Mostly only needed in the West. Usually only needed on grades.

For a car I would recommend the cable type. They are much lighter and are easier to install.

Padanby:  

Donner Summit is around 7200+ ft. Lake Tahoe is another 1000 ft higher.

Prolly just a typo but the elevation of Lake Tahoe is around 6200', roughly 1000' lower than Donner.

Quoted: Quoted: Teach me something about snow chains Dont put them on the rear tires if you have a front wheel drive car. It happens.

I saw a Ford F-150 on Donner Pass with chains installed on the front axle

Quoted: Padanby:   Donner Summit is around 7200+ ft. Lake Tahoe is another 1000 ft higher. Prolly just a typo but the elevation of Lake Tahoe is around 6200', roughly 1000' lower than Donner.

He's probably talking about Echo Summit.

Get a set of Nokian snow tires.  I prefer the Hakkapelittia 2's myself, which can be studded.  Nokians are one of four brands of tires legally allowed to be used in Siberia in the winter, lest you become a road/safety hazzard.  They do ticket for it.  Nokians are made in Finland.  For me in NW AR, I had a set shipped from Denver for cheaper than I could get regular all-season Michelins mounted on my car at Sam's Club.




ETA:  God I need to get to sleep.  I just read that, and though it contained good info, it was disjointed as all hell.  Nightie night all...

FWD and 4 studded snow tires
The only way to navigate winter

Many local post offices run chains on their little van/truck things (where o where does the PO find these horrendous vehicles??)

Around here, chains are a good thing to have in reserve but are really only used by the rest of us when it gets real bad.  Bad usually means we wait until the car goes in a ditch, then put on the chains while waiting for the tow truck.

And as was previously suggested, if you're from an area without snow and have little to  no experience driving in it.. Well, I'd caution you to take it real easy.. They aren't magic.

The only thing I have ever used  chains for  is the mud.   A good thick  chain  will  turn your average tire into a bogger.

Chains  on the snow and such, why bother.  I drive a front wheel drive car and have lived where it does snow quite  a bit.  I haven't had any problems yet.  Just keep a 4wd ini the garage in case the SHTF witha  BIG snowstorm.

Save your money, or if you must spend some, spend it on a set of snow tires.  I grew up in SE Michigan, and now live in West Michigan.

The biggest thing you will have to learn how to do is SLOW DOWN and LEAVE SPACE between you and the car ahead of you.  SE Michigan traffic is notorious for leaving one or two car lengths of space and travelling at 70+ in crummy weather.

Yes, you may have a few snowstorms where there are 3 or 4 inches of snow that you need to drive through but put some weight in the back of the truck, 8 50 pound bags of play sand will work, and go easy on the gas pedal.