Snow Chains, do I need em on a Discovery 3 ???
Discussion
depends how much grip you've got.
the snow mode should maximise the grip avalible on the snow but chains will give a higher maximum grip level.
have you got the optional locking diff in the rear? (i dont know which models have it) because that'd help as well.
id suspect you'd get away without chains unless your trying to drive on fresh loose snow if im honest. never needed them when playing offroad in the snow in a D1, although that was on knobbly tyres.
the snow mode should maximise the grip avalible on the snow but chains will give a higher maximum grip level.
have you got the optional locking diff in the rear? (i dont know which models have it) because that'd help as well.
id suspect you'd get away without chains unless your trying to drive on fresh loose snow if im honest. never needed them when playing offroad in the snow in a D1, although that was on knobbly tyres.
yes you need snow chains
snow mode controls ride height, engine response, throttle response, difflock control, ABS etc etc; what snow mode does NOT do is improve the co-efficient of grip between your tyres and the road surface. With british summer tyres (and i include off road biased on road tyres) you have no chance of getting the levels of grip required in order to cope with snowy/icy roads.
if you get stuck in the snow/ice then the ONLY thing that will get you out are increased grip levels provided by snow chains. Whenever i drive a 4x4 or AWD vehicle in the alps i carry 2 sets of chains as i feel very strongly that 4x4s are much safer with all 4 tyres chained up. if you only have one set then i would suggest you use them on the front, this is in complete contrast to the manufacturers recommendations. however i feeel you get much more control with the fronts chained up BUT if stuff goes wrong then having nothing on the rear will get you into a lot of trouble very quickly.
snow mode controls ride height, engine response, throttle response, difflock control, ABS etc etc; what snow mode does NOT do is improve the co-efficient of grip between your tyres and the road surface. With british summer tyres (and i include off road biased on road tyres) you have no chance of getting the levels of grip required in order to cope with snowy/icy roads.
if you get stuck in the snow/ice then the ONLY thing that will get you out are increased grip levels provided by snow chains. Whenever i drive a 4x4 or AWD vehicle in the alps i carry 2 sets of chains as i feel very strongly that 4x4s are much safer with all 4 tyres chained up. if you only have one set then i would suggest you use them on the front, this is in complete contrast to the manufacturers recommendations. however i feeel you get much more control with the fronts chained up BUT if stuff goes wrong then having nothing on the rear will get you into a lot of trouble very quickly.
Rules is rules, depending on where you are going, if is snows what normally happens is that a police officer will be waiting at the start of a mountain road and will not let you up it unless you put your chains on. However, you can also get studded tyres which are great. But if youre driving down from the UK there wont be much of a stud left! Snow chains are available to hire in the UK, but often its just as cheap to buy them. Last year I drove my Vivaro Van down to Austria, I bought a set of brand new snow chains off ebay and yes, did not have to use them!....But who knows whats in store this season? If you dont get a set, sods law it will bucket down with snow and you will have to buy a set at a costly price! Better to buy a set off ebay, and if you do not use them you can always sell them on 
Have a great season 
Im off to Morzine soon 
Have a great season Im off to Morzine soon Edited by fatboy18 on Tuesday 27th November 22:19
Snow Chains >>>>>>>> tyres in snow. Or mud btw.
If there isnt a good covering you wont be using chains anyhow, on road you need to go slow and not very far.
Unless you have 2 sets it effectivly turns your 4WD into 2WD, put them on the front for going up, back for going down if its steep, watch out for strut suspension cars/4x4's where you cant fit them to the front.
Also go for diamond pattern over ladder. There a pain to fit and mucky but for me the only way of getting up the mountains on fresh powder days!
If there isnt a good covering you wont be using chains anyhow, on road you need to go slow and not very far.
Unless you have 2 sets it effectivly turns your 4WD into 2WD, put them on the front for going up, back for going down if its steep, watch out for strut suspension cars/4x4's where you cant fit them to the front.
Also go for diamond pattern over ladder. There a pain to fit and mucky but for me the only way of getting up the mountains on fresh powder days!
I've not needed chains on my Rangie through two Alpine seasons (we overwinter in Courmayeur). If you've got the standard fit 18s with M+S tyres you'll be fine. If it's blinged-up and you've ruined the ride, you've only yourself to blame :-) and will need chains (or a second set of wheels).
The cops only insist on chains on 4x4s, in my experience, if you don't have proper winter tyres. Remember that chains only help accelerative traction (they go on the rear wheels). Chains + summer tyres = extreme care downhill. I started fitting winter tyres after an "interesting" experience in an S6 on summer tyres where I slid down the road that leads down to the main lift in Courma with my front wheels at 90 degrees to the direction of travel, 4wd of course making no difference.
Winter tyres are night and day compared to summer ones on snow. You rarely need chains even with rwd, unless the snow is soft and deep.
The cops only insist on chains on 4x4s, in my experience, if you don't have proper winter tyres. Remember that chains only help accelerative traction (they go on the rear wheels). Chains + summer tyres = extreme care downhill. I started fitting winter tyres after an "interesting" experience in an S6 on summer tyres where I slid down the road that leads down to the main lift in Courma with my front wheels at 90 degrees to the direction of travel, 4wd of course making no difference.
Winter tyres are night and day compared to summer ones on snow. You rarely need chains even with rwd, unless the snow is soft and deep.
Denis O said:
I shall be coming back to the UK via Mont Blanc tunnel on 28th December using main roads all the way. Will I need chains on a Disco 2?
I doubt it, I did it in a rear wheel drive skyline with no traction control and didn't see anything other than standing water on the toll roads / major roads.Stu R said:
Denis O said:
I shall be coming back to the UK via Mont Blanc tunnel on 28th December using main roads all the way. Will I need chains on a Disco 2?
I doubt it, I did it in a rear wheel drive skyline with no traction control and didn't see anything other than standing water on the toll roads / major roads.Can't comment about snow in particular, but a mate has a Disco3, the TDV6 model, HSE I think. Anyway, he trailered his extreme Landy to a quarry fun day. This car has all the spuddy tyres, suspension lifts and locking diffs. After they'd all finished, he tried the Disco3 on road tyres only to find it would go everywhere the extreme Landys would go, and a couple of places even they *couldn't* go.
Tat Disco3 is a hell of a competent offroader. I suspect if you bothered to put some Winter tyres on it, it'd cope well up and down a ski-run.
Tat Disco3 is a hell of a competent offroader. I suspect if you bothered to put some Winter tyres on it, it'd cope well up and down a ski-run.
Eddie the Landrover.robm3 said:
robm3 said:
Thanks for the info all.
LR want £329 plus VAT for the chains, anyone know of any cheaper one's out there??
I will most likely get and then fit to the front once in the mountains.
Cheers,
Robin.
Hold that thought, ebay is way cheaper!!LR want £329 plus VAT for the chains, anyone know of any cheaper one's out there??
I will most likely get and then fit to the front once in the mountains.
Cheers,
Robin.
Zod said:
You do in an M5! Winter tyres are fine on thin snow or packed snow, but anything else with a gradient and you need the chains.
M5 will need Winter wheels too to make any decent headway in thick snow. Deap treaded snow (or even Mud/Snow) tyres will be all you need on a discovery. All for probably less than LR want for their chains.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff