1. Can I put tire chains on my Forester?  Cable chains, I mean.

2. What size?  I bought a set that supposedly fit my tires, but they don't.

 

Thank you!!!

What does your owner's manual have to say about tire chains?  That should be the first stop on this adventure.

3 hours ago, Sned said:

1. Can I put tire chains on my Forester?  Cable chains, I mean.

2. What size?  I bought a set that supposedly fit my tires, but they don't.

 

Thank you!!!

What he said - Read the owners manual. 

Read the chain directions and sizing carefully. Some are not easy to install -if they’re supposed to fit they probably do if you read the directions and labels correctly. My first guess is you gave up too soon - it’s easy to do with chains or even “chains”. 

If you have significant snow needs then chains are kind of a band aid - best for temporary emergency use not as a real solution to winter needs. 

1. Studded snow tires

2. Nokian or X Ice snow tires

3.  Name brand All seasons with the highest snow ratings. 

4. Low grade and even average tires SUCK for long term snow use.  Average snow tires or all seasons degrade quickly - by year 3 they don’t perform as well as the Nokians or XIce....and that’s if they’re even really good in the snow to begin with. 

Edited February 2, 20215 yr by idosubaru

Most of the newer Subaru's explicitly disallow chains. You can run traction tires and those sock things but that's about it. 

GD

Edited February 3, 20215 yr by GeneralDisorder

Hi all, thanks for the responses!!  You can't use real chains on my Forester but you CAN use cable chains.  Subaru even sells them in their parts department, but nobody around me stocks them.

I only need them for one or two trips a year to the mountains, so not really worth buying four snow tires.

I don't know why the cable chains I bought say they fit my size tire but don't.  I'm going to return them, and order a pair made by SCC, the manufacturer Subaru sells in their parts dept.

Just FYI.  Thanks again!

2 hours ago, Sned said:

Hi all, thanks for the responses!!  You can't use real chains on my Forester but you CAN use cable chains.  Subaru even sells them in their parts department, but nobody around me stocks them.

I only need them for one or two trips a year to the mountains, so not really worth buying four snow tires.

I don't know why the cable chains I bought say they fit my size tire but don't.  I'm going to return them, and order a pair made by SCC, the manufacturer Subaru sells in their parts dept.

Just FYI.  Thanks again!

Yeah boss, thanks for the feedback.  A Subaru supplier sounds ideal, those aren’t widely known as easy to install perfect fitting solutions.  A Subaru specified supplier sounds good. 
 

for specific info post the brand of the chains you have and your current tire sizes.  Maybe the width is wrong or the chains have overly generic “wheel size”, etc. 

2021 Subaru Forester, Tire size 225/60R17

Chains first bought: Volt QV339 (from Quality Chain Co).  Label on package says they fit this tire size.  They do not.

I have now ordered SZ143 Super Z6 Cable chains from the Security Chain Co. (the brand that Subaru dealerships sell).  Their chart says they will fit my tire size. We'll see.

Maybe this will help anybody in a similar fix.

Cheers all!

etrailer.com has lots of good model-specific research.  Look there if you have any other chain issues.

Thanks everyone, I found chains that fit (on the second try) from Security Chain co.  Success!!!