jimbob2

Bit of a dillema here guys...

...off boarding to French Alps for new year. French law requires you to have snow chains when travelling to high altitude resorts.

Even using the lowest profile snow chains, I have less than 5mm clearance between rear strut and tyre - anyone had this experience before - I'm runing S02s - 225x35x18

Long shot I know!

j

Adam M

I wuld suggest buying some smaller wheels to fit to the car purely for this kind of thing.

depending on what brakes you have perhaps te standard sti 16 inch rims would suit you well.

T-uk

agree with Adam,the last thing I would do is run around on those wide tyres,the narrower the better in snow imo,fat ones just slide around on top.

john

Dave T-S

J
Subaru recommend you only put chains on the front - NOT rear - so no problem with the rear strut clearance.

I drive 3 or 4 weeks a year in the Alps on snow. Took the Impreza this year. The S02 works surprisingly well in snow - as it has an open tread - providing there is at least 4-5mm of meat on them.

I've never seen the feds stopping people and making them put chains on - but allegedly they do - and i've got a Fiat Brava up impossible icy slopes in Val Thorens at 2300m with no chains on at all.

You can chuck a set in, and if they stop you and try and make you put them on, say you have been given the wrong ones by a stupid English person......

Adam M

english pig dog. I fart in your general direction, your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries.

Dave T-S

Adam
So, wish you'd thought of the chains on the front bit then M8ey?

Yex

Now go away or I shall taunt you for a second time

Jerry B

JimBob

Where you going? you lucky geezer. Must get around to organizing something for this winter.

Adam M

Dave t s,

chains on the front is a lame idea.

I am sticking with my smaller wheels and chains alround.

I wouldnt have the ***** to drive on comapcted snow without chains, espeically in apline regions, have this vision of understeering off one of those haripins and falling lots of feet.

Dave T-S

Fat Boy too

The reason that 18* are an option on the P1 is because under EU law all cars as supplied have to be able to take snow chains on the front wheels and there is not sufficient space with the 18's
Adam, I hate it when you make me do this - but Dave TS is right about something: - you only need /put them on the front - hence no understeer.

Fortunately, he's wrong about the filth - they've stopped me -actually in Val Thorens and Val D'Isere and made me put them on.even though I thought that I was making heroic progress! One of my friends was not allowed up the mountain as he did have the incorrect ones and couldn't get them on.

Having said that we were waved on in Switzerland as we were in a Quattro once so a scooby may get away with it anyway

Dave T-S

And I hate to agree with FB2 (are you a relative of Funboy3 John).

I was going to post originally that Prodrive wanted to fit the P1 with 18's but couldn't get around the Type Approval that said they had to be able to fit chains as they wouldn't go on 18's - so they got them passed with 17's and offered the 18's with the WR kit, plus the other bits, which were exempt from Type Approval.

Fat Boy too

Dave TS

No , I'm one of the Renault 4, but I am very closely related to Fat Boy, aren't I? , No, I'm not. Yes, I am etc...

Adam M

I knew the reasons guys but thanks for clarification.

Perhaps I didnt structure it properly, but the lamesnow chains comment was merely a taunt for dave ts for fun, not cause I think snow chains on the front are a lame idea.

and after that I was saying I wouldnt have the ***** to drive on snow without snowchains.

jimbob2

Thanks for all the constructive feedback.

Two options seem to be open

1. Chains on front only - this figures, as understear is the problem in snow.

2. Get my garage to reshape the rear suspension strut cover to accomodate - some type of large hammer should do it

I guess I'll still have a problem with the s02s though - the beading round the tyre rubs on the plastic wheelarch lining when under heavy load ( usually on the France run! )

Oh, and to whoever asked, I'm probably going high altitude as its only gonna be new year - Valdisere or Chamonix - does anyone know which is the easiest and highest to get to? (travelling from St Malo - Brittany)

j

Fat Boy

Neither easy from St Malo! I always go through Eurotunnel at about 8-9pm on a Friday night,take the autoroute all the way down to near Dijon avoiding Paris and then turn left on to the Autoroute that heads towards Switzerland and then right off the autoroute towards Annecy, good road to wake you up around dawn , and then more autoroute up to Val D'Isere.That way you arrive at apprx 6-7 am and get a full day's skiing when everyone else is off the mountain and being shipped to airports etc in coaches. On the way back I usually have a full day's sking on the Saturday drive to Annecy again - good town - and then crash out in one of the Formule One Motels for a few hrs before hitting the road early again in the morning- usually at eurotunnel by about 11am ish home in London for lunch Chamonix is easier from the Geneva Autoroute and takes about the same time. Both great resorts Valdisere prettier and has more beginners/intermediate than chamonix which is weighted towards expert end, but Val Thorens (a bit of a moonbase!,but highest in Europe at 2300m) is about 1 -1.5hrs closer, at the start of the valley that V D'Isere is at the end of.Also reommended is Tignes (other half of Val D'Isere , cheaper ,also a bit of a moonbase, half an hour closer, and higher 2100m with linked ski area.)

MRK

Take the Snowtrain with its excellent Disco carriage you party the night away and arrive in your resort, nice and early for a full days skiing while everyone is going home, hehehehe

Anyone going to Courcheval in Feb??


M

Dave T-S

Jimbob
Re which resort - what level boarder are you?/do you want off piste?/are you going with a gang?/do you want nightlife etc?

Does it have to be St Malo?! - what's up with the tunnel....