Tire chains! Winter is here...

[hambone]

Hi, what make/model of chains do you all use for your buses? It's pretty tight clearance back there next to the bus wall.
Thank you!

[Westy78]

Go to Schwab and get their quick fit or easy fit or whatever they call them. They're easy to put on and use a good quality diamond pattern chain. Stay away from the cable chains. Another bonus with Schwab is that if you don't use the chains you can return them for full refund come spring. I think they call it their passenger chain program. I think I paid about $50 for mine. Worth every penny. My bus will go damn near anywhere with those chains on and hold the road extremely well.

[Amskeptic]

Hi, what make/model of chains do you all use for your buses?

Is this for camping, rural road use or local Portland street snow/ice?

I was forced to wear chains on my blizzardy cross-country trip in 1991 in the Vanagon.
I found that the chains were just too aggressive on the car with teeth-rattling vibration. There was a particularly special late night 25* below zero moment where I lost a link and it began flogging the brake line on the trailing arm. That was the moment where I had to ask, are these chains trying to keep me alive or trying to kill me?

When I ditched them, the smoother quieter driving allowed me to concentrate, go faster for the benefits of momentum, and not have to brave the elements to take them off and put them on and try to repair links. I have never had traction issues with rear-engined VWs.
Colin

[hambone]

This is for mountain road use, camping etc.
Crossing mountain passes out here, they're also required by law.
Hey Jasan, could you check the part # for me? I've seen #1535 for sale, think those are the ones I need. Cheaper on Craigslist!

[Westy78]

Colin, the problem with the snow fall we get around here is that 95% of the time it's the wet, barely below freezing, slicker than snot version that is very difficult to find traction in. Even in a bus. It also quickly becomes packed into a sheet of ice which compounds the problem. That's where the chains come in handy. In the nice dry, fluffy stuff at colder temps that almost gets sticky, I've never had a problem with traction in my bus.

Part number coming up Bob.....

[Westy78]

Yep, 1535-s are the ones you want.

[hambone]

Th' MAN! Much appreciated. (a pic no less!)

[bretski]

Another option, if anyone is still interested:

http://www.tirechain.com/P185R-14.htm