New car / tire chains

CorkWormTurn

CorkWormTurn

Active member
Now that I'm in CA and will be riding at tahoe, what's the deal with tire chains - do you need them if you have a 4wd car?

Currently I have a jeep, but I'm considering switching cars. I'd really prefer not to have to get out and put chains on, so, if I buy an awd car, can I avoid the hassle? If i'm going to need to use chains anyway, I'd just assume get a 2wd car because I won't need the awd anywhere except when I'm at the mountains.

How about snow tires? Good snow tires are pretty close to awd as far as safety goes, as far as I've heard/read. Still need the chains?
 
usually when caltrans is running chain controls, you don't need to put on chains if you have 4wd with snow tires.  but you should carry chains anyways in case you need them in a pinch.

 
so in general it is worth having 4wd to avoid the hassle (but yes in rare situations you'll need chains), or could you also avoid it with a 2wd car and good snow tires?
 
yes the 4wd is worth it.  if you have 2wd even with snow tires they'll make you put chains on every time there are chain controls, i'm pretty sure.
 
r1 = 2wd must have chains or snow tires

r2=2wd must have chains, 4wd ok with snow tires

r3=4wd with chains only

Most roads are closed before they reach r3 status
 
I drive a little 2wd car up to Tahoe every weekend-usually not a big deal (such good gas milage- about 35-40 mpg) but when there is chain control putting on chains is a bitch. Get a 4wd car if you can, it'll save you time and having to get out and put chains on whenever there is snow on the freeway.

 
wrx just says "please give me a ticket" and they're as nice on the inside. and as fun as it would be to have that kind of power now and then, i don't exactly need to beat people off the line.
 
a4 quattro wagon is the way to go. audis are so much nicer inside than subarus. the 1.8t is not that fast off the line, but once you hit the turbo in 3rd, hold on.
 
I'm from Watertown, NY (where they are still getting bombed right now) and didn't know what chains were till I came out here. People absolutely can not drive in the snow in California and pretty much the west coast as a whole. You'll feel a lot better w/ 4WD/AWD. I've got a 4WD 4-Runner and an older Subie. Both rock in the snow and I haven't needed to chain up in the five seasons out here. 4WD/AWD is soooo worth it. Cruise past the gapers. If you have to get out and chan-up yourself they might talk to you, or worse - ask for help.
 
yeah meant to say NOT as nice off the line.

i'm hearing that some years the body has issues with water leakage...know anything about that?
 


I've got a 99 a4 wagon..no problems with water leakage and only one time was the chain control guy not sure if it was awd..all I had to do was roll down the window and talk to the guy for 5 seconds and he let me pass. I f it looks like the guy is in doudt as you roll up to the check point just hold up 4 fingers and they wave you right through.

like mammothpunks said..if it ever gets to R3 conditions the road closes. you do not want to be the roads like that anyways!
 
with how bitchy they were being last season they were closing the roads before r2 status sometimes. cal trans and highway patrol are fucking ridiculous. there would be chain controls when the road wasnt even wet. i guess i have to blame it on all the shitty drivers who get in accidents while its snowing.
 
I heard it might actually be a law that if you're traveling around Tahoe between November and April you have to be in possession of chains. Its probly not though.
 
i picked up some chains just in case. why would they close the roads if they are r2 or r3 and people are using chains??
 
because they are worried about people who can't drive and caltrans and highway patrol are just dumb. they get worked up over nothing. if you want to see a massive amount of money going to waste, look no further than caltrans.
 
california department of transportation...  but even when the roads get to r3, they will let you go if you have awd with studded snows or if you have a local sticker on your window.
 
Caltrans and CHP can be such a bitch. I was driving back up from the Bay last year on the day that the big february storms started pouding... the snow hadnt even started stickin yet and everyone had to put on chains. LUCKILY the tahoe car I drive is a Jeep WJ (2002 grand cherokee) and the awd on that thing is amazing... as with pretty much any jeep.

I highly doubt you'll ever get shit having that XJ of yours bro, at least while you still have it. If you're still into the A4, I say go for it, because those things are solid in snowy conditions.

I wouldnt get anything less than an awd vehicle as long as I'm into skiing (which should be as long as I live) just because I absolutely HATE chains. If I ever have to drive my godforsaken volvo wagon up to tahoe, it works great, but they always give me shit for the 2wd, and i have to chain up. Just as well... but having lots of driving experience in the snow as it is, I could probably handle it without chains most of the time (especially when I have tyres on that thing that are just a step down from snow tyres)
 
they cant use salt because it would get into either the tahoe watershed or the sierra watershed for the rest of the damn state. Salt + Tahoe or Drinking water do not mix. so bad idea. Sand is used instead, but it isnt the same really...

Still.. tahoe isnt the same as east coast because the temps stay in the "road is slippery as FUCK" zone... whereas you go to places where the roads are covered in snow or ice and its 10 degrees out, the roads are not slick at all because there is a gritty crust on them.

Still... California drivers dont understand adverse conditions... and people go retarded as shit. So be careful of dumbfucks.
 
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