I really like z-chains. I was going to see if they have clearance issues. I have them in all my other cars, as they are the only approved chains for those cars. They are incredibly easy to install/uninstall.
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Traction control devices for snow (California)
- Thread starter CyanideDN
- Start date
Just got my tires rotated 2 weeks ago and I've got 9/32" tread depth left so plenty to work with (only 7-8k miles on these tires, and we drive chill most of the time). I do have experience driving in the snow on the East Coast for a few years with an old Honda CRV AWD, but the roads there are usually plowed.
alexcue
Member
Okay, not that I tried this, but have read on here... make a new "Snow" profile, put it on Chill Mode and maybe Creep Mode to limit the regen?The wonder of One foot driving, feather the acellerator
rotarypower101
Member
How difficult is it to install Z chains on a Tesla? Do the wheel wells have enough wheel to fender gap to "easily" manage the small clasps while there is ice build up in the fenders and chains?
Anyone have to regularly use chains and can give some feedback on that experience?
Use the split center section Zchains , on a AWD 3 series they dont have a sufficient amount of room to make that a pleasant experience, its connecting a clasp blind without being able to clasp your hands, so its done by fingertips to get your hands in there as narrow as is possible.
Anyone instal chains on a M3/MY can give some feedback on how difficult that process is with the space and geometry avalible?
PianoAl
Active Member
1) What about cable chains? 2) Why not the front tires?
Back in my day, chains were considered old fashioned, hard to get on, and cable chains were the easier, better alternative.
Here they are "guaranteed to fit" a model Y for only $78!!!!
They are supposed to be specifically for small distance between tire and wheel well.
Does anyone know if these do the terrible things claimed above (wrap around your axels, etc.?)?
Second, someone above said you just put them on the rear tires. Now, I know from experience that Front WD cars to MUCH better in the snow. So, why wouldn't you want to have better traction on the front in snow?
I have the cheaper-but-longer range 19" stock tires, I can't see any snowflakes, "M+S", or anything like that written on the tires.
Thanks,
-TPC
2023 MYLR no upgrades.
Back in my day, chains were considered old fashioned, hard to get on, and cable chains were the easier, better alternative.
Here they are "guaranteed to fit" a model Y for only $78!!!!
They are supposed to be specifically for small distance between tire and wheel well.
Does anyone know if these do the terrible things claimed above (wrap around your axels, etc.?)?
Second, someone above said you just put them on the rear tires. Now, I know from experience that Front WD cars to MUCH better in the snow. So, why wouldn't you want to have better traction on the front in snow?
I have the cheaper-but-longer range 19" stock tires, I can't see any snowflakes, "M+S", or anything like that written on the tires.
Thanks,
-TPC
2023 MYLR no upgrades.
The Tesla AWD system may be immune, becuase the front and rear axles are not connected together, but in a traditional AWD system, putting chains on the front wheels will cause you to overheat your transfer case. On my Infiniti Red Sport for example, it explicitly says if you do this, the clutch pack in the electronic transfer case could overheat.
Also, I didn't check, but don't the rears in the Tesla have more clearance than the fronts, between the tires and suspension components?
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Having good traction on the front helps you get moving on FWD.
Having BETTER (than the front) traction on the rear helps avoid spinning you around every time you brake with the slightest bit of turn on the front wheels, on any wheeled version.
Coming to a stop in a controlled manner is probably more preferable than not.
Jae001
Member
OK, dumb question but are the words chains and traction control device the same thing? Another words when they say you must carry chains are traction control devices like Autosocks enough or do I have to have chains too?? Snow is so confusing for us southern Californians, we can't even drive right in the rain never mind snow. Ha ha ha! I don't want to end up on YouTube looking like an idiot.
No, they are different. At least on the west coast coastal states. There are different levels of chain controls. Most say chains OR traction control devices. However the level one restrictions explicitly require chains. Traction control devices are not good enough at this level. But I usually only see this level enforced during ice storms, where typically the road would have been closed anyways. So most of the time, it's usually only level 2 or higher in effect, where traction control devices are fine.
Jae001
Member
mspohr
Well-Known Member
Just a clarification for California.
R1 is the lowest level which allows 2wd with snow tires or chains or 4wd without chains
R2 is chains or traction devices on 2wd or 4wd without
R3 is chains or traction on all cars
I live in Tahoe. As previous posters have said R3 generally means they just close the road. All Season tires don’t count as snow tires, but they never check. That said, real winter snow tires make a huge difference on the MY. Off-Road mode also makes a huge difference and I installed a S3XY button to be able to quickly turn it on and off.
California Code of Regulations, Title 13 - Motor Vehicle, Division 2 - Department of the California Highway Patrol, Chapter 4 - Special Equipment, Article 13 - Tire Traction Devices, Section 1071 - Definitions
(d) Snow-tread tires, commonly referred to as mud and snow tires, are pneumatic tires which have a relatively deep and aggressive tread pattern compared with conventional passenger tread pattern. Snow-tread tires may be identified using the following manufacturer markings appearing on the tire sidewall as follows: "MS," "M-S," "M/S," "M+S," any contraction using the letters "M" and "S," the words "MUD AND SNOW," or a "Mountain/Snowflake" (Figure 1) symbol.
Most All Season tires (or prabably all of them) are marked M+S. So they count as snow tires. BTW, I also live in Tahoe and have real winter tires on my Tesla. Please be careful driving here, and consider real winter tires if you come here often.
We put on Cross Contact Sport LX 20" all season tires with M+S sidewall inscription on our Model X today.
My wife being skeptical of my many years of snow driving experience asked two 'tire experts' aka employees at the tires shop if the M+S tires are good to drive in the snow without snow chains, and they told her that if the snow falls but doesnt stay on the road, then yes, but if snow starts accumulating on the road, then you need the chains.
Now I can tell her whatever I want about my own experience as well as the difference between R2 and R3 (these m+s tires are fine on snow with all wheel drive on a Tesla unless there is a lot of ice from melting and refreezing hard) because those 'experts' told her otherwise.
I wonder if they actually have experience driving in the snow or just selling snow tires.
Anything I can point her to that can fix this impression?
My wife being skeptical of my many years of snow driving experience asked two 'tire experts' aka employees at the tires shop if the M+S tires are good to drive in the snow without snow chains, and they told her that if the snow falls but doesnt stay on the road, then yes, but if snow starts accumulating on the road, then you need the chains.
Now I can tell her whatever I want about my own experience as well as the difference between R2 and R3 (these m+s tires are fine on snow with all wheel drive on a Tesla unless there is a lot of ice from melting and refreezing hard) because those 'experts' told her otherwise.
I wonder if they actually have experience driving in the snow or just selling snow tires.
Anything I can point her to that can fix this impression?
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