chains on front of taco/4runner

Hi all. I have 06 4runner awd and 09 taco 4wd and live on a very steep unpaved road in WV that can ice up even after plowing from the melt freeze cycle. This winter so far has been an adventure. All the tricks on the trucks available (4lo in 1st gear, ABS, DAC, etc) will not at times prevent loss of traction and control if it's really bad conditions and i must get out. Chaining rear only can lead to loss of control as front wheels slide while back keeps pushing (just had that). Chain the front only and the vehicle can swing around into 360 spin (neighbor's experience). Chaining all 4 is a great solution, it really works. V-bar chains on back and SCC Z6 cables on front. Front chain problem is that even with the super thin SCC Z6 (only 1/4" clearance required) I can hear the tick tick of the connector on the back wire of the chain. Nothing else rubs. It may be contacting the upper control arm. Checking the cables after use shows no noticable wear, steering is fine, cables stay tight. Running stock size tires and wheels (17" on both trucks). Elevation drop is about 500' over 3/4 with very steep spots. I park at bottom and take unchained 4runner or taco (varies) to get to civilization.

Any thoughts or concerns about the contact with uca given use i described? Anyone have a similar experience and solved it? Might this occasional use on front cause a problem one day with uca? Or not to worry? How tough is the uca? I'd think rocks hit it occasionally.

Thanks for any input.

 

Unless the rubbing is so bad that you are scoring the UCA I don't see any problems. Keep the chains as tight as possible and monitor closely for any wear.

 

Thanks for your relpies. Studded is a thought. Not sure about WV law on studded tires. Not sure I want to make one truck to be a only a shuttle vehicle all winter. I'm going to play with where I move and tighten down the cables to get the connector higher up on tire. The SCC rubber tightener degrades and loses some tension strength so maybe a metal spring tensioner will help. Looked at moving the wheels off with insert but seems expensive and heavy-handed for my needs. Any other ideas much appreciated.

 

what about snow straps?
http://www.sportsimportsltd.com/tire-ice-grabber-straps.html?site=google_base

 

Thanks for the tip on snow straps. Might be enough in a pinch.

 

i feel like you would want like 5 straps on each tire...one little contact patch while the other 98% of the tires slips?

 

I run low profile v-bar chains on front and rear with no issues. I think the key is to keep them tight and properly centered in order to stop rub. I run some fasteners across the face of the wheel to keep the chains tight.

But I agree with others: the tap-tap sound shouldn't be a problem unless you see scoring. Just remember that you shouldn't drive fast or far with chains/cables on.

 

You'd definitely need to shut off VSC and traction control to run like that, otherwise the computer would freak out on you.

Is it even possible to shut off all that stuff on the tacos? On my mazda I have to hold the stability control button down for a few seconds and everything shuts off (only way to succesfully perform either a burnout or a CA smog inspection) 'till the engine is turned off. Haven't tried that yet in the truck, though.

 

i dont think you wouold just use one...maybe 4 at a minumun. but after looking at them a little closer they are only "velcro" straps... Im thinking that they would fly off the tire very easy

 

these look interesting:
http://www.sportsimportsltd.com/tiresnowspikes.html

 

I would definitely start with winter tires. I was assuming that you were already running some and just looking for extra traction. Chains have their uses but are only a band aid fix for occasional use. If you are driving this road and others regularly then I think spending the money on tires is a wiser choice.

If only part of your driving is on winter roads then you could always go no-studded. The best studless tires are as good these days. I would look at the Michelin X-ice Latitude or Bridgestone Winter Dueler first.

Also don't forget to call your road maintenace office and complain until they the road sanded better.

 

Thanks again all. I am the road crew most of the time, ha ha. Steepness of road can require a small 'dozer or backhoe (with chains!) to plow in really big snows. Pulling the plasticoated wire ring on the Z6 cables as tight as poss. against back of tire and using an extra rubber tensioner reduced the tapping sound quite a lot. The contact point is now on the flat part of the uca above the rubber bushing. No wear on the back ring of cables really noticeable, uca feels smooth. I would not use this to drive any distance on a road, just to brief need to descend and climb this hill so not to lose steering direction control. Probably get wheel spacers if I had to regularly drive a distance in awful ice. I have to say the Toyota design up front with no clearance for chains is puzzling because the late model Taco and 4runner really are great machines for driving on this mountain in bad conditions.

 

My thought as well. The difference in traction between all year rubber and what they use on winter only tires is pretty amazing. I usually leave the snows off until the first snow just to remind me how much difference they make. (No, not lazy or anything like that. )

Unlike aggressive tires that get traction in deep snow via tread pattern, these get traction on ice due to the rubber compound and that seems like what you need for an iced over road. Nokian Hakkapeliittas are supposed to be among the best, but you pay for that too. I have Hankook Icebear W300s which sacrifice a bit of ice traction for better manners on dry pavement. Another good brand to look at is the Bridgestone Blizzaks.

 

Update: Got the SCC Z6 cables to clear on the taco, will always rub a touch on the 4runner (fatter uca than taco). So the taco is elected the hill truck. Have v-bar or diamond chains to use for the back if I know ice/deep snow is coming. Have the SCC cables for front and back in the truck in case caught short - like returning from the big city post-storm (it happens enough). I found SCCs easy and quick to put on and take off. 4 wheels of SCC cables works quite well but real chains on rear make a big diff. with ice underneath. Thanks to all again. Winter tire idea sure is worth investigating too.

 

Pictures?



you guys probably know exactly what this looks like, but to a Houston.. I haven't got a clue.

 

What did you do to get them to clear?
I don't understand these newer vehicles... On my Dad's new 2010 Subaru Forester if he were to put on chains (front or back) it would void his warranty.

 

Sam in TX here's a pic of 4runner a few weeks ago before we got 20" snowfall. Put chains on night before. Back are v-bar ice biters, front SCC Z6 for limited clearance vehicles. Toyota manual says chains on back only but not why. Why is the uca clearance in front. Got cable clearance on Taco front by pulling the cables tight against back and using an additional runner tensioner (tirechain.com) to add tension on the cables. No big deal and works fine. Toyota manual does not threaten to void warranty. I found there are very expensive chains from Thule that do not go around the back of the tire so clearance is not an issue.

 

Thanks for the Pics, That's a lot of snow!