snow tire chains or new snow tires?

[sprt400ex]

tell me your opionons, should i buy new snow tires? or just buy some chains for the razrs i have now? please help me which are better in snow? thanks please help me out

[crday98]

i had never tried the chains but i know maxxis all-traks work really well in the snow.

[MOFO]

Well, I ran snow chains last year. I put them on my stock EX tires (there were seriously micro-knobbys too...not much tread left at all). I WENT EVERYWHERE with those chains...I just dug them out for this season...they will be back on.

One of the best rides I had with them is when I was passing 4x4's up at Marienville, PA. There was a section of trail that is all uphill for 100 yards or so. Traffic on this hill was backed up with 4x4's just spining on the snow/hardpack ice. I spun my way right up it with the chains...after that I was sold on them.

This year I have a pair of DirtDevils that I will be running with the chains...should be an awsome combo. A few of my friend just ran the DirtDevils by themselves last year and they did very good...not as good as I was though. ;)


Eric

[kc 300EX]

it's very simple, Snow tires are for deep snow or mud where you need to get really good traction by digging your way through, snow chains, are really meant for the ice, obviously there is nothing but ice under all that snow, thats where chains come in handy


28" vampires will spin on ice, but 20" razrs with chains will not

[MOFO]

I understand that, I'm not trying to say my 400EX is better than a 4x4 for snow and mud, just pointing out that the snow chains DO work very well.


Eric

[kc 300EX]

i knew exactly what you were saying VWVR6

I just wanted to explain to sprt400ex that there is obviously a difference between cahins and tires and why one works better than the other sometimes and sometimes it doesnt

[fourtrax400ex]

i have a set of paddle on my 400ex for winter and it's awesome, it works really good in snow, however you can't ride it on hard surface, my friends have kenda bearclaw on his banshee and it's works well too. hope this help!

i run paddles on my 250r in the winter and never got stuck once

[sprt400ex]

aright i was reading another topic on another site about the chains and people were saying they get loose and can snap a axle if they come off, and they hit the fenders even if they are as tight as you can make them, and you cant go fast with them, and cant slide. is all this true? should i just buy some ice screws will they work better then chains? please help me winters comning and i want to be ready. thanks

[MOFO]

Hmmmm, I never had any problems with the chains doing what you stated above. Then again, this will only be my second year running them. I used bungee cords to take ALL the extra slack out of the chain...worked well. Also, make sure you buy chains for ATV's and not a tractor chain. The ATV ones seem to be built better (and cost more $$$$). I ran them last year for about 3 months and only had to re-adjust once....after I smacked into a rock going up a pipe line (killed my bungee cord).

I think I paid somewhere around $50-60 for the pair.....Like I said, I have not had a bad experience with them to give a bad review.


Eric

[crday98]

how much do the chain kits cost and where can i get them?

[MOFO]

I paid somewhere around $50-60 for them. I bought them at one of my local dealers...I'm sure if you search online you can find a better deal. The place I bought them at are not known for giving good deals... :grr ....but I needed them ASAP last year for a big ride we were going on....

Oh some FYI for you guys. The smallest chain that I could find was for a 22" tire. So if you are running the stockers, you will need to bungee the chains. I'm hoping this year they should fit better because I now have 22" tires....


Eric