Can I fit snow chains on 235/45/17 tires?

On my 05 yes. I would have clearance.

Without seeing the car and clearance I will tell you that it depends on the chain. Some are tighter then others.

Keep in mind you need to stay under 25mph with chains less risk the unit breaking apart and taking out your brakes.

Is there a law saying you must have them ?

IMO you'll be fine with the DWS's. Just use your head and slow down. Like I taught my son when he was in his early teens, it's about getting there, not getting there first.

I have driven my 92 Honda Civic, 98 Legacy GT wagon, 00 GT wagon to VT every winter weekend to ski and never had snow tires on them.

We drove the Wagon in some pretty bad conditions and never had a issue, even the day we had to slide across the driveway to get in the car in VT one Feb when it was raining and 30F, we didn't dare pick our feet up for fear of falling.

Use your head and drive safely.

i think you should put them on the front only

LMAO...I wonder if anyone caught that one.

On a serious note, if you're putting them on (and personally I would absolutely NOT do this), then at least, put them on all 4 wheels or you'll be putting terriffic stress on your drivetrain. You'll be changing the OD of the tires drastically and they will not be even no matter how well you try to install them.

Drive the tires you have, lower the air pressure some if you see bad weather, learn to feather the throttle and stay out of much boost, and GO SLOW ! ! !

I'm driving from NC to Michigan and will be passing through the WV mountains tomorrow, where there is a forecasted snow storm. My tires are Continental DWS's, the tread is decent but I don't think it'll be invincible in the snow/ice.

Oh, by the way, you have nothing to worry about here in Michigan. We got almost .0003562214" of snow the other day so I don't think chains will be necessary.

LMAO...I wonder if anyone caught that one.

 

It's a mustang...enough said.

Still better then a mini-van....

LMAO...I wonder if anyone caught that one.

 

On a serious note, if you're putting them on (and personally I would absolutely NOT do this), then at least, put them on all 4 wheels or you'll be putting terriffic stress on your drivetrain. You'll be changing the OD of the tires drastically and they will not be even no matter how well you try to install them.

 

Drive the tires you have, lower the air pressure some if you see bad weather, learn to feather the throttle and stay out of much boost, and GO SLOW ! ! !

They don't really do this because they dig into the snow. He's not going to ruin his tranny.

If he does just the fronts it's not much of a problem.

These are well traveled/cleared highways in the Appalachian hills...not like passes out west in the Rockies that require them. And even they have 4x4 exemptions.

The mountains in my area are regularly cleared but that doesn't stop it from getting really nasty until the snow stops falling. I've driven in 3-4inches of snow on A/S tires. It wasn't fun and it was near white out conditions.

It's a mustang...enough said.

 

Still better then a mini-van....

:::SMACKMAXRIGHTINTHEHEADHARD::::

They don't really do this because they dig into the snow. He's not going to ruin his tranny.

 

If he does just the fronts it's not much of a problem.

AGAIN...as always, YOU are completely wrong. If you put these on the front only, you'll have differential slipping like crazy and your traction control and ABS going nuts because of traction on only one axle. ANY time you change an OD of a tire that drastically, regardless of whether it's a Subaru or a 4X4 truck, you put undue stress on the center differential (transfer case) not to mention that you also change your aspect and gear ratios, and that's why NO ONE recommends putting them on only 2 wheels on anything AWD or 4WD.

AGAIN...as always, YOU are completely wrong. If you put these on the front only, you'll have differential slipping like crazy and your traction control and ABS going nuts because of traction on only one axle. ANY time you change an OD of a tire that drastically, regardless of whether it's a Subaru or a 4X4 truck, you put undue stress on the center differential (transfer case) not to mention that you also change your aspect and gear ratios, and that's why NO ONE recommends putting them on only 2 wheels on anything AWD or 4WD.

Have you installed chains on any car before? It sounds like you think they're massive.

Does his 06 have traction control?

The center diff is purely fluid and regularly transfers more power to the fronts anyway. It's not a locking center diff which could pose a problem.

