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Tire chains

Discussion in 'Local Prius Club Main Forum' started by Old n Bold, Nov 18, 2005.

  1. Old n Bold

    Old n Bold New Member

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    I have to head to Eastern Wa for Thanksgiving with our son and his family. I have the OEM tires (which I have found are good enough to keep until they show wear). Given the pretty mile winters we have had of late, I am reluctant to buy a set of winter tires and take a mpg hit for the winter, when I probably only need them on rare occasions. The manual says that chains can be used. Does anyone have any experience with them?

    I see 3 alternatives for heading over the pass.
    #1 Go ahead and take I-90 and suffer the delay on the other side with the slide problem. Buy a set of chains and throw them in. I-90 is now reported to be bare and dry (which could change on little or no notice).

    #2 Give up on the thing and head to Portland then take I84 up the Columbia Gorge to Kenniwick (our destination). Longer but no wait and probably clear this time of year.

    #3 Give up and take our 2 wd F150 over. It already has chains. and take it on either #1 or #2.

    Ideas?
     
    #1 Old n Bold, Nov 18, 2005
  2. Guest_Kurt_*

    Guest_Kurt_* Guest

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    I would take the Portland route myself, but I'm in Tacoma so it's closer to me. It is suppposed to be dry for the next week or so, so I don't think you will have a snow problem over I-90. I would be concerned about the backup at the slide area. The news reports say it will be really bad around the T-day holiday if there is still only one lane each way.
    Go ahead and buy the chains from one of the places that you can get a refund from if they are not used. Unless you want to keep them.
    I am curious to find out how the Prius handles in light snow and ice. I commute from Tacoma to Issaquah every weekday. Some winters have been adventuresome with the icy roads. I just got my Prius this summer so I have no winter driving expierience yet.
    Good luck!
     
    #2 Guest_Kurt_*, Nov 18, 2005
  3. Old n Bold

    Old n Bold New Member

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    Checked the mileage difference on I-90 versus going south to Portland and up the river. The difference is a little over 2 hrs and about 150 mi. Hmmmm. Also, the tv news just said to expect lineups going over the pass to be up to 16 hrs over the holiday week. Double hmmmm. Looks like the river route. Think I will check on chains in any event.

    Thank for your response. If I use the chains (ever) I will report my impressions on here.
     
    #3 Old n Bold, Nov 18, 2005
  4. tumbleweed

    tumbleweed Senior Member

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    Be sure to check the pass report, sometimes you can get over White Pass this time of year without chains. It's better than gong clear to Portland and up the gorge.

    http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes/

    Just checked, White Pass is clear, no restrictions.
     
    #4 tumbleweed, Nov 18, 2005
  5. Old n Bold

    Old n Bold New Member

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    Thanks. White Pass is a good option. I'll check that before leaving.

    KOMO just reported that the wait over Snoqualami will be up to 16 hrs this and Thanksgiving weekend! A couple of years ago we were coming back from Kennewick on the weekend after Thanksgiving and a snow storm hit the pass. The traffic came to a halt. It took us 6 hrs from Cle Elum to North Bend! That year we had an AWD SUV. Don't expect a similar situation this year but the rock slides have really stressed the area.

    The route via Portland is 150 miles further than the shortest route over I-90. That's not bad and we won't be in a hurry anyway.

    I was just curious if anyone had any experience with chains on a Prius. The manual says they are okay. And even with winter tires and 4wd, they can and sometimes do, require chains on the pass. If we had none, that would require us to turn around.

    Also, reading a recent article on winter tires in Consumers Report, they indicated that the down side is that they aren't very good on braking and handling on dry or wet roads but shine on snow and ice. Since we very seldom have had any snow or ice around here, I planned on breaking out our pickup (or stay home and watch tv) if we get a bad snow storm.
     
    #5 Old n Bold, Nov 18, 2005
  6. jchu

    jchu New Member

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    I have travelled from Boise to Seattle a bunch in the last year going through both the Blues/Cabbage Hill and Snoqualmie. Cannot comment specifically on OEM tires through Snoqualmie but cannot say that I have had any problems with our Prius despite having the No VSC model (my oversight when we bought).

    As far as the slide at mile marker 58 goes, I was through that area on 11/9, returning through there on 11/15 and encountered no significant traffic let alone delays. Obviously that may be different on T-day. The specfic WSDOT link for Snoqualmie up to the minute data and weather report is:

    Snoqualmie Pass

    Good luck and Good driving
     
    #6 jchu, Nov 18, 2005
  7. hdrygas

    hdrygas New Member

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    Boy lots of folks in snowy areas recommend snow tires. If you take the Prius I would take chains or head south to the gorge. The climb to White pass is worse than Snoqualmie and with more curves. It is your best route but you need to be prepared for the worse. Take care drive safe. Happy Thanksgiving!
     
