Do i need snow chains for my 2017 4x4 tacoma

I am going to yosemite in a couple weeks, and my wife checked the national park service website. All vehicles should carry chains. I recently purchased my 2017 4x4 and distinctly remember the sales person stating "never put chains on a 4x4".

Any comments appreciated

 

I 4x4 with guys who use chains. That sales person is out to lunch.

 

Oh yeah. Welcome to TW!

 

Rear wheels only. If needed, get them, or buy a good set of winter tires.

 

I was just over that way and I wholeheartedly recommend chains and some good all seasons with lots of siping or some snow tires too.

 

If CalTrans requires chains, you can be cited if not carrying them, even with a 4x4. And I was in Yosemite Valley in early 1990 when they required chains on all vehicles, including 4x4, with a control at the Hwy 140 entrance. At that time we had a 2wd VW Vanagon and installed our chains. That said, in 30+ years of owning 4wd and AWD vehicles in California, including owning a home in the Sierras, I never needed chains on the 4wd. But some of my neighbors used them when they absolutely positively had to get their kids to school, even with real 4wd trucks. So buy some, and you'll never need them. Don't buy them, and you may get a ticket.

 

Might scratch your pretty new rims!
As long as you don't drive at night where you might get black ice, you should be fine in California mountains. Rarely, the mountains there go below freezing. driving in deep snow is different story. usually the roads to Yosemite are plowed and salted if snowfall is heavy. If getting gets tough, just drive slow (4Lo) and easy and you should be okay.
Don't let your woman scare you!!

 

Read this:
http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/chcontrl.htm

In summary:
- In R2 conditions, even 4wd vehicles must carry chains.
- In R3 conditions, pretty rare but Yosemite is one place I have seen them, ALL vehicles including 4wd must use chains.

With all due respect, @Samak you are wrong on several fronts.

 

I believe owners manual states chains for rear wheels only due to clearance issues on the front?

 

Really depends on the road conditions. I have driven up to Mammoth and San Bernardino mountains many many times and the CHP would just wave me by seeing that my truck was 4x4. Other FWD and RWD cars had to pull over and put their chains. Again, depends on the road conditions. If there is a known freezing ice on the roads, they will caution you. Most roads are routinely plowed and de-iced enough to cut down on the ice on these heavily travel mountain roads. Different story when you are traveling on less traffic back roads in Colorado

 

If you buy them then you don't have to worry about CHP etc. 99.999% chance you'll never need them.

 

Again, no offense, but I have lived in this state for 60 years and owned a home at 6800' elevation where we might have snow from October to June and sometimes got 3' overnight. Yes, the chain guys will often wave you through, but I have been asked if I had chains even in my 4wd (though they never asked me to show them) but what I quoted is the law. We can let the OP decide what she wants to do, but I felt it appropriate to give her the facts, as well as my personal experience of encountering R3 conditions in Yosemite, with an entrance ranger who was enforcing the law and stopping 4wd's without chains. And FWIW I personally carry chains. I don't want a ticket, but I also don't want to be "that guy" who's creating a delay for others.

 

The OP is a woman..

 

I use to have a A frame in Tahoe, There was a time when I was turned around in CA. 50 for not having chains. And I always I had 4x4. It is the law in CA.

 

Give you a point.....being overly prepared is better than not being prepared. For me, I never had to put a chain during 30+ years driving the Sierras during winter with heavy/light snow or CHP/Park Ranger asking me if I'm carrying chains.

 

Just noticed that!!!

 

^

 

http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/chcontrl.htm

Like others have said. Put them on the rear if needed. Having lived in Colorado for many years, I've never needed chains and I doubt you will to but, law is law.

That said, Yosemite is a National Park, not a state park so I am not sure where the laws blur.

 

I carry chains in the winter just in case. Mine fit under the rear seat of my truck, out of the way. Beware that the clearance issues with the front are true. If you look behind your front wheel, the suspension only gaps the tires in the front by about .5". Your 4x4 will be fine with good tires in 95% of snow conditions, and rear chains will allow your truck to tackle 99% of snow conditions.

 

You need to look up CA route 108 dude. I have been on that with over 12 feet of snow pack. That said I have never been required to install chains and would park the truck before I ever did but in my work truck I carried them. Your advise on Ca mountain roads is a little weak. Let's not compare the sierra's to big bear.