Recommended Tire Chains for 195/45-16 Size Tires on a 2015 Fiat 500 in the Mountains

Question:

How good do these chains fit on a fiat 500 with tire size 195/45/16 also i have a messed up bumper and not sure if it will damage more of the bumper. I live in mountains of Idyllwilld California and we just got 3 feet of snow. I am looking for good chains that will last. Also looking to see how well these chains work in ice since I live and work in a campground and we have good size hills. thank you very much and have a great day!

asked by: Karl W

Expert Reply:

While the Glacier Alloy Square-Link Snow Tire Chains # PWPLC1126 will fit the 195/45-16 size tires on your 2015 Fiat 500 this is a very basic set of chains and they aren't that great, which is evident with the 90-day warranty.

For your application I recommend going with the Konig Standard Snow Tire Chains # TH01221060 or the upgraded version # TH00023060 which features self-tensioning and wheel protection. The first set needs 12 mm of clearance while this second set needs 9 mm of clearance so it definitely has a lower profile which will help to keep it close to the tire. Both sets are backed by a 5-year warranty as well so you can be confident that Konig is standing behind their product.

Please note that if your bumper got messed up and is caved in some towards the wheel well there isn't really any way that I can verify that the chains won't hit anything that may have already been damaged and moved out of place.

I have attached some installation videos of these chains so you can get a good idea of what it entails.

expert reply by: Jon G