Can any of you give me a brand of tire chains that are better than others or are they all about the same? what would you recommend and a good place to buy?
Thanks!

most snow chains are very solid these day can't really go wrong but ur 4runner should be able to handle snow if u have decent snow tires and my word advise it have snow tires/4x4 drive and chains are required u probably should be on the road/ driving

I have the SCC White Star Alloy. My research at the time showed them to be one of the best chains for traction in various conditions as well as duribility and offroad use. Here is a link to a comparison of chains for 265/65-17: http://www.vulcantire.com/chain_rank_info.htm.

Basically you want something with a diamond pattern if it is a link chain, or a Z-pattern if it is cable. The link chain provides better durability than the cable. Traditionally the cables are smoother on road and lower profile, but I don't think that is the case anymore, particularly with the White Star Alloy.

thanks. I only need them when I go up to my friends cabin. Very steep one lane dirt/rock road with 1K ft plus drop offs! So its just for peace of mine really... I don't wanna watch my Runner fall that far then say well WHAT IF I had chains....?

I'm definitely NOT a tire-chain expert, but have found the following websites very useful. Some of the chains are extremely expensive compared with others, so it probably depends on how much you're willing to spend. Although, I rarely use them unless it's blizzard conditions and the snow is piling up fast. Straight 4WD w/ stock tires seems to work fine for me. Can't wait to get some AT's going on though.

http://tirechainsrequired.com/

http://tirechaindealer.com/

http://snowchain.net/

I ended up getting these kind and they work like a champ.

I live in Alaska, and have never chained up. 4wd with decent all terrain tires has always worked fine for me.

If you need chains, then get chains. But a decent pair of snow tires will get you by on the highway. Studs if you live in an area where you're going to see months of snow and ice.

A year or more ago, I was looking into a set of chains "just in case".

1. The diamond pattern for chains is what you're going to look for. This is helps provide for better traction and is easier to install.

2. Look for chains you can easily put on while in deep snow, so avoid the kinds you have to lay on the ground and drive forward. You may not be able to do so. Cables are out, diamond pattern again.

3. The size of the links helps determine how long they're apt to last. Since it may not be easy to tell who uses 4mm versus 6mm links, weighing the chains can help. 20 pounds versus 13.5 is the tell here.

Personally, because I don't find myself wheeling in the snow, a set of RUD grip chains wasn't necessary (~$100 a pair). So I opted for a smaller (in terms of links, not size) set of Peerless Autotrac chains (~$50 a pair at Walmart) for those "just in case" situations.

Plus the peerless Autotrac chains have a self tightener. If I'm in a pickle and *have* to chain up, stopping to check and readjust the chains is probably not in the game book.