Tire Chains on a 200 Series? (1 Viewer)

[Fisher23]

If you have stock tires you could probably run the Z8 on the front. I ran that one or something similar from SuperZ on my 3rd gen 4Runner on all 4 wheels without interference. They worked well on all 4 wheels when going up and down switchbacks on the (smallish) mountain we were on

If you have 33s or taller I would not put chains on the front.

Thanks ... that is what I was thinking.. and have stock on a set and also have the 34's.

I was thinking if they clear then the cables are fine.

Some of the mountain trails are snow with ice under it, and without front cables or chains you have no steering.

 

[NCMTNS]

Do the Super Z-8 cables fit nice and tight on the front?

Do you use 2 adjusters with them per wheel?

Yes and yes.

 

[SQRRRL]

Never run traction devices on the front . It can make your LC spin out with to much braking on the front. Cable or chain.

 

[4gotalot]

Clearance is limited around the front tires with stock tires and no modifications. If you do think you may need to install chains on the front or rear, you must pre fit them before you find your self at the chain up area in blowing snow and feeling like you are in a hurry. Off road can be even worse when you only need to crawl out of a shallow ditch 3 feet to the left or right but the ground is covered with ice and a nice amount of snow on top.

OEM/stock diameter in the US is 31.2" I have only driven on stock tires to get the vehicle home and then to the tire shop to remove worn stock after I purchased with 20k mile and chains were not needed at that time of year.
My snow tires are P275/65-18 @ 32.2" and there is not enough clearance on my 200 for "S" rated limited clearance cables or light duty "S" chains around the front tire. There may be room for them if I don't have to turn...
Since that test I have added 1" wheel spacers and the same snow tires, the clearance is even less with a wider swing at the aft mud flap on the front. And I have cut and heated the mud flaps so they just clear my 33.2" summer A/T tires. Yes, I have run with HD chains on the back axle with 33.2 diameter A/T tires listed below.

Please pre install your cables/chains to ops ck the fit and turn clearance and use 2 tensioners per tire if possible depending on the type of system you chose.

 

[bloc]

That’s the issue. You need spacers to get the tire away from the upper knuckle to clear, but that makes chains/cables on the edge of the tread hit the front/rear of the wheel well. 200s aren’t designed with a ton of room in these areas and even low profile cables add a notable amount of effective diameter.. with huge consequences if things don’t clear, vs a mild buzz of tire tread hits.

someone running a narrow wheel/tire setup would have a lot more options. Haven’t seen this approach very much on here though.

 

[NCMTNS]

Stock wheels/tires no issues for me running cables or chains on all 4. Have done it for years on 100 and 200 series. However I only run a short distance on a steep icy, gravel road as posted earlier. No issues with front spinning out with too much braking. In fact, that is point of having on front for me to help aid in steep, icy downward road. But do what is needed for your condition and as others have said test fit and make sure you clear wheel well and suspension components.

 

[Fisher23]

Thanks!

I have Bora 3/4" Spacers installed and do have an extra set of stock tires on wheels.

For an offroadable suv Toyota sure make the front end wheel clearance way too tight IMHO on this vehicle. All my other vehicles chains fit fine on all 4 wheels.

 

[silver tuna]

Hi all, good thread here…Seems like “chains” might work up front but not the heavy types, they have to be class S Type??

Video demonstration of chains installed on 2020 tundra fronts:

https://www.etrailer.com/p-TC2327.html?hhyear=2013&hhmake=Lexus&hhmodel=LX+570

 

[scottm]

I will tell you that after 15 years of living in the California and Colorado mountains I’ve never gone wrong with Blizzaks or Rotiivas.

Very rarely I read someone ran Rotiivas in snow/ice. I need tires I can run on mostly dry highways, and safe as possible when I hit surprise icy conditions. That happens a few times a winter on my long highway runs around the bottom of Lake Michigan. Tried Blizzaks, the outer layer wore off quickly. Nokian WR G4 did well, but I want something that can handle softer snow and mud occasionally. How did the Rotiivas do on slick snow and ice? I'm thinking the Rotiiva Plus 275/70R18.

Chains might be good to have on hand to get un-stuck. I assume they are all good for 10mph tops?

 

[300blk]

Very rarely I read someone ran Rotiivas in snow/ice. I need tires I can run on mostly dry highways, and safe as possible when I hit surprise icy conditions. That happens a few times a winter on my long highway runs around the bottom of Lake Michigan. Tried Blizzaks, the outer layer wore off quickly. Nokian WR G4 did well, but I want something that can handle softer snow and mud occasionally. How did the Rotiivas do on slick snow and ice? I'm thinking the Rotiiva Plus 275/70R18.

Chains might be good to have on hand to get un-stuck. I assume they are all good for 10mph tops?

Yes, and make sure you put them on right, otherwise you will literally do thousands of dollars of damage to your truck.

 

[bloc]

Hi all, good thread here…Seems like “chains” might work up front but not the heavy types, they have to be class S Type??

Video demonstration of chains installed on 2020 tundra fronts:

https://www.etrailer.com/p-TC2327.html?hhyear=2013&hhmake=Lexus&hhmodel=LX+570

View attachment 2795487

Tundra typically runs a narrower tire than the LandCruiser.

I can say definitively with my cruiser on stock 285/60r18 tires there wasn’t enough clearance between the tire shoulder/sidewall and the knuckle to run even a class S cable. There just wasn’t enough room. Now if you ran different offset wheels you’d make room there, but start to interfere with the fender liner at full lock.

In the rear, sure.

 

[Fisher23]

In Cali many mountain roads/places require you carry chains, and some times they require you be using chains in the small towns.

