Auto Socks (aka) Tire Chains

Discussion in 'Functional Gear & Equipment' started by Ganado, Jan 6, 2017.


  1. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    Sgt Nambu and Motomom34 like this.
  2. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    Interesting, looks like they go on easier then chains.
     
  3. 3M-TA3

    3M-TA3 Cold Wet Monkey

    Doesn't seem very impressive to me - I have more elevation in my driveway than the hill they test on in this video:


    They are easier to put on than chains (the wheel well clearance in the video applies to chains as well as socks), but I'd also have to wonder about the durability.

    All in all a set of studded winter tires and chains seems best to me. It's more cash outlay up front but over time just as cheap to drive as you are only causing wear on one set of tires at a time.
     
    Ganado likes this.
  4. duane

    duane Monkey+++

    Apples and oranges. Used to be we drove very few miles in the winter on snow packed roads and needed all the help we could get for 100's miles and months. Durability and accepting 25 mph for top speed were the norm, now we need something to either get us unstuck, or for the 10 miles to the bare state or national highway, easily removed and back to 50 + mph again. Suburbs of NH and wilds of Alaska are two different worlds with totally different needs. That said, some traction aid that is fairly easy to put on and reasonably effective could save your life in the more semi remote areas of the northern half of the country. The myth of 4 wheel drive is a good example, while 4 wheels will get you farther into trouble, all cars have 4 wheel brakes and 4 wheel drive will not prevent you from crashing if you don't stop.
     
    Ganado likes this.
  5. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Yep, the rule was "get into trouble with 2wd, then back out in 4wd." Yep, learned that early, I did.

    Gotta add that putting chains on while lying in a hole you had to dig in the snow is less fun than waiting for a tow or recovery rig (and at that point, chains are not particularly effective.) Yep, I know THAT too.
     
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  6. Airtime

    Airtime Monkey+++

    I saw them a few weeks ago in this video. Couple of the other alternatives seemed a bit better than the socks.


    AT
     
  7. chelloveck

    chelloveck Diabolus Causidicus

    They look like alien tyre face huggers....:eek:
     
  8. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    As a person who had to put on chains, I love the concept. I used to have to chain up the mini-van to get out of the neighborhood but then would have to take the chains off before I hit the main roads. Sometimes you only have to have chains for a few miles and it takes a lot of time to get chains on. It was the worst. You cannot go over 20 with chains on, that is what the instructions said.
     
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  9. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    FWD with Studs on ALL Four Wheels....
     
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  10. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Illegal in a LOT of places. Up in da Yoop, we used soft compounds with embedded walnut hulls. Dunno if you can find them these days. They do NOT last long on any kind of pavement. Then again, the roads up there were not cleared down to pavement, just smoothed out packed snow. Those socks look a bit shaky, but might be worth trying if they are easy enough to put on.
     
  11. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    Most of our driveable Surfaces are Dirt, so no issue around here... and no where in our State during Winter...
     
  12. Cruisin Sloth

    Cruisin Sloth Special & Slow

     
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  13. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Taconite?
     
  14. Cruisin Sloth

    Cruisin Sloth Special & Slow

    yes after the heating treatment , if needed .

    Not My Trade , I was the wing in to that area .
     
  15. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    thanks guys.... @Airtime i think you are right a couple of those others seemed like better alternatives. for temp snowchains.

    i just dont like to have to chain up for a few hours of driving then unchain the frozen chains. So was looking for an alternative.
     
  16. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    An awful lot of that tape was on the boot cleats. A better alternative is Yak Trax, you need not dance on the balls of your feet --
     
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  17. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    @ghrit all i find when i search for Yak Trax are cleats for feet do you have a link?
     
  18. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Here ya goes ---
    Yaktrax :: Confidence on Packed Snow and Ice
    Which is as I mentioned as alternative to those pull over your sneakers that show up in that tire chain vid.
     
    Ganado likes this.
  19. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    those are still only for feet lol @ghrit we are talking automobile on this thread
     
  20. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    The vid also had a short go with foot items. YMMV, or maybe you missed that part --

    See also the vid of the earth mover chains, seems like not limited to automobiles.

    Or, just ignore the deviation rather than dragging it out.
     
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