Tyre/ snow chains on PHEV

I have recently changed from an x-trail to a PHEV. I live up a steep hill that in winter always gets some snow. I used Thule/ konig snow chains and was able to drive up and down the hill like the snow wasn’t there. Went to order some for the PHEV only to be told that the manual states 9mm chains which are very lightweight for such a heavy car. Has anyone else used chains on their phev?

I do have chains, but they have never been opened - and I have driven up some quite steep snowy roads. Using decent winter tyres, it is extremely rare to need snow chains.

When driving up on snow/ice until it starts to be too slippery or too steep for the 4WD car:

Do you throw an anchor out of the window, when grip is not sufficient anymore?
What method do you use for safely stopping the car, when the tyres on the ground are not sufficiently capable of doing it?

Best regards, Harald

Curious what you are trying to say, Harald.

Harald said:

When driving up on snow/ice until it starts to be too slippery or too steep for the 4WD car:

Do you throw an anchor out of the window, when grip is not sufficient anymore?
What method do you use for safely stopping the car, when the tyres on the ground are not sufficiently capable of doing it?

Best regards, Harald

Click to expand...

Use decent winter tyres. Of course, I would use chains in the end. I even own two sets, to maintain 4WD, which is a bit over the top IMO. Outside of Scandinavia, such conditions are rarely encountered. Anyway, this situation is bound to be short stretches of road, so 9 mm should hold up.

Its funny how people don't answer the question, but tell us why it isn't relevant!
1. I live up a steep hill 20-25%, in the very north of England
2. we regularly get snow at our home, but 25km away it is rare. It is not economic to put winter tyres on
3. I use snow chains to get up and down our hill - they work ok. I use them for a few hundred metres and then take them off.
4. I am asking if anyone else uses chains with their phev and if so,which ones.
Thank you

Back to your question, morsmana:
I don't have snow chains for mine.

But why not simply having a look and then either decide for the 9 mm or another version?
Is there any complicated issue I can't see?

morsmana said:

I use them for a few hundred metres and then take them off.

Click to expand...

If going for thin chains: Do you really have concerns that the thin chains would not last longer than your car?

BR, Harald

I looked at snow chains for my PHEV but went for winter tyres for number of reasons. One of which was that there seemed some doubt as to whether many of the ordinary brands of snow chains were suitable for the PHEV. I never got to the bottom of what the difference between suitable and not is but decided on tyres.

I'm interested in hearing experiences on this as well. Living in Tasmania, Australia there is no need for winter tyres, but for access to some mountains in winter chains are definitely required. Outlander kits I've seen recommend 16mm chains as standard

To answer your question, no I have not used chains on the PHEV.

But I have used chains on a lot of other cars, in Sweden and in the Alps, both on roads and in extreme offroad situations (military 6x6 wheel drive trucks and others). Which chains to use is decided by the distance you want to drive and how much wheelspin you expect. Normally on plowed roads (with packed snow and ice as the driving surface) you should have no wheelspin and can go with thin chains, if worried get chains on all 4 tyres. You want them tight around the wheels (retight at least twice, not once) and the worry with heavier chains is that they may hit the wheelarch if the road is bumpy.

If the road is very steep and not plowed and the snow is heavy chance is that the wheels have to dig through the snow to reach enough traction. Puts enormous stress on chains and drive train as suddenly one tyre may grip and not the other on the same axis. The whole car vibrates and jerks and you may use full throttle to get moving. Use heavier chains and at each horizontal roadsection stop and tighten and inspect chains.

Thanks. I've used chains on my x-trail, just that the user manual for the uk Outlander simply specifies 9mm chains, which are normally specified for cars, not a 2 ton suv - hence my asking if anyone has actually used chains on a Phex, and if so which ones!

If, as in this case, the aim is to gain traction on a short stretch of road, wheel socks might be a solution.

http://aguri.eu/products/removable-textile-wheel-socks/