Re: Come along, jerk strap, and tire chains
 

M,

I think you're over-doing the whole shebang. Assuming you had
(comparatively) little equipment in your FWD car, I'm questioning the
need to purchase so much (and carry it around) for the coming of the
apocalypse....and I am admittedly both "frugal" as well as the type to
buy tools that pay for themselves.

I spent ten years in a few 2wd Rangers in the Northeast, and often
learned the hard way what I really needed and what I shouldn't have
done in the first place. They've got halfway decent ground clearance,
and the "longbed" or extra-cab models really didn't need added weight
in the rear -- or rather I didn't see it as worth the trade-off.
Honestly, necessities boiled down quickly: a good set of snow tires, a
pair of gloves, a shovel, and tire chains. Having said that much, I
whole-heartedly agree that chains often will simply get you into more
trouble than you'd be in otherwise, but I never even had to mount both
at the same time -- when I had been plowed in, I'd shovel (or rock)
enough to get a few feet of movement and put one chain on the right
rear, and that was usually enough to extract myself from whatever icy
packed-in mess I was in. Quick and easy, and then you pop it off for
the commute.

If I were to be back in those situations, a set of cable-chains would
have made it even quicker and easier.

The vans I've owned and have driven had plenty of weight in the rear --
a cocky attitude and snow tires were all they ever required.

Now frankly if you're looking at breaking through mountain passes or
spending an entire winter going back and forth on a long, icy,
switch-back driveway, you might not be looking at the best choice of
vehicles -- but in anything less that that, I'd be confident tackling
the task.

It pains me to say so (and it sounds preachy) but I guess the big idea
is that if conditions are bad enough to make a) driving _that_
treacherous and b) getting stranded lethal, then you shouldn't go out
there in the first place.

Just my opinion,

Jon

Re: Come along, jerk strap, and tire chains
 

M,

I think you're over-doing the whole shebang. Assuming you had
(comparatively) little equipment in your FWD car, I'm questioning the
need to purchase so much (and carry it around) for the coming of the
apocalypse....and I am admittedly both "frugal" as well as the type to
buy tools that pay for themselves.

I spent ten years in a few 2wd Rangers in the Northeast, and often
learned the hard way what I really needed and what I shouldn't have
done in the first place. They've got halfway decent ground clearance,
and the "longbed" or extra-cab models really didn't need added weight
in the rear -- or rather I didn't see it as worth the trade-off.
Honestly, necessities boiled down quickly: a good set of snow tires, a
pair of gloves, a shovel, and tire chains. Having said that much, I
whole-heartedly agree that chains often will simply get you into more
trouble than you'd be in otherwise, but I never even had to mount both
at the same time -- when I had been plowed in, I'd shovel (or rock)
enough to get a few feet of movement and put one chain on the right
rear, and that was usually enough to extract myself from whatever icy
packed-in mess I was in. Quick and easy, and then you pop it off for
the commute.

If I were to be back in those situations, a set of cable-chains would
have made it even quicker and easier.

The vans I've owned and have driven had plenty of weight in the rear --
a cocky attitude and snow tires were all they ever required.

Now frankly if you're looking at breaking through mountain passes or
spending an entire winter going back and forth on a long, icy,
switch-back driveway, you might not be looking at the best choice of
vehicles -- but in anything less that that, I'd be confident tackling
the task.

It pains me to say so (and it sounds preachy) but I guess the big idea
is that if conditions are bad enough to make a) driving _that_
treacherous and b) getting stranded lethal, then you shouldn't go out
there in the first place.

Just my opinion,

Jon

Re: Come along, jerk strap, and tire chains
 

M,

I think you're over-doing the whole shebang. Assuming you had
(comparatively) little equipment in your FWD car, I'm questioning the
need to purchase so much (and carry it around) for the coming of the
apocalypse....and I am admittedly both "frugal" as well as the type to
buy tools that pay for themselves.

I spent ten years in a few 2wd Rangers in the Northeast, and often
learned the hard way what I really needed and what I shouldn't have
done in the first place. They've got halfway decent ground clearance,
and the "longbed" or extra-cab models really didn't need added weight
in the rear -- or rather I didn't see it as worth the trade-off.
Honestly, necessities boiled down quickly: a good set of snow tires, a
pair of gloves, a shovel, and tire chains. Having said that much, I
whole-heartedly agree that chains often will simply get you into more
trouble than you'd be in otherwise, but I never even had to mount both
at the same time -- when I had been plowed in, I'd shovel (or rock)
enough to get a few feet of movement and put one chain on the right
rear, and that was usually enough to extract myself from whatever icy
packed-in mess I was in. Quick and easy, and then you pop it off for
the commute.

If I were to be back in those situations, a set of cable-chains would
have made it even quicker and easier.

The vans I've owned and have driven had plenty of weight in the rear --
a cocky attitude and snow tires were all they ever required.

Now frankly if you're looking at breaking through mountain passes or
spending an entire winter going back and forth on a long, icy,
switch-back driveway, you might not be looking at the best choice of
vehicles -- but in anything less that that, I'd be confident tackling
the task.

