If you live where the climate calls for snowy winters, then there's a chance you'll eventually need tire chains. Even here in California, the need for chains often surfaces in the mountain areas of places like the Sierra Nevadas and the Mountain Lake regions of Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead in San Bernardino County. At first, installing tire chains seemed like it would be more hassle than we wanted to think about. But once we read the directions and tried it in our driveway, we learned that installation is quite easy. A new aspect that we show here is the availability of something other than traditional chains. That's right, these "traction cables," as they are called, are not made using standard chain. They're metal cables with steel sleeves wrapped around the cables. Installation of them is much the same as with regular chains and the lever-lock clamping setup on each cable makes installation even easier. Made by Peerless Chain Company, these SnoTrac traction cables for light-truck applications are ideal for our long-term GMC Sierra.

We got the cables at K-Mart for about 60 bucks. The photo sequence below shows the installation process and the following tire sizes are what Peerless says these cables (part number 0166955) will fit: The Peerless cables come in a convenient plastic carrying case. Unroll and lay the cables on a flat surface to make sure there are no broken cables (or links if you have chains) or other damaged components. After inspection, begin by laying the cable flat near the tire you're installing it on. Drape the cable over the top of the tire. The ends of the side cables with the keyhole latch attachments should be on the outside of the tire. With the lever lock on the outer sidewall (and on the right side of the tire as explained in step 3) make sure the cable crossmembers are straight across the tire's tread. To bring the keyhole latches and lever lock to a comfortable working height, roll the vehicle slowly forward about a foot until the keyhole latch would line up roughly with the axle.

The cable will fall back on the ground as shown, but when you go to redrape the cable back onto the tire, the lever lock will be in an easier place for you to attach it and part of the cable will be underneath the tire as shown. First, the cable needs to be secured on the inner side of the tire. Snow Tires For Yukon XlPull the end of the cable with the knobs up to meet the keyhole latch. Fresh Produce Warehouse Sale FlatironsWe used the second knob in from the end of the cable to secure the cable to the back side of tire.Jasz Prom Dresses 2013 Now, begin working on the outer sidewall to fasten the lever lock. Pull the end of the side cable with the knobs to meet the lever lock. At this point, recheck to make sure the crossmember cables are centered over the tire tread.

We attached the lever lock to the third knob to make sure the cable fit tightly over the tire. To close the lever lock, pull the lever 180 degrees toward the top of the tire. The installed cable looks like this. Drive the vehicle cautiously about a half-mile and recheck the installation. This close-up shows how the crossmember hook ends must face away from the tire tread when the cables are installed. You need to be sure about this or the cable hook ends could damage the tire by digging into the rubber. This close-up shows how the lever lock works as explained in steps 7 and 8. The lever lock secures by hooking the end of it to the side cable as shown. There are also several precautionary measures you should know concerning tire chains or cables. Practice installing the cables (or chains) before you actually need them. Tire sizes can vary by manufacturer and it's important to check for proper fit before the actual need arises. Do not use cables on snow tires.

Do not exceed 30 mph while the cables are installed. Accelerate slowly and evenly. Avoid spinning the tires. The life of the cables will vary according to road conditions, driving speed and individual driving habits. Try to avoid locking the wheels while braking, driving on bare pavement that's not covered with snow or ice, or hitting curbs, as these things will cause premature wear to the cables. 's Dealer Ratings and Reviews. Get a Vehicle History Report15 items30 items60 itemsRecommendedPrice Low to HighPrice High to LowTop Rated ProductsThule®Thule®Thule®Thule®Thule®Thule®Thule®Thule®Thule®Thule®Thule®Thule®Thule®Thule®Thule®12345NextFeatured BrandsQuality Chain CorpThuleAutoSockPeerless IndustrialThe first generation of the Ford Explorer was unveiled in 1990 for the 1991 model year. Originally it was a mid-size SUV, but later (in 2011) the Ford Explorer got an upgrade - it was turned into a full-size crossover SUV. The lineup includes two-, three-, and five-door vehicles.

The selection of engines offers the following options: 2.0L I4, 2.5L V6, 3.7L V6, 4.0L V6, 4.6L V8 and 5.0L V6. The Ford Explorer's engine can be mated to either an automatic or a manual gearbox. The model received a litany of prestigious awards: for instance, the North American Truck of the Year (2011) was one of them. The production of the For Explorer is in progress at the moment. Roads covered with deep snow and slippery ice may become a true challenge for your SUV. To make your winter trips safer and easier, we offer you our great range of Ford Explorer tire chains. We collaborate only with the most reliable, responsible, and trustworthy brands and, therefore, supply you with the units that feature exceptional quality and long-lasting service. Apart from this, we offer our products at reasonable prices. So don’t hesitate and explore our assortment! March 18, 2015Read all Guides & ArticlesPopular ProductsCentric®EBC® Hi - I'm going to be driving from Phoenix to the South Rim and then to Vegas in mid-January.

