Spiffy Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 so the northwest just got hit with some snow... went home for lunch and what do I see? awd subarus with tire chains on just the front wheels... ack!!! on the plus side, maybe we'll see a lot of cheap subarus for sale this spring with dead center diff's... just makes me sad... who sold them these chains?! --Spiffy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamal Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 That's what you're supposed to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam888 Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Ok what is the official word on chains? Front wheels only? All four wheels? Never put them on? I do have chains for my subaru but have never used them. I also have been driving in Seattle these past few days in all types of sippery and icy conditions but I still have not seen the need to chain up. I haven't gone through any really icy steep hills and I have snow tires(no studs) which I think do make a big difference. Drive safely. Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Frankly, I think chains on an AWD Subaru are completely un-necessary providing you put reasonable tires on the car. I've never needed them in the 19 years I've lived in the NW (first 6 of which I was driving a RWD Mazda pickup). Anyway, the law as I understand it is, that you never have to put chains on your AWD car even when chains or traction tires are required of others in the Passes. BUT, you ARE required to have chains in your car. Now I don't understand that, but that is what the State Police told me many years ago. I have a set of chains which would fit; I've owned them for 14 years and never even opened the box. I do suspect there would be some damage to your AWD drivetrain using chains; check your owner's manual or with your dealer. My suggestion, buy a set of true winter snow tires and mount them on a 2nd set of wheels and run them when the weather requires it. I have a set of fine studless Hakki's that I put on in November and take off in April when I run on a set of summer tires. Best of both worlds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. RX Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 My suggestion, buy a set of true winter snow tires and mount them on a 2nd set of wheels and run them when the weather requires it. I have a set of fine studless Hakki's that I put on in November and take off in April when I run on a set of summer tires. Best of both worlds.I agree, but I only put mine on (spare set of rims with Hakki's) when the weatherman hints at snow. I can't see wearing down a great set of tires just because the season changes. I use only when required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fnlyfnd Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 If I HAD to chose two wheels to put them on I would choose the back....just seems to make more sense. I don't know the official rule of chains on awd. Would they add more than a 1/4" in diameter? Maybe air down the 2 tires its going on.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gnuman Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 If you are only going to use them on two wheels, put them on the front. That way you get to steer as well. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjo Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 I'm sorry.. if you have an apporpriate set of tires you should not need chains... both my subarus maintained superb (i dunno if i've ever used that word before... ) traction and handleing characteristics. Hell, even with my old yoko avid touring tires ( 0 on the snow scale ) i managed not to kill myself on a highway covered with 1/8" of glare ice... downhill... That AWD system is expensive, Tires are cheaper, dont' trash it. a note on tires... my obxt 5mt, crawled up a 38deg hill w/ 6" of snow on it last night, no tires slipping at all... so yes, AWD will get you where you want, you just have to not drive like an idiot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry DeMoss Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Ya in most cases I don't see a point in tire chains.In some ways it is almost a lazy excuse to not getting your vehicle ready for winter.I think winter tires are the way to go if you are having trouble getting around.To each their own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex C Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Having just purchased my new Subaru recently (06 Legacy special edition), my first new gen subaru(my last subaru was an 82 gl). I read the owners manual just so I would know the answers to questions like, what do I do with tire chains on an AWD car? According to my owners manual you only put chains on the front wheels. On another note, I had to drive to work today during the snowstorm, and I learned how nice AWD is , I dont own chains for my legacy and I dont have traction tires. Unless I gunned it I didnt have traction issues. Alex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andyjo Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 I've heard dealers say that tire cables will damage the awd less... but yeah... i wouldn't risk it.. i've already blown up 1 subaru transmission, i'm hoping to not do the same with this one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Setright Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 The official recommendation is for chains on the fronts only. Keep in mind that they set a very low speed limit, too. What is it, something like 30km/h ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloyale Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 If you only use them in really deep snow or total ice sheet conditions, and drive at slow speeds the chains are fine. As with the rest of the Subie crowd here I've never used mine but lots of people with 4wd systems of all types use them and ussually only in front. Heck in Subies at least there is a center diff to make up for differences in rotation of axles. Trucks and old Subies have a locked center diff and people use chains on the front of them. It is only a bad idea if there is less than an inch or two of snow and you want to do 40-50 mph. If you NEED chains on a Subie you need to be crawlin anyway cause it must be bad! It just has to be slippery enough that the wheels slip enough to not bind the drivetrain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NOMAD327 Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 If the roads are slippery enough to consider having chains on, there's enough slip between the road and the back tires to not worry about damaging the center differential. