Auto Socks in snow

Quincy

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Apr 5, 2005
Location
Arlington, WA
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2015 Passat SE TDI, 2007 Dodge Cummins QC 4X4 6 sp, 2007 John Deere 3120
I've had a chance to figure out the drawbacks of not being able to turn off the traction control on my 2015 Passat. I actually was stuck on a hill after being forced to stop for an idiot coming down the hill. He decided he really didn't want to go down about half way. I ended up having to pull some Dukes of Hazard tricks to get the nose turned 180 on a road no wider than the length of the car. It just wasn't going to go up from a start. Every time I started to dig into the snow to grab some new traction, the traction control would kick in and put an end to my effort.

The next day I was at the dealer to take care of a check engine light. They had these tire sock things for $99.95 that you just slip over the tires. I was wondering if anyone has used them and what kind of experience was had. They seem too wonderful to be true, but they will probably just stay in my trunk for an "in a pinch" moment. They don't seem like something that would be good for a winter road trip through the mountains, though they claim they are.

I had a 2005 Passat TDI that was flawless in the snow. I used to take it to the mountains to ski and never once chained the stock tires. Even when trying to get the car goofy, I couldn't. I wonder, does the fact that this transmission is a DSG limit the ability of traction control? I don't remember ever turning off the traction control on the 2005, but I had the option. With the older one, I just put my foot into the right pedal and the car just figured it out. With the 2015, that doesn't work. It just gives up if it can't find traction.

I may have an opportunity to test these socks out today. NW Washington is supposed to have a paralyzing snow event today (2" is pretty traumatic here).
 

740GLE

Top Post Dawg
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Location
NH
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2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
Never had first hand experience with them. Prob for people who handle snow once or twice a season they'd prob work, just don't expect miracles. '15 does have limiting TCS but it's wayyy better than the 12-14 Passats, that allowed zero slipping before falling on it's face.

Prob the biggest thing against the 15 Passat are the wide floaty tires, you on 18s at 8"? Your older 05 Passat prob had more narrower tires possibly 16" with 6.5".
 

Quincy

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Location
Arlington, WA
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2015 Passat SE TDI, 2007 Dodge Cummins QC 4X4 6 sp, 2007 John Deere 3120
Never had first hand experience with them. Prob for people who handle snow once or twice a season they'd prob work, just don't expect miracles. '15 does have limiting TCS but it's wayyy better than the 12-14 Passats, that allowed zero slipping before falling on it's face.

Prob the biggest thing against the 15 Passat are the wide floaty tires, you on 18s at 8"? Your older 05 Passat prob had more narrower tires possibly 16" with 6.5".
I had to break them out of the trunk to get up my road yesterday. They aren't as easy to get on as I thought they'd be since I can't get my hands inside the wheel wells. Once on, they were nice and sticky. I drove right up the road I just made 10 failed attempts. We don't get that much snow, so if I was going to be doing more mountain driving, I will probably have chains too.
 

HPsenicka

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2 x 2004 Jetta Sport BEW (Malone Stage 1.5), 2014 GSW TDI - Wolfsburg Edition, 2015 Passat TDI -Sport Trim
Prob the biggest thing against the 15 Passat are the wide floaty tires, you on 18s at 8"? Your older 05 Passat prob had more narrower tires possibly 16" with 6.5".

My recently acquired 2015 Passat came equipped with 19" wheels and 245/45R19 Continental summer tires.


First order of business was to mount 16x6.5" wheels with 216/60R16 Nokian Hakkapellita R3 tires.


The OP isn't clear, but I sure hope he has proper winter tires mounted. before considering "tire socks".
 

Quincy

Veteran Member
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Apr 5, 2005
Location
Arlington, WA
TDI
2015 Passat SE TDI, 2007 Dodge Cummins QC 4X4 6 sp, 2007 John Deere 3120
My recently acquired 2015 Passat came equipped with 19" wheels and 245/45R19 Continental summer tires.


First order of business was to mount 16x6.5" wheels with 216/60R16 Nokian Hakkapellita R3 tires.


The OP isn't clear, but I sure hope he has proper winter tires mounted. before considering "tire socks".
Why would I need winter tires before installing any kind of traction device? If I had winter tires on the car, there is the possibility I wouldn't have needed additional traction to get up my driveway. Once the tire is wrapped with a fabric, it wouldn't matter if there was racing slicks on the car.

I heard mention of these socks on the news this morning. WSP Trooper Leary mentioned that your tires can possibly slip inside the fabric, making them less useful. That certainly makes sense to me. I think these socks will just remain in my trunk to use in a pinch. After next week, it may be 3 or 4 years before we ever see snow on the ground.