ABS is brake related. It will only function when a lock up is detected. Not wheel spin.

So to really shit on your little ignorant rant fest. Co-worker has a 99 subi which they regularly throw chains on the fronts instead of buying snow tires when driving in the mountains. It's got some 160k and it's all original gear.

Please go talk about something you know something about.

Have you installed chains on any car before? It sounds like you think they're massive.

 

Does his 06 have traction control?

 

The center diff is purely fluid and regularly transfers more power to the fronts anyway. It's not a locking center diff which could pose a problem.

 

ABS is brake related. It will only function when a lock up is detected. Not wheel spin.

 

So to really shit on your little ignorant rant fest. Co-worker has a 99 subi which they regularly throw chains on the fronts instead of buying snow tires when driving in the mountains. It's got some 160k and it's all original gear.

 

Please go talk about something you know something about.

AGAIN, as always, WRONG. ABS is NOT purely brake related. The wheel speed sensors on ABS run everything from traction control to speedometer to ABS braking systems. You know nothing, it's been proven about a hundred times, and you've never even had your own hands dirty working on anything at all.

First and foremost, ANY time you change the aspect ratios of front and rear on an all wheel drive vehicle, even by 1/4" (according to Subaru's OWN manual) you risk excessive heat and slippage on the center differential, not to mention it can cause the vehicle to behave violently when front and rear are not the same. The center differentials are NOT just fluid but a clutch pack system that uses fluid as lubricant and coolant and is designed to slip as power is transferred to the wheels that are indicated as slipping (VIA THE ABS SYSTEM SENSING THE SLIPPAGE AND APPLYING BRAKING TO THE WHEELS THAT ARE SPINNING EXCESSIVELY).

I can tell you that I've put chains on vehicles for most of my life and I would bet that you've never even touched one with your own hands. I ran tow trucks years ago that we had to put chains on due to requirements via the State Police when the weather reached a certain point.

Why don't you, Rob, tell us exactly how you install chains, since you seem to know all? I would really like to hear/read it and I'll know if you cut and pasted from a website. You are full of shit, have always been full of shit, and will always be full of shit. You can't do anything yourself except rant on how damn great your stinking Honda is and try to cause trouble for anyone else that does happen to like their Subaru.

SELL your Subaru, and go and bother the Honda forums.

<---- Wait...these cars need chains?! I've been doing it wrong all this time.

Ok, being all serious. With ill fitting chains or cables, chances of severing your brake line or ABS sensor wire is not worth the risk.

Just to clear things up ...

Straight from the user manual:

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=168804&d=1385547616

Just to clear things up ...

 

Straight from the user manual:

 

http://legacygt.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=168804&d=1385547616

If this comes from a Subaru service manual, please post the cover of it. If this in fact DOES come from a Subaru service manual, then I do apologize to Rob-2 for his "correct" statement about putting chains on the front only as obviously he has read the service/owner's manual thoroughly and his ONLY source of information comes directly from here. Based on my earlier invitation to Rob-2 to describe how to install chains, his lack of response proves that it's painfully obvious he has not ever installed chains on a vehicle of any type.

However, based on this source of information, his statement regarding possible damage to the center differential and transmission of: "They don't really do this because they dig into the snow. He's not going to ruin his tranny. If he does just the fronts it's not much of a problem." does have a very, very small bit of truth in that this is exactly what the owner's manual states. As usual, information from Rob-2 comes from something he's read but absolutely no practical knowledge or experience with anything. Everyone will notice that the tire listing has absolutely no accommodation for a tire size of 235/45-R17 (it DOES, however, state "2.5 liter turbo models <except Outback>: 215/45ZR17 tires) which is substantially wider than the stock tires, and the statement that speeds should not reach more than 19 m.p.h., it brings three questions to mind:

The first and most relevant question: "Why does Subaru specify that the speed not reach higher than 19 m.p.h.?" (on the few vehicles that you CAN, in fact, install tire chains on).

