My wife works on a steep hill. During the winter we sometimes get snow or freezing rain/ice storms and it cripples the city (Portland, OR). She's always relied on me to install chains. She'd like something she can install herself if I'm unavailable.

Last year I saw some new fabric tire covers. They look easy to install. Do any if you have feedback on them?

Tony.

You live in Portland... you can have studded tires Oct-April.

just teach her to install the chains, little bit of practice and she will have it down and feel good about it.

You didn't mention the vehicle. I would look at some good winter tires (not necessarly even studded if it would just be minor driving) and further save her the trouble. That or cables, which may be easier for a lady.

Then again, though it snows a few times a year here, we are missing those incline thingies y'all call hills, so I don't have a lot of experience in this, admittedly.

Nissan Altima. Also, staying home isn't really a good option. She's an OR nurse and I think we can agree that her job is a high priority.

How do studded tires perform on snow and ice? Uphill?

Thanks

Tony

I live at a high elevation in kalama WA and work in Portland and I get around just fine with studdless snow tires on my Toyota Corolla. I have to chain up to get to my house sometimes but that’s like a 800 foot elevation gain in about 2 miles, it’s really steep. I am able to get up the hill to get off swan island (steep and long) with no chains. If she needs chains have her get it he quick fit kind that les schwab sells and practice putting them on. My wife actually showed me for the first time and she can still put them on faster then me.

quote:

Originally posted by benny6:
Nissan Altima. Also, staying home isn't really a good option. She's an OR nurse and I think we can agree that her job is a high priority.

How do studded tires perform on snow and ice? Uphill?

Thanks

Tony

Do yourself and your wife a favor and go get another set of cheap wheels and buy a set of Nokian Hakkepelita snow tires - studded or not - and you'll not have to worry about chains again. Tire Factory/Point S is the big Nokian dealer in Portland. Nokian prices have dropped about 25% since Tire Factory "merged" with the big French Point S distributors.

Get her a chain installer.



https://www.tirechain.com/Ramps.htm

quote:

Originally posted by XLT:
just teach her to install the chains, little bit of practice and she will have it down and feel good about it.

This. Is there some sort of physical reason she can't install the chains? I've used some brands that are much easier than others.

I agree with using the studded winter tires. I used to live in Manitou Springs on the shady side of Pikes Peak, so the snow would hang around and get icy. My house was on a steep hill. I never had to use chains to get to and from work.

I believe my wife would be reluctant to use tire chains in bad weather. Too messy and inconvenient. She would get dirt on her clean clothes, and she'd get cold.

Another excellent alternative studless winter snow tire is Bridgestone Blizzak. I have used them with excellent results here in the Spokane area for years, and have never come close to being stuck.

It does require a bit of technique though... anyone can get stymied if they are of the "floor it when the light changes" mindset. As always in snow and on ice SMOOTH is good on both acceleration and stopping.

I was never worried about my wife being unable or unsafe driving to and from work during the winter... except for the usual idiot on worn "all season radials" sliding through the intersections totally out of control

It took some serious "drivers Ed" efforts to get her over the thought that it was just like driving during clement weather... and refresher warnings each year for the first couple of storms to increase awareness.

Add me in the camp of dedicated snow/ice tires. We took a Mazda that would slide off the road in snow if you looked at it funny and turned it into a snowmobile that would plow through it at bumper height.

You need to use them on all four corners, not just your drives.

quote:

Originally posted by dsmack:
Another excellent alternative studless winter snow tire is Bridgestone Blizzak. I have used them with excellent results here in the Spokane area for years, and have never come close to being stuck.

Agree with the general recommendation, but the Blizzak is getting a little long in the tooth. The Michelin X-ice and Nokian Hakkapeliittas are rated better across multiple review sites.

When I lived in Anchorage, Alaska, '09-'14 I had studded snow tires and they were awesome. However, university research showed that studded tires were only better when it was 25 to 35 F (i.e. more likely water on surface of ice and softer ice) and studless snow tires were equal at temperatures colder than 25F (actually superior above 35F).

When I lived in Calgary, Alberta, '14-'16 I tried to buy the Michelin X-ice but they were sold out at 5 tire chain stores. I ended up buying the Yokohama IceGuard which some (not all) review sites rate right behind the Michelin and ahead of the Blizzaks. They were awesome and I never missed the studded tires.

In both locations, I had 4wd trucks with sand bags in the rear end. I drive the same speed as everyone else, but much more following distance. All of this combines for having a larger safety margin than other drivers and zero accidents in 7 winters.

I thought that’s what fingernails are for?

Grip n go

However I do not believe these are reusable.

these things are removable

quote:

Originally posted by gpbst3:
Grip n go

However I do not believe these are reusable.

They're also not for driving on...

"ZipGripGo is NOT designed for driving long distances. They are designed to use when your vehicle is stuck and only to be driven for 5-10 car lengths or until you are unstuck and back to safety."

I purchased the Bridgestone Blizzaks for my wife's van and they always worked great

I did only use them for winter use as they will wear faster than a standard tire

I see that Tire Rack has some winter tire test reports and they indicate Bilzzak has a new design out

quote:

Originally posted by aileron:

quote:

Originally posted by benny6:
Nissan Altima. Also, staying home isn't really a good option. She's an OR nurse and I think we can agree that her job is a high priority.

How do studded tires perform on snow and ice? Uphill?

Thanks

Tony

Do yourself and your wife a favor and go get another set of cheap wheels and buy a set of Nokian Hakkepelita snow tires - studded or not - and you'll not have to worry about chains again. Tire Factory/Point S is the big Nokian dealer in Portland. Nokian prices have dropped about 25% since Tire Factory "merged" with the big French Point S distributors.

Do exactly this ^^^^^^. Nokian snow tires are unbelievable, I had a set on a Honda Accord and I swear I could drive up a ski slope. Nokian snow tires are kind of loud, at least my Hakkepeletas were but they were purchased in 2006, I’m sure they have only improved since. Honestly well worth the extra money.

I lived in Portland for a few years. It is hilly, but in my memory there was only one or maybe two storms each year that snowed or iced enough to warrant chains.

Maybe just you install the chains on those times? Or teach her to do it?

I haven't lived there for decades now, and we certainly don't need winter tires here in Houston, so I don't know if getting a set of winter tires is a good trade off in Portland if you don't want to use chains during the times you need something else.

At first glance I thought the title said "tracking devices".