Chains are best for relatively deep but loose snow. On a road covered with black ice, the surface is still hard and the resulting ride will jar your teeth loose. They are difficult to install on the side of the road out in the weather and will damage your car - including ripping out brake lines - if they come loose. I'd figure out something else or stay home. (I will probably do that today; main, heavily traveled roads are OK, but side roads are skating rinks right now.)

I spent a winter (1982/83) in Mammoth Lakes, CA, which gets snow in the tens of feet in the winter. On a "chains required" day there were dozens of enterprising people with equipment and waterproof clothing who would put peoples' chains on for a fee, around $35 if I recall. There was no shortage of takers, most likely people coming up from the "flatlands" to go skiing, the locals already knowing how.

Might investigate as to whether or not your vehicle will even allow for chains.

Check out the cables if you are adamant about something. There are also things called socks, no experience with them.

Stay home, being the only one with any vehicle control while nice, is not safe. Spend the money on more advanced preparations for staying home.

I've been thinking about getting some tire socks.
They look like they are much easier to install.
Still could be a pain if you have to jack a wheel up but I do that anyway with chains.

Most times you just need the traction in a couple of spots around here and not for the entire drive.
Sucks to chain up to get out to the main road and then take them off when you hit pavement.
Same with studded tires, 95% of the time they are on pavement.

I spent plenty of time driving in the winter when I lived in Colorado, no one had chains or studs.
I even road my BMX bike everywhere.
That stuff actually had traction due to the temps.

Warmer wet snow and then an ice storm on top is what I get now.
Everything is encased in ice at the moment, I can't even get in my truck right now if I wanted to.
Need cleats to even walk around and I can't find what I did with mine, they're probably in the truck.
Used a pair of tri-pods with spikes on the feet to kinda shuffle around to keep from assuming the dead bug position, biffed it pretty good carrying a battery out to the truck the other day, ass cheek feels like I've been kicked by a horse.

Pretty good video on chains vs socks.

Ive' seen more and more adverts for Tire Sock-type of products on my social feeds. Despite the ridiculous name, wondering how they do....

As mentioned by several folks above, if heading out is an option it’s probably best to stay home. Of course, some need to be on the road for work or family responsibilities.

We’ve got a fairly strong storm going on here, (6” or so on the road back to our place) but the loggers are still at work hauling logs down from the hills; amazing people! (On the eighth day God created loggers and the devil shook in his shoes ).

Beyond chains, the following is what we keep in our vehicles:

Extra boots, gloves, hat, and coat

Blanket

Cheap reflective vest

Flashlight

Silent

Best = stay home

2nd best = chains

2nd best (tie) best -Winter tires with studs

3rd best = winter tires.

As an aside, not all ice is the same. In some ice conditions, even chains will not bite. Here in Oregon, it's a total icy shit show currently. Wish I'd stayed in Hawaii with the family.

I literally just received a set of cable chains.
In the mountains we get a combination of ice/snow.
Well, snow on top of ice. And There's no predicting if I'll encounter an area that got snow in the wet winter.
So I keep a set in every car.

Has anyone heard about their use on front wheel drive vehicles?

Two fellas said they'd never do it.

Two others didn't know.

All for are mechanical wizards. It
Farmers

I mount them on the drive wheels, FWD or RWD.
Though I have seen a Honda furiously spinning out with the rear wheels chained up.

Tire chains are my last resort but will provide excellant traction but limit speed < 30 mph. 1st I will add 500 pounds of sand to the bed of pickup. Engage 4 WD. Disable traction control and engage limited slip differential.
Tire chains are easiest to install before you are stuck in a foot of snow with the axles buried. Newer chains are easier to install but it’s always best to practice before use.

Since you live in the South, stay home! I'm not worried about your driving skills which may be just fine but everyone else that has no idea what they are doing on slick pavement. Even here in the Upper Midwest where most folks have experience with traveling in these conditions we always seem to have high accident numbers during the first few storms. No reason for you to add yourself to the list of folks suffering property damage or injury due to someone elses' folly.

We had so much ice that the tree is laying on top of my car.
A power line went down and fell on a car, they got out and I quit reading when I got to the part they were running around on fire, killed three.

quote:

Originally posted by a1abdj:
The first best thing to put on your wheels for driving on snow and ice are tires properly rated for driving on snow and ice. There are some outstanding options out there.

I'm in Missouri which isn't exactly Alaska, but we do deal with snow and ice conditions. I've never run chains. My tires have always been good enough, even in rural unplowed areas.

Same here. No chains. Good tires are the key.
4WD helps too... but good tires are really more important unless it's really deep snow.

The 4Runner handles snow like a champ. A year or so ago we had over 12" of snow come down pretty quick one evening/night. I took my wife out in the 4Runner before the snow plows came to my area and I taught her how to drive in it. We had a blast!