Second question: Seeing as how this was almost quoted word for word by Rob-2, practical knowledge seems to go right out the window. As always from this particular poster, it is nothing except an echo of what was read somewhere, and, in the application stated by the OP, is irrelevant and incorrect. Had even the information posted above been read in more detail, this fact would have been immediately obvious to anyone that can read.

And the third question: Is this what the OP was meaning when he was asking about applying tire chains to his vehicle? His statement "I'm driving from NC to Michigan and will be passing through the WV mountains tomorrow, where there is a forecasted snow storm. My tires are Continental DWS's, the tread is decent but I don't think it'll be invincible in the snow/ice." would seem to me to rule out speeds less than 19 m.p.h. unless he was going to make a life's career out of this particular trip that normally would take about 12-14 hours.

It's painfully obvious that incorrect information was attempted to be imparted-NOT incorrect in that Subaru DOES in fact make a statement about tire chains and it's applications and non-applications, but rather that some statements made were "off the cuff" so to speak based on the written information's "vague" meaning without reading the details.

That being said, I think this particular thread has been put to bed.

If this comes from a Subaru service manual, please post the cover of it. If this in fact DOES come from a Subaru service manual, then I do apologize to Rob-2 for his "correct" statement about putting chains on the front only as obviously he has read the service/owner's manual thoroughly and his ONLY source of information comes directly from here. Based on my earlier invitation to Rob-2 to describe how to install chains, his lack of response proves that it's painfully obvious he has not ever installed chains on a vehicle of any type.

 

However, based on this source of information, his statement regarding possible damage to the center differential and transmission of: "They don't really do this because they dig into the snow. He's not going to ruin his tranny. If he does just the fronts it's not much of a problem." does have a very, very small bit of truth in that this is exactly what the owner's manual states. As usual, information from Rob-2 comes from something he's read but absolutely no practical knowledge or experience with anything. Everyone will notice that the tire listing has absolutely no accommodation for a tire size of 235/45-R17 (it DOES, however, state "2.5 liter turbo models <except Outback>: 215/45ZR17 tires) which is substantially wider than the stock tires, and the statement that speeds should not reach more than 19 m.p.h., it brings three questions to mind:

 

The first and most relevant question: "Why does Subaru specify that the speed not reach higher than 19 m.p.h.?" (on the few vehicles that you CAN, in fact, install tire chains on).

 

Second question: Seeing as how this was almost quoted word for word by Rob-2, practical knowledge seems to go right out the window. As always from this particular poster, it is nothing except an echo of what was read somewhere, and, in the application stated by the OP, is irrelevant and incorrect. Had even the information posted above been read in more detail, this fact would have been immediately obvious to anyone that can read.

 

And the third question: Is this what the OP was meaning when he was asking about applying tire chains to his vehicle? His statement "I'm driving from NC to Michigan and will be passing through the WV mountains tomorrow, where there is a forecasted snow storm. My tires are Continental DWS's, the tread is decent but I don't think it'll be invincible in the snow/ice." would seem to me to rule out speeds less than 19 m.p.h. unless he was going to make a life's career out of this particular trip that normally would take about 12-14 hours.

 

It's painfully obvious that incorrect information was attempted to be imparted-NOT incorrect in that Subaru DOES in fact make a statement about tire chains and it's applications and non-applications, but rather that some statements made were "off the cuff" so to speak based on the written information's "vague" meaning without reading the details.

 

That being said, I think this particular thread has been put to bed.

Oh dear, I think we all got schooled there, you know what they say... I'm going to go and LOL

But I also agree with GTTuner.

So did we ever find out it chains are required by law during stoms in that area ?

As GTtuner mentioned, I never felt the need to put chains on my car with good winter tires. I've driven in some crazy weather conditions (lived above the Arctic circle for 2 years with my OBXT) and the car handled very well everytime. Very impressed.

As to where I found the info, I just logged in on subaru.com and searched for 'chains'. It then gave me a link to the usermanual.