Comments on: Your Subaru, Snow Tires and Chains Explained http://allwheeldriveauto.com/your-subaru-snow-tires-and-chains-explained/ Thu, 02 Feb 2012 21:17:02 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Scott http://allwheeldriveauto.com/your-subaru-snow-tires-and-chains-explained/#comment-99199 Scott Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:37:40 +0000 http://allwheeldriveauto.com/your-subaru-snow-tires-and-chains-explained/#comment-99199 Agree with that... if the cables break, it would NOT be good. ;-) As you mentioned in an earlier post, for me (if I lived say in a really snowy area), these would stored in the back and used ONLY if I was otherwise going to stranded somewhere. By far, the best choice is stud-less snow tires for virtually all winter driving. Agree with that… if the cables break, it would NOT be good. ;-)

As you mentioned in an earlier post, for me (if I lived say in a really snowy area), these would stored in the back and used ONLY if I was otherwise going to stranded somewhere.

By far, the best choice is stud-less snow tires for virtually all winter driving.

]]> By: Justin Stobb http://allwheeldriveauto.com/your-subaru-snow-tires-and-chains-explained/#comment-99076 Justin Stobb Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:37:37 +0000 http://allwheeldriveauto.com/your-subaru-snow-tires-and-chains-explained/#comment-99076 You can buy Ice tires such as the Blizzak and use them year round but you wont get very many miles out of them, there are some tire companies that offer tire storage maybe look for that option. Justin You can buy Ice tires such as the Blizzak and use them year round but you wont get very many miles out of them, there are some tire companies that offer tire storage maybe look for that option.

Justin

]]> By: Justin Stobb http://allwheeldriveauto.com/your-subaru-snow-tires-and-chains-explained/#comment-99069 Justin Stobb Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:08:45 +0000 http://allwheeldriveauto.com/your-subaru-snow-tires-and-chains-explained/#comment-99069 I dont believe they will clear. I dont believe they will clear.

]]> By: Justin Stobb http://allwheeldriveauto.com/your-subaru-snow-tires-and-chains-explained/#comment-99067 Justin Stobb Wed, 25 Jan 2012 19:05:10 +0000 http://allwheeldriveauto.com/your-subaru-snow-tires-and-chains-explained/#comment-99067 What happens when the cables come loose? Thats what I mean by no room for chains or cables, Rubbing on anything and than coming loose, possibly tearing out the brake hose, then maybe losing the brakes will not be a good time. Coming loose and hitting the wheel well and doing $500.00 to $1000.00 in body damage. If you look at the 2010 to 2012 Outback you will see there is not much clearance, have a gander at the front and back of the front wheel well VS the top of the wheel well. Justin What happens when the cables come loose? Thats what I mean by no room for chains or cables, Rubbing on anything and than coming loose, possibly tearing out the brake hose, then maybe losing the brakes will not be a good time. Coming loose and hitting the wheel well and doing $500.00 to $1000.00 in body damage.

If you look at the 2010 to 2012 Outback you will see there is not much clearance, have a gander at the front and back of the front wheel well VS the top of the wheel well.

Justin

]]> By: Jim Meehan http://allwheeldriveauto.com/your-subaru-snow-tires-and-chains-explained/#comment-99052 Jim Meehan Wed, 25 Jan 2012 16:10:40 +0000 http://allwheeldriveauto.com/your-subaru-snow-tires-and-chains-explained/#comment-99052 My question has to do with my daughter-in-laws new 12 outback. She lives in Philly and does not want to have a separate set of wheels for snow tires. Her folks live in upstate new York and have adopted a policy of buying blizaks and leaving them on all year long. She has a youmg child and I am sure she wants to be a safe as possible. I wonder what you think of this and whether you think B;ozals would be the best bet. I guess dry performnce is now also a consideration. Appreciate your thoughts.. My question has to do with my daughter-in-laws new 12 outback. She lives in Philly and does not want to have a separate set of wheels for snow tires. Her folks live in upstate new York and have adopted a policy of buying blizaks and leaving them on all year long. She has a youmg child and I am sure she wants to be a safe as possible. I wonder what you think of this and whether you think B;ozals would be the best bet. I guess dry performnce is now also a consideration. Appreciate your thoughts..

]]> By: Scott http://allwheeldriveauto.com/your-subaru-snow-tires-and-chains-explained/#comment-99050 Scott Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:38:50 +0000 http://allwheeldriveauto.com/your-subaru-snow-tires-and-chains-explained/#comment-99050 Hmmm... The way these cables (not chains) work is shown on the website's video. They interconnect on the inside of the tire and stay well away from the center of rotation near the axle (just alongside the tire rubber on inside). There's really no opportunity to foul with the brakes. The only places I could see there being an issue would be: 1) cables possibly rubbing the wheel well 2) cables possibly rubbing the strut (on front tire) that comes down vertically. I've ran my fingers along all the possible clearance choke points and there seems to be enough room here. The rest of the steering struts/linkage/brakes/etc. would not be open to entanglement from what I remember. I live in NJ, and have no plans to buy these, and so I cannot test my assertion, but if I lived in the Sierras, I definitely would give them a try on a 2011 Outback (and I'd buy two pairs for AWD... roughly $120). Worst case you just have to send them back. BTW... I have P225/60R17's on my 2011 Outback. -Scott Hmmm…

The way these cables (not chains) work is shown on the website’s video. They interconnect on the inside of the tire and stay well away from the center of rotation near the axle (just alongside the tire rubber on inside). There’s really no opportunity to foul with the brakes. The only places I could see there being an issue would be:

1) cables possibly rubbing the wheel well

2) cables possibly rubbing the strut (on front tire) that comes down vertically.

