Ridgehiker
New member
Hello all ...
Just got my first T4R, am new to this forum (love it!) and beg for your patience in case I'm not getting this first post quite right.
Bought a 2011 4R-TRD equipped with stock rims with 265/70 R17 studded Hankook Pike RW 11 on it and would like to find a set of 4 chains which can be safely used on the front and rear tires to achieve maximum traction on the sometimes completely iced-up steep mountain roads in my backyard I'm driving.
I know that the user's manual states not to use chains in the front but from all the reading and talking to Toyota people I did it seems that the only reason for this recommendation is the limited inside and outside clearance (upper control arm (UCA), bottom rear of front wheel well).
When measured with my rim/tire setup, there is 25 mm inside clearance to UCA (independent of steering actuation) and 20 mm between tread and mud guard at about 70% steering actuation.
The self-tensioning Thule XG-12 Pro with its 12 mm chain link size and a cable ring on the inside (S Class rated) should therefore clear both, the UCA and body, sufficiently not to run into trouble. Based on my measurements, even a sturdier chain like the Thule XB-16 (16 mm link size with some off-road capability) should still be OK.
Has anyone used these or similar type chains on the front wheels of a 5th gen with similar clearances? If so, I would greatly appreciate your comments.
Also, originally, I was planning to buy a sturdier (i.e. thicker), off road capable chain for the rear wheels, so that I could also use them in the mud. But having two different rolling circumferences on front and rear and no central differential to compensate for it might spell serious trouble for the drive train when encountering the occasional high friction situation. So, now I'm thinking that it may be better (and cheaper in the long-term) to get a set of 4 of the same for winter and maybe a set of 2 HD ones for the mud.
Any thoughts on this?
Thanks so much!
Just got my first T4R, am new to this forum (love it!) and beg for your patience in case I'm not getting this first post quite right.
Bought a 2011 4R-TRD equipped with stock rims with 265/70 R17 studded Hankook Pike RW 11 on it and would like to find a set of 4 chains which can be safely used on the front and rear tires to achieve maximum traction on the sometimes completely iced-up steep mountain roads in my backyard I'm driving.
I know that the user's manual states not to use chains in the front but from all the reading and talking to Toyota people I did it seems that the only reason for this recommendation is the limited inside and outside clearance (upper control arm (UCA), bottom rear of front wheel well).
When measured with my rim/tire setup, there is 25 mm inside clearance to UCA (independent of steering actuation) and 20 mm between tread and mud guard at about 70% steering actuation.
The self-tensioning Thule XG-12 Pro with its 12 mm chain link size and a cable ring on the inside (S Class rated) should therefore clear both, the UCA and body, sufficiently not to run into trouble. Based on my measurements, even a sturdier chain like the Thule XB-16 (16 mm link size with some off-road capability) should still be OK.
Has anyone used these or similar type chains on the front wheels of a 5th gen with similar clearances? If so, I would greatly appreciate your comments.
Also, originally, I was planning to buy a sturdier (i.e. thicker), off road capable chain for the rear wheels, so that I could also use them in the mud. But having two different rolling circumferences on front and rear and no central differential to compensate for it might spell serious trouble for the drive train when encountering the occasional high friction situation. So, now I'm thinking that it may be better (and cheaper in the long-term) to get a set of 4 of the same for winter and maybe a set of 2 HD ones for the mud.
Any thoughts on this?
Thanks so much!
