Tire Chains on a 200 Series?

[Mineral]

The second pic totally gives off a Zen vibe.

The KO2s are good tires; my father-in-law runs them on his duramax. Am running STT Pros. Both tires have been great in the snow.

We are usually together in the specific use case driving both of our desire for chains: northern az clay-like mud. Both of our tires get clogged up and we both slip around the trails - which have steep ruts on both sides.

The one neighbor up there we know who goes where he pleases when he pleases, and pulls out dozens of unfortunate travelers each season, runs swampers on a lifted and locked Cummins. He has seen the mud up there clog even the best mud rated tires and lead to well outfitted rigs needing his assistance.

Rather than run swampers, I am rather keen on trying to figure out how to run hard service chains up front (rear is easy).

This is a fairly extreme and likely unique use case; perhaps it hasn't been actively pursued on the forum yet. To your point, there are a lot of variables at play to "fiddle" with. I'll contact Slee and some others to see what they say and report back.

 

[4gotalot]

I am working on the same project. Chains on the front of my 200 with LT275/65-18 (32.1") KO2 w/2" lift, stock wheels, SPC UCA's.

Chaining up all four on the 80 series on the frozen logging roads and breaking trail through the snow was fun. Chains were installed in the spring when the top couple of inches of ground thawed.
I ran the 200 with HD chain/chains on the rear only 3 time this year so far. Unable to install them on the front due to lack of clearance really sucks. No chains on the front means very little steering control. They are really nice for going down hill. Kinda like feathers on an arrow, more resistance in the back keeps the front bumper in the front.

I am looking into Peerlesschains.com, SZ 462 Super Z-8. These are cable/chains that only require 5/16 inches of clearance. These Z-8 series are for 33" dia tires. The Z-6 series only needs 1/2 " clearance but only fits up to 32" dia tires. The cable/chains don't bite like HD chain/chains but a 1/2" light duty chain or cables may be the only option up front.

I am trying to find a shop with a set to try on.

 

[40Man]

I am working on the same project. Chains on the front of my 200 with LT275/65-18 (32.1") KO2 w/2" lift, stock wheels, SPC UCA's.

Chaining up all four on the 80 series on the frozen logging roads and breaking trail through the snow was fun. Chains were installed in the spring when the top couple of inches of ground thawed.
I ran the 200 with HD chain/chains on the rear only 3 time this year so far. Unable to install them on the front due to lack of clearance really sucks. No chains on the front means very little steering control. They are really nice for going down hill. Kinda like feathers on an arrow, more resistance in the back keeps the front bumper in the front.

I am looking into Peerlesschains.com, SZ 462 Super Z-8. These are cable/chains that only require 5/16 inches of clearance. These Z-8 series are for 33" dia tires. The Z-6 series only needs 1/2 " clearance but only fits up to 32" dia tires. The cable/chains don't bite like HD chain/chains but a 1/2" light duty chain or cables may be the only option up front.

I am trying to find a shop with a set to try on.

I haven't experimented, but the Peerless Autotrac chains appear to be pretty skinny compared to most other chains. I wouldn't want to use thse off road with the auto tensioner system, but as a front option for on-road applications, these look a lot more stout than the Z-8 cable type.

I am running skinny 255/70 R18 Cooper M&S studded winter tires, so my tires are about an inch skinnier (10.04" vs 11.22" stock width), which probably gives me more flexibility with chains. I'd be willing to experiment, I've been meaning to order chains anyway, but it may not give good data for those running stock size or greater.

 

[4gotalot]

Your right, the Peerless Automatic Tensioner system is a no go. The Super Z-6 and Z-8 in use standard tensioners (always use 2 per wheel). They do have a narrow cross bar/cable but will help on frozen ground under the snow and some ability to climb out of a rut or ditch.
I have just less than an inch of clearance from the inside side wall and the UCA's. Mud flaps can be removed or altered. Avoiding metal on metal in a hard turn will be the test.

