# Tyre chains and stupid mistakes



## jhelm (Feb 9, 2008)

I have to tell this to someone as my wife has absolutely no sympathy for me in this matter. Seems I brought the camper home today to change it over for summer travel; since there were cars parked in the way I couldn't park as I wanted so I thought to turn it around on the grass. I'm sure you know where this is going. Wheels spinning as I started to back up. Tried the no slip plates, tried putting gravel under the wheels, the grooves in the turf just got deeper. Finally the tyre chains were the only answer. Of course the first time I put them on they came off as I couldn't get them on properly in the mud. Jacked up the camper fished the chains out put them on properly and got out. Now I just have to finish repairing the damage to the lawn.

Moral of the story, those chains you bought for the Winter ski trip and didn't use, don't get rid of them they may come in handy.


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

Interesting as I am worried about getting stuck with our van as we use a few CL's and get to some Rallies. I had though about getting some chains incase the worst happened. 

How effective were they? and what damage did they do to the grass? 


Richard...


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## jhelm (Feb 9, 2008)

The tire chains were very effective. When installed properly they pulled the camper right out of a deep rut. The damage they cause is minimal though there is some. But it is much less than that caused by spinning wheels or trying to go back and forth to get out. The back and forth motion also causes the non drive wheels to make deep impressions in the soft earth.

For some reason it seems we always hate to admit we are stuck and thus make the situation worse trying ''easier'' ways to get unstuck. I think the best thing to do is put on the chains the minute the tires start spinning unless there is a handy tractor near by. If I had done this I would have out and finished in 15 minutes instead of the two hours wasted other wise plus the time I need to spend now to repair the lawn.


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## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

I got stuck in some boggy grass on Arran, took ages to get out dried seaweed and stones in the end.

What annoyed me more than getting stuck was the diff problem IE, the wheel with the least grip turns, the one on the tarmac, sits there doing nothing, it's a shame someone in the large manufacturers developed an electric gizmo, that would lock up the diff and give drive to both wheels, I know they're commonplace on Landys, so the technology exists, it just needs to be made on a huge scale, it doesn't need to be as tough as the Landy ones, as they would rarely be used, but when you need it, you need it.

Kev.


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## jiffyman (May 11, 2005)

what about these......

http://www.griptrack.co.uk/video.htm

Could save you some bother.......


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## stevec195 (Jul 1, 2007)

I have used a set of griptracks, I managed to dig myself in DEEP, before I my better half reminded me we had them in the garage. The trick with these is to make sure you back op as far as you can in the ditch you have just dug with the front wheels, then hammer the gripgracks as far under the driving wheels as you can. I definitely couldn't have got out without them, I think I saw a similar product in the new towsure book, as less than half the price.


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## jiffyman (May 11, 2005)

Fiamma also do some, although they only look like a flat strip of ridges plastic sheet, the grip-track ones look a bit more substantial, although, as long as the tyres have something to grip to, I'm sure they would work


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

Thanks for letting me know about the snow chains, I was thiunking if the greass looked wet I would put them on before even getting on the grass making it easier. Hopefully even with a 5000kg Tag van like ours it will make the diffrance and we will be able to use grass sites when wet.

I was thinging of getting some chains from HERE

Has any one used these chains and are they ok to fit ETC compaired to other chains.

Kev

Many vehicle do have an electronic diff lock

MY VW car has it, basically all it does is apply the brake to the wheel that is spinning to give more resistance causing the other wheel to drive.

You can do a simular thing when stuck by lightly applying the foot brake or hand brake in a rear wheel drive for a short while when trying to get moving.

Richard..


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## 116388 (Sep 6, 2008)

Many years ago I was driving down a steep winding mountain road in Switzerland in my 2WD Peugeot 106. To my disbeleif I passed no fewer than EIGHT locals who had slid off the road, some had snow chains.

Moral to that story is even in your own back yard and with the right equipment if you are a fool behind the wheel and have no respect and understanding for the conditions surrounding you then woe is never far away.

Shane.....


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

RichardnGill said:


> I was thinging of getting some chains from HERE
> 
> Has any one used these chains and are they ok to fit ETC compaired to other chains
> 
> Richard..


Yes, I got mine from Skidrive, I would recommend Koenig T2 heavy duty ones. They take about 5 minutes to fit and as always, make sure you have a practice on your nice clean driveway so you don't make an ass of yourself when the time comes 

There are other alternatives out there, I'm thinking of getting a back up set of snowsocks which are ligher and take up less room..

<Autosock<

>Weissock<

>Rud Soft Spikes<

Pete


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## RichardnGill (Aug 31, 2006)

Thanks for the links Pete 

I have just had a look at the snow socks, and I am not sure how much use they would be in mud? 

They seem to be smooth and it looks to me as though they would just be the same as a tyre in mud. 

Richard...


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## peejay (May 10, 2005)

RichardnGill said:


> I have just had a look at the snow socks, and I am not sure how much use they would be in mud?
> 
> They seem to be smooth and it looks to me as though they would just be the same as a tyre in mud.
> 
> Richard...


You might be right but if they give good traction on snow and ice they would work on wet grass and mud (wouldn't they?).
What we need is someone to comment who has actually used them I suppose.

Pete


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