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zyewdall Posted January 18, 2007 Share Posted January 18, 2007 If the roads are slippery enough to consider having chains on, there's enough slip between the road and the back tires to not worry about damaging the center differential. Exactly. In deep snow, chains are a must. AWD or 4wd and good snow tires doesn't always cut it -- if you don't believe me, go find some snow higher than the bottom of your headlights and try going uphill through it. Okay, that's pretty rare. If you are not in deep snow, I don't see why you would have chains on AWD. Unless it's complete glazed ice, in which case maybe, but I've always had pretty good luck with the soft snow tires -- made it up my dad's driveway which was glazed ice (rain on top of packed snow) 20% slope. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flowmastered87GL Posted January 18, 2007 Share Posted January 18, 2007 Since chains sink into the packed snow.... I think having them on if they fit in packed snow like we had yesterday in portland would work.... we had 8 tires chained out of 18 on our truck yesterday... handled VERY well. My baja with just the stock bridgestone tires did ok when I babied it. My owners manual says not to use chains... I really should crawl under there and see how much room there is... but I think I will just get some steelies and studless tires next year. Today I managed to get up to 40MPH with chains on the truck today per instructor/testor request Since it was thawing out... we took em off when we got back to the testing range Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvexplorer Posted January 18, 2007 Share Posted January 18, 2007 Not exactly a new gen guy, but here's a good time to have chains...driving my Loyale on mountain roads covered with packed snow and an iced up corner. Slid right into the side of the mountain and couldn't force my way back onto the road forward or backward. Tried wood under wheels and still didn't work and I remembered I had a set of chains with me. Couldn't get to the passenger wheels, but I did manage to get them on the front and rear drivers side tires. Tried only front and didn't work. Chains on both pulled me right out and I got outta there. Moral: It's better to have chains and not use them then to get stuck miles away from anyone and not have them, even if you only need them for a few feet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MountainBiker Posted January 18, 2007 Share Posted January 18, 2007 From California DOT http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/trucks/trucksize/chains.htm#axle: Which axle do I install the chains on?Chains must be installed on the drive axle. All-wheel drive vehicles and 4-wheel drive vehicles may have chains installed on either drive axle, but the rear axle is preferred, unless the vehicle manufacturer recommends the front axle. And for my Forester at least, according to Subaru, chains must be put on the front wheels only! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wirelessenabled Posted January 19, 2007 Share Posted January 19, 2007 Ok what is the official word on chains?Front wheels only? All four wheels? Never put them on? I do have chains for my subaru but have never used them. I also have been driving in Seattle these past few days in all types of sippery and icy conditions but I still have not seen the need to chain up. I haven't gone through any really icy steep hills and I have snow tires(no studs) which I think do make a big difference. Drive safely. Sam I was in Seattle on Monday. Took my '00 OBW up an ice covered 21% grade from Tukwila to Seatac (178th or 176th St just west of I5). No problem. Got to the top and noticed there was not much traffic going in my direction:burnout: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
98obster Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 I'm sorry.. if you have an apporpriate set of tires you should not need chains... both my subarus maintained superb (i dunno if i've ever used that word before... ) traction and handleing characteristics.Hell, even with my old yoko avid touring tires ( 0 on the snow scale ) i managed not to kill myself on a highway covered with 1/8" of glare ice... downhill... That AWD system is expensive, Tires are cheaper, dont' trash it. a note on tires... my obxt 5mt, crawled up a 38deg hill w/ 6" of snow on it last night, no tires slipping at all... so yes, AWD will get you where you want, you just have to not drive like an idiot I'm sorry too, but if you live in Colorado you put the cables in your trunk around November. Sure it's nice to have Blizzaks on too but most folks manage with All Season tires. If it's a ice rink-stay home. And if there's 20 inches of snow on the ground and you have to get somewhere-no tire is going to bite when the front end is being lifted by the the extra 12 inches you have to plow through-cables on the front and know how to put them on BEFORE is storms. jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeterD Posted January 21, 2007 Share Posted January 21, 2007 the last time the State PD told me to put chains on i took them off a mile up the road ( in my scirocco ) and drove over the pass. the conditions didn't need chains. my subaru is quite good in the snow and if they told me to put chains on i would probably have to drive around them and keep going. :cool: this thing has soo much grip i don't know why you would even need chains. :-\ just slow down on the snow and keep the car pointed in the right direction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subarupusher Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 Never used them on any Subaru I have owned in the last 18 years in the NW. That includes lots of ski trips. The Impreza has turned a lot of heads when it zigs and zags up ice covered hills avoiding the one wheel spinners. We did have to do some shoveling once to get one of the subes out of a 1' snow bank that was pretty crusty in May. If the snow gets that high, the car underbody starts to grind on it and you lose traction. I would probably not drive in conditions where there was more than 6" on the road. Chains are a good last resort and we do have a set to pull ourselves out of some situations mentioned earlier in this thread. I would never put them on to do normal driving. If my AWD sube can't handle the conditions with just good tires, then it must be the storm of the century and that is a good excuse to stay home and visit the car boards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thatswhatshesaid Posted January 22, 2007 Share Posted January 22, 2007 I say chains on all four tires would be optimal. If you hit a spot that has traction with front chains only, say goodbye to the ol' center diff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
new92loyale Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 I jus bought an '07 Impreza 2.5I. In the manual it says only use chains on the front. Personally I would never use them anyways, but that is what Subaru says. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02SubaruOutback Posted February 12, 2007 Share Posted February 12, 2007 my 02 scoob manual says DONT USE CHAINS AT ALL!!! expect drive train damage. i never need them anyway even never use them on my 67 Firebird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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