It pains me to say so (and it sounds preachy) but I guess the big idea
is that if conditions are bad enough to make a) driving _that_
treacherous and b) getting stranded lethal, then you shouldn't go out
there in the first place.

Just my opinion,

Jon

Re: Come along, jerk strap, and tire chains
 

Mike Romain <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote:

>My son just picked up a 94 Dodge Caravan and it is front wheel drive.

Understand

But some of the bigger vans are still RWD

This begs a question tho....why in the hell aren't
there FRONT wheel drive only small pickups? Like the
Ranger?

That seems and ideal solution to someone like me who
just wants a "city truck"...... small one for utility
purposes

Re: Come along, jerk strap, and tire chains
 

Mike Romain <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote:

>My son just picked up a 94 Dodge Caravan and it is front wheel drive.

Understand

But some of the bigger vans are still RWD

This begs a question tho....why in the hell aren't
there FRONT wheel drive only small pickups? Like the
Ranger?

That seems and ideal solution to someone like me who
just wants a "city truck"...... small one for utility
purposes

Re: Come along, jerk strap, and tire chains
 

Mike Romain <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote:

>My son just picked up a 94 Dodge Caravan and it is front wheel drive.

Understand

But some of the bigger vans are still RWD

This begs a question tho....why in the hell aren't
there FRONT wheel drive only small pickups? Like the
Ranger?

That seems and ideal solution to someone like me who
just wants a "city truck"...... small one for utility
purposes

Re: Come along, jerk strap, and tire chains
 

Mike Romain <romainm@sympatico.ca> wrote:

>My son just picked up a 94 Dodge Caravan and it is front wheel drive.

Understand

But some of the bigger vans are still RWD

This begs a question tho....why in the hell aren't
there FRONT wheel drive only small pickups? Like the
Ranger?

That seems and ideal solution to someone like me who
just wants a "city truck"...... small one for utility
purposes

Re: Come along, jerk strap, and tire chains
 

"Earle Horton" <earle@vascongado.usa> wrote:

> A 2WD
>Ranger is going to get real good mileage, especially if you get the four
>cylinder option, but that is going to go down with added cargo. If you buy
>something too small, you are going to regret it, no matter how great the
>unladen fuel mileage might be.

Point taken

But it won't be carrying HEAVY cargo..... only bulky
cargo that wont fit in a car

Bicycles..... lawn mowers....... camping gear....
shrubs to plant in front yard.... that kind of stuff

basically my little car is a great car..... very
reliable and good on gas mileage.... gets around good
in snow..... but is HORRIBLE utility wise. Its a 4
door sedan and is only good for one thing and one thing
only...... hauling PEOPLE's butts around

Well.... I'm single..... so no need to haul
people.....have much greater need to haul light but
bulky stuff

But..... wondering....strategizing..... how to gear it
up so that if/when get stuck in that occasional snow
bank.....can get it out myself and get it out fast.

Re: Come along, jerk strap, and tire chains
 

"Earle Horton" <earle@vascongado.usa> wrote:

> A 2WD
>Ranger is going to get real good mileage, especially if you get the four
>cylinder option, but that is going to go down with added cargo. If you buy
>something too small, you are going to regret it, no matter how great the
>unladen fuel mileage might be.

Point taken

But it won't be carrying HEAVY cargo..... only bulky
cargo that wont fit in a car

Bicycles..... lawn mowers....... camping gear....
shrubs to plant in front yard.... that kind of stuff

basically my little car is a great car..... very
reliable and good on gas mileage.... gets around good
in snow..... but is HORRIBLE utility wise. Its a 4
door sedan and is only good for one thing and one thing
only...... hauling PEOPLE's butts around

Well.... I'm single..... so no need to haul
people.....have much greater need to haul light but
bulky stuff

But..... wondering....strategizing..... how to gear it
up so that if/when get stuck in that occasional snow
bank.....can get it out myself and get it out fast.

Re: Come along, jerk strap, and tire chains
 

"Earle Horton" <earle@vascongado.usa> wrote:

> A 2WD
>Ranger is going to get real good mileage, especially if you get the four
>cylinder option, but that is going to go down with added cargo. If you buy
>something too small, you are going to regret it, no matter how great the
>unladen fuel mileage might be.

Point taken

But it won't be carrying HEAVY cargo..... only bulky
cargo that wont fit in a car

Bicycles..... lawn mowers....... camping gear....
shrubs to plant in front yard.... that kind of stuff

basically my little car is a great car..... very
reliable and good on gas mileage.... gets around good
in snow..... but is HORRIBLE utility wise. Its a 4
door sedan and is only good for one thing and one thing
only...... hauling PEOPLE's butts around

Well.... I'm single..... so no need to haul
people.....have much greater need to haul light but
bulky stuff

But..... wondering....strategizing..... how to gear it
up so that if/when get stuck in that occasional snow
bank.....can get it out myself and get it out fast.