100 Series Experience w/ KO2s and Ice/Snow and Tire Chains

[jayLC1]

We recently moved to a house in Western NC and now live at somewhere around 2,300ft at the end of a 1/4 mile gravel road. The Cruiser has been having some fun! My concern is for that snow and ice that we get at altitude when things are merely a cold rain down lower.

I have 285 BFG KO2's that I LOVE, but I am curious how much that "Ice/Snow Rating" actually buys me. I see that the Wal-Mart around here sells snow chains - will I need them as much or do they even help much?

I am thinking that the chains would be good for ice, but might not make much difference in snow. I have used cables in the past and found that they can damage the sidewall by rubbing and cutting into it.

Experience anyone?

 

[spaber05]

It will be hard for us to judge based on that. How much snow do you get on a regular basis? Is it usually hard packed or pretty loose? How steep of a grade is your road? If you lived in CO, told us you wanted to ski every weekend, and said you were thinking about chains, I think you'd get a resounding yes from most anyone here, but being that you are in NC, I can't imagine you get a crazy amount of snow.

I do not have much experience with chains, but I got into some pretty hairy situations back when I had my Subaru on dedicated winter tires and it had no problems on ice, packed snow etc. Now if I had needed the clearance, those stories may have ended differently, but the right tires make all the difference.

I would say give it a shot without chains before you go out and buy them. You may find that your BFG's do better than expected and the chains unnecessary.

 

[atomsk]

I'd do a search on the forums as there are a handful of threads discussing chains:

100 land cruiser chains site:ih8mud.com - Google Search

I just got back from Mammoth and before heading out, I looked into chains for my tires (same exact tires as you) and fitting chains on there sounds iffy without spacers.

For what it's worth, there were a few hills with ice this last weekend where 2wd cars and trucks with chains were sliding and spinning their tires, and my LC crawled up without making a peep. ATRAC never even bothered turning on and I never felt my tires sliding whatsoever. I didn't even realize how bad it was until I saw others struggling.

 

[Skidoo]

Spacers required in front, extreme articulation could cause rubbing in rear.

 

[trizzo]

whereabouts in western NC?

 

[Lowbudgetlc100]

i thought land cruiser and chains should not be used in the same sentence? haahah

 

[2000 LC]

I do not have much experience using chains. I have also never had a problem in 2' of snow here in PA.

I worked as a ski instructor for 5 years and never missed a day due to a snow storm.

The 100 kicks ass in snow. In ice, as with any vehicle, you can only do so much.

 

[QsLC75]

Having lived in NC for 12 years, Lived in the snow belt of Ohio & PA the rest, working as an experiential educator (aka guide) for colleges. I would say the following:
1) I went in search of snow to backpack in every January-March in Pisgah and Smokies. Your 100 series with those K02s will handle the snow on gravel roads. I drove up 276 to the Parkway out of Brevard in a whiteout several times in a 96 Jeep Cherokee...
2) I used chains once on a Ford Excursion in icy conditions. They helped, but ice covered roads are difficult to travel regardless of chains, tires, 4X4.
3) In the winter time, I run Blizzaks on my 100 since it is my DD in the snow belt up here in Ohio. I run Nitto Terra Grappler G2s April -January.

 

[REDrum]

I am big proponent of snow tires, real snow tires, not just all seasons with with snow capability credentials. I have run snow tires in New England for over 30 years and I raced winter rally on Nokian stud-less for 5 years, so I'm biased. On my 100, for the past 6 years I have been running GY Duratracs (w/ snow flake rating) April thru Dec and Firestone Winterforce Jan thru March for a reason.

Chains do have their place, but recent developments in rubber compound technology for ice/snow tires have come a long way and even studs are no longer the best option. Nokian, Dunlop, Bridgestone, Gisslaved all have brilliant ice performing tires now.

As for western NC use, try the KO2s for a season, they are much more siped than KOs. Go out and test them in a parking lot: braking threshold/distance, ABS threshold, and how much wheel input they can take before you start you start understeering.

If you find KO2s unacceptable check out FS Winterforce LTs or Cooper ATWs, both a good value and performance point with sizes that fit the 100. Nokian are the best but near double the cost of US made snows.

