Do you guys use chains under moderate/heavy snow conditions in your subies? I have all season tires so I think that paired with AWD should get me around ok when roads are unplowed. Also, if there is a chain checkpoint, will they require chains to be applied to my subaru becuase it isn't an SUV and doesn't have selectable 4WD? I'm thinking I should buy a set of chains just to be safe but I thought I would ask for the experiences of others. Thanks for the help.

 

Subaru says "no chains". If you have to do anything, you would do cables on the Front tires.

Driven carefully on decent all seasons, you'll be fine. Did that the 2nd day I had my WRX during a snowstorm of about 6" that afternoon.

 

R1 and R2 are the road conditions that will allow passage for 4WD with M+S tires. R3 is 4WD with chains only, Caltrans will close the road before that usually happens.

pretty much any snow condition with open roads will allow a 4WD/AWD vehicle through with M+S tires.

 

AWD + mud/snow tires and your set..

i drove up to Truckee on Christmas morning. Highway 80 was actually closed for 1.5hrs and NO ONE could go... After they opened it back up there was manditory chain control for anyone without AWD/4x4... It started snowing again and they shut the freeway down once we were already gone. there was an inch or two on the roads and the highway became one lane... The scooby held up like a champ I was the ONLY car that kept going, everything else were big lifted trucks or SUVs...

 

I used to live where it snowed a lot and I also used to go to Tahoe a lot. Never had chains for the subie, never had a problem. Even with 3+ feet of snow on the ground.

 

Law requires you carry them even if you're not going to need them. Subaru does not allow for chains. You can use cables if needed. Cables! Not chains. CABLES! Front tires only.

 

huh? Chains???

 

So do I need chains for the snow?





J/K. I'm a snow n00b so good to know! Never knew that before.

 

and at the same time, a chain monkey will see the seven sister logo and wave you right through chain control

 

Usually, but having them is better than getting turned away only to pay 3x the price at a local place.


P.S. Finding chains at 11pm in Prescott, Arizona is near impossible. Long story, but a true one.

 

I've been waved through chain control, in a Subaru dumped on the ground, with bald 070's. Not the wisest choice on my part , but they don't even look twice at Subarus. It's up to you to make sure your car can handle the conditions.

What Ryan's saying is that you can only use cable chains on a Subaru (if necessary). You don't have room in the fenders for traditional chains, and the large diameter and traction difference they have will overwork your diff. Cable chains use a lateral cable with serrated metal sleeves, and are much lower profile.

That said, if they're not letting cars with 4wd and M/S tires through without chains, the road is closed, and even if it wasn't, a lowered Subie isn't getting far just becuase you can't push through that much snow. Run a good set of all-seasons or snows, and remember that AWD only helps you when you're accellerating........it doesn't help with braking or turning, especially on ice.

 

I've been waved through in a dumped Legacy wagon on RA-1s. That turned into a pretty fun trip and a good lesson in car control. Haha.

 

These are actually the ones I sell - http://www.scc-chain.com/Traction%20...ac_ZChain.html

Best and easiest I've ever used.

 

What do you mean it doesnt help with turning? So easy to slide through corners in the snow w/ AWD.

 

If you're sliding through corners............you're accelerating, aren't you?

AWD doesn't magically give you more traction out of the same tires, it just lets you get moving easier and control the car better. People get lured into a false sense of security and don't realize that stopping, making downhill turns, etc, you're just as vulnerable to basic physics as a FWD or RWD car.......and they have chains which give them more ice traction.