Need reccomendations on chains

Have a '16 Tacoma Offroad with OEM tires. Not replacing them yet (only 23,000 miles) but will be doing some travel up to the mountains this winter. I'm looking for recommendations on good chains for the truck.

I'll get snow tires when I move back to AK, but for now, that wouldn't make sense.

Any particular brands people find easy to use and work well?

 

Also, I should learn to spell "recommendations" but I can't figure out how to go back and edit my title.

 

Click on "Thread Tools," then "Edit Title."

I never needed chains, wanted them for a trip to snow and just picked up some at Walmart. I think they were $60-65 OTD and easy to put on, worked great. Peerless brand.

 

Have had a season pass to one mt or another here in the NW for the last 22 years straight. Have not chained up once ever. Never even owned any.

 

Our issue here is that the CHiP will turn you around if you don't have chains on a number of roads we plan on travelling this winter. We are taking a couple trips up into big snow country.

I usually run winter tires (Nokians or Blizzaks) on all our vehicles-but we've always lived in the NE or AK previously. Obviously, that's a waste here in the Mojave.

 

I drove around in mammoth last winter with my Subaru Forester and no chains, yoko all terrains, snow on the 395. Nobody ever bothered me. I was a little concerned about getting pulled over. The car handled the snow damn well with no chains, I was surprised.

I saw a couple suvs and trucks with all terrain tires that were pulled over putting chains on when there wasn't even any snow on the road.

If I had all terrain tires on the Tacoma I'd go for it w no chains. I'll let somebody pull me over and make me buy them

 

Bought these last year and used them briefly just to see how they worked. Everything installed really easily and handled just fine. Can't really speak to their durability as it was just one quick trip. As others have mentioned I haven't felt like I really needed them yet, though it's nice to have the insurance.

$135 SCC SECURTYCHAIN ZT741 Super Z LT Light Truck and SUV Tire Traction Chain - Set of 2

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BRA6PQ/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I bought these, but I haven't used them yet. I just keep them in my truck as a "just in case" measure.

$124 SCC Peerless 0232605 Auto-Trac Light Truck/SUV Tire Traction Chain - Set of 2

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B003TDIL5G/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I bought these for my 2001 2WD PreRunner and they work great and fit the default tire size 265/70/r16. Used them in Portland/OR during the few big snow drops while driving on the freeway. Really helped traction and icy driving. Recommend them!

 

https://www.tirechain.com/Truck-Tire-Chains.HTM

https://www.tirechain.com/Tire-Chains-Truck-Medium-Duty.htm

I've used these before and they worked great, there v-bar tread really grips good into anything.

 

I've used Les Schwab chains with succes in the past. Same style that Midknight posted. I don't know if they still do it, but in the past they would let you return the chains at the end of the season if you didn't end up using them.

 

Not sure if you know it yet but you can’t chain up the front of a third gen. It’ll hit very expensive steering and suspension pieces. I believe most roads that require chains will let you go with rear chains on

 

What you using chains for?

 

Wasn’t such a waste two years ago, don’t remember that new year’s snowstorm? Covered everything from 29 Palms to Almost Baker- of course just waiting a couple hours melted it all, but to get up some of the grades during it , 2wd’s needed chains.

 

No I wasn't aware of that. I have a hard time believing that they would make this vehicle with such tight clearances. I'll have to look into that. Think they gave me a book to read about this stuff...a manual for owners or something...huh.

 

If you want good chains, Pewag and TRYGG are the correct answer

 

I've used these on 3 different vehicles including my 07 Tacoma.

https://www.tirechain.com/Tire-Chains-Square-Alloy.htm

You shouldn't have any fit issues on the rear unless you are using oversize tires. I can't make them work on the front, but a set of chains on the rear of a 4X2 vehicle will take you a lot of places. Add 4X4 even without chains on the front and I think you are good to go in any snow situation. Having them on all 4 corners is more helpful in mud.

These are the heaviest duty chains I've found that are made for vehicles with close clearance. (5.5mm only). You CAN run chains on virtually any vehicle even if the owners manual says you can't. You just have to find the right ones and maybe change to a narrower tire.

I did that on my F-150. It came with 275/65/18's and the owners manual said no chains. I replaced the tires with narrower, but taller 265/70/18's and have the same type of chains for it. They fit the rear with no problems. The Wrangler I used to own was the only one that had enough room to put chains on all 4 tires.

And I wouldn't discount cables. They fit almost anything, I have a set for our Honda Fit and they work pretty darn well. They are a lot cheaper than chains, are lighter and easier to install. They do a passable job in lighter snow and ice. Not the best choice for deep snow, but better than nothing if chains just won't fit.

Cables are actually the preferred option here in the south. We don't get a ton of snow, but back roads are never cleared. Just have to wait a few days until it melts. Even then the snow is patchy with stretches of clear road and long icy patches in shady areas. If the patchy ice is on an incline the cables will get you up or down, yet work much better over those sections of clear roads.

 

I’ve been told it’s in there. I took the advise of others who have said it won’t work. Plus I’ve moved to South Carolina so hopefully my chains will get very rusty!

 

And these series 2300 232605 are the right fit for the OR stock wrangler tires? Good insurance to keep in the bed no doubt

 

I live in California and I'm very familiar with the chain laws and have driven a lot in heavy and deep mountain snow over the past 45 years. Except a few times on I80, where they will enforce R2 (2wd with chains or 4wd; in R2 2wd with "snow tires" is not excepted from chain requirement) in light conditions just due to traffic and to keep speeds down, I have found that when they do go to R2, you really need chains on a 2wd with all-season tires. If not to keep moving, to steer or stop for the other wackos. I have never tried true snow tires but it's a moot point as California considers any M+S tire to be a "snow tire". I have seen R3 - all vehicles must use chains - only once, in Yosemite Valley where it was sheer ice. In R2 conditions, I have never had problems in a variety of and and 4wd vehicles with decent tire tread and no chains. And, I have never been asked to show chains. But, I've heard of it happening so for all of my 4wd's I buy inexpensive chains at Walmart and always have them in the truck. I have at least three sets of unused chains in various sizes at home. By the way, regarding use on front or rear wheels, I remember in the late '70's seeing someone putting chains on the back of their Audi, ten or more years before the first Quattro. And just last winter, I saw a rental Mustang with chains on the front.