Model 3 18" Aero wheel snow chains

[metafor]

Planning a trip to Tahoe (on highway 50) early Feb. I have the LR RWD M3 with 18" Aeros. In case of R2 road conditions (and just to be safe), I believe I need chains?

I've installed chains on the front wheel of other cars before just fine. However, it seems it'd be difficult to put on the rear wheel due not being able to turn the wheels one way or another.

Also, the aero caps would get in the way of many easier chain setups that wrap around the tire. Anyone have any recommendations? I see some sock designs, do those fit on the 18" Aero with ease?

 

[ewoodrick]

If you are going to use chains, you definitely will be taking the aero covers off. It's not that you are should be worrying about range when you have chains on.

 

[moridin2002]

Yeah, you'll need chains as you're not AWD (not that that helps that much when you have crummy tires - that front motor won't fully stop the car or turn it on its own).

The Tesla Pewags are a pretty dang good deal. I have yet to use mine, but I still carry them even with having a dual motor just in case. The Pewags are legit chains (not cables) with an auto tensioner for $115. From what I've seen, something like that is usually in the $200+ range.

Here's a video on how to install them:

 

[tensoneu]

I purchased the Pewags from Tesla to have as a just in case my winter tires isn't enough. As per instructions the aero covers must come off and if you have RWD the chains should be put on the rear.

 

[Daniellane]

I purchased the Pewags from Tesla to have as a just in case my winter tires isn't enough. As per instructions the aero covers must come off and if you have RWD the chains should be put on the rear.

Same here...
Still available for only $115

Model 3 Snow Chain - 18" Pewag Sport RSS 76

 

[T3SLAYER]

Same here...
Still available for only $115

Model 3 Snow Chain - 18" Pewag Sport RSS 76

About how long was delivery for your chains?

 

[Daniellane]

About how long was delivery for your chains?

Probably not useful info since they weren’t shipped directly to me via the online store.
I got them fairly quickly, back in April, through my SC in a complicated process of using up a $500 referral promo/credit from the purchase of our Model S in March for accessories for the Model 3 we got in April.

 

[metafor]

Interesting. Has anyone tried the autosocks? I ended up buying those instead. Hoping I can pop them on if needed.

Just how bad are the stock tires vs winter tires? Will they do in R1 conditions?

 

[TORQU3]

I have konig xg-12 pros for my suv. They look to be better made than the pewags, but it’s hard to say for sure without putting them side by side. It might be worth looking at the application guide for Konigs/Thule as well. They have a variety of clearance compliant modes, auto tension, manual tension, etc.

 

[StealthP3D]

Interesting. Has anyone tried the autosocks? I ended up buying those instead. Hoping I can pop them on if needed.

Just how bad are the stock tires vs winter tires? Will they do in R1 conditions?

CalTran R1 conditions require winter tires or chains. While the stock all-season radials might work, they do not have the mountain snowflake symbol (nor are they winter tires) so, no, they wouldn't be legal in R1 conditions (without chains).

 

[teslasuperfan]

CalTran R1 conditions require winter tires or chains. While the stock all-season radials might work, they do not have the mountain snowflake symbol (nor are they winter tires) so, no, they wouldn't be legal in R1 conditions (without chains).

No snowflake symbol needed. See below.
Copied from Chain Controls

1 Snow-tread Tires: The California Vehicle Code, Section 558 defines a snow-tread tire as follows, "A 'Snow-tread tire' is a tire which has a relatively deep and aggressive tread pattern compared with conventional passenger tread pattern". Snow-tread tires can be identified by examining the sidewall of the tire where the letters MS, M/S, M+S or the words MUD AND SNOW have been stamped into the sidewall.

 

[StealthP3D]

No snowflake symbol needed. See below.
Copied from Chain Controls

1 Snow-tread Tires: The California Vehicle Code, Section 558 defines a snow-tread tire as follows, "A 'Snow-tread tire' is a tire which has a relatively deep and aggressive tread pattern compared with conventional passenger tread pattern". Snow-tread tires can be identified by examining the sidewall of the tire where the letters MS, M/S, M+S or the words MUD AND SNOW have been stamped into the sidewall.

Wow, that's an old law drafted before the Mountain Snowflake symbol became a standard. The Michelin Primacy MXM4 still doesn't qualify as a M + S tire (it's not a winter tire nor is it a snow tire which is what winter tires were called previously).

 

[teslasuperfan]

Wow, that's an old law drafted before the Mountain Snowflake symbol became a standard. The Michelin Primacy MXM4 still doesn't qualify as a M + S tire (it's not a winter tire nor is it a snow tire which is what winter tires were called previously).

The Michelin MXM4 has M+S on the sidewall so that is good enough per California's definition of snow tread tires, though we all know it is not a true snow tire. Under R1 control, you can drive with those tires without chains on but you need to show you are carrying them. Under R2, you must use chains on the drive tires.

 

[StealthP3D]

The Michelin MXM4 has M+S on the sidewall so that is good enough per California's definition of snow tread tires, though we all know it is not a true snow tire. Under R1 control, you can drive with those tires without chains on but you need to show you are carrying them. Under R2, you must use chains on the drive tires.

OK, I stand corrected. However, I wouldn't want to be out in the mountains, in the snow with all-season radials! Although all-season radials seemed like a real breakthrough in snow driving in the late 1970's compared to the deep lug, hard-as-rock "snow" tires we had before that. And modern all-season radials are a bit better than what we had back then.

It seems state regulations in both CA and WA (not sure how OR deals with it) are out of date with regard to recognizing true winter tires will trump AWD and if you have AWD and winter tires then requiring chains is not useful. If the snow is that deep, chains are only going to help in a very narrow window and then, at a certain depth (which varies with the vehicle, not the tire), even chains will not allow forward progress. I do like they recognze how superior all-season radials are to summer tires. Cars with summer tires can basically become disabled even in mild winter conditions.