exposed icy road traction devices

[kroney]

https://www.amazon.com/Orange-Heavy...&qid=1481921275&sr=1-20&keywords=traction+mat

I was looking at this device on Amazon as a supplement to the Maxtrax style sandmats. Sandmats clearly work great in sand and snow, but on hard exposed ice I'd imagine they'd just shoot out under your vehicle. I was intrigued by this because it looks like the the teeth would sink into the ice. Obviously winter tires and snow chains are the first course of action, but mistakes still happen and these could be a nice backup. What are your thoughts?

 

[kmlacroix]

I have a $5 dollar tube of traction sand.

 

[mogwildRW1]

Ah fond memories. I was once watching a guy stuck at the mall use those under an old boat of a car, crown vic if memory serves, While two guys behind were trying to rock the car out by pushing on the trunk. I still remember the roar of the engine and the spinning sound of the tires on the metal, One side (the side that was violently spinning, as the other side had traction, open diff I assume) went rocketing outwards to the rear when that side finally bit into it, right into the poor fellows shins, he collapsed to the ground and was nearly run over by the rocking action of the old crown vic. Sand and or kitty litter work much better and don't become projectiles.

 

[mezmochill]

1Have a stockpile of aliases,

2 pull one out of the bag before christmas,

3 ask about a product,

4 profit.

Never i tell ya , never!






,

 

[MDM54]

Always Work For Me

I have 4 of these and they have never failed to free the stuck vehicle including a UPS truck. Also carry a ball ping hammer to "adjust" them so that they will fold after taking abuse.

 

[JoshN]

1Have a stockpile of aliases,

2 pull one out of the bag before christmas,

3 ask about a product,

4 profit.

Never i tell ya , never!

LOL, joined 2 years ago and this is his one post, essentially an advert for a garbage product.

 

[Happy Joe]

...For very temporary use on extreme ice I find that some short sheet metal screws screwed into the tires make adequate temporary studs (remove them as soon as possible or they will work through the tire, causing flats, after the heads wear off).

Enjoy!

 

[kroney]

Seems like sand would be the first thing to try, also seems way safer. I think that a hammer would also be useful to drive this device into the ice before driving over it. But I'll probably hold off on this purchase.

I only have street tires so I wouldn't attempt putting screws in the tire.

 

[Kerensky97]

I've never had better luck than when I just aired down my tires. Even with AT tires airing down to about 10-12 psi I was able to float over powdery snow and driving through a big open field I felt like a boat on water. There was a rut or something under the 3ft powder and I nose dived and into the powder and then leaped out like I had done a jump in a jet-ski.

 

[redneckdan]

Sorry to thread dredge. Wanted to share my experience with chains. The diamond pattern from tirechain.com go on super easy. I run the reinforced diamond pattern.

I ordered 265/70-17 for my winterforce tires. They are slightly small but work okay. They fit the silent armor 265/70-17 on my squad truck perfectly. They fit my 255/75-17 stockers just fine.

 

[slowtwitch]

Sand, kitty litter, pea gravel, etc. I have those chains above, and while not heavy duty, they pack small, are relatively light, and go on easy. Just last week I got stuck on wet ice.. I just kicked the chains under the wheels in a pile, and got unstuck... chucked em back in the truck all in about 3 minutes.

 

[redneckdan]

Sand, kitty litter, pea gravel, etc. I have those chains above, and while not heavy duty, they pack small, are relatively light, and go on easy. Just last week I got stuck on wet ice.. I just kicked the chains under the wheels in a pile, and got unstuck... chucked em back in the truck all in about 3 minutes.

That's a good idea! I'll have to remember that. Would also work for helping someone who is stuck but has different size tires.