Snow is coming: Do you know what to do if you need chains?
Which chains are suitable?
In some areas, winter tires are no longer enough. Then you should have snow chains in your luggage. How to find the right ones? Below you will find the test results!
If you are out and about in the mountains, you usually do not go on snowy roads with only winter tires. If you come across a round sign with a blue background and a snow chain symbol, snow chains are even mandatory. Winter vacationers should bring snow chains with them. You can buy them from accessory stores, car dealerships, online or even from department stores. Costs for snow chains range between 30 and 350 euros for a pair, depending on the type of chain.
Buying a snow chain: what to look out for.
The right size: To find the right snow chain for your car, you need the following information: the exact tire size and rim width. To be safe, you should take a look at the car’s operating instructions, as some tire dimensions only fit in the wheel arches with some snow chains. Wheel arch problems can occur, especially in cars that are lowered or equipped with large winter wheels. Special chains with very thin links can help here. Or when buying winter tires, choose the smallest possible tire size that is approved for the vehicle.
Chain type: If you go alone – winter sports and holidays – once or twice a year, a simple chain with straps is enough. Prices start at around 50 euros.
The somewhat newer models have an automatic mechanism that undertakes the retenting (from 70 euros). If there is only a small space in the wheel arch or if the chain is to be mounted on the rear axle, steel chains are more suitable.
Snow chains in the test
In the snow chain test the Pewag Snox Pro snow chain came first. Impress with the very good driving characteristics, the balanced price-performance ratio and the relatively simple assembly. A strong rubber cord on the inside of the tire side provides the necessary traction. Expensive chains (easy to assemble from the outside as there are no chain components inside the wheel) Centrax and K-Summit disappointed. The handling turned out to be very good – the assembly took only five minutes – but both chains performed below average in the start / traction and steering / side steering branches. Overall, our test shows: no chain is perfect. With the winner of the test, a lot of force was required to pull the tire over the bike. In some cases, there was a lack of effective chain protection elements to protect the rims (Super-Gripp, O-Tec, Ring Automatic and CS 10), in some cases the equipment left a lot of room because assembly gloves were not included.
This is how the test was performed: To test the snow chain, we chose a Mercedes E 350 CDI with 265 hp, automatic and rear-wheel drive, with Conti Winter Contact TS 830 P tires in size 225/55 R 16. First the handling was tested. Quality fixation, operating instructions, assembly and disassembly were evaluated. The maximum number of points in this category is 80 points. The start / traction, steering / lateral guidance and driving comfort industries gained 90 degrees more weight. The price-performance ratio of snow chains was included in the overall rating by up to 30 points.
Tips for using snow chains
The right time: At the latest when the blue mandatory sign appears on the dashboard of the car. Of course, you do not have to wait for the sign. Tip: It’s best to finish a little earlier. Once you get stuck while driving uphill and stand in the way of other drivers, it quickly becomes very uncomfortable. It is good to know that in foreign countries if you do not install the anti-skid chains in time you risk receiving a fine.
Wear snow chains: Legally only the drive shaft wheels are driven by snow chains. However, it is advisable to equip all tires with traction aids, as the braking effect is significantly better on downhills.
Snow chains on all-wheel drive vehicles: All-wheel drive vehicles are also required to have snow chains. And here, all you have to do is place a shaft with snow chains. If there are no specifications from the manufacturer and if there is only one pair of chains, it should be located on the front axle. Cause: The car can brake and steer better, especially when going downhill. But: without chains on the rear axle, the rear of the vehicle tends to break. That’s why it’s best to put snow chains on both axes here as well.
peed limit: The maximum speed limit is limited to 50 km / h. And of course the chain has to fall again as soon as the road is clear of snow.