I'm worried about driving in icy/snowy conditions... Do people think I should hire an SUV or would a compact car suffice? Should I also request snow tyres? What about snow chains? Apologies in advance for the silly questions - I'm in Australia and it doesn't ever snow in the 'burbs where I live and I hardly ever head up to the ski fields... I know nothing about this stuff. Snow tires (we spell funny over here) are a good idea. The roads are all paved and well-maintained. An SUV is not necessary. If you hit a serious storm, I would urge you to simply postpone your travel for a day or two. Chains are not the way to go. In my experience whether or not snow tires come on a rental vehicle depends on the location where rented. SUVs or not, rental cars are not likely to have snow tires in Phoenix. I am a Hertz "frequent renter;" snow tires are not offered as an option even if I select a ski area as an example, however they have been on cars I rented a few times. Rental car companies do not permit snow chains to be used on their vehicles.

Improperly fitted chains can tear up fender wells and tires. Except when there are unusually heavy snowfalls, roads going to and in GCNP are cleared of snow quickly. We cannot predict the weather of course. You'll be fine in a normal passenger car. A SUV gives a better view and, depending on make/model, better behavior in bad weather. However if the weather is bad, stay off the roads. Hi - thanks very much for the advice. I think we will go with an SUV (cos the cost doesn't differ that much and we might as well) and keep our fingers crossed! I'd suggest an SUV. We had an unfortunate trip to the GC in January 2007. While the roads were mostly clear, in parking lots (especially), snow built up in the center of the lanes, while the road was fine where everyone's tires went. This froze into ice over night, and was quite a hazard. We weren't the only ones that had undercarriage damage to our sedan (we should have taken our SUV, I don't know what we were thinking - the sedan had heated seats, we were stupid to put comfort above safety).

This was true at a lot of the look-outs along the rim, and the snow looked much more harmless than it was. Not a silly question at all :-) If you do hit snow and/or ice, the #1 rule is to ... slow down. The #2 rule is ... allow plenty of distance between you and other cars. A 4-wheel drive will *not* help much in hard ice but it will help a lot in wet and snowy conditions. Be sure you know how to engage the 4-wheel drive before you leave the rental car lot - cars differ. Most car rental companies are not keen on allowing renters to use chains since it is easy to ding up a car with them. Cables aren't as bad, but do check with your rental company if you think you might use them. Unless there is a severe storm, if you have a 4x4, use common sense and drive carefully, you probably will be fine without chains. Edited: 5:09 pm, December 27, 2009 Good advice, but there are some things people don't often know about rental cars. Rented SUVs are normally 2WD, and if 4WD usually have the 4WD feature disabled.

Rental car companies don't want their cars taken off-road. I checked several car rental web sites about chains, and all said not allowed; I would assume the same about cables. If you encounter weather which makes you unsure about driving, stay off the roads. Few storms last more than a day or two, and don't occur weekly. Best chances are you will find clear roads. Check the weather before you come and when you arrive. If you have bad luck with the weather, skip GCNP this time and fly to Las Vegas. Thanks for all the help! We're getting an SUV with normal tyres and then just hope for the best. If the weather delays us and changes our plans... well, so be it. At least the travel insurance is there! >> Rented SUVs are normally 2WD, and if 4WD usually have the 4WD feature disabled. Gonna have to disagree on that one, bobbear. We have rented two SUV's this year. One (Toyota RAV 4) was out of Washington DC and we *know* the 4WD was working since we arrived in a middle of a snowstorm!

The other (Ford Escape) was in Florida and although we did not have reason to engage the 4-wheel on it, it supposedly has full time 4WD/AWD. Both these cars were rented from Hertz. our last rental was a Nissan Murano-- all wheel drive. Have the AWD on our Honda CRV. Works great on the winter roads here in Ohio. If you can get one with AWD, do so. I just got back from the Grand Caynon, South Rim. I brought a set of chains with me, just in case, but I did NOT need to put them on. All of the roads were paved, up to the Park entrance. Inside the Park, there were places where there was a small amount of ice/hard packed snow on the roads, but not a hazard. The most snow I drove over was in the parking areas of the lodges -- no need for the chains. Grand Canyon Helicopter Tours from Las vegas 15 day road trip in Western USA planning our first GC trip with 2yr old Rafting - Motorized versus Oar Joshua Trees en route from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon October 31 questions about what to wear for mule ride