I have a friend preparing to drive his normally Texas-bound 09 TCH to upstate PA soon (with all that snow). He's not inclined to buy snow tires just for the trip.

I have a set of chains that might fit.

Does anyone have experience with snow chains on this car ?

 

Not that I've done too much driving in that nasty white stuff, but my understanding is that chains are for very limited use: on icy or thickly-snowed roads, at low speeds (<30 MPH). They're also good for acceleration (drive axle only), not so much for braking. So, while they may get you up that snow-covered hill, keeping stopping on the down-slope and cornering will still be a function of the tires and driver skill. If you have < 50% tread on the OEM tires, especially in combination with a driver lacking snow-and-ice experience, I'd have pause about heading into the great white North.

And it is driver experience and knowledge of the conditions that might be much bigger gap to close than equipment.

 

Thanks, and those are certainly cautions very important in general.

In this particular case, however, my friend is a very experienced driver on vehicles of all types end sizes and a transplant with sufficient snow driving experience that he knows what he's getting into, and is undeterred but simply not prepared to buy snow tires just for this one trip.

I thought I'd give him the chains to carry along for insurance - that is if chains actually work out on this car. Hence the question:

Does anyone have experience with snow chains on this car ?

 

You seem to be implying that you think chains are for uphill only and should possibly removed once one reaches the top.

This runs counter to the chain up areas I've ever seen in the mountains of Alberta and British Columbia, they are at the top and bottom of hills.

 

First of all, PA is no stranger to snowy conditions, therefore I would expect all the major roads clean of snow within less than 24 hours of snow storm, except maybe in case of some very unusual weather conditions. Some places require chains on the car when driving in white stuff in the mountains, so tire chains in the trunk are good thing to have just in case. As far as TCH is concerned, most of the time I feel no difference between it and any other front wheel drive passenger car and personally had no problems with up to 6 inches of unplowed snow with standard all season tires. With 8 inches clearance, I wouldn't chance much more than that. The only issue is traction control if you get stuck standing up the hill on ice. The first solution is to try to never completely stop going uphill on ice. If there is no choice, then turning off traction control (procedure listed in this forum) is the solution. With traction control off, I really can't see how TCH can drive any different than any other 2 wheel drive car. However, be careful, traction control really helps controlling the car on slippery roads and without it it's easy to mess up.

 

Thanks for that crucial info and the prudent warning.

 

I have driven our 08 TCH a number of times in the recent snows (up to about 6 inches on unplowed roads). It has handled it like a champ. As many others have said, the key is taking it easy.