If I was to make runs into the mountains more often during the Winter with the car, I would definitely invest proper tires on their own wheels. With the forecast of the next week, I think I'm just going to have to get my truck dirty. The snow on my road is deep enough the bottom of the Passat doesn't clear it. I'll look for something heavy to toss in the bed and reduce the tire air pressure down from the 80psi they are probably sitting at.
 

jackbombay

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Diesel knows best
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A4 Jetta
They aren't as easy to get on as I thought they'd be since I can't get my hands inside the wheel wells.
I'm not totally sure how these go on, but with chains I alway back onto about 6" of them, that way I am fastening the inside just in front of the tire close to the ground where there is the best access, you can even have the front wheels turned all the way each way for each side to have really good access to the inside fastener, but it is harder to lay out the chain/sock under the car that way.
 

Windex

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Cambridge
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You live in Washing state.

Socks are very limited in lifespan - tried them out in my fleet of heavy trucks.

Get snow tires.
 

scrambld

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Belchertown, MA
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'06 Jetta...TDI/5spd :) >>>now a '15 Passat TDI/DSG
I'll look for something heavy to toss in the bed and reduce the tire air pressure down from the 80psi they are probably sitting at.
You're at max load all the time, requiring max tire press? Or, you like it rough? (the drive)……:D

I'd agree with the others...dedicated snows/16" wheels. But it doesn't sound like you encounter or drive in snow frequently (?).
 

740GLE

Top Post Dawg
Joined
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NH
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2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
Snow tires aren't for everyone all depends at how long the white stuff sticks around.

We've had more bare ground and clean pavement more than snow this year.
 

Quincy

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Arlington, WA
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2015 Passat SE TDI, 2007 Dodge Cummins QC 4X4 6 sp, 2007 John Deere 3120
You're at max load all the time, requiring max tire press? Or, you like it rough? (the drive)……:D

I'd agree with the others...dedicated snows/16" wheels. But it doesn't sound like you encounter or drive in snow frequently (?).
It is a truck, used to do truck things. I must have figured out at some point it wasn't having much asked of it because the tires were all at 55 psi. They are all at 44 now and the truck drives just fine in the snow.

I'm not buying a set of snow tires for an event that happens every 5 years as long as there's a 4X4 in the garage. Even as unusual as this snow event is, the Passat only needs assistance for the last mile of my trip home. By this afternoon, it should only need assistance for the last 1000 feet.
 

jrm

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Oregon
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2013 Passat SE with nav (totaled)
this last snow really crippled my Passat even with its artic studded tires as it kept getting high centered- had to park it and brake out the truck
 

Quincy

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Arlington, WA
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2015 Passat SE TDI, 2007 Dodge Cummins QC 4X4 6 sp, 2007 John Deere 3120
this last snow really crippled my Passat even with its artic studded tires as it kept getting high centered- had to park it and brake out the truck
Yep, I drove the car for the first time today. The neighbor finally removed enough snow with his tractor so my buddy that borrowed my tractor could finally bring it back to me.
 

HPsenicka

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Orangeville, Ontario
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2 x 2004 Jetta Sport BEW (Malone Stage 1.5), 2014 GSW TDI - Wolfsburg Edition, 2015 Passat TDI -Sport Trim
So you live in an area where you experience enough snow that you can't drive your car for almost a week, yet you don't think snow tires are necessary... really?
 

HPsenicka

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So you live in an area where you experience enough snow that you can't drive your car for almost a week, yet you don't think snow tires are necessary... really?
It isn't just about how much snow you have to deal with.



If your average daily temps are getting down below 7C, or anywhere close to 32F, regular all-season tires just don't have the same grip, even on dry pavement.
 

jrm

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next year im going to skip bolting on my general altimax artic tires as I just kept getting high centered and had to drive the truck anyway. I swear this 2015 rides lower than my 2013 did
 

20IndigoBlue02

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Was North NJ, now SoCal
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2002 Golf TDI-- deceased
I'm not totally sure how these go on, but with chains I alway back onto about 6" of them, that way I am fastening the inside just in front of the tire close to the ground where there is the best access, you can even have the front wheels turned all the way each way for each side to have really good access to the inside fastener, but it is harder to lay out the chain/sock under the car that way.
there are YouTube videos showing how to install them. it involves turning the wheel to grant better access to the rear of the tire and then drive forward and finish wrapping the tire.

there are chains that don't require you to drive over them to install

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk
 

Quincy

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Arlington, WA
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2015 Passat SE TDI, 2007 Dodge Cummins QC 4X4 6 sp, 2007 John Deere 3120
there are YouTube videos showing how to install them. it involves turning the wheel to grant better access to the rear of the tire and then drive forward and finish wrapping the tire.

there are chains that don't require you to drive over them to install

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk
I figured it out by turning the tires. It just required more adjustments because you still don't have access to the entire tire unless you have tiny hands and forearms.


