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Why the Golf GTI is no good to take to the snow


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It's perfect in sooo many ways.

Heated seats, heated wing mirrors, access to the boot that nicely fits a snow board in it...

but can you put snow chains on it? Can you arse. The suspention strut at the front is literally 30mm from the tyre wall... if you put a chain in there it would end in tears.

Apart from that, not a bad motor... full bisonesqe review coming soon.

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Its not an issue on most. Also that being rear wheel drive i think the chains will be fitted to the back (seems to make sense!) and you've probably got a multilink setup which means the spring won't be attached to the strut and shouldn't be as close to the wheel. Pictures paint a thousand words and all that suspension bible

You can easily feel it on the GTI, just stick your hand over the top of the wheel and feel how far from tyre to the strut is.

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I am currently looking into this and have purchased

SCC Super Z6 Chains that require only 6.5mm of clearance. (http://www.scc-chain.com/Traction%20Pages/Trac_SZ6.html) I subsequently found out the manual says 'no snow chains', so I called dealer and volkswagen and received no straight answers... has anyone tried chains on the GTI at all?

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Yup that's what caused me to post... rented some from a shop in jindy and fitted them, i just couldn't have moved without need for buying some new suspension!

6.5 mm or 65mm clearence? 6.5mm would be fine.

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You can always put Vredestein WintracXtremes on all 4 wheels

Or there are low profile snowchains - had them for a previous car - will look into this next week coffee.gif

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That doesn't work down here (nor do studded tyres - which are illegal IIRC).

By law, you must carry (and fit when directed) snow chains sized appropriately for your vehicle. Big $ fines if you try to evade or ignore this. As most of Australia's resorts lie in or near National Parks - this can get messy.

As such, an AWD like the R32 can't be taken down to the snow as you can't get chains for 18" wheels, and it is illegal to put a wheel (say 17") & tyre combo on that has a lower rating than on the tyre placard (e.g. 92Y for the R) - even if this allows for chains.

The Boxster on the other hand can fit Porsche chains (about $1K for both of them) to both the 17" or 18" rear wheels.

It's a pity Oz doesn't get as cold and snowy as in the northern hemisphere - having a set of winter tyres makes a lot of sense...

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[ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

I am currently looking into this and have purchased

SCC Super Z6 Chains that require only 6.5mm of clearance. (http://www.scc-chain.com/Traction%20Pages/Trac_SZ6.html) I subsequently found out the manual says 'no snow chains', so I called dealer and volkswagen and received no straight answers... has anyone tried chains on the GTI at all?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yup that's what caused me to post... rented some from a shop in jindy and fitted them, i just couldn't have moved without need for buying some new suspension!

6.5 mm or 65mm clearence? 6.5mm would be fine.

[/ QUOTE ]

6.5mm of clearence.... just got it back from the dealers. even with these chains the brake line is too close!?

I really need an option here. help confused.gif

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