Been contemplating getting a set for the Volvo, to keep in the boot.
They seem to go for about the 50 quid mark and might be a good
investment if this 'bad winter' we keep hearing about should actually
materialise.
So, will they actually work (i.e. improve my chances of getting home)
and is there a minimum amount of snow needed before they are useful?
I know the roads are likely to be blocked with stranded RAV4s
anyway...
--
Tim Hobbs
Tim Hobbs wrote:
> Been contemplating getting a set for the Volvo, to keep in the boot.
> They seem to go for about the 50 quid mark and might be a good
> investment if this 'bad winter' we keep hearing about should actually
> materialise.
>
> So, will they actually work (i.e. improve my chances of getting home)
> and is there a minimum amount of snow needed before they are useful?
>
> I know the roads are likely to be blocked with stranded RAV4s
> anyway...
We call 'em Chav 4's round here! I have never ever got stuck in the snow. I once drove a Sapphire
Cosworth 2WD all the way home from Leicster on the M1 in a horrific snowstorm. It was hairy as a mother
fecker, but the real testing part was the 12 hours it took me to get from Leeds to Braford, a total of 10
miles. All this was due to ****wits in BMW's that don't know how to drive in the dry let alone snow. I
never got stuck once. I did have tons of gear in the boot mind you! Anyone who know the locality will
know there is not one level road in or out of Bradford! The snow on the hill i lived at that time (It's
called Gaisby Lane, a VERY steep hill) was about a foot deep in drifts & I abandoned my car half in my
garden as the road was closed!!
To this day, i have no idea how the hell i got that car home, it was a feckin' mad night well known
around these parts! It was in 1995 i think. I reckon the LSD helped on the Cossie (I mean limited slip
diff, not a reference to halucinagenic drugs btw!)
On Thu, 8 Dec 2005 22:01:28 -0000, "Nige"
<nigel.inceBUGGEROFF@btinternet.com> wrote:
>Tim Hobbs wrote:
>> Been contemplating getting a set for the Volvo, to keep in the boot.
>> They seem to go for about the 50 quid mark and might be a good
>> investment if this 'bad winter' we keep hearing about should actually
>> materialise.
>>
>> So, will they actually work (i.e. improve my chances of getting home)
>> and is there a minimum amount of snow needed before they are useful?
>>
>> I know the roads are likely to be blocked with stranded RAV4s
>> anyway...
>
>We call 'em Chav 4's round here! I have never ever got stuck in the snow. I once drove a Sapphire
>Cosworth 2WD all the way home from Leicster on the M1 in a horrific snowstorm. It was hairy as a mother
>fecker, but the real testing part was the 12 hours it took me to get from Leeds to Braford, a total of 10
>miles. All this was due to ****wits in BMW's that don't know how to drive in the dry let alone snow. I
>never got stuck once. I did have tons of gear in the boot mind you! Anyone who know the locality will
>know there is not one level road in or out of Bradford! The snow on the hill i lived at that time (It's
>called Gaisby Lane, a VERY steep hill) was about a foot deep in drifts & I abandoned my car half in my
>garden as the road was closed!!
>
>To this day, i have no idea how the hell i got that car home, it was a feckin' mad night well known
>around these parts! It was in 1995 i think. I reckon the LSD helped on the Cossie (I mean limited slip
>diff, not a reference to halucinagenic drugs btw!)
>
>Nige
>
>--?
>Subaru WRX
>Range Rover LSE (Bob)
>
>'"gimme the f*ckin' money"
>
I've only been stuck once - in my Peugeot 205 years back. Dropped
sister off at a school do, got half-way home and realised that I'd
never get her home again in a couple of hours. Went back for her, but
got stuck half a mile from home on a steep hill, because bloke in
front of me managed to put his car sideways and block the road.
The Volvo isn't going to be good in snow though - wide low-profile
tyres with tight tread. The auto box will be a mixed blessing as
well. For 50 quid the chains might make the difference getting home
and not, or even blocking the road and getting out of the way.
--
Tim Hobbs
>
> I've only been stuck once - in my Peugeot 205 years back. Dropped
> sister off at a school do, got half-way home and realised that I'd
> never get her home again in a couple of hours. Went back for her, but
> got stuck half a mile from home on a steep hill, because bloke in
> front of me managed to put his car sideways and block the road.
