I wnet up to big bear (15 in new snow) and they told use that even though we have AWD we needed chains and that 4WD doesn't. I wasn't in my car i was in my dad's Range Rover (AWD also) and we needed chains? Does this make sense?

 

Chains are illegal in most places I thought? No you don't need friggin chains. A good winter/all weather tire and quattro and you'll be fine.

 

It is in most places Jest, but CA/NV make it mandatory when roads are a certain condition. They have a checkpoint and make you put chains on for X miles, then have another checkpoint a few miles out where you remove them.

 

i liev in so cal so i drive thru the desert to get to the local mountians so i can't buy snow tires. Also CHP requires them to be carried even by 4wd! so is AWD or 4WD better for the snow? Why woudl chains be illegal? Then what do u use?

 

Chains are illegal in some states because they tear up the road.

 

so what do u use in the snow?

 

Well in my experience AWD is better, I've seen ALOT of 4wd trucks do terrible in the sierra nevada mountains. I think it has alot to do with the weight distribution of SUVs and trucks.

Yes they tear up the road, and as for your question " so what do u use in the snow? " you use snow tires, or at the very least get some all weather tires.

BUT...

most of the time they don't require chains to be put on, usually it is in pretty bad conditions. I use to snowboard every weekend in Tahoe and there were probably 3-4 times we had to use chains. Each of those times it was snowing fairly hard or there was ice on the ground. The other times the roads were fine. They require you to have chains in case you happen to be in one of those snowstorms. If you don't have them then there are people who stand on the side of the road and sell them at those times.

 

i know i go to big bear and tahoe alot and this weekend was teh first time we have needed chains. So we went to teh locl snowbaord place and bought some (we just needed them in the car) and then on the way home the guy at the hotel said that AWD cars need them today but 4WD dont. I didn't think that made sense since AWD switches to tires with traction and 4wd just powers all four wheels,

 

That is weird, did you ask the guys stopping people, I don't think the hotel guy knows what he is talking about.


Chain Requirements

* R1: Chains are required - snow tread tires allowed.
* R2: Chains are required on all vehicles except four wheel drive vehicles with snow tires on all four wheels.
* R3: Chains are required - all vehicles - no exceptions.
* R1 and R2 are the most common conditions. The highway is usually closed before an R3 condition is imposed.

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/wntrdriv.htm

Sounds like you had to use chains because you didn't have snow tires. Remember since you have AWD you'll need TWO sets of chains, you need them on all of your tires.

 

r u sure about that. I met a guy that lives in big bear with my car and he used them on the front only. So if i had awd with snow tires i wouldn't of needed them?