So winter is here and eventhough I live in San Diego I make about 10 trips a year up to the local mountains (Big Bear and Mammoth) for snowboarding trips. I am only 2wd so if it starts snowing I will have to chain up. I wanted to see what all the cold weather people recomend for chains. I was just going to order some z-chains.

 

only time I chain up is when its required by law. chains are a pain to get on right ( and take some practice ) sometimes fall off or come loose. They seem to be the most useful on hard packed snow really. I lived at 10,000ft and have driven over some of the scariest and most dangerous passes in the absolute worst possible conditions and only chained up once. I have used the chains by throwing them under the tires when i have lost traction pulling off the side of the road many many times on the other hand.

 

The CHP here, I would say especially in SoCal, is very conservative about when they require chains. Pretty much a CYA policy and if there is the slightest bit of snow falling they make you chain up. So it is very likely I will be driving with the chains/cables on and very little snow will be covering the road surface.

 

cables provide a much smoother ride, they are easier to deal with and do not seem to get as tangled up when you try to store em. I havent used chains and cables on the same vehicle so its not a direct comparison. It seems that cables are more for cars and chains for trucks just by observation. Another thing is make sure you have some tie downs are something to keep the extra chain straped down, one time on an ex girlfriends car there was about 3 or 4 extra links that came loose and beat the heck out of the fenders. Chains are real noisy to begin with so we didnt notice.
another side note, after you put them on your going to have to adjust them a few more times because they never ever seem to go on perfect the first time. A good tight fit is ideal, and its tough to do with the cold and snow and gloves.

 

i would probably get some cable chains or something with smaller links if you're just going to use them on the roads. this style is overkill for those sort of conditions
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/co...006612sq02.jpg

i have used chains the last 3 times i've been wheelin. we just went up today and bashed new tracks through 6" to 3' of snow. we had to stop when we saw snow drifts that were probably 3-5' deep.

 

Nolan-I bought some chains from that tire place on Adams Ave and I think 32nd st. A few years ago. They had good chains for a good price. You can also check ORW.

 

Hey thanks for the tip Marc. I will have to drop by there. A guy I went to high school with works there too so maybe I can get a good price.

 

I have the Z cables that you mentioned. But I haven't got to use them yet! Everytime I'm in mammoth/big bear they just ask if i'm 4wd and let me thru.
I did test fit them a couple of times,and they are the easiest things to get on. They actually have a link that opens so you dont have to move the car, just put them on, tighten them up and go.

 

Here's an interesting alternative: http://www.flex-trax.com/site/521855/page/144005

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Chains are a pain in the a$$. I would try some studded snow tires on the rear if you can get away with it. Don't let em know that you dont have 4WD and throw some dead bodies in the back for weight/traction.

 

Studded tires are definately out of the question both because they are illegal in California and because it takes me 2 hours just to get tot he base of the moutain.

 

dead bodies seem to be ok though...?

 

Just curious on this subject, I have the sport edition V8 with all wheel drive, what are the thoughts on putting chains on an all wheel drive truck? I have seen a few threads on this subject that don't have a firm conclusion. I remember the piece of paper that warned me at the dealer about never putting chains on my truck. Does anyone have experience in putting chains on an all wheel drive truck? A sport edition model?

Thanks..... Looking forward to getting to some snow from SoCal too.....

 

i had some cables on my tacoma when i would hit mt. high. they had little metal rings on the cables and went on easy enough. only had to use em once when the guy stopped me to ask if i had 4wd. dubb question as it was a stock 99 taco standard cab. looked lowered too, if you've ever owned one...lol

 

those cable chains seem to work just fine. you don't have to move the vehicle to get them on the tires. they are light too. i found them at walmart pretty cheap.

 

The strange thing is that I posted a topic like this last week. Everyone that responded said not to get cables because they are weak, and to get chains. I wonder why this one is so different?

 

well i would suggest cables for road use. for off roading i would recommend chains

 

That's one of the reasons I always do a search. You get a broader range of opinions that you might not get with a single thread.

 

Nolan is getting opinions of people in SoCal, we don't need full on chains here.
Cables work fine and get you past the hiway patrol on the way up to the mtn.
In your neck of the woods chains are probably more reliable year after year with people who use them year after year. Cables wouldnt hold up to that usage, so people probably think they're weak.
We literally only need them for a few miles of the drive up to the resort, CHP stops people a few miles from town if there is any type of snow/ice on roads up to Big Bear.
It's funny, in WA state on the way up to Mt Baker with about a foot and a half on the road and plenty more falling, the hiway patrol there didnt stop me in a rental 2wd wagon and no chains. Made our guys look like nazis

 

I like the Z-Chains:



So easy to install (I put mine on buried to the axles on top of 4' deep snow), they seem to be very strong and the criss-crossing cables leave little bare tread exposed. After the above photo was taken, I pulled the Xtra Cab pickup in the background and a second Xtra Cab pickup up a rather steep, icy hill (at the same time) with the 4Runner.