Cal Trans and chain controls in the Sierea's. SP8000's, Anyone have eperience with these tires?
02-21-2000, 05:04 PM
#2
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No. California chain laws explained
There are three chain levels in California:
R-1. Chains required. Passenger vehicles/light trucks OK with snow tires. Must carry chains.
R-2. Chains required. 4wd/awd with snow tires on all 4 wheels OK. Must carry chains.
R-3. Chains required. Period. No exceptions.
Notice - there is NO exception for 4wd/awd without snow tires. If your tires aren't marked M+S, they're not legally snow tires and you must chain up. Every Sierra chain check I've ever seen looks for the "M+S" on the sidewalls - if it's not there, you must chain up.
You have the sport package, so the tires are 16". NOTE that you CANNOT chain up with 16" wheels on an A4 Quattro, because of clearance issues. So without snow tires, you are effectively precluded from mountain driving in the winter, because you NEVER know what the weather's going to do next!
If you want to take that car to the Sierras, you need to do something about tires. Best bet is a separate set of 15" wheels with 195/65-15 snow tires. Or, at the very minimum, get a set of 16" 205/55-16 all season tires (make sure they say "M+S" on the sidewalls).
Once a quattro has snow tires installed, you're good to go for R-1 and R-2. With 195/65-15 tires, you MAY even be able to install a set of (thin) chains, making you R-3 legal. I don't worry about R-3, though. It's very rare, and odds are the road will be blocked by some bozo, anyway. If it's R-3, turn around and go home.
As your car is presently equipped, you face a MAJOR chance of being stranded in the mountains. Given the winter we're having, I wouldn't take that car skiing on a dare until you do something about the tires.
DMoore
'00 S4
(with snow tires!)
R-1. Chains required. Passenger vehicles/light trucks OK with snow tires. Must carry chains.
R-2. Chains required. 4wd/awd with snow tires on all 4 wheels OK. Must carry chains.
R-3. Chains required. Period. No exceptions.
Notice - there is NO exception for 4wd/awd without snow tires. If your tires aren't marked M+S, they're not legally snow tires and you must chain up. Every Sierra chain check I've ever seen looks for the "M+S" on the sidewalls - if it's not there, you must chain up.
You have the sport package, so the tires are 16". NOTE that you CANNOT chain up with 16" wheels on an A4 Quattro, because of clearance issues. So without snow tires, you are effectively precluded from mountain driving in the winter, because you NEVER know what the weather's going to do next!
If you want to take that car to the Sierras, you need to do something about tires. Best bet is a separate set of 15" wheels with 195/65-15 snow tires. Or, at the very minimum, get a set of 16" 205/55-16 all season tires (make sure they say "M+S" on the sidewalls).
Once a quattro has snow tires installed, you're good to go for R-1 and R-2. With 195/65-15 tires, you MAY even be able to install a set of (thin) chains, making you R-3 legal. I don't worry about R-3, though. It's very rare, and odds are the road will be blocked by some bozo, anyway. If it's R-3, turn around and go home.
As your car is presently equipped, you face a MAJOR chance of being stranded in the mountains. Given the winter we're having, I wouldn't take that car skiing on a dare until you do something about the tires.
DMoore
'00 S4
(with snow tires!)
02-21-2000, 05:07 PM
#3
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PS - about those tires
I have no personal experience with the SP8000.
BUT many people have commented on this board previously that it's NO GOOD in snow/slippery conditions. It may not be as bad as the S4's Bridgestone RE040 in snow (death tires!) but it's still no good.
My considered advice - STAY AWAY FROM THE MOUNTAINS IN WINTER until you get some sort of M+S rated tires for your car!
DMoore
'00 S4
BUT many people have commented on this board previously that it's NO GOOD in snow/slippery conditions. It may not be as bad as the S4's Bridgestone RE040 in snow (death tires!) but it's still no good.
My considered advice - STAY AWAY FROM THE MOUNTAINS IN WINTER until you get some sort of M+S rated tires for your car!
DMoore
'00 S4
02-21-2000, 08:28 PM
#5
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Re: Cal Trans and chain controls in the Sierea's. SP8000's, Anyone have eperience with these tires?
I've been to Tahoe twice this year with my
SP8000's. The people at the chain control area
never came closer then five feet of my car.
The 2nd time coming home from Homewood the
controler just held up four fingers,(snow code
for Quattro?) Then waved us on.
SP8000's. The people at the chain control area
never came closer then five feet of my car.
The 2nd time coming home from Homewood the
controler just held up four fingers,(snow code
for Quattro?) Then waved us on.
02-22-2000, 12:13 AM
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
Just a thought, but... (semi-rant)
whether or not you get waved through, you don't have snow tires on your car. If conditions call for chains or snow tires, and you get in an accident, there's a strong likelihood that you're going to be the one at fault. And that accident might have been avoidable if you'd been properly equipped.
The fact that the CalTrans guy was too lazy to check your tires doesn't make the car any safer. If snow tires really are needed (and I'll concede they often declare chain conditions unnecessarily) you're creating a hazard to yourself and other drivers.
End of sermon.
DMoore
'00 S4
The fact that the CalTrans guy was too lazy to check your tires doesn't make the car any safer. If snow tires really are needed (and I'll concede they often declare chain conditions unnecessarily) you're creating a hazard to yourself and other drivers.
End of sermon.
DMoore
'00 S4
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