[OhBeeHave]

As always, I ask the opinion of those who would be in the know: Vermonters!

After last winter's icy road fiasco, I asked my husband to buy tire chains "just in case." Hubby told me that he had seen something that is a bar? which fits before the tires and has some sort of chain 'whiskers' which dangle in front of the tires.

Does this sound like something anyone here would be familiar with, and if so, would you know what they are called and where they can be purchased?

Thanks in advance

[Greenteam]

Not sure what you are describing.
I would suggest the traditional chains with advancements made in weight and ease of use.

IMO, very worst case usage when you just have to get somewhere. In 24 years of driving I have yet to encounter a bad enough situation when chains would have been a benefit.

I suggest "epinions" dot com for reviews and suggestions for your vehicle.

[vter]

Honestly, don't waste your money - you don't need chains. I have never known anyone up here to have them. Make sure you have good snow tires, and get them studded if it'll make you feel better.

[mustmove]

I've needed chains a few times but it was for a 2wd pickup(probably the worst thing to drive in the snow) and crappy summer tires on a particularly nasty road. You are better off with good studded snow tires. Putting the chains on and off is a pain especially when already stuck.

[Sherylcatmom]

Are chains illegal on some roads? Or am I imagining that?

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by vter

Honestly, don't waste your money - you don't need chains. I have never known anyone up here to have them. Make sure you have good snow tires, and get them studded if it'll make you feel better.

We have studded tires on the Jeep; only problem was that there was 5 of us so we had to take our truck. Here's my tale of woe:

Last winter we were at a friend's home and noticed that it had started raining, so we figured it was time to head home. The rain was actually an icy rain.

Our F350 dually started the long ascend up the hill to our homebase. There was already a plowed road with some hardpacked snow on the ground. The icy rain turned the road into ice.

We reached the greatest grade, made progress in 4WD Low until we hit a sheet of ice. Suddenly the quad cab, extended bed dually started sliding backwards, then sideways until the rear came to rest in a frozen snow drift a great distance from where we started our slide. The truck was perpendicular across the road. If someone came down hill and started sliding, we would have been T-boned.

I phoned the VSP to see if anyone was in the area for help. My husband exited the truck and winched it so that we were headed in the right direction. He tried once more to get up the hill -- unsuccessfully. While we awaited the VSP, he winched the truck a few feet at a time up the hill. After 90 minutes, bright headlights appeared behind us.

A town truck had been dispatched by the VSP. The driver had chains on his tires and was spreading sand. Unfortunately his big truck could not pass the dually on the narrow road or he would have gone off the side of a slope. He parked behind us and helped my husband winch up to the neighbor's driveway, where we could pull aside and he could pass.

The driver told my husband that he was dispatched through the VSP as they couldn't make it up to us. It was that bad.

Once the truck passed us and spread the sand, we were able to make it the rest of the way home. What was a 10 mile ride from door to door became an almost 3 hour nightmare.

And that is why I want chains.

[Sherylcatmom]

Originally Posted by OhBeeHave

Once the truck passed us and spread the sand, we were able to make it the rest of the way home. What was a 10 mile ride from door to door became an almost 3 hour nightmare.

And that is why I want chains.

OMG!!!! Twenty+ years up here and I've never experienced anything like that, but if I had one experience like you're describing, I'd probably want chains, too!!

[flu189]

Tire chains can really help in extreme conditions, but from experience in Ak with out city fleet we had more problems with them breaking and flying off. For short use like to get up a very dicey hill they could be good, but overall probably not needed by the majority here in Vt.

[mustmove]

Oh yeah when they come off at speed they tear up the wheel well/fender mighty good. As Flu189 said you don't want to leave chains on all winter just use them as needed. And obey the speed restriction on the box.

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by Sherylcatmom

OMG!!!! Twenty+ years up here and I've never experienced anything like that, but if I had one experience like you're describing, I'd probably want chains, too!!

Chains and more clean underwear! LOL

Seriously, thank you to everyone for your insight. The thought behind the chains is specifically for the stretch of road in question, as there's no where else that we've had this problem.

We've also learned to pay very close attention to precipitation when we are out in the big truck.

Thanks again