Tire Chains for an All-Wheel Drive 1997 Toyota Land Cruiser

Question:

Thinking about Thule CS-10 chains for my 1997 Landcruiser. Im concerned that an AWD vehicles drive train might be damaged by temporarily running chains on just the two rear wheels due to loading the drive on one axle by using chains on it, but not the other. I see nothing on the Toyota site about this, but thought you folks might know the answer. My chief concern is braking capability on ice, for example on downhill sections of icy roads where gravity wants to accelerate me toward doom rather than stop me like it would in an uphill direction. Can you advise? And do you like the CS-10 for this vehicle? It looks to be a good design for ice.

asked by: Mike V

Expert Reply:

With all-wheel drive vehicles if using one set of chains then they should go on the main drive axle but then turn off the traction control, if equipped. If you cannot turn off traction control or don't want to then I recommend using 2 sets of chains. The additional weight of chains on just one axle would not harm the vehicle but with traction control on and only 1 set of chains the power distribution would not be adequate to get the best traction.

For the best traction, braking, and steering use chains on all 4 wheels of your 1997 Toyota Land Cruiser.

The CS10 chains are designed for passenger cars. For SUVs you would want the XG12 Pro chains. I would need to know your specific tire size to determine if there is a fit for that size. If you have 275/70-16 tires then the correct size would be # TH01594267. I have linked a video review of these chains for you.

Be sure to consult the vehicle owner's manual for additional information on the use of chains. I have also included a link to our help article on tire chains for you.

expert reply by: Michael H