Snow Chains

[Kevin]

I haven't thought about fitting snow chains, but we will be visiting the snowy mountains here next year, will have to investigate that as I've never had to do it before. Hopefully the Geolanders bite the snow pretty well on their own.

Carried them for years - never used 'em. From here for NSW & Vic: https://www.snowchains.com.au/id4.html

Victorian Regulations

The Alpine Resorts (Management) Regulations outline the following:

1. A person in charge of a vehicle who enters an alpine resort must at all times during the snow season, carry wheel chains suitable to be properly fitted to that vehicle.
2. An authorised officer may, at any time, for reasons of safety or for the control or protection of an alpine resort, direct a person in charge of a vehicle to ensure that wheel chains are properly fitted to the drive wheels of that vehicle or, in the case of four wheel drive vehicle, to either the front or rear wheels of that vehicle.
3. A person in charge of a vehicle entering or in an alpine resort during the snow season must, when directed to do so by an authorised officer under sub-regulation (2), ensure that wheel chains are properly fitted to the vehicle in the manner directed by that officer.
   
   Penalty: 20 penalty units.

In 2009-10, one penalty unit was $116.82.




What are the rules concerning Wheel Chains


Getting ready for the Snow



NSW Regulations

It is compulsory to carry properly-fitting snow chains if you are driving a two-wheel-drive vehicle from the June to October long weekends on the following roads:

• Kosciuszko Road from the park boundary at Thredbo River
• the Alpine Way between Thredbo and Tom Groggin
• the Island Bend/Guthega Road for its full length

Chains may also be required in certain weather conditions on the Alpine Way between Jindabyne and Thredbo and the Snowy Mountains Highway. Check road conditions before you travel.
For this reason the RTA recommends that chains be carried during winter along the Alpine Way between Jindabyne and Thredbo and when travelling along the Snowy Mountains Highway.
Snow chains should be fitted as directed by authorised NPWS, RTA and Police officers.
4WD vehicles are not required by law to carry snow chains but due to the high incidence of 4WD vehicle accidents in Kosciuszko National Park, the RTA now recommends they do-especially if drivers have little experience driving in snow/ice risk sections.


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[havachat]

Hi Sclark,
I totally agree with Kevin's comments about snow driving in the NSW snowfields having driven through the locations mentioned for many years in blizzard and ice conditions in both my Subaru SG and my Pajero. Ice is generally the problem more so than deep snow. A few years back I saw a WRX go off the Alpine Way at Thredbo when the driver hit ice. All wheel drive and 4WD are not bullet proof without chains in certain conditions. For that reason I would suggest you retain the other set of steel rims and fit a set of 215/60/16 so you can fit snow chains.
I use Yokohama ATS both offroad and in the snow. The offroad set is 215/65/16 and I cannot use chains as they don't clear the spring perch. I have a set of ATS's 215/60/16 for the snow.
In Victoria we get a lot more ice and driving up to the lodge we must carry snow chains and we have had to use them. One Friday night several seasons back 5 4wds went of the side of the mountain coming back down from the Buller village. It was not a good night. Once you loose traction on ice you are cactus until you hit something or go over the side, either way not good !

 

[kiwifoz]

With OEM SG Forester 2.5X steel wheels and 215/65r16 Bridgestone D697 AT tyres, I can fit chains to the rear wheels with no problems, and on the front they barely fit, with some minor rubbing of the spring perch.

Agree with all the above comments on snow and ice, I prefer to have my chains fitted to the rear wheels or all 4, as it prevents one from losing the back end under braking while descending. Uphill travel is fine if fitted to either end.

Of course, you need to fit them to the driving wheels in a 2wd... I once saw a tourist in a FWD Lancer on the Coronet Peak road, who had fitted his chains to the rear wheels and then wondered why he wasn't moving....

 

[havachat]

As I said above I have several sets of ATS set up on spare rims and use the 215/60/16 for the snow as I can't fit snow chains on the 215/65/16 as they don't clear the spring perch.
A similar storey about FWD. A mate of mine bought a Renault and fitted the chains to the rear !!

 

[NachaLuva]

I've thought about snow chains for deep mud

 

[havachat]

I don't see why they would not work. I would only ever use quality chains such as Rud or Konig. The cheap Chinese imports do not look strong enough for snow use !