I’ve ran my fingers along all the possible clearance choke points and there seems to be enough room here.

The rest of the steering struts/linkage/brakes/etc. would not be open to entanglement from what I remember.

I live in NJ, and have no plans to buy these, and so I cannot test my assertion, but if I lived in the Sierras, I definitely would give them a try on a 2011 Outback (and I’d buy two pairs for AWD… roughly $120). Worst case you just have to send them back.

BTW… I have P225/60R17′s on my 2011 Outback.

-Scott

]]> By: Kenny http://allwheeldriveauto.com/your-subaru-snow-tires-and-chains-explained/#comment-98997 Kenny Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:24:59 +0000 http://allwheeldriveauto.com/your-subaru-snow-tires-and-chains-explained/#comment-98997 Justin, I recently traded in my '04 Outback base for a 2011 Legacy Premium. I live in an area of Upstate NY that can (in non-La Nina years) get up to 300 inches of snow per season, so snow tires are pretty important here. To save some cash, I'd like to be able to mount my Outback's snow tires on the new Legacy. The Outback uses a 225/60-16 tire and the Legacy takes a 205/60-16. Will this cause any issues other than my speedometer being off by a mph or two? I've been told this can disrupt the ABS's performance, but shouldn't damage the drive train as long as all 4 are the same size (they are). Please advise? Justin,

I recently traded in my ’04 Outback base for a 2011 Legacy Premium. I live in an area of Upstate NY that can (in non-La Nina years) get up to 300 inches of snow per season, so snow tires are pretty important here.

To save some cash, I’d like to be able to mount my Outback’s snow tires on the new Legacy. The Outback uses a 225/60-16 tire and the Legacy takes a 205/60-16. Will this cause any issues other than my speedometer being off by a mph or two? I’ve been told this can disrupt the ABS’s performance, but shouldn’t damage the drive train as long as all 4 are the same size (they are). Please advise?

]]> By: Justin Stobb http://allwheeldriveauto.com/your-subaru-snow-tires-and-chains-explained/#comment-98765 Justin Stobb Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:47:44 +0000 http://allwheeldriveauto.com/your-subaru-snow-tires-and-chains-explained/#comment-98765 Scott, I dont have any experience with that chain, I do have a 2012 Outback and there is really no room for chains unless you find a 16 inch rim that will clear the brakes. Justin Scott,

I dont have any experience with that chain, I do have a 2012 Outback and there is really no room for chains unless you find a 16 inch rim that will clear the brakes.

Justin

]]> By: Justin Stobb http://allwheeldriveauto.com/your-subaru-snow-tires-and-chains-explained/#comment-98763 Justin Stobb Mon, 23 Jan 2012 22:45:24 +0000 http://allwheeldriveauto.com/your-subaru-snow-tires-and-chains-explained/#comment-98763 Hello Kurt, Yes a 1997 is going to feel better in thew snow than the Impreza. Also if the Impreza has 16 or 17 inch wheels that will make a huge difference in how it fells over the skinny 15 inch wheels the 1997 Outback. The 2007 Impreza utilizes a 50/50 torque split the 1997 Outback a 70/30. I will also add that living in the same part of town as you this one was very slick. Justin Hello Kurt,

Yes a 1997 is going to feel better in thew snow than the Impreza. Also if the Impreza has 16 or 17 inch wheels that will make a huge difference in how it fells over the skinny 15 inch wheels the 1997 Outback.

The 2007 Impreza utilizes a 50/50 torque split the 1997 Outback a 70/30.

I will also add that living in the same part of town as you this one was very slick.

Justin

]]> By: Scott http://allwheeldriveauto.com/your-subaru-snow-tires-and-chains-explained/#comment-97844 Scott Fri, 20 Jan 2012 15:56:20 +0000 http://allwheeldriveauto.com/your-subaru-snow-tires-and-chains-explained/#comment-97844 Justin, Thx. Good advice all around. Am looking into some stud-less tires for my 2011 Outback. FWIW... there is one cable chain out there which I used over the Donner Pass in 2009 for a rental car (bought in a pinch during a "snowy" Tahoe ski trip) which has VERY LOW clearance requirements; i.e. 1/4" all around. The Super Z6 by SCC. http://scc-chain.com/Traction%20Pages/Trac_SZ6.html If anything will work on just about any car, these will. They are also very easy to put on/take off. Would be a good choice to keep in the back of many a car for the extreme emergency. I've eyeballed the clearances both front and back on the Outback and it seems as though these cables should fit, but I've not tried them yet. -Scott Justin,

Thx. Good advice all around. Am looking into some stud-less tires for my 2011 Outback.

FWIW… there is one cable chain out there which I used over the Donner Pass in 2009 for a rental car (bought in a pinch during a “snowy” Tahoe ski trip) which has VERY LOW clearance requirements; i.e. 1/4″ all around. The Super Z6 by SCC.

http://scc-chain.com/Traction%20Pages/Trac_SZ6.html

If anything will work on just about any car, these will. They are also very easy to put on/take off. Would be a good choice to keep in the back of many a car for the extreme emergency.

I’ve eyeballed the clearances both front and back on the Outback and it seems as though these cables should fit, but I’ve not tried them yet.

-Scott

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