[like2thruhike]

Where it's safe I use my jack to increase tire to fender clearance when putting on chains. It's MUCH easier. I use wood blocks to chock the tires and a '1x'1 square plywood for solid base for jack. Safety first. I use chain-chains (gently used $35 on CL)on my Civic since I've seen too many cables break and mess up fenders or get wrapped around axles. I use extra heavy duty bunji's to keep the chains snug as they're supposed to be.

[GeoHiker]

Go to Goodwill and pick up chains/cable for less than $10. I see unused chains all the time. No excuse not having proper chains/cables when the road conditions warrant. There's plenty of clearance for chains on a Subie. No doubt the legal people said it messes up steering or some kind of issue or someone didn't install them right and caused damage to the vehicle. Chains give you such an advantage with traction and stopping that it blows me away when people refuse to install them in difficult icy conditions. Remember AWD/4WD does nothing if have to stop.

[JVesquire]

*bump*

[tigermn]

Has anybody driving a Subaru in Washington State EVER been asked to even show/produce their chains or traction devices. Has anybody driving a Subaru in Washington State EVER been told they had to put their chains on? If so in either case did you have them/comply, get fined, turn around? Or what?

[Randito]

[AlpineRose]

Randy's experience at Mt. Rainier happens with some regularity. Several years ago there was a trooper roadblock on HWY 2 some miles west of Steven Pass during a chains required situation. All AWD/4WD vehicles not carrying chains were being turned around. FWD/2WD had to put them on. I would only put chains on my Suby if there was no other option to get myself unstuck or go a couple miles at most. Note there are sections of highway where you are required to carry chains from Nov. 1 - Apr. 1. If you're going to drive Washington roads in the winter, get a set of chains that fit and be done with it.

[boot up]

I had a stroke of luck. My never used Z-cables from my Element fit my Subaru, which I confirmed and practiced in the comfort of my garage. I noticed the main complaint with chains/cables bought on Amazon, other than cheap ones falling apart, was that they didn't fit, even though the manufacturer's spec sheet said they would. Definitely try on any that you buy! So now I have something to point at. IF I was to actually use them, I should buy another set. If I was driving in a lot of really dicey winter conditions, I would buy a second set. Everything I have read seems to agree that a good way to screw up your Subie is to just put a single pair on, and then hit dry pavement. If I am putting cables on a Subie, there better not be any dry pavement in sight! As extra insurance, I invested in good Nokian WRG3 tires instead of an extra set. So, I have something to point at. I have something if I really get stuck. But I plan to use them as much as I have on any other 4WD/AWD car I have owned, which would be never. I am doing a trip to Bend Oregon soon. I hear their cops are more than enthusiastic about enforcing the letter of the law, especially on the back highways I will be driving. They have a "must carry traction devices, even on AWD" rule that is more all encompassing than WA, so now I don't have to worry. Of course the way this winter is going, I might not have anything more than damp roads to deal with anyway! Their pass cams do not look like ski areas at the moment.

[tigermn]

Looking at the lack of room on the inside suspension I don't think I'd ever put chains or even cables on. All it would take is a little slop and it might not be pretty. As another person said I'd have to really be in dire straights and even then if I was stuck I'd probably wait it out. I guess if I got turned around at a checkpoint, I'd just turn around. It's Rainier and Oly you have to potentially worry about since they have the blanket rule of carrying them.

[Gwen]

If you're getting to the point where a Subaru needs chains then you're getting to the point where you should have studded tires put on. I carry chains because it's required, but I don't use them (and haven't ever needed to).

[Malachai Constant]

[mcline]

Hi All, Thanks for the great tips. I was planning to buy some autosocks to "check the box". From what I've read, if I do use them, it would be okay to only put them on the front tires and keep it below 15MPH...with the caveat that this wouldn't be for fair and I'd probably be better off not driving in such conditions. Is this accurate? I rarely need them, so don't want to shell out for winter tires (heck I don't even know where I'd put them the rest of the time) Thanks! Mark

[Waterman]

Check out spike spiders. Have used them in the past for the wife's car. On or off in minutes. Pricey but well worth it. You need to order them from a car dealer. Hard to find.

[PaleoCook]

I wouldn't personally put chains on my Subaru. If I found myself in a situation with an AWD Subi (w/ Snow Tires in this case), where I needed chains, I think it would be bad news! Like, that would be really bad/off-road. Even without the tires -- I don't think Subaru recommends it. In the manual they actually nix chains (Spydrs could probably work though -- as mentioned).

[Dalekz]

I have a 1997 Toyota Rav-4 AWD it is a manual drive and in those early years for manual shift only, there was interlock button to press to get to 4 wheel drive. Not enough power to go through deep snow, but I could get quite a bit farther up the road then the Subies over at Winthrop. But there was this spring ski (Captain Point road) up windy ridge and had to go through a 30 ft patch of spring snow, untracked, still on the road, Long story short I only made it 15-20 ft through. Luckily I had the chains to put on and make it through. Great ski off of windy ridge though. That was when I also started to carry a shovel in the car. You never know when you might need chains and hopefully you will have them and they are also the right size.

[robertjoy]

I got VERY tired of putting cable chains on and off my Outback. Put them on to get out of the neighborhood, take them off on the (cleared) main roads, then put them on again near the foot of Mt Hood. I changed to NOKIAN WR G3 All-Weather (snowflake) tires. These DO meet the OREGON requirement for "traction devices" except in the very worst conditions. They are very effective, and the tread is reasonably long lasting rated at 55,000mi. About $150 per tire. https://www.nokiantires.com/tires/passenger-car/all-weather-tires/