Tire Chains for a 2016 75th Anniversary Jeep Wrangler Unlimited with 245/75-17 Tires

Question:

I recently bought a 2016 75th Anniversary Jeep Wrangler Unlimited. At the time of closing, the dealer sprung a disclosure on me indicating that snow chains were not recommended for the vehicle. The Jeep came with 17-Inch x 7.5-Inch Bronze Aluminum Wheels and P245/75R17 OWL On / Off-Road Tires. I have contacted Jeep to ask about the recommendation, but I have yet to find anyone there who has a clue about the recommendation. I am getting ready to head up to the mountains soon and hope to run into some snow. I live in California and it has 3 levels of snow chain controls. I believe the tires the jeep came with will get past the first 2 levels with no problems, but the 3rd level is Chains or traction devices are required on all vehicles, no exceptions.inch I have never had to actually chain up in my old jeep or old subaru in the past, but they have made me show them that I actually had chains/cables in the vehicle with me. Am I just SOL in the new Jeep or can I get away with using your Titan Chain Cable Tire Chains - TC2028 if really required to put them on in a pinch? Is there anything else that provides more clearance?

asked by: Steve J

Expert Reply:

The 2016 jeep Wrangler Unlimited owner's manual only states to use Class S chains on P225/75R16 or P235/65R17 tire sizes and does not mention anything about alternate tire sizes. Your tires are about 3/8 to 1/2 inch wider than the 235s the manual mentions so clearance could be an issue.

But here's the thing; this issue is what I call the Tire Chain Paradox or Reno's Law. Basically it occurs when a vehicle owner's manual or manufacturer says you can't use chains yet chains are required by law. In my opinion the law trumps the vehicle manufacturer or owner's manual because they cannot suggest that you break the law. When confronted with this fact they usually back down.

Chains go on the rear tires only on your Jeep so you will want to see how much clearance there is all around the rear tires and nearby components. Then you can choose chains accordingly. Cable chains such as # PW3010C require very little clearance. These cables stick out from the tire 0.486 inches which is just under 1/2 an inch. If you have more space than that all around the tires then there should be no interference problem. Cables # TC2028 are about the same.

I also recommend rubber adjusters # PW105 to keep the cables tight and centered. But you might consider cables # PW2121V because they are slightly smaller at 0.425 inches and they come with the rubber adjusters.

expert reply by: Michael H