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Snow tire chain recommendations?

chrismc

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Anyone have a recommendation for good tire chains that fit the 20” ATs? I’m in the queue for delivery soon and will need them to access one of my favorite winter destinations. The Owner’s Manual seems to come up empty for this, which is unusual.
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chrismc

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Just discussed in another thread, apparently the manual has a "non-recommendation"
https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/...-our-rivian-test-out-of-spec.3966/post-112792
Interesting, that section is not in the manual I had downloaded earlier. I guess it’s still a living document.

That “no chains on AT 20s” is kind of a non-starter, and they really need a better answer there (“raise your ride height” or something). Tire chains are a staple of Pacific Northwest winter travel and often non-negotiable if you want to go over the pass.
 

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I haven’t used these so I’m not endorsing them in any way but I think these might work with the R1 vehicles and supposedly meet state requirements: https://autosock.us/
 

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Interesting, that section is not in the manual I had downloaded earlier. I guess it’s still a living document.

That “no chains on AT 20s” is kind of a non-starter, and they really need a better answer there (“raise your ride height” or something). Tire chains are a staple of Pacific Northwest winter travel and often non-negotiable if you want to go over the pass.
https://www.wsp.wa.gov/driver/vehicle-equipment-requirements/

Rivian R1T R1S Snow tire chain recommendations? Alternative-Traction-devices-April-1024x626
 

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chrismc

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Now I don’t feel quite as silly about posting the link to that AutoSock product which I never used. It seems like their claim regarding state approval was legit!
Snow socks are helpful for adding traction to your Miata on summer racing slicks, but are kind of garbage on normal winter tires. Putting them on the ATs would be a huge traction downgrade and they’d get swiftly destroyed.
 

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Snow socks are helpful for adding traction to your Miata on summer racing slicks, but are kind of garbage on normal winter tires. Putting them on the ATs would be a huge traction downgrade and they’d get swiftly destroyed.
That may be, but if Washington is like California where a driver may be required to show that you have in your possession snow traction devices for your vehicle at a checkpoint or even install the devices at a checkpoint then these should allow you to get past the checkpoint since they are approved by the state. To me, this is low-conflict insurance if an officer is being a stickler because he or she doesn’t want to have to explain to the person behind me why I got a pass.

If this product makes things worse and/or are short-lived as you stated, then I assume I could remove them after getting through the checkpoint and down the road a bit.

Or someone could try arguing with an officer and explain how the law doesn’t apply to them or, worse, explain why they think the state-approved traction aids for low clearance applications are garbage.
 

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Interesting, that section is not in the manual I had downloaded earlier. I guess it’s still a living document.

That “no chains on AT 20s” is kind of a non-starter, and they really need a better answer there (“raise your ride height” or something). Tire chains are a staple of Pacific Northwest winter travel and often non-negotiable if you want to go over the pass.
Raising the ride height won't necessarily help. It would depend on what the chains were likely to rub on.

Rivian may have thought the solution was obvious. If tire chains are a requirement in the winter, and are not compatible with AT 20s, then don't drive on the OEM 20" tires in those conditions.

Just because the truck comes with those tires as an option does not mean that they can be used in all situations.

The same thing would apply to cars that come with summer tires which can't be used in cold weather (in addition to having no traction, the rubber on summer tires may crack and fall apart if exposed to cold weather). You just have to put on different tires if you want to drive in cold weather.
 
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chrismc

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surely you don’t (legally) need chains on tires that carry the severe service(mountain & snowflake) symbol, with all wheel drive?
It depends on conditions, but sometimes you do. See “CHAINS REQUIRED ON ALL VEHICLES” athttps://wsdot.com/travel/real-time/mountainpasses/tiresandchains. Welcome to the land of “Cascade concrete” snowfall!
 

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It depends on conditions, but sometimes you do. See “CHAINS REQUIRED ON ALL VEHICLES” athttps://wsdot.com/travel/real-time/mountainpasses/tiresandchains. Welcome to the land of “Cascade concrete” snowfall!
From that link, 4WD vehicles under 10,000 lbs with M+S or mountain/snowflake tires are exempt from "Chains Required" signs as far as actually mounting the snow chains, but you are still required to have chains with you.

Interesting question if chains that don't fit without rubbing would count as having chains with you.
 

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It depends on conditions, but sometimes you do. See “CHAINS REQUIRED ON ALL VEHICLES” athttps://wsdot.com/travel/real-time/mountainpasses/tiresandchains. Welcome to the land of “Cascade concrete” snowfall!
the funny thing is, go over the bordsr to the same conditions in the southern interior of BC and…no chains on passenger vehicles. At all. Maybe 20 years ago. But not now. Winter tires required though.
 

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@crashmtb in California, if you get conditions which warrant R3 then there are explicitly no exceptions, “Requirement 3 (R3): Chains or traction devices are required on all vehicles, no exceptions.”
From https://dot.ca.gov/travel/winter-driving-tips/chain-controls
my understanding has been that they’ll close the road before declaring R3 conditions.

as I posited in the other winter tire thread, it seems like the chain requirements presume people don’t have anything close to a winter tire.

in western canada there are no tire chain requirements for non-commercial vehicles. BC for example now requires winter tires on passenger cars in certain regions. But there’s no chain requirement.
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