 

[40Man]

Your right, the Peerless Automatic Tensioner system is a no go. The Super Z-6 and Z-8 in use standard tensioners (always use 2 per wheel). They do have a narrow cross bar/cable but will help on frozen ground under the snow and some ability to climb out of a rut or ditch.
I have just less than an inch of clearance from the inside side wall and the UCA's. Mud flaps can be removed or altered. Avoiding metal on metal in a hard turn will be the test.

The whitestar alloy and Quik Grip PL are both actual chains that meet the limited clearance requirements of Class S chains. I would probably start there. The Z series cables all exceed the Class S standard.

A vehicle with SAE Class S Clearance must have a minimum of 1.46" above the tire without any obstruction, and .59" on the back side of the tire. I haven't measured, but since you stante you have just less than an inch on the inside, I am guessing the white star or quik grip will work on the 200 with a small amount of clearance to the UCA, but some measuring and a test fit would be a good idea.

 

[4gotalot]

I will ck the other 2 you mentioned. Cked the specs for both the Super Z6 and Super Z8 and they do meet class "S" requirements for limited clearance applications.

Test fit is a must and not just on a lift or flat ground. I'm gonna start with a 3/4" block of wood as a go-no go gauge.

 

[Mineral]

Look forward to learning how the tests go by 4gotalot and bamma putting lower profile chains on the front of the 200.

Meanwhile, can the guys running the Tundra IFS comment on whether they think thicker chains (9/32 to 3/8) would be safe w/ their existing setup? Plussing in @justdifferentials @TexAZ as I believe this may be in their wheelhouse...

 

[mr jits]

Look forward to learning how the tests go by 4gotalot and bamma putting lower profile chains on the front of the 200.

Meanwhile, can the guys running the Tundra IFS comment on whether they think thicker chains (9/32 to 3/8) would be safe w/ their existing setup? Plussing in @justdifferentials @TexAZ as I believe this may be in their wheelhouse...

I thought of using chains on all four corners on the wife's Tundra (2016, 3" leveling lift, 35" Cooper AT3), and found on test fit that the front's wouldn't clear the UCA's. Rear's were fine. I've yet to need the chains (the Cooper's did wonders in our area's "snowpocolypse" last year), but it's nice to have them just in case. Chains are from Rud, so pretty thick.

 

[40Man]

According to Etrailer, these Class S chains will fit with stock tires:
2016 Toyota Land Cruiser Tire Chains - Titan Chain

 

[linuxgod]

I used to run the super Z chains on all 4 wheels on my (stock) 2000 4Runner with 265/70R16 tires. The manual said "rear chains only". While the Bridgestone Dueler A/T Revos were good in snow, only chains would get me up the steep mountain switchbacks when it was icy. "Real" chains (or studded chains) would have been better I'm sure, but they were good enough.

Given the various tire sizes people run I'm confident you could run the same "zero clearance" chains on a stock LC on the front without issue. If you're running 33s, different wheels, Tundra suspension, spacers, etc then YMMV, but I would assume that if you can't add 1" of tire diameter and tire width without rubbing then you can't run chains. As it stands I rub the front sway bar slightly at lock so there's no way I could run any chains on my setup.

 

[4gotalot]

I found 4 locations were the chains could make contact metal if you are going to try to install chains on the front tires of your 200. The 2nd location was the big surprise. My rig has stock wheels with KO2 LT275/65-18 E (32.1"), SPC UCA's and 2" OME lift. I drove the left front tire up a snow bank and turned hard right so there was a load mainly on the left front. I then had a friend stand on the brakes and turn the steering wheel hard right and hold it there while the engine was idling because the wheels will rebound from its dead stop position. In "park" and with the parking brake set. I then crawled under and around the front left tire with a 3/4" thick block of wood as a go-no go gauge.