 

[varythings]

There is no replacement for 'real' snow tires, like @REDrum said. I live in the Wasatch Mountains in UT (for those familiar with the area, I'm at ~7500' and get more snow than Parley's Pass, my snow totals are similar to Brighton). Additionally I live on a steep dirt road, and my driveway is the true tester of snow traction. My driveway is just over 100 yards and is 17% to 21% grade with 2 sharp turns, that's steep! Since living here I've had 2 FJC's and now the '06 LX470. Duratracs are good snow tires for an AT, that said, they are worthless on grade in cold temps (rubber is way to hard). Nokians are the best, but biggest (diameter) size is 285/75-r16 (we're running these studded on my wife FJC this season). On the LX I'm running General Grabber Arctic LT's in 275/70-r18 for winter. For the price and size the Generals are decent, I run them studded. So, my take is you can't do better than true snow tires if you drive in snow/ice, especially on packed or paved roads.

Chains: I have to have them. When there is fresh powder on top of the packed snow the short lugs of a snow tire can't move the powder to find traction. For the LX I run spacers to allow clearance for chains in the front. Even with fairly narrow tires and Nitro UCA's I need spacers to run RUD Grip 4x4 chains. Depending on the storm timing determines if and where I use chains: I need them in the rear to get home after a storm, and I need them in the front to get down after a storm. It's not uncommon for me to run chains on all 4 corners on both vehicles, which makes them glued down with traction.

My scenario is unique, most do not need this level of snow traction, but it's made me pretty knowledgable on the issue. I've got dash cam videos of some pretty exciting bobsled trips down the driveway in the LX with chains on! To make it more pertinent, there's 10' drop off into a creek on the downhill side of the 100 yard driveway. (There have been 3 cars declared totaled into that creek by previous owners of my house, and countless others pulled out).

Here's a pic of the Generals on Tundra wheels with spacers:

Here's a live-at-time-of-posting pic out the window of my dinning room:

 

[2001LC]

 

[jemsec]

View attachment 1192649

Got to have some of those.

 

[chuckscap]

We just got over 2 feet of snow with 3 to 5 foot drifts. My 100 with KOs (not 2s) was an absolute monster. Incredibly sure footed, blew or walked through drifts. Love it. If you get a lot of ice there is no substitute for studded snow tires.

 

[Junglejack]

I live in East Tennessee quite close to the Smokey Mountains where snow has been quite frequent in the 3 years I have been back full-time. While I cannot agree more that snow tires are the best possible solution, since installing K02's (replaced OEM LTX's) I have been overwhelmingly pleased with the performance in both snow and ice.

3 weeks ago I drove my then gf back to her home in the sticks. As in no road treatments, et al and did so with 6 inches of snow on the ground and much ice and the truck with the KO2's did fantastic.

That said, the same rules apply as when driving any vehicle in snow/ice: smooth application of throttle, take turns slowly, etc. That said, I saw 2 Audi Quattro's off the road in ditches and pulled one of them out. Not to generalize, but BMW/Audi AWD drivers often drive like maniacs during inclement weather. They seem to forget ground clearance matters too....

 

[REDrum]

....but BMW/Audi AWD drivers often drive like maniacs during inclement weather. They seem to forget ground clearance matters too....

They forget a lot of things...

How wheels are driven is 3rd in priority in insuring your car goes where you want it on snow. Talent is 1st, appropriate grip tires is 2nd.

I'd take a RWD 1970s Oldsmobile Vista Cruiser station wagon with a good set of snow tires over a brand new AWD Audi A4 with all seasons in 18" of fresh snow.

 

[Junglejack]

Absolutely love The Life Aquatic and thus your avatar. While few seem to agree with me in my world, it is my favorite Wes Anderson movie by a fairly large margin.

 

[REZARF]

100s in the snow are awesome. We get our fair share of the powdery stuff here in Colorado. I find a good tire and 4 wheel drive in the 100 is all you need for even deep snow. However, ice is ice... ice and traction are like oil and water, they usually don't play nice together.

Leave the chains off, stay and and snuggle with your wife. Ice sucks, chains don't alleviate all the issues on ice either. If its icy, I stay home YMMV.

 

[PabloCruise]

3 weeks ago I drove my then gf back to her home in the sticks. As in no road treatments, et al and did so with 6 inches of snow on the ground and much ice and the truck with the KO2's did fantastic.

....

You broke up with her because she lives back in the sticks?!?

 

[Junglejack]

You broke up with her because she lives back in the sticks?!?

Ha! While I grew up here in Tennessee, there is a rather large dichotomy between the country and the cities. I was literally going broke keeping her suppled with Mountain Dew (no offense to Dew aficionados) and while hot, she literally wanted a sugar daddy.

While I don't mind paying for dinner et al, within 2 weeks she was asking me to "loan" her money to pay her bills. That and her musical preferences (band called Moccasin Creek ***proceed with caution if sample/ kind low budg strip club music) just ruined it for me...