Autosocks

[old.user4556]

There's been a power of moaning about the weather lately - it's sucked big time for most of us and here up in Ecossé we've had 2 to 3 feet of the bloody stuff. This winter, I didn't want to get caught short, so I ordered a pair of Autosocks.

AutoSock/Auto Sock.The Textile wheel cover for Driving in Ice and Snow.Auto Socks get you Home!

They're basically fabric that go over the driving wheels (my Z4 is useless in the snow) that give you much more grip on snow and ice.

Can I just say: they fucking rock. They really do work and have allowed me to go places in the snow that would have otherwise been impassable. However, they are a bit of a bastard to fit to rear wheel drive cars, but I understand it's not so hard on front wheel drive as you can turn the steering wheel and get in behind the tyres. Once you're done driving, you just whip them off (they get muddy and slushy, take a bag and towel with you) and stick them in the washing machine when you get home - they come out nearly dry. Cost for me was £70 delivered and they've saved my ass on a few occasions in the past few weeks.

YouTube - AutoSock Test Drive

 

[TdC]

looks too good to be true! how fast can you go with them, and how does driving with them feel?

 

[xomer]

i have a similar type of em.

You can go till 50 km i think and its really a plus, but if you drive with em on a road without much snow on it, they can broken up easily.

 

[Tom]

I bought a pair a few weeks back, so far I've not had reason to use them, but I'm glad to have them there.

I also keep a bag of grit and a shovel in the boot, along with a blanket, water, coat, and food.

Next year if we have this again I'll probably buy some winter tyres too. Much better option I think.

 

[ECA]

Of course, what if you don't need more grip on a household object ( car ) but less grip?

YouTube - It's Always Sunny... Kittens Mittens

 

[caLLous]

This is interesting, I saw something like this on the news in the last snow at the end of November in England. Looked like some roadside recovery firm was using them or something. I use snow chains at the moment which are a pain to put on (especially when your hands are numb with cold!) and no fun at all to get off - you have to make sure the wheel is rotated to exactly the right spot.

Have you driven on these in changeable road conditions G? I don't think chains are any good for tyres on clear roads. I go up into the moutains quite a bit and there are lots of windy roads = large portions of road where the sun has melted the snow and similarly large portions in shade with 2 or 3 inches of snow on them. It just *feels* like the snow chains aren't doing good things to the tyres when not on snow.

Will definitely be getting a pair of these I think.

Anyone else think Autosocks were some sort of automated footwear that the jocks used? No? Just me?

 

[Tom]

The instant you're back on driveable asphalt, the snow socks have to come off - otherwise they get ripped to pieces after only a mile or two.

Your tyres won't be harmed by the chains.

 

[old.user4556]

Yep, what Tom says, once you're back on tarmac you need to whip them off. Given the vast volume of snow, most of the roads were at least slushy round here.

Also to echo what Tom said, you wouldn't replace winter / snow tyres with these, they're mostly emergency "get me home" things, but they work bloody well and wouldn't go anywhere without them. Additionally, snow / winter tyres aren't really an option on my car so they're the perfect solution.

PS max speed is 30 mph, but I don't understand why anyone would want to go that fast in snow .

 

[xomer]

PS max speed is 30 mph, but I don't understand why anyone would want to go that fast in snow .

U'r absolutely right, but believe me i am a regular snowboarder and my eyes have seen a lot. Car with speed more than 90km/h in a totally snowing place.

 

[caLLous]

Sold tbh. I'm getting some rather excellent snow-shoes for Christmas so I shall be well eqipped.

 

[rynnor]

Hah - I bought some of these when I read the emergency services had bought thousands for their non 4x4 vehicles.

We have been staying in farm in an area that was actually declared cut off by heavy snowfall on monday - very steep hills and thick snow but these things are amazing. They work best on thick snow or snow with ice - amazing difference in grip - without them we would have been completely stuck.

They work by having these ridges spaced along the tyre length that bed into the snow. Your really must take them off as soon as you hit a decent road though - I drove a half mile on them on asphalt to find a layby and they showed some wear so be warned.

 

[Garaen]

Winter tyres should be compulsory in winter, it really would help massively.

 

[Exioce]

In Norway it's law, snow tyres in winter. My car was awful in the snow, almost ran over a guy, then almost hit a wall. Not fun.

 

[Raven]

If you didn't drive a hair dressers car, this wouldn't be an issue

 

[old.user4556]

Nothing hairdresserish about a 3 litre straight six; it ain't an MX5

 

[Zenith]

Cool, but why not only buy a pair or two of winter tyres? Most people in Scotland didnt even know they existed, while its a fucking law here in Sweden to change them come November. Well worth the cost!

 

[Tom]

That's because the weather we're currently experiencing is unusual. For the past decade at least, we've had fairly mild winters where the temperature doesn't drop below 5C much.

BTW, if you're buying winter tyres you should buy four, to buy only two can be dangerous.

 

[old.user4556]

Cool, but why not only buy a pair or two of winter tyres? Most people in Scotland didnt even know they existed, while its a fucking law here in Sweden to change them come November. Well worth the cost!

There are several reasons:

- I'd need to buy two new 18" split rim alloys, roughly a grand.
- I'd need to buy run-flat winter tyres, and in my wheel size it's the thick end of £700 for two.
- The Z4 isn't really cut out for winter weather or winter tyres.

Given the cost for 4 weeks of the year, it hardly seems worth it when I can get "get me the fuck out of here" autosocks which will do the same job in an emergency for a fraction of the cost.