Date:         Sun, 20 Nov 2005 15:12:37 -0700
Reply-To:     Richard A Jones <jones@COLORADO.EDU>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Richard A Jones <jones@COLORADO.EDU>
Subject:      Re: Tire Chains for Syncro
Comments: To: Christopher Gronski <gronski@gmail.com>
Comments: cc: vanagon@astound.net
In-Reply-To:  <11dcddf80511201102l2c6ed2a9je8510a1ffc91ab63@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

> The thing is the Agilis 51's are "all seasons" not true snow tires. I
> almost never drive my syncro in the winter so I never saw a need. The
> few times I have had the syncro out in the snow shes been VERY sure
> footed.

> So assuming I don't have true snows are chains the way to go? How can
> I tell in advance if a road will require chains? There are three
> places I worried about:
>
> 1) Montana Route 89 into yellowstone (the north route into the park)
> 2) Idaho Routes 191, 20, 33, and 22 between Big Sky MT and Jackson.WY
> 3) Oregon Routes 140, 395, and 20 between southern OR and i84

The (old) Agilis 61s (185R14) on my syncro are "all weather" and have
"M+S" on the sidewall.  But not the snowflake that marks true winter
tires.  They are fine on the syncro.  I'd never think of chains around
here.  I used to use chains frequently on my '81 air-cooled with the
same tires.  Cable chains, for sure.  Any radial tire likes cable chains
better than "chain" chains.

Check:
http://www.mdt.mt.gov/travinfo/tire_restrictions.shtml
http://www.tripcheck.com/Pages/RCMap.asp?mainNav=RoadConditions&staticNav=TractionTires
for info from Montana and Oregon.  Montana is like Colorado--M+S is
OK--because the snow is like ours--dry.  Oregon wants chains when it
is really bad--or tires with the snowflake designation.

My syncro manuals state it is preferable to use chains on all four
tires, but if only two, then the rear tires.  So you could buy a
set of cable chains for your rears as protection.  I would head out
with my M+S tires and figure I'd be fine.  Again, stopping is the
problem and you have to drive accordingly.

                                Richard A Jones
                                Boulder, Colorado