>
> The Volvo isn't going to be good in snow though - wide low-profile
> tyres with tight tread. The auto box will be a mixed blessing as
> well. For 50 quid the chains might make the difference getting home
> and not, or even blocking the road and getting out of the way.
The Cossie had very wide tyres (for it's day) but it wasn't too bad really. Nowadays, no-one under 25 has
driven in the snow. I used to take the cossie out for fun in the snow!! You can't beat a good old empty
car park & a mega powerful RWD car to learn how to correct oversteer! The really odd bit, is the Subaru
(basically a rally car with road going expectations) is nowhere near as good in the snow! It is a lot
better than the wifes Golf gti though (we aint even tried it yet, but you just know!)
On or around Thu, 8 Dec 2005 22:01:28 -0000, "Nige"
<nigel.inceBUGGEROFF@btinternet.com> enlightened us thusly:
>To this day, i have no idea how the hell i got that car home, it was a feckin' mad night well known
>around these parts! It was in 1995 i think. I reckon the LSD helped on the Cossie (I mean limited slip
>diff, not a reference to halucinagenic drugs btw!)
yeah, the XR4x4 had one of them, although technically it's a viscous
coupling not an LSD, and also in the centre diff. That and a 2/3:1/3
rear:front torque split makes it an amazing thing in the slippery.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
"Remember that to change your mind and follow him who sets you right
is to be none the less free than you were before."
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (121-180), from Meditations, VIII.16
In message <h6kip1tqqjnvjp56talb9ftv5297hl74v5@4ax.com>, Austin Shackles
<austinNOSPAM@ddol-las.net> writes
>On or around Thu, 8 Dec 2005 22:01:28 -0000, "Nige"
><nigel.inceBUGGEROFF@btinternet.com> enlightened us thusly:
>
>>To this day, i have no idea how the hell i got that car home, it was a
>>feckin' mad night well known
>>around these parts! It was in 1995 i think. I reckon the LSD helped on
>>the Cossie (I mean limited slip
>>diff, not a reference to halucinagenic drugs btw!)
>
>yeah, the XR4x4 had one of them, although technically it's a viscous
>coupling not an LSD, and also in the centre diff. That and a 2/3:1/3
>rear:front torque split makes it an amazing thing in the slippery.
One of the best cars I ever had in the snow was a Daf with belt drive.
The ratios to the rear wheels worked independently, so the slipping
wheel would be at its highest gearing whilst the gripping wheel was at
its lowest.
--
hugh
Reply to address is valid at the time of posting
On or around Fri, 9 Dec 2005 11:46:01 +0000, hugh <hugh@[127.0.0.1]>
enlightened us thusly:
>In message <h6kip1tqqjnvjp56talb9ftv5297hl74v5@4ax.com>, Austin Shackles
><austinNOSPAM@ddol-las.net> writes
>>On or around Thu, 8 Dec 2005 22:01:28 -0000, "Nige"
>><nigel.inceBUGGEROFF@btinternet.com> enlightened us thusly:
>>
>>>To this day, i have no idea how the hell i got that car home, it was a
>>>feckin' mad night well known
>>>around these parts! It was in 1995 i think. I reckon the LSD helped on
>>>the Cossie (I mean limited slip
>>>diff, not a reference to halucinagenic drugs btw!)
>>
>>yeah, the XR4x4 had one of them, although technically it's a viscous
>>coupling not an LSD, and also in the centre diff. That and a 2/3:1/3
>>rear:front torque split makes it an amazing thing in the slippery.
>One of the best cars I ever had in the snow was a Daf with belt drive.
>The ratios to the rear wheels worked independently, so the slipping
>wheel would be at its highest gearing whilst the gripping wheel was at
>its lowest.
yeah, 's a pity about the daf. Ford produced a CVT thing recently using a
flexible steel belt, muhc tougher - I bet it doesn't have the simplicity of
the daf and the advantage you describe.
But the 4x4 ford system ought to be on Rangies and the like, IMHO - almost
makes traction control with all its complexity redundant. Presumably, you
could in theory have another VCD in the front end - although the ford
doesn't.