-Stabilizer control arm, 3/4" clearance
-Strut/spring, 1/2" clearance, this was the surprise location. This area is between the sidewall bulge and the main spring itself when the wheel is turned to full lock.
-UCA and rubber boot, 3/4 clearance
-Frame at 3:00 pos if left wheel was turned hard left, 3/4" or more

RW wheels with another 10mm of offset, but then to get the same diameter you go to 285 with not much of a gain at the spring and UCA location. 1.25" spacers would work but then you loose the clearance on the outside of the tire and fender and I can tell you that sheet metal will not look the same after a couple of rotations. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction, sort of.

I would only put chains or cables on the front of my 200 if they were 1/2" thick and properly fitted by myself and not just by the recommended sizing chart. If I went up to the next tire size of LT275/70-18 E (33.2") there would be lots of metal on metal contact during a turn. So as of now, I will stick with HD chains with V bars on the rear tires. I hope this info helps.

 

[Mineral]

Wow, 4gotalot, thanks for that level of analysis. That answers a lot of open questions I've had on this subject and basically reinforces LC200s should probably stick w low profile chains (or none at all up front) even w a lift, UCAs, and skinny tires.

Strut/spring clearance suprised me, too.

I wonder why Toyota just didn't design in the capability to run chains up front.

Sounds like the way to put heavy duty chains up front would be to use spacers and flare the fenders. Even that would probably require some advanced trial and error to ensure no metal mangling. But, seems mky plausible at this point.

 

[Mineral]

*to be not mky

Please excuse the fat thumbs...

 

[jwestpro]

Obviously the biggest single thing to allow chains is reducing the tire width. I don’t recal the full wheel travel in extended kdss mode on a LC200 but in similar consideration my lr3 has long travel by way of air struts, much more in the rear than front but still the front can really stuff into the fender and with the IFS designs, interesting things occur at the extremes.

I now have 17” wheels for the winter tires. This was for a few reasons:

1-18” choices in E load weren’t appealing. I wanted the Nokian LT studded and its 18” choice is way too wide for the best traction & use on ice, snow, cutting through slushy highway snow at speed.

2-the 17 Land Rover wheel itself is ideally suited to narrow tires being only 7” wide vs 8” on the 18. Not only does this allow ideal fit of a narrow tire but it also sets the whole thing away from the stupid struts and UCA and everything else discussed by others while not pushing out to far causing other issues.

3-17” tire tend to be a lot cheaper I found so that’s a bonus here as well.

Here they are on first test fit but I don’t have a bunch of shots to show various angles, there’s plenty of room though simply due to the tire and wheel dimensional combination. 245/75-17 on 7” wide wheel gaining 1/2” offfset but shown here on an H&R spacer that is only 25mm (1”).

 

[jwestpro]

 

[jwestpro]

These wheels required replacing the brake rotors w factory size meant for the European v6 but I needed new brakes all around anyway so the timing was right. The rotors are barely smaller but just enough to allow the 17’s. Pretty simple job requiring only new carriers.

I also DIY installed new upgraded struts, all 8 control arms (all the bushings had worn and it’s the best way to refresh), end and toe links, sway bushings, etc

 

[MrCWineMan]

For what it’s worth, for those of us that must have chains on all 4 (SAR work) the SuperZ6 “chains” work just fine!

 

[4gotalot]

For what it’s worth, for those of us that must have chains on all 4 (SAR work) the SuperZ6 “chains” work just fine!

What type of tire and size/dia tire are you running with the SuperZ6's?

If I were still driving on stock 31" tires I would't have any problems as you may be running but now I have installed 1 1/4 wheel spacers still on stock 18" wheels with 32.2 dia tires, all measurements need to be done again.

 

[MrCWineMan]

What type of tire and size/dia tire are you running with the SuperZ6's?

If I were still driving on stock 31" tires I would't have any problems as you may be running but now I have installed 1 1/4 wheel spacers still on stock 18" wheels with 32.2 dia tires, all measurements need to be done again.

Good question! I’m on 285/60/18 KO2’s - in other words, stockish.

 

[4gotalot]

Stockish is a great description, and thank you for the work you do with SAR.