    #7 hdrygas, Nov 20, 2005
  8. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    it will be a holiday and ALL routes that take you over will be packed, leave EARLY. also, i much prefer the Gorge route. much nicer drive. its long, but look at the gas used to go over Snoqualmie in an F 150 verses the long way in your Prius, i do believe you will still save a ton in a Prius. and with the slide, the drive times may very well be the same
     
    #8 DaveinOlyWA, Nov 20, 2005
  9. jrfaris

    jrfaris Member

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    When we purchased our Prius, the dealer made a point of getting an agreement that we not use chains. I believe that cable chains were acceptable (which I have from a previous vehicle) but that anything like true chains were not. I understood it is a clearance problem. We have not had to use chains yet on our trips up to Lake Tahoe but I've carried the cable chains a couple of times just in case. I would say it is much easier to have them if you need them than to be stuck and have to backtrack or wait it out. From other posts, the OEM tires do not do well in slippery conditions so it is best to be prepared. We used to live in Seattle and have experienced what snow and ice does to traffic there so if you want to stay mobile, it may be a good idea to invest in something for future use...
     
    #9 jrfaris, Nov 21, 2005
  10. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    around here you dont have a choice, you will not be allowed to pass if you dont have chains and yes they do have people there to make sure you have them
     
    #10 DaveinOlyWA, Nov 21, 2005
  11. Old n Bold

    Old n Bold New Member

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    Well, we went over and had a good Thanksgiving. Hope all of you did as well.

    Before heading over I bought a set of cable chains, series S (low clearance). About $35. Put them on in my garage (dryer surface to lay on) and, as usual, they were a pain in the a.....! The directions for installation made the Prius handbooks look like award winning literature. My grandkids do better on an etch-a-sketch than whoever did the drawings for the directions. But, I finally got them on and back off again. They are now nesting in the compartment under the rear mat. Hope they stay there for the life of the car.

    We watched the weather carefully before and went over Tuesday, finally taking Stevens Pass route. It was dry and there was almost no traffic. Only problem was patches of bad fog going up the west side. Then headed for Quincy and across Hanford to Kennewick. We decinded to return on Sat. to miss the zoo over the passes. But snow was predicted and we had the time so we went down the Columbia River gorge to Vancouver. It was sunny all the way. Then came up I-5 to home. So, it was a nice trip.

    Didn't need the chains but glad I have them. Even with 4wd or snow tires, they can and often do require them in the passes. Any vehicle over 10,000 lbs is REQUIRED to have chains aboard all winter. In really bad surface conditions ALL cars may be required to have them.

    I look at them like my first aid kit and insurance. I have them but hope to never use them.

    Thanks for all your suggestions. OOOPS! Its snowing outside. :unsure:
     
    #11 Old n Bold, Nov 29, 2005
  12. hdrygas

    hdrygas New Member

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    Good for you!! I went to Montana but I flew. I went to the Carroll College NAIA quarter final for football on Saturday in Helena. Montana Tech vrs Carroll the three time defending National Champion. It was cold. 29 and gusts up to 35 mph. I never saw the flags anything less than straight out for the flag pole. We lasted the first half and retreated to my son's place and watched the rest on TV. I have not been so cold in a long time. I hate chains of any kind they are always a pain to put on. Glad you did not have to root around in the snow and slush and put them on!
     
    #12 hdrygas, Nov 29, 2005
  13. jayman

    jayman Senior Member

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    Interesting. So far my Prius appears to handle deep snow - at least up to the licence bracket - with good winter tires. I had Dunlop Graspic DS-2 last winter and Yokohama Ice Guard 10 this winter.

    My 2000 GMC Sierra had a caution in the owner manual that chains were not allowed with the optional P265 75 16 tires. I went back to the base P245 75 16 tires, I had more tire choices.
     
    #13 jayman, Nov 29, 2005
  14. hdrygas

    hdrygas New Member

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    Well my wife made me drive the Beast (Ford Explorer) while I was on call so today I took Belle out for a spin. No problems except the front spoiler scraping the street. A bit of the traction control from time to time but nothing else including going up hill. As an old Ohio native I have to say that this heavy wet snow is the best to drive on, until tonight if it freezes then we have trouble.
     
    #14 hdrygas, Dec 2, 2005
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