When I had the 110 with the BW transfer box and the VCD in it, I kept
meaning to fit a VCD in the back axle, presuming I could find one.
--
Austin Shackles. www.ddol-las.net my opinions are just that
In Touch: Get in touch with yourself by touching yourself.
If somebody is watching, stop touching yourself.
from the Little Book of Complete B***ocks by Alistair Beaton.
On Thu, 8 Dec 2005 22:01:28 -0000, "Nige"
<nigel.inceBUGGEROFF@btinternet.com> wrote:
>Tim Hobbs wrote:
>> Been contemplating getting a set for the Volvo, to keep in the boot.
>> They seem to go for about the 50 quid mark and might be a good
>> investment if this 'bad winter' we keep hearing about should actually
>> materialise.
>>
>> So, will they actually work (i.e. improve my chances of getting home)
>> and is there a minimum amount of snow needed before they are useful?
>>
>> I know the roads are likely to be blocked with stranded RAV4s
>> anyway...
>
>We call 'em Chav 4's round here! I have never ever got stuck in the snow. I once drove a Sapphire
>Cosworth 2WD all the way home from Leicster on the M1 in a horrific snowstorm. It was hairy as a mother
>fecker, but the real testing part was the 12 hours it took me to get from Leeds to Braford, a total of 10
>miles. All this was due to ****wits in BMW's that don't know how to drive in the dry let alone snow. I
>never got stuck once. I did have tons of gear in the boot mind you! Anyone who know the locality will
>know there is not one level road in or out of Bradford! The snow on the hill i lived at that time (It's
>called Gaisby Lane, a VERY steep hill) was about a foot deep in drifts & I abandoned my car half in my
>garden as the road was closed!!
>
>To this day, i have no idea how the hell i got that car home, it was a feckin' mad night well known
>around these parts! It was in 1995 i think. I reckon the LSD helped on the Cossie (I mean limited slip
>diff, not a reference to halucinagenic drugs btw!)
>
>Nige
>
>--?
>Subaru WRX
>Range Rover LSE (Bob)
>
>'"gimme the f*ckin' money"
>
I was out in the slippy stuff 'tother week.
if it wasn't for the LSD on the jag i'd have had a much tougher time
getting home, love it to bits.
Drove up to the top of the long mynd in snow in my Grannie estate once,
which was quite hairy. The auto box kept me from making any sudden
acceleration or deceleration.
On the other hand last Christmas my landie ran off the road in the snow.
Staying on the road has as much to do with the smoothness of your driving
technique as anything else. With an auto box and power steering it was not
difficult to pilot my grannie, whereas smooth is hardly the way you would
describe the throttle control, gearbox and steering of a series 3 or maybe I
am just getting old.
--
T
L'autisme c'est moi
"Space folds, and folded space bends, and bent folded space contracts and
expands unevenly in every way unconcievable except to someone who does not
believe in the laws of mathematics"
"Nige" <nigel.inceBUGGEROFF@btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:3vropnF170rdmU1@individual.net...
> Tim Hobbs wrote:
>>
> We call 'em Chav 4's round here! I have never ever got stuck in the snow.
I once drove a Sapphire
> Cosworth 2WD all the way home from Leicster on the M1 in a horrific
snowstorm. It was hairy as a mother
> fecker, but the real testing part was the 12 hours it took me to get from
Leeds to Braford, a total of 10
> miles. All this was due to ****wits in BMW's that don't know how to drive
in the dry let alone snow. I
> never got stuck once. I did have tons of gear in the boot mind you! Anyone
who know the locality will
> know there is not one level road in or out of Bradford! The snow on the
hill i lived at that time (It's
> called Gaisby Lane, a VERY steep hill) was about a foot deep in drifts & I
abandoned my car half in my
> garden as the road was closed!!
>
> To this day, i have no idea how the hell i got that car home, it was a
feckin' mad night well known
> around these parts! It was in 1995 i think. I reckon the LSD helped on the
Cossie (I mean limited slip
> diff, not a reference to halucinagenic drugs btw!)
>
> Nige
>
> --
> Subaru WRX
> Range Rover LSE (Bob)
>
> '"gimme the f*ckin' money"
>
>
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