Snow

[Sancho]

I'm taking my Surf on his first trip up the alps this weekend.

Should I need to, my understanding is that I stick it in 4wd and put the chains on the front wheels (as opposed to leaving it in 2wd and putting them on the rear). My concern is just that I will tear the transmission to pieces driving it around in 4wd.

I suppose the idea is that if it's slippery enough to need chains, it's going to be slippery enough not to hurt the transmission.

Any views / advice? Anything anyone can think of that I need to do as well? Winter diesel? Chuck a load of antifreeze in?

[marky]

In parts of the ALPS it is MANDATORY to have snow chains fitted or face a hefty FINE.

[Sancho]

In parts of the ALPS it is MANDATORY to have snow chains fitted or face a hefty FINE.

I'm going to put them on, they're sitting in the boot right now. Just wondering whether to put him in 4wd first.

[bobafatass]

All depends on the conditions, we were in Austria a few weeks back there was 150cm of snow at resort level and still snowing, but the only vehicals I saw with chains on were the diggers and lorries that were clearing the roads, all the cars were just driving around as normal, I suppose they are used to it.

Andy.

[Gizmo]

If your parking over night in deep snow, make sure you clean it from around the engine, sump etc as it will take time to warm up all the oils in the morning.

chock the wheels if you can and leave the handbrake/parking brake off just in case it freezes on

[Ski_Extra]

Bump for this.

What's the thinking?

It makes sense to have the chains in the steering wheels, does 4WD and chains front give the most control?

Is it bad for the transmission? Should I be in 2WD and have the chains at the rear?

[MattF]

Personally, I would think you have your chains on the main drive wheels,
i.e: rear.

[Tallyman]

I'm sure I've read somewhere that the chains MUST be on the main driving wheels and NEVER on the steering wheels, so if rear drive/front steer then on the rear only. I believe if you do it the other way round you could be in trouble trying to control the car.

[Sancho]

Well, I started this nearly a year ago, but we never did get the answer.

On 2wd, the answer is always the drive wheels, so that you can engine brake and have far more control. On 4wd, the best advice is apparently.......all four wheels. However, I did a little experimenting in New Zealand in August (when it was snowing there) as I had the benefit of being in a hired RAV4 which I could destroy.

I generally had them on the back wheels as it helps to 'push' up hill and stops the back from breaking out when you're coming back down. The downside was of course that the steering was not desperately accurate. If you're going very slowly that doesn't matter, but it's nigh on impossible to drive at any speed.

I noticed that most people (in 4x4s as well as cars) had the chains on the front so I gave that a go one day. Net result was much better steering (no surprise) but the back came out everytime I touched the brakes (no surprise there either I suppose).

Conventional wisdom is put them on the front, brake on the engine and pump the brakes (and be prepared for a bit of opposite lock action) if you do need to slow down more.

I'll be going again this year and in the unlikely event that the chains go on, I'll be switching to 4wd first. I found the RAV4 could get up all but the steepest, iciest roads on standard road tyres without too many problems.

[NFC]

The transmission will be fine if you remeber to take it out of 4WD once you hit a non-slip surface again, by which time you won't be needing the snow chains attached anyway.

Snow chains allow a degree of slip. According to the handbook for my (Swedish) road car, the only reason they allow you turn the Traction Control off in it is to allow wheelspin so that snow chains can bite.

[Pika1971]

Chains

Sancho is right, put them on the drive wheels in 2wd, and only use 4wd when really necessary.

We spend every winter in the French Alps with the Surf and have used chains a lot.
I have 2 sets one for the front etc, but have only used them on the front once and it wasn't necessary.
Just put them on the back for a number of reasons, firstly they are your drive wheels and also when coming down slippery roads you can use the engine to brake yourself and therefore need rear wheel grip, also snow cover is unpredictable and sometimes its deep sometimes you are on tarmac, and as we know turning a tight corner in 4wd on tarmac with a surf is really not advised, so you will be needing to turn 4wd on and off regularly. I did get stuck on a tight bend in la Plagne in 4wd on tarmac and I had to be very careful to not knacker things up. You will see cars with chains on the front but they are front wheel drive...
Here are some pics of my surf with chains on....