I remember being thrilled about 30 years ago with the hoop style chains with the magnetic connection. I haven't chained anything up in so long. I think I've been on the same tire chain purchase from Les Schwab for over 20 years. If you don't use them, they let you swap them for another set if you need another size. Last year I sent them with the ex when she was moving. I wanted to make sure she at least far enough that where she was going was closer than turning back.
 

20IndigoBlue02

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Was North NJ, now SoCal
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2002 Golf TDI-- deceased
I figured it out by turning the tires. It just required more adjustments because you still don't have access to the entire tire unless you have tiny hands and forearms.
There are chains available that don't require you to reach around the back of the tire.

They tend to be quite expensive though, such as Spikes Spider and Konig (Thule) K-Summit.
 

Mark_J

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Deer Park, Washington
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2015 TDI Passat SEL Premium, 2017 Fiat Spider, 2017 Ford F350 6.7 Diesel crew cab PU, 2016 Harley Trike, 2016 Tesla Model X P90D (I know went to the dark side)
He lives in western Washington, Arlington, WA, where it very seldom snows. I live in the NE side of the state with 2 feet on the ground and the ground has been covered since thanksgiving. I do have good factory sipped tires and my 2015 Passat is great in the snow. He talks about how good a 4X4 pickup is in the snow, I worked on the west side, lived on the east side, and most of the vehicles in the ditch were 4X4 pickups because some folks think they are the cure all in the snow. Yes they are great in deep snow, starting off the line, but no better than anything else coming to a stop or very difficult to get out of a skid if you start to slide and loose traction. When it does snow on the west side it is usually heavier, wet snow that is very slick. On our side of the state where is gets close to zero most nights, the snow is actually somewhat sticky. Was in law enforcement and this was my observation.
 

Quincy

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So you live in an area where you experience enough snow that you can't drive your car for almost a week, yet you don't think snow tires are necessary... really?
Yes, exactly. I don't need snow tires for an even that happens once every seven years when there is a 4X4 with all terrain tires in the garage.
 

Quincy

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He lives in western Washington, Arlington, WA, where it very seldom snows. I live in the NE side of the state with 2 feet on the ground and the ground has been covered since thanksgiving. I do have good factory sipped tires and my 2015 Passat is great in the snow. He talks about how good a 4X4 pickup is in the snow, I worked on the west side, lived on the east side, and most of the vehicles in the ditch were 4X4 pickups because some folks think they are the cure all in the snow. Yes they are great in deep snow, starting off the line, but no better than anything else coming to a stop or very difficult to get out of a skid if you start to slide and loose traction. When it does snow on the west side it is usually heavier, wet snow that is very slick. On our side of the state where is gets close to zero most nights, the snow is actually somewhat sticky. Was in law enforcement and this was my observation.
The truck remains in the garage during most snow events because the only thing it can do better is get moving. I have always driven whatever passenger car in the snow instead of the truck. The sides of the roads become littered with 4X4s beginning at the first sign of snow on the West side.
 

Mark_J

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True and because is doesn't snow very often on the west side, and especially as much as it did this time, folks don't have the experience on how to drive in the snow. So some may laugh when Seattle shuts down when it snowed over a foot, but they aren't equipped to clear city streets and it is a very hilly area, with many steep hills like Capitol hill.
 

jackbombay

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Diesel knows best
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The last week and a half I was working in Vail at the Burton US Open snowboard championship, there was a $500,000 trailer there that has a very large TV in it that pops out of the top that they drag up the ski hill with a snocat and park it next to the bottom of the halfpipe so they can show replays of the snowboarding to the crowd.

After the contest was over the trailer was in the parking lot and a guy was backing a truck up to it, and the truck had snow socks on it. I chatted with him for a bit, he LOVES them, he's hauled all sorts of stuff all over and won't use anything else. I forgot to ask about longevity though. He said they are particularly good in PNW "warm snow".

When you tow a $500,000 15,000 pound trailer in the winter traction is critical!





I'm not sure I'll ever buy a pair anytime soon, but I'm certainly not opposed to them.

Oh yea, and here is a pic of me With Terje!



I also rode the chairlift with Danny Davis!
 
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