Anyone bought Tire chains for mountain driving ?

[jgcec@yahoo.com]

Has anyone bought tire chains for driving in the snow?

 

If so would you recommend them?

 

In California they are required under certain conditions.

[Wadeskees]

I drove tonight in an ice storm in southern Illinois. We planned to have it safely put away before the storm hit, it didn't work out that way. Car handled perfectly as is. The extra weight from the batteries gives the car a very solid feel.

[Fat Fusion]

It would be absolutely insane, not to mention not legally allowed, to drive in the sierra's in the snow without chains.  Unless of course you have a 4x4 with snow tires.  I would think your basic chain set would work fine on our cars.

[jgcec@yahoo.com]

I am planning to go to Lake Tahoe for Christmas and I need them.

I have them for my other cars. Has anyone used ANY chains?

[jgcec@yahoo.com]

A Ford dealer told me that chains are NOT allowed on this car due to the 17" wheels and tires.

The regular Fusion can have chains with smaller tires. There seems to be about 1-2 inches of clearance 

around the front tires, so it would seem possible to put chains on, the the owners manual says no to chains or tire cables,

which are just a thinner version of chains.

[FusionDad]

I have used German RUD snow chains for two decades.  Started when I was an Army guy in Germany in the early 1990s and owned a BMW 318i.  Continued thru three generations of Toyota Prius and now the Ford Fusion.  In comparison with the gorilla-strength Army jeep and Humvee snow chains, the RUD chains for passenger cars are wonderful: 10-second on (mounting) time per wheel with a li'l practice, same or quicker for dismounting, solid snow & ice grip, and they never ever beat on your wheel wells, unlike the Army chains.  I highly recommend this brand.  They have several designs - I go for the RUD "classic" model. Check out the RUD snow chain website.

 

Note: once they're bought, KEEP THEM IN YOUR TRUNK year-round.  Several of my friends over the years chucked them somewhere into the basement etc, and two+years later, when a snowstorm caught them at work or wherever, could not locate them for all the tea in China. The RUDs are packaged nicely and happily live in your trunk where they're always available when needed, and they're light and small enough inside their case so they don't get in the way otherwise.