Which tires should chains go on when you have AWD?

[remlemasi]

@Daniel in SD @mobilesuit818 let's just agree to disagree and talk about...

Which tires should chains go on when you have AWD?

I was looking at the front suspension last night and the knuckle wraps around the top portion of the tire and the upper ball joint reaches over the tread quite a bit. Not much clearance at all. Photo below for illustration purposes only.

Even just a *slightly* loose chain would start grinding away at the knuckle and leave you stranded with a huge repair bill. Rear only!

 

[rajivpsf]

Anybody using the tire socks?
Snow Socks for Tires - Best Snow Chain Alternatives

 

[remlemasi]

Anybody using the tire socks?
Snow Socks for Tires - Best Snow Chain Alternatives

I view them as more a backup or for showing highway patrol if they ask. I would not plan to use them as they would get chewed up pretty quickly, especially if the snow is patchy with bare pavement exposed every few hundred feet.

 

[Kant.Ing]

Anybody using the tire socks?
Snow Socks for Tires - Best Snow Chain Alternatives

No. But do they run faster than chains? I hate to see traffic being slowed down by cars with chains or alike.

BTW, not to provide a specific answer to OP, but the AWD systems in Tesla cars are great and you shouldn't need to really put them on. My wife says if Caltran are diligent enough like Utah DOT, Californian should be free of chains.

 

[remlemasi]

No. But do they run faster than chains? I hate to see traffic being slowed down by cars with chains or alike.

BTW, not to provide a specific answer to OP, but the AWD systems in Tesla cars are great and you shouldn't need to really put them on. My wife says if Caltran are diligent enough like Utah DOT, Californian should be free of chains.

My cousin was up at Snowbird last week and they closed down the road back to SLC. He was snowed in for a few hours even with his AWD Subaru and proper snow tires. No state DOT can possibly be so diligent that roads are clear 100% of the time and able to be driven safely with AWD and all-seasons. When California (and any other state) goes to R3 (chains required, no exceptions) it’s because there is a crap-ton of snow and it’s falling faster than it can be cleared.

224 crashes statewide as Utah sees winter's first major snowstorm

 

[AlanSubie4Life]

Rear only!

@AlanSubie4Life @mobilesuit818 let's just agree to disagree and talk about...

No disagreement here! The Model 3 Owners Manual is extremely clear on which wheels chains should be installed. If it were different for AWD, they would say so.

 

[remlemasi]

No disagreement here! The Model 3 Owners Manual is extremely clear on which wheels chains should be installed. If it were different for AWD, they would say so.

Lol I actually meant to tag Daniel in SD. You happened to jump in at the last second and unintentionally became the target of my attempt at mediation. Previous post fixed.

 

[Daniel in SD]

Which tires should chains go on when you have AWD?

The rear! I thought we were all in agreement
I still contend that even if by some miracle you're able to have the chains not touch the lip of the wheel they'll still shift and vibrate and scratch the lip of the wheel. Maybe the the lip on the 19" is way more recessed than the 18".

 

[ℬête Noire]

@Daniel in SD @mobilesuit818 let's just agree to disagree and talk about...

Which tires should chains go on when you have AWD?

I was looking at the front suspension last night and the knuckle wraps around the top portion of the tire and the upper ball joint reaches over the tread quite a bit. Not much clearance at all. Photo below for illustration purposes only.

Even just a *slightly* loose chain would start grinding away at the knuckle and leave you stranded with a huge repair bill. Rear only!

Yup, that's where the roughly 12mm clearance gap I was talking about is for the 18" MXM4s. Slightly less for the stock 19" and 20". I'd gotten in for a rough measurement when I was picking out summer tires, to make sure I wasn't risking rubbing.

It definitely has more clearance off to the side on the top inside corner of the stock 18" tires. I don't know how much wider people's snow tires are than the rather narrow tread MXM4s, or how much more clearance the chains & auto-tightener apparatus needs on the inside of the tire, though.

 

[Leeclanual]

Rear for both RWD and AWD... I’m surprised we’re on page 3 of this thread.