Tire chains useable on 2007 Ford Focus?

[Itchrelief]

Manual says do not use tire chains. There seems to be just a hair over 1/2" of space in between the inside of the front tires and the struts. Tires are 205/55/16. Bone stock vehicle.

California says I have to use tire chains if it snows, even if I were to buy snow tires (which I won't, because I only go to the mountains for vacation, and I'd still have to chain up even if I did). But 4 wheel drive vehicles with crappy all season tires don't.

Super Z6 chains by SCC advertise they work with only 1/4" clearance.

Has anyone had any experience with these chains, or other chains on a 2005-2007 Ford Focus with the 205/55/16 tires? If I stay under 30mph will my vehicle survive? I'd rather not shell out the $335 for spikes spiders if I don't have to.

I know if the stuff takes out my struts I'm not covered by any warranty.

Already asked on a Ford Focus forum and got zero replies in two weeks. Don't think I'll do much better here, considering this is a fairly vehicle specific question, but I figure it's worth a shot considering the price differential between spikes spiders and chains is $265, but of course if anyone says they took out their struts with chains then it would be a bad gamble.

Thanks

 

[thomsbrain]

My guess is that if you got the kind that are wires with little wire springs around them (rather than the big chain-link kind), then they would clear the struts. Most of them have plastic tabs that hold the extra wire in place so it doesn't smack stuff. Just make sure you get them on tight, then stop again after 1/4 mile to re-tighten them and make damn sure you've got the extra held in place with the tabs. Also, 25 MPH should really be tops with chains on. The speed limit is unlikely to be higher than 25 MPH when there is chain control, and most SUV's will struggle to maintain that without chains. I found my old Accord was more sure-footed in the snow with chains and ended up passing a lot of chain-less AWD vehicles. It also climbed out of a snow drift in a parking lot that had a 4WD Suburban trapped. Chains are pretty amazing tools for the job.

edit: the ones you linked to look fine for the task.

 

[Itchrelief]

Hmm, so if you were in my shoes, would you get the chains or the spikes spiders?

Right now, I'm leaning towards shelling out for the spikes spiders unless I find someone who definitely had no troubles using cables/chains on this vehicle. I don't want to lose a strut while I'm driving next to a 2000 foot cliff.

 

[Toastedlightly]

Whats with the chain laws? I never understood. In Minnesota, they are illegal to use.

 

[Itchrelief]

Most Californians live in climates where there is little, if any snow on the ground, even during the dead of winter. Winter driving skills are not, on the whole, practiced much.

Winter vacation spots in the mountains, however, tend to get dumped on by moisture-rich Pacific storms that are wrung dry by the mountains. It's not uncommon to see several feet drop in the course of a storm over 2 or 3 days.

Combine this with the treacherousness of mountain pass roads and you have chain laws that require even snowtire-shod 2wd vehicles to chain up.

The folly of not requiring the snowflake designated snow tire (or whatever it is) on AWD/4wd instead of the relatively meaningless M+S designated tires tickles me, however. Similar logic should allow me to strap a jet engine to the roof of my Focus. I mean, I'd be able to get going, right? I'd have basically the same stopping and turning ability as those AWD vehicles.

The damage to roads is deemed to be acceptable to save lives and/or litigation costs. Furthermore, as the majority of snow-covered California roads tend to be mountain/hill roads, the occasional rock/mud and snowslides cause enough damage that the road repair cost incurred above that which is normal for such high-maintenance mountain roads is probably not that great. You'd also probably want to get the 18 wheelers (there's a bunch of them) to chain up, anyhow, although I'm not too familiar on the slick surface capabilities of a well trained truck driver in a decently maintained rig.

 

[theeedude]

Caltrans is a powerful lobby. To them, road damage is a good thing

 

[imported_Truenofan]

yeah, dont go above 25, if anything stay below 20. i know they limit us to 15-20 in HMMWV with snow chains on up in upstate ny at ft. drum.