so today i went up to big bear and we are required to have chains, i have perless chains that fit my P265-70-R16 stock tires. but after installing them correctly, whenever i drove above 15 mph they would start to smack against my running boards and the the part of the wheel well right above the boards. i went to napa autoparts up there and i was told that maybe i was required to use type S chains, basically cables. i got those and those did not seem to have any problems. anyone else have problems when using chains?

 

did you have the tentioners on? (like rubber tiedown stretch cords)

are you sure they are not for a larger circumference tire?

 

i had the tensioner on, and im 100% sure that these are for the right size. i dunno why they didnt work...

OT: do you still go to cpp? im there now as a sophomore

 

yes, still at CPP, my vehicle lives in the village parking lot, except on the very very rare occasion i park it in the structure. pm me sometime, we can hang out and talk toyota stuff.

ive never had chains do that. i dont have stock tires, nor do i have chains for my larger tires, and ive never used chains on the 4runner. hopefully someone else can chime in on your problem.

 

i really doubt type "S" chains are required on the 4runner...those are, to my knowledge, strictly for low clearance wheel wells. the other car is an 85 lebaron, and we got cables (not S) that don't hit the wells and the clearance is SUPER small. i have these cables and don't seem to have a problem at all with clearance. i haven't used them yet in the snow, but i know they're an exact fit for my 265-75-16 yok's. if you're even 1 size off, it will be detrimental to the snug fit of the chains on the tire.

Did you get into whiteout conditions? here, in WA, the extent of chains being required are on non-4wd/Awd vehicles. i don't think i've ever seen bad enough conditions for 4x4+chains!

 

In California you are required to use chains just about any time there is any amount of snow on any major mountain pass highways. Especially I-80 over the Sierras. I have driven over that pass in early January tow years in a row now and both times I would have not need chains at all. Keep in mind I was in an old 80's 280+2 Datsun Z.

 

California never makes me put chains on my 4wd im on the pass on I-80 all the time, i live like 30mins from donner, if ur a 2wd then yah chains are required but my 4runner doesnt ever need chains.

 

I've never had an issue with chains on mine, but I have dedicated snow tires so I rarely use them except in pretty extreme circumstances.

 

In southern California the cops are bit more strict. 4x4 and snowtires isn't enough here, they want chains too! Probably a way to keep the masses from getting stuck with 2wd trucks on worn summer tires.

 

living in lake arrowhead about 15 years ago, we encountered times when 4wd and snow tires was not enough. that was twice, in the 5 years we lived up there.

 

Did you try retightening them? Correct way to install is to put it on the tires, drive forward for a bit, then retighten to take all the slack out. Don't know why they wouldn't work for your tire, as many trucks have the similar tire size as we do.

If all checks out, it has to be the chain that is either incorrectly sized or defective.

And it's crazy CA requires chains on 4x4's. Never heard of that before.

 

Yep, it was a first for me too. Didn't use to need them when I lived in northern california. Now I might pick up a pair not to be rejected at the chain control stop again.

 

for tighters i know it sounds dumb but i use 4 bunge cords (the heavy black ones) iam in snow and ice and i need to get down to the dirt for some traction and they are spinning 4000 + rpm. ive never lost a tire chain
jim

 

I live in (Grande Prairie, Alberta. I can honestly say that nobody up here chains up unless they're driving down some pretty ugly backroads. It's -43°C (-45°F) for christ sake!

I just find it crazy that California chains up when we don't.

 

sure is, but no one here knows how to drive on ice and snow

 

The California Hiway Patrol assumes that all drivers are total idiots. When there is snow on the ground they're usually right...

After living in Idaho for a few years returning to cali was enough to make me crazy. I've had to chain up when there was snow on the side of the road and I was driving on wet pavement. Seriously.