[tessmc1023]

Hi,

I am an older woman and have a new 2017 Subaru Outback 3.6R and I live in the Portland, OR area. I plan to do some winter traveling and would like a good option for snow chains. I know the manual says not to use them but what do you do when they are required in some areas like say the mountain passes or the gorge or when we have snow/black ice. I really don't need studded tires because when I am home I have the option of not traveling when we have dicey weather and it so intermittent. It's just when I am traveling to different weather regions or higher elevations that I will need them. Any suggestions? Someone suggested:

Thule Self-Tensioning, Low-Profile Snow Tire Chains - Diamond Pattern - D Link - CG9 - Size 105
Item # TH2004205105 or
Glacier Cable Snow Tire Chains - 1 Pair Item # PW1046

Any recommendations for easy install? Do I only put them on the front wheels of the AWD?

Thanks,
Tess

P.S. Apologize in advance if I am asking silly questions.:smile2:

 

[eagleeye]

short answers:

zip chains hard to put on, even on a car with no slush on it inside a heated garage,

putting them on at the side of the road, or in a rest area in the slush does not sound like fun vs. waiting for the plows to come by and clean the road for all with and without them to drive safely..

_______

people in place like california have them in case any CHIP wants to see them, and 15 minutes after they make you pull in and put them on, they are closing the road "all" traffic (chains, snow tires, ...everything) so they can plow and no one is in their way.

_______

many subarus run around in the worst snow conditions on all seasons that have lots to tread, however trying to make it on the same tires with 35,000 miles on them already makes for all wheel spin vs. all wheel drive.


_______

others have snow tires on their own rims:


nice things on black ice:


the studded tires are great: I can even drive and find a safe place to wait for the sander, before anyone without them crashes into me.


I run on studded snows. others run on sticky ice tires. (bridgestone blizzacks, michelin X ice, etc.) the sticky ice tires loose there abiltiy to stick after 2 seasons. my studded ones last a lot longer then that, I don't loose the studs and only toss them when the tread gets low enough they don't bite in regular snow anymore. (even in the end of life the studs still bite).

only one of my cars has studded snows on it though, if there is "any" chance of participation / freezing rain, this is the car that is taken,
I have plain cheap snows on the other for sunny days. (use to just keep the all seasons on it, but bought some used snows off another member).


_____

year round snows vs. swapping and storing a set of all seasons and a set of snows.

some snow tires are made to run year round now, as they don't melt in the summer like plain old fashioned snows.
(Nokian WRG3, one of the michelin X ice series, cheaper: toyo celcius,...don't think any of them will stick to the ice after 2 years though).

.
______

more answers like this from people that live out in the sierra nevada ski land areas: just need to type "snow chains" up in the search box in the upper right hand corner.

 

[tessmc1023]

Thanks for the advice. I like the idea of snow tires and didn't relish the thought of putting on any chains in the chilly winter roadside. If I had access to a second I could justify studded tires. Quick question? Any problems going with 235/60/18 vs. 225/60/18? I know they are a bit wider. Would they void Subaru's warranty? My car only has about 1500 miles on it and I plan to keep for a good long while.

 

[rasterman]

They won't void the warranty. I'm not sure if they'll fit without rubbing- it sounds good, but I've never tried that size myself. I used slightly small snow tires for my car. They can bust through a crust instead of floating on top.

 

[eagleeye]

Thanks for the advice. I like the idea of snow tires and didn't relish the thought of putting on any chains in the chilly winter roadside. If I had access to a second I could justify studded tires. Quick question? Any problems going with 235/60/18 vs. 225/60/18? I know they are a bit wider. Would they void Subaru's warranty? My car only has about 1500 miles on it and I plan to keep for a good long while.

moderator @Brucey has a car much like yours and runs snows, and all terrains for real off roading.

and should be able to suggest what size tires are great.

in my old owners manuals for my 2002 cars, subaru suggests a slightly smaller snow tire size as the snows have longer nubs on the tread, however I run the same OEM size summer and winter,
only a hand full of times have I had my snow tires articulate enough to rub over 15? years. (just me going way to fast over a rough road that has about 5" ice on it that makes the tires jump up and down leaving the surface,...= whole ass end of the car jumps up and down,).