Spikes-Spider SPORT - size SXXXL with modified Land Rover Defender wheel bolts

(1) Speed and ease of fit: Once the hub mounting plates are fitted, (about 10 minutes a side, 5 minutes with practice) there's no doubt that Spikes-Spiders are both the fastest and the easiest chains to fit; you'll appreciate this when it's dark, cold and snowing! Please note that if you are new to this system you need to order both the Spikes-Spider and the hub mounting kit; both these items are pre-ticked in the order section at the bottom of this page.

(2) How they work: They use a combination of ice studs and chains, and are very effective. They're not in fact driven by the mounting plates - these just prevent them from being thrown off during fast cornering (which is never advised). Small plastic teeth on the underside of the traction arms grip the tyres, and the reverse of the tungsten carbide studs also slot into the treads. The mounting plates hold them loosely so they can move around as the tyres flex in response to changes in the road surface. A slow motion film would also show that they're allowed to lift off the top of the tyres, just enough to allow for efficient snow dispersal. Because they don't actually grip the tyres they're compatible with anti-lock braking and traction control systems (unlike conventional snow chains).

(3) Overall value: Spikes-Spider SPORT can easily be resized, bigger or smaller, to fit any tyre size for which a SPORT is available. The SPORT model has the widest application list of the whole range, fitting rim sizes from 12" to a massive 23", so we argue that they're the overall best value tyre traction system on the market!

We've been hiring chains for almost 10 years now and are always impressed by the state in which Spikes Spiders are returned, especially when compared to traditional snow chains. This is partly due to the ease of fitting - customers are more likely to take them off when they get to tarmac - but also to the quality of the components; metal components are made either of tungsten carbide or stainless steel, with the major plastic components made of a modified polypropylene.

As well as ski-driving, they're also ideal for UK snow use, especially in hilly areas, or for occasional extra traction on grass or sand, e.g. for pulling horse boxes or trailers on grass, or in various boat launching scenarios.

Fitting is very quick and easy:

• If snow is expected, or before you leave for your sking holiday, fit a Spikes-Spider hub mounting plate to each driving wheel.
• When you need extra traction, take the Spider out of its carrying bag and remove the decorative cover from the mounting plate.
• Push the chain over the top and sides of the tyre, leaving the green section sitting against the wall of the tyre at ground level.
• "Click" home the locking plate which holds the Spider onto its mounting plate.
• Do the same on the other side, get back in the car, and slowly drive off. The green sections will wind onto each tyre automatically.

Removing the Spiders is equally simple:

• Take off the locking plates, pull the Spiders off the top and sides of the tyres, drive forward and the Spiders will fall onto the road.
• Give them a shake to remove any snow or slush and put them back in their carrying bag.

Other things you'll appreciate:

• No part of a Spikes-Spider touches the metal rim, so there’s no possibility of damage to alloys.
• Only smooth heavy duty plastic touches the wall of the tyre, so you won’t damage the tyre if you kerb it (kerbs aren’t so visible in snowy conditions).
• There shouldn’t be any damage to your car in the unlikely event of a breakage because there's a secondary chain which will hold the the components together.

Spare parts and resizing information: Please click here for SPORT XXXL spares, and online ordering for these accessories. Click here for a list of all the Spikes-Spider parts which you attach to the wheel, e.g. fix-clips, bolts, spacers.

Summary: The most complete system available, worth buying into if you expect to be a regular ski driver, or if you can see their potential for UK use as well.

Land Rover Defender modifications:

It's not possible to fit Spikes-Spider chains to Land Rover Defenders in the standard way, because these use wheel nuts with a 27mm hex size, and the largest Spikes-Spider fix clips are 24mm. The solution is to modify a set of Original Equipment Defender wheel nuts by tapping threads into them and then using these as a foundation for fixing the Spikes-Spider hub plates.

You need to order at least 4 modified wheel nuts for each wheel; if you have locking wheel nuts, leave these in place.

A 17mm brass adapter (internal part no. SPX17M10M8-1) will be supplied with each wheel nut ordered.

Overview of fitting procedure (see pictures showing wheel nuts):

• Picture 1 - Replace at least 4 of the 5 wheel nuts on each wheel; if you have locking wheel nuts, leave them in place
• Picture 2 - Screw a brass adapter into each wheel nut and tighten using the torque tool provided
• Picture 3 - You need to allow 17mm extra because there is no fix clip; on these steel wheels each wheel nut required a 17mm brass adapter, a 17mm short adapter, a nylon washer, a long bolt.
• Picture 3 again - Use the slots marked 5, whether fitting 4 nuts or 5 nuts

Fitting and removal tips:

• Use the spare tyre to decide how to resize the chains prior to first use
• Optimum adjustment is when you can comfortably slide 4 fingers between tyre and chain
• Try and adjust each quarter of the chain evenly, but fine-tuning may well be possible in one quarter only - no worries about this
• Place the chains over the top of the wheels with the traction arms at 10 to 2. If you find it at all difficult to fit the locking disk, move the wheel a half revolution (i.e. move the vehicle) and then push the remaining chain onto the top of the wheel
• If you find it's difficult to pull out the red release handle of the locking disk, move it (usually anti-clockwise) a few millimetres, and then pulling out the release handle will be very easy