Sorry, just had a quick question. I'm planning on going snowboarding at my local mountain (Mt. High) this season. Occasionally they will require chains to get to the mountain. I was wondering if anyone has any recommendation on what to get? I have stock MCS 09 with 16in runflats.

 

No Chains. Cables are risky too, they must fit just right/tight to clear the springs and other parts. Might think about http://www.tirerack.com/accessories/...brand=AutoSock whatever you use please do a test install at home to be sure they fit/clear and it will also help when your on the side of a dark road full of ice. Been there done that.

I lived in Newport Beach and went to Mt. High a few times, once in my 58 VW Bus for night skiing under the lights. We left the resort to head home and got stopped on the road down due to some fool rolling his 4X4. We sat in the air cooled, stock 58 Bus for 2 hours at idle with our finger tips in the defrost slots. Oh the good times. I do miss that old Bus. Have Fun.

 

does the autosock meet the chain requirements then? Also would I need them for all 4 tires? sorry i'm such a noob with cars, but I can fix computers though! >_>

 

Call Tire Rack in the morning to make sure.

 

as a word of advice, get SCC Super Z6

http://www.vulcantire.com/cgi-bin/ch...=chainz6_c.htm

I have not yet tested them myself but I have had confirmation that they do fit from someone else with no problems. these chains were designed to fit into 1/4" space, and that's about what the MCS has for clearance between the tire and suspension.

If it doesn't fit, I'm gonna run to a tire shop and get some extended studs and some spacers to get the wheel out another 1/8" or so.

I'm running 4 Dunlop Winter Sport 3D tires and will be keeping the SCC Super Z6 cables in the back for those days when they're required up here. The Dunlop 3D's are awesome though so I probably won't use the cables unless they're actually required.

 

If they req chains to get somewhere you probably don't want to go there. As far as I know they will allow true snow tires on cars less than 10,000gvw when they say chains req'd.

You also want to be careful driving as the MINI's don't do well plowing snow, make sure the roads are plowed first.....

 

^I definitely will go. I snowboard, and if it's dumping, I want to be on my board, not in my house. That's the reason I moved to the PacNw. Snow tires + snow cables and I should be able to get anywhere. I used to drive back east in 1+ foot of unplowed snow in my accord. I had no problems unless the hill was just too steep.

if I can't, i will sell my mini for a subaru. This will be my first winter in the PacNw, and my first in a mini. if it doesn't work, I won't have my mini for longer then a month.


and no, they require chains on all cars, even 4wd cars some times. snow tires are not good enough some times.

 

depending on what size your wheels are, you might want to see if these are still available

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...er-spikes.html

I think he had them in the new market place this year

 

Spider spikes are a great alternative if you just HAVE to get to the mountain.....

 

i'm going to be test-fitting my cables today, i'll let ya know how it goes.

I've driven around quite a bit the past few days on ice and packed snow and had no probelms with traction. Everyone else has chains on, and I've just got snow tires. Great stuff.

I don't like the hub that you have to keep on the outside of your wheel all winter long with spider spikes. Not that big of a deal for some I guess.

 

so how did the cables fit dwf?

 

i slacked and never got them on, sorry.

we've had a ton of snow here in seattle, but i've been able to make it around with just the snow tires, so I haven't gotten to put them on... now that the snow's real deep around my car, it's gonna be real hard to test fit.

 

I have a 07 MCS w/ 16" stock bridge spokes. I had to put on my cable chains yesterday to get out of my friends house at the bottom of a hill. I drove a few miles with them and they worked OK. I took them off as soon as possible since they provided less traction in all but the worst conditions. This was Seattle snow so the same conditions.
I purchased them at Joe's Sports/GI Joes. They carry this brand:
http://www.scc-chain.com/Traction%20Pages/Trac_SC.html

 

^have you checked your suspension for damage/rubbing? There's only about a 3/8" gap between the tire and the suspension.

I like SCC chains, that's what I have, but I HIGHLY recommend the Super Z6. The other ones only meet Class "S", but the MINI doesn't have enough room for the clearance that Class "S" provides. There is no class that is tighter then the "S" class, so that's why mini says not to use chains at all. But, the Super Z6 needs less then 1/4", which is less then the .43" clearance that the radial chains have. The mini has about 3/8" clearance.

plus, the super z6 has better traction then the radials as it's thicker, and in the zig-zag pattern, so you always have cables on the snow/ice...
http://www.scc-chain.com/Traction%20...ear_chart.html

 

I put some 15" snows on my MCS and it's great. This thing is great in deep snow.

 

No it does not, sorry. Their designed for border areas that rarley get snow.

Alex