Snow tire chains - Anyone used or purchased?

[Wendy]

You should either put chains on the Rear, or on BOTH front and rear. This is something I learned when first driving a front-wheel drive car. If you put chains only on the front and then you put on the brakes your rear wheels will have little control and can easily cause you to spin around. Having chains on the rear wheels provides a safe stop, slowing the rear of your vehicle and allowing the front to stay pointing forward.

That said I was just at the tire store yesterday. Bought my snow tires, I have loved using the soft rubber tires that grab so well to the snow and ice. My story: my 2013 Silverado was smashed by a tree so I bought my Lightning. Dealer gave me a spare set of wheels, since I always have had two sets (winter, summer). So I went into the tire store with my spare set of 20" wheels. I had talked with them and they said I could also have used my (nearly new) 18" tires from the Silverado and purchased 18" Ford wheels from them.

So I guess based upon discussion I shouldn't use my chains on the 20" Snow tires. And I don't want to go back and get new wheels. But in the last 20 years of owning a 4wd truck I have never had to put on chains. They have simply sat in the bed of the truck to satisfy the State Patrol. "Required to carry chains even with 4WD"

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[21st Century Truck]

Yes, I have and when needed, will use my RUD Grip 4 x 4 snow chains. RUD USA part # 2532. They live in their bags in the narrow space behind the rear left passenger seat back.

I have used snow chains on multiple cars and am very comfortable with how they work and when to use them and how to drive with snow chains on.

Although I have read the factory snow chain warnings for the Lightning, I tested my RUD Grips on the Lightning a year ago and concluded that:

- there is no problem with these chains on the rear wheels.

- on the front wheels, with these specific chains there indeed is a potential danger of interference when swinging the steering wheel through lock-to-lock turns. Instead of lock-to-lock turns, the driver must be careful to learn the appropriately safe turning angle, and then limit the turning radius of the steering wheel when the chains are on the front wheels. In other words, these chains work well with a decent albeit narrower angle of the front turn(s). Now that I tested them I understand these limiting turn angles.

When it is a situation of "must go" in icy, slick or heavy snow conditions, I'll take this steering limitation. I note that such situations present difficult decisions to begin with, and are not to be confused with fun snow days. Usually, such conditions don't last for a very long time or distance and therefore the capability to judiciously use chains to get through a difficult section, and then shed them when they aren't needed, makes sense to me.

On my previous car the Mach E Mustang, I used my RUD chains (a different product) in northern Wisconsin and the following Winter on high passes and hills in the south-central Colorado Rockies, including during a blizzard on Monarch Pass. Was very glad to have had them with me and quickly mounted them when needed, before things became critical... never for longer than about 15 - 20 miles but I likely would not have made it through two sections in Colorado, on two different days, without those chains on.

The 1st event was a completely iced-over winding and sloping 2 lane road to get off the Grand Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument at 8,000 feet and about zero degrees F... the solid ice was at least 2 inches thick and smooth, and I was towing a small camper, so those chains got us safely off the mountain down to where US 50 was nice and salted and plowed clear.

The next event was on the aforesaid Monarch Pass in the blizzard, the following night, where the danger was very slick layers of blizzard snow hard-packed by 18-wheeler semis, again in sub-freezing temps. Once through the Pass on its Eastern side and at a lower elevation, the chains came right off.

So for me, it's a niche capability yet a key capability when it really counts. Like any niche capability, it's not a panacea nor a license to get careless while in by-definition dangerous driving conditions.

I hope this makes sense.

 

[strago13]

Yep - worked perfectly. No apparent damage to wheels.

These are the ones you got? SZ451?

 

[bc1]

I was just looking. The RUD lists a 2532D which has an alternating few vertical links in the middle of the tire hold the cross chains making them into a diamond shape so there are less cross chains than other models of chains which may or may not give them more grip. Looked like tire chains online had them for about 164 bux a pair with free shipping but I didn't shop around trying to buy any.

Just checked on Colorado chain law which is my most likely place to encounter the issue. They allow for alternative traction devices so check your state or province to see what exactly they require but I will bet most are similar to what Colorado has. I have never heard of tire socks so will take a look.

I looked and the autosock is some kind of fabric netting that covers the tread and held by straps. Walmart has the HP870 for a 275/60/r20 for 152 bux a pair plus 20 bux shipping. Saw something in the search that said Washington state and Mount Rainier approved them from the Rivian website.

I guess the bottom line for me is not necessarily the minimum legal requirement or the cheapest but what may save our lives in a blizzard and that is what has the most grip. I'd have to study socks and cables to see how they compare to chains. but having been in a few blizzards back in the day that be chains right now knowing the turn and slow speed limitations. That said, the older I am maybe the wiser choice is to do what my wife says when she wants to stop somewhere or maybe not go in bad weather instead of the manly thing and pushing on.

Colorado Passenger vehicle chain law Code 15. Sep 1 to May 1. Passenger vehicles less than 16,001 lbs.

Always active on I-70 between Morrison and Dotsero.

2wd vehicles since 2025 must carry tire chains or an approved (ATD) Alternative Traction Device. There is a "no tire-only option" for 2wd vehicles to comply.

AWD/4WD vehicles must have all-wheel drive engaged and tires with at least 3/16" tread depth and rated all weather, mud and snow, or winter/mountain-snowflake icon.



Colorado Passenger vehicle chain law Code 16.

This is the final measure before road closures during severe storms.

Every vehicle including AWD and 4WD must have tire chains or an approved Alternative Traction Devices (ATD) installed on at least two drive tires.

Approved ATD's include: Textile Traction Devices (TTD)(fabric traction devices) tire socks which are slip on textile covers like autosock, easysox, and isse tire sock. Also include: cable chains using steel cables with traction rollers instead of heavy link chains providing a smoother ride like Alpha Trax/Laclede chain mfr.

The only approved TTD for commercial vehicles over 16,001 lbs is AutoSock.

High strength cable rollers of .415" or greater in diameter may be used except with specific tandem axle configerations.

 

[21st Century Truck]

Anyone used or purchased snow tire chains, especially for the Lariat wheels?

Heading up to the mountain next week and carrying them is required. The snow rating on these tires are so low that I might have to just put them on too.

Yes. I have four RUD chains. They stow behind the rear left seat back.

I've used RUD chains for years on many cars.

On my Lightning (OEM size tires) I use this model, cut & pasted from the RUD USA dealer:

"For your tire size – 275/60R20, you would need part #2532 – Grip 4x4. For a pair they are $125.26 + shipping".

Again, I chose to get two pair, as the truck is all-wheel drive. I've used them and I am satisfied with the price and the performance.

The rear pair has plenty of clearance all around. The front pair, although it comes close to the upper ball joints, does clear the ball joint mount with adequate space. How do I know this? ...because I watched the full swing of the front wheels with chains on while another person worked the steering wheel.

Of course, with larger wheels or tires all clearance bets would be off...

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