Educate me on tire chains

[ss20]

Not sure what the issue would be with getting snow tires? Think of it this way, no matter what tires you have on your car, you get a certain amount of wear/miles driven on any tire. So lets say you drive 30K miles per year and you get 30K miles out of your regular season tires before they wear out. You are buying a set of tires every year. But now, you buy a second set of tires that you use for 6 months (winter),... now you will not be buying new tires as often.

For $600, you should be able to get the winter tires you need and should be driving with.

Because...as I said above...I need "something" by Monday. So that necessitates me dropping the $$ on chains as I doubt I'd be able to get a snow tire appointment tomorrow afternoon/Saturday AM. As I alluded to, I'll certainly be going back to snow tires in the future...but probably not this winter.

 

[JimG.]

Not sure what the issue would be with getting snow tires? Think of it this way, no matter what tires you have on your car, you get a certain amount of wear/miles driven on any tire. So lets say you drive 30K miles per year and you get 30K miles out of your regular season tires before they wear out. You are buying a set of tires every year. But now, you buy a second set of tires that you use for 6 months (winter),... now you will not be buying new tires as often.

For $600, you should be able to get the winter tires you need and should be driving with.

When is the last time you priced out new tires? I did about 2 weeks ago and almost fell down from sticker shock.

And I'm NOT a "skiing on the cheap" kind of guy.

 

[ThatGuy]

When is the last time you priced out new tires? I did about 2 weeks ago and almost fell down from sticker shock.

And I'm NOT a "skiing on the cheap" kind of guy.

I got my snows on craigslist over the summer and the guy who was selling them has a 150% markup on the same tires now.

 

[cdskier]

When is the last time you priced out new tires? I did about 2 weeks ago and almost fell down from sticker shock.

And I'm NOT a "skiing on the cheap" kind of guy.

This is the same tire I bought 4 years ago. Price has gone up about $40/tire in that time-frame.

 

[Kingslug20]

I'm going to bet they go up a bit more after new year...

 

[mister moose]

... But I don't have the time, $$, or space. I'm getting the car today, and start Monday....which happens to be the day our first storm in three weeks rolls in! So it's going to have to be chains picked up from the local Autozone.

Wait, you're just getting the car today???


BTW, Odds of chains fitting right out of the box is small. They don't make chains for each of the huge number of tire sizes, they make chains for size ranges. You're gonna need a way to cut the excess, and possibly move some of the hardware. Wire ties, aka zip ties are great for securing the release mechanism, depending the type.

 

[mister moose]

This is the same tire I bought 4 years ago. Price has gone up about $40/tire in that time-frame.

I've driven those. Plenty of performance for daily in the snow driving.

 

[cdskier]

I've driven those. Plenty of performance for daily in the snow driving.

I've been happy with them so far. I think I used the same ones on my old truck too (different size of course).

 

[kbroderick]

Wait, you're just getting the car today???


BTW, Odds of chains fitting right out of the box is small. They don't make chains for each of the huge number of tire sizes, they make chains for size ranges. You're gonna need a way to cut the excess, and possibly move some of the hardware. Wire ties, aka zip ties are great for securing the release mechanism, depending the type.

Some styles work without cutting; I think there are more than just the ones I've used, but I could be wrong. I've used cables on an XTerra that, IIRC, did not require specific one-time setup, just proper application of the tensioner each time they were installed. They are a PITA, the more so if you're not on a smooth, dry surface, but they worked the few times I needed them to (one was getting caught during a nasty mixed-precip event as the temperature dropped, with a snowmachine trailer; the other two were (a) pulling a full-size truck out of a snowbank and (b) driving around at elevation on non-winter-maintained USFS roads in the fall.

The cables are more expensive than basic chains and probably not as good in deep snow or mud, but they work with tighter clearances.

 

[Smellytele]

Wait, you're just getting the car today???


BTW, Odds of chains fitting right out of the box is small. They don't make chains for each of the huge number of tire sizes, they make chains for size ranges. You're gonna need a way to cut the excess, and possibly move some of the hardware. Wire ties, aka zip ties are great for securing the release mechanism, depending the type.

Not true. The newer ones require no cutting. They have bungees tighteners that keep them on.

 

[mister moose]

Not true. The newer ones require no cutting. They have bungees tighteners that keep them on.

Those aren't chains. They look like Yak Trax for tires.

Whatever you get, do a dry run for fit and installation method in the warm and dry before the storm hits. Notice how the photo shows how easy it is with the tire off the car and it's levitated off the floor?

 

[djd66]

When is the last time you priced out new tires? I did about 2 weeks ago and almost fell down from sticker shock.

And I'm NOT a "skiing on the cheap" kind of guy.

Tons of options on tirerack.com that are below $600 for a set of 4 tires delivered

 

[Smellytele]

Tons of options on tirerack.com that are below $600 for a set of 4 tires delivered

14”?Tucson probably has 19”

 

[djd66]

14”?Tucson probably has 19”

17 is original equipment

here‘s the link: https://www.tirerack.com/tires/Tire...utoYear=2011&autoModel=Tucson&autoModClar=GLS

 

[Ski2LiveLive2Ski]

Blizzaks are the bomb. Had mine mounted on separate rims and only put them on when needed since I don't regularly drive to snow country and live in southcentral PA. Basically make my Subaru a tank in snow.

Got my first 4WD in April (Subaru Forester) and just got my first snow tires (Blizzaks) put on. Psyched to have upped by skiing transport game for this winter.

Amazingly I found a tire shop that will store for free for me whichever of my snow and all season tires are not being used year round. That's old school.

 

[Kingslug20]

You will find the difference substantial. I can barley get the tires to spin with them on.

 

[jimmywilson69]

Got my first 4WD in April (Subaru Forester) and just got my first snow tires (Blizzaks) put on. Psyched to have upped by skiing transport game for this winter.

Amazingly I found a tire shop that will store for free for me whichever of my snow and all season tires are not being used year round. That's old school.

that is amazing. I had mine mounted on Rims by tirerack. so I keep them at home in the garage. I can then swamp them out as needed. Takes about 30 minutes.

Living where I live, I don't need them all winter or even at all some winters except for when I got to VT.

 

[Ski2LiveLive2Ski]

that is amazing. I had mine mounted on Rims by tirerack. so I keep them at home in the garage. I can then swamp them out as needed. Takes about 30 minutes.

Living where I live, I don't need them all winter or even at all some winters except for when I got to VT.

Don't need them around me in NJ very much, but regularly drive to VT and Catskills and got them for those occasions. Skied 41 days last year, with about 30 of those in VT and NY

 

[sull1102]

Chains are for the deep stuff, unplowed powder, low speed overall. Snow tires are what you need, you will not get far on all season tires.

 

[2Planker]

Have run Nokian's (Finland) on our Audi's for years. Great snow tires , but pricey.

Newest Best seller is the Continental Viking F7. Just had them installed on Friday

I pay $200/year for Storage of 4 mounted tires and 2 change over's (Dec./April)