Be best to run a narrow tire if running chains on the LC200 to give you room to clear the KDSS mount on the front of the front driver side tire.

 

[scottm]

Yes, and make sure you put them on right, otherwise you will literally do thousands of dollars of damage to your truck.

I promise, if you tell me how the Rotiivas did in slick winter conditions.

 

[linuxgod]

Hi all, good thread here…Seems like “chains” might work up front but not the heavy types, they have to be class S Type??

Video demonstration of chains installed on 2020 tundra fronts:

https://www.etrailer.com/p-TC2327.html?hhyear=2013&hhmake=Lexus&hhmodel=LX+570

View attachment 2795487

I ran them on my 3rd gen 4Runner. They're typically called "zero clearance" chains, though you will need a bit of clearance to run them. The clearance is small though, similar to stepping up one tire size in height and width.

If you have stock 31" tires and wheels, you might be able to use them. You'd want to fit them ahead of time and then check clearance in all sorts of directions (straight, full lock left and right, turning with one tire compressed into the wheel well, etc).

If you have larger tires or non-factory wheels then it's likely they will make contact somewhere.

I have 34s and a KDSS relo... without the KDSS relo I would rub at full lock so absolutely guaranteed the chains would catch on something in that case. With the KDSS relo I don't rub (though it's still close) *except* when I'm aired down to about 16-18psi - in which case it's very subtle but it happens. Given that there's no way I'd try chains on the front.

 

[ElJayBird]

I have 34s and a KDSS relo... without the KDSS relo I would rub at full lock so absolutely guaranteed the chains would catch on something in that case. With the KDSS relo I don't rub (though it's still close) *except* when I'm aired down to about 16-18psi - in which case it's very subtle but it happens. Given that there's no way I'd try chains on the front.

Which tires and size are you running? I’m currently running 33’s but considering going to 285/75/17 KO2’s on my next set this year.

I don’t want to do the KDSS relo due to added stress on the joints.

 

[linuxgod]

Which tires and size are you running? I’m currently running 33’s but considering going to 285/75/17 KO2’s on my next set this year.

I don’t want to do the KDSS relo due to added stress on the joints.

285/75R17 Nitto Ridge Grapplers

I did the KDSS relo, but I mounted my sway bar end links on the OUTSIDE of the LCA. You do so you just need longer bolts and some 1.5" spacers (to keep the cradle from getting "crushed" when you tighten the bolts. It works well and significantly reduces the tweaking. @indycole did the same thing, as have a few others.

If you don't have the KDSS relo kit and you're handy, just buy two 5/8"x2"x7" aluminum blocks online (I got a pair from speedymetals.com for $15 plus shipping and tax). Drill holes and use a tap-and-die for the original bolts, then drill and recess holes for the bolts to secure the block to the original holes. The aftermarket KDSS relo kits (which have ~6" long blocks) will give you about 1" of extra clearance, but doing this you can gain about another 0.5" with the slightly longer blocks. They also will reduce any remaining sway bar end link tweaking that happens to basically zero.

 

[TeCKis300]

In Cali many mountain roads/places require you carry chains, and some times they require you be using chains in the small towns.

Be best to run a narrow tire if running chains on the LC200 to give you room to clear the KDSS mount on the front of the front driver side tire.

CA can be a stickler for chains, and rightfully so with all too many entitled city slickers getting themselves in trouble with their BMWs on summer tires.

That said, I've been going to Big Bear, Mammoth, and Tahoe for 20 years now. I have had a T4R 4WD, 100-series, and 200-series largely with AT tires that have good cold performance because of winter sports. The checkpoints will always ask if I'm carrying chains but never ask me to put them on, even in the worse of seasons. I've never seen R3 in practice (all cars chain up). Reality is they just close the roads.

I use to carry chains. I don't bother any longer as the chains at my tire size have no hope of fitting. And really are never needed as the 200-series is a mountain goat.

 

[300blk]

I promise, if you tell me how the Rotiivas did in slick winter conditions.

I had them for two winters in Colorado Springs, didn’t perform any differently than my Blizzaks.

When we had rain that turned to snow in October, I was the only one in my neighborhood who made it all the way up the hill.

This is after the Dong Cyclone we had a few winters ago in Monument.

That’s just straight up ice with 1.5’ of snow on top of it.

I made it home before the snow plows came out.

 

[scottm]

I had them for two winters in Colorado Springs, didn’t perform any differently than my Blizzaks.

When we had rain that turned to snow in October, I was the only one in my neighborhood who made it all the way up the hill.


View attachment 2798555

This is after the Dong Cyclone we had a few winters ago in Monument.

That’s just straight up ice with 1.5’ of snow on top of it.

I made it home before the snow plows came out.

Thanks!! I ran Blizzaks on my 100. Plow truck came into my neighborhood and got stuck, I drove down the unplowed street, turned around, and pulled him out, twice. If I can get that traction without the rapid wear that happened on my Blizzaks, those are the tires I need. Not much detailed info on them, but I'll take a chance on the ride qualities.

 

[97 FZJ80]

I cannot seem to get a definitive answer on the tire chain/cable use on the 200. I have a LX570 with stock 285/50-20 Yokohama Geolander A/T G015 with severe snow service rating (3PMSF). Since I live in Texas, I've only had great experience with snow and bad weather traction with this tire when I venture out to ski or off-road on occasions. I also carry a set of 4 (front and rear) of the peerless/SCC Z-type chains that are rated for Class S-Clearance.

Back to the original questions:
1. Does Chains fit the FRONT of the standard 200 series for both Landcruiser and LX570 OEM wheel and tire sizes?
2. Does the low profile type of traction aiding devices like the class S cable/chain clear the front of the 200 series?

Now back to your regular programming