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| 67_6Cyl Member Since: 10 Feb 2010 Location: France Posts: 97  
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Hi All,
Off to the alps for a weeks ski-ing this weekend, and they have forcast snow. Lots of it. Now, in some parts of France it is obligatory to have snow chains fitted, often on roads leading to ski resorts. Sometimes the Gendarmes let you go past in a landrover without saying anything, sometimes not. Now, the problem is I only have 1 pair of chains. If I have to put them on, the centre diff will obviously be locked. But, where do they go? front or back? I would assume that they go on the front for traction and direction, however, I am not sure. What do you guys think? Jon PS 110 SW with BFG AT (235/85R16) reasonably loaded with all the family and all their cr*p |
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14th Dec 2010 10:28am |
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| 67_6Cyl Member Since: 10 Feb 2010 Location: France Posts: 97
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who ever heard of such a thing......
engine braking all the way down the box to first and only then brakes from less than 10kph. This way there should be no getting the rear end out......... You just have to leave enough of a gap behind the car in front......... and pray that a eurobox driver doesn't decide to become intimate with it! best, J |
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14th Dec 2010 1:33pm |
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| BigMike Member Since: 13 Jul 2010 Location: Lancashire Posts: 2253 
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unladen vehicle - front
loaded vehicle - rear |
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14th Dec 2010 1:39pm |
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| willy eckerslike Member Since: 15 Jun 2009 Location: North yorks Posts: 1789 
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What about half loaded
 Original Member Pie n Pea Club.
110 HCPU Tipper |
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14th Dec 2010 2:04pm |
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| BigMike Member Since: 13 Jul 2010 Location: Lancashire Posts: 2253
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 foxtrot oscar willy |
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14th Dec 2010 2:13pm |
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| AndrewS Member Since: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Hereford Posts: 3707 
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Who mentioned brakes
going down the box using the engine to slow the car could still throw the ass out  130's have feeling's as well you know  |
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14th Dec 2010 3:39pm |
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| 67_6Cyl Member Since: 10 Feb 2010 Location: France Posts: 97
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oops.... must learn to read..... Sorry AndrewS
However, the 110 is the only vehicle I drive, that doesn't let its ass hang out on snow....... occasionally the front end disagrees with me on the direction chosen (a bit like the wife  ), but rarely the rear. Normally the rear follows like a faithful 
as the votes are now 5:3 and a bit undecided.... I'll take the series IIA...... then they go on the rear so that I don't have to have 4WD engaged all the time (and she has a light ass) Best J |
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14th Dec 2010 4:16pm |
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| discoch1 Member Since: 06 Dec 2009 Location: 3722 Scharnachtal Posts: 38  
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Hi All
I live in Switzerland at 900m. We have about 10cm of snow at our height. I firstly wouldn't even dream of driving on At's only with winter tyres. Secondly I drive regulary down to the valley and most times it is in low box 1st or 2nd. Ice is the killer at the moment. Crawling along at 10 to 15kph in low box on small roads. The main roads are clear, this is no problem. But if the police over here catch you driving on non winter tyres it gets expensive.... Snow chains I have used once in the last 15 years on the back axle but I also had 200kg of ballast to help pull the local DHL truck up to our village. I refused to help him get down! As a brake I wouldn't have been heavy enough. One of the farmers offered to brake him down the hill with his Unimog and chains on all four corners! I have found if you got chains you dont always need to use them. It's driver skill that is needed. Right speed and momentum at the right moment androad reading skills. On the otherside if its safety first with all the family, I would get another set of chains to do back and front. But only use them if you really need too. BTW I have three sets of tyres for the year!!!!!! Rich |
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14th Dec 2010 4:17pm |
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| 67_6Cyl Member Since: 10 Feb 2010 Location: France Posts: 97
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Hi Rich,
I'm suprised by your response to the BFG AT tyres, we have had a good few cm of snow and ice here over the last week, and the 110 with the AT tyres is just great. They are properly homologated as snow/winter tyres with the mountain/snowflake symbol and certainly the 110 beats the wifes eurobox (with michelin Alpin4 snow tyres) handsdown. OK we aren't talking mountain passes here, but on the way to work I have a 12% gradient to climb and they do it no problem ....... I agree wholeheartedly that driver skill is what is needed, luckily I was taught by the Grenobloise that I married how to do it  . The chains are only there for prophylaxis..... If I have them I won't need them.
Wouldn't like to pay for three sets of tyres for the beast, that does start to get expensive. Best Jon |
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14th Dec 2010 4:35pm |
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| SiWhite Member Since: 19 Jan 2010 Location: North Hampshire Posts: 455 
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Serious response here - and bear in mind I've never used snow chains!
What about putting one on the front and one on the rear - same side? Diff lock engaged so no danger of loss of traction, plus there is less risk of either front of either front or rear 'breaking away' sideways under normal cornering. I appreciate there would be a risk of the vehicle pivoting through 360 degrees under emergency braking, and that any braking at all would give the ABS a heart attack. Any thoughts - and it's not something I'd consider, just through the discussion could be fun... My blog - www.anacreinhampshire.blogspot.co.uk 110 TD5 BuildHERE - sold! 110 Tdci Build HERE - sold! Passat Alltrack - 4x4, auto, 45mpg, gloriously comfortable - but not a Defender! |
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14th Dec 2010 4:46pm |
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| 67_6Cyl Member Since: 10 Feb 2010 Location: France Posts: 97
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to see the faces on the Gendarmes as I drive past
mebe not, as I suspect they would have a sense of humour failure  |
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14th Dec 2010 4:47pm |
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| discoch1 Member Since: 06 Dec 2009 Location: 3722 Scharnachtal Posts: 38
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Hi Jon
Well I work as a tour guide and off road instr.... I shouldn't say much more...) I have found that the AT's just dont have enough sipes in them. Thier just soft enough. I know they have the snow flake but there is no comparison to a true winter tyre. I have to do the wife run in the morning her car stays down in the village. (Snaking road unclassified road, 200m height diference down to the village). So the whole winter I am trundeling back and forth. When and if the snow plough comes round to us, I get the crushed stone out and have to spread the road just to get out from where I live. The sets of tyres are BFG MT's for off road playing, AT's for summer and general use and October to Easter there is a set of Coopers snowgroove tyres. Then the other thing is make sure the tyres have enough tread. As I said I have the chains. I havn't used them in anger since the DHL truck. I have had a lot of nasty near misses as the road down is a death trap. But where I live I dont want to move. Rich |
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14th Dec 2010 4:50pm |
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| 67_6Cyl Member Since: 10 Feb 2010 Location: France Posts: 97
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Hi Rich,
I think that you and I are playing different games..... I hope I don't have to snake up unclassified roads, and will be able to stay on the "route departementale" without anything smaller, although there is the "Col du Télégraph" that I will have to pass. Apparently this road (D902) is often one of the last to be cleared in the area, but is regularly cleared, and chains are obligatory to get up when snow has fallen, but it is a road that the Parisiens also use to get to ski stations such as Valloire, so I think that chains on the landrover will not be necessary but worthwhile having. Having read the responses I get the feeling that there is no "correct" reply, I have just ordered a second set of chains (that will stay with the father in laws 130 for the rest of the year) so that when one of us anticipates needing all four corners, we both have access to them. Best J PS Tyres nearly new, only done 4k kms on them PPS edited for spolling and poor grammar |
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14th Dec 2010 5:05pm |
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| AndrewS Member Since: 10 Apr 2007 Location: Hereford Posts: 3707
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I'm going to register as three other people and rig the votes  130's have feeling's as well you know |
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14th Dec 2010 5:13pm |
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