling in deep snow that's been laying for a few days, chains might be necessary.

Sponsored