[greendave]

Looking for recommendations for tire chains/cables. As somebody pointed out, the manual is not very encouraging:

"Do not use tire chains. There is not enough clearance."

I imagine low-profile cables are the best bet, but any ideas/suggestions would be welcome. Obviously snow tires would be helpful but that's a very expensive solution to something I don't expect to encounter more than 2-3 times per year, and even with snow tires, at least in California, highway partol may require one to put on chains/cables (especially if the vehicle is not AWD)..

 

[One1whaoo.]

There is only about 1/4"between the front tire and the front shocks. Anything you strap to the tire will cause damage. You might get away with those spider-like metal traction assists that bolt to the outside of the wheel and wrap beneath the tire.

 

[Lin19687]

There is only about 1/4"between the front tire and the front shocks. Anything you strap to the tire will cause damage. You might get away with those spider-like metal traction assists that bolt to the outside of the wheel and wrap beneath the tire.

Is this true? That doesn't make sense. Don't you need more clearance for the shocks to work ? To be honest I have not even looked as what is what other then to make sure nothing is stuck up there.

 

[One1whaoo.]

Stick a finger in back of a front tire, and feel the minimal clearance to the shock. I'm not even sure you could use a 225x17 tire on the car without interference.

 

[greendave]

Thanks for the tips. Hmm... Yes, now that I've poked around down there I can see the problem. I guess I'm going to need to be doubly careful about the weather during trips to the mountains.

 

[Bolt2019]

Thanks for the tips. Hmm... Yes, now that I've poked around down there I can see the problem. I guess I'm going to need to be doubly careful about the weather during trips to the mountains.

Or my driveway. My Bolt is parked 'til April or so now. We'll see if it might make it up after roughing it up with the snow blower tires. I have a bit of a steep driveway with a rough surface. My Jeep makes it up fine but I hate paying for gas now. But I'll have to suck it up for the winter. I wondered this in May when I got the car. Here I am.

 

[JohnnyEV]

Or my driveway. My Bolt is parked 'til April or so now. We'll see if it might make it up after roughing it up with the snow blower tires. I have a bit of a steep driveway with a rough surface. My Jeep makes it up fine but I hate paying for gas now. But I'll have to suck it up for the winter. I wondered this in May when I got the car. Here I am.

I have the same problem, not as steep but can be icy. I recommend Michelin X-Ice stud-less snow tires. They have great snow / ice traction and are also rated as low rolling resistance tires. I have driven in over 6" of snow on the road and still had some control and traction. You can also run them all year. I also thought I would carry a handful of these cable zip tie plastic chains in case of an emergency. Cheap insurance in an emergency.

 

[California]

I also thought I would carry a handful of these cable zip tie plastic chains in case of an emergency.

That looks like a good idea to get the car moving under emergency conditions, if that's all that will fit.

Are they also acceptable by CHP when 'Chains Required"?

 

[JohnnyEV]

That looks like a good idea to get the car moving under emergency conditions, if that's all that will fit.

Are they also acceptable by CHP when 'Chains Required"?

I doubt it, but if you have control, it may be overlooked as the only option that will fit. Just be really nice to the CHP officer.... With the X-Ice tires, they work so well, I usually don't worry about chains. I worry about the others on the road that don't know how to drive in the snow and ice.

 

[California]

... I worry about the others on the road that don't know how to drive in the snow and ice.

California flatlanders are famous for no snow skills. Me included but at least I'm cautious unlike the yahoos who skied all day then do the trip home as one more ski run.

We were up at Donner Summit (I-80, yes those Donners) visiting friends for dinner last evening and came back down some 30 miles with Chain Control in effect from 7000 ft to 3,000 ft elevation. In other words, the usual toboggan run down the hill. But this time we saw only two SUV's stuffed backward in the snow berm and a couple more that had ground to a halt along the center divider wall - a record low.

Love my elderly Subaru! No chains needed under R-2 Chain Control, with M&S tires! My host up there said R-3 and 4 usually mean Closed to let the plows get out through the spun-out cars rather than chaining up 4x4's.

 

[JohnnyEV]

I have the same problem, not as steep but can be icy. I recommend Michelin X-Ice stud-less snow tires. They have great snow / ice traction and are also rated as low rolling resistance tires. I have driven in over 6" of snow on the road and still had some control and traction. You can also run them all year. I also thought I would carry a handful of these cable zip tie plastic chains in case of an emergency. Cheap insurance in an emergency.
View attachment 27931

Notice: I have read some reviews and these are pretty much useless based on what I have read. Maybe might be OK for an emergence to get "unstuck" but they do not seem hold up very long. BTW, I have also used "spider spikes" (on a different car) and if the tire has no zig zag tred to grip them, they will stay still while the tire spins in the spiders sometimes. They do work in snow OK but extra hard ice they do not work as well as powder. They also "Break" the arms but they are a replaceable wear item. Spiders may be the only option on the Bolt....

 

[One1whaoo.]

Also, since the shock mount on the Bolt front curves in above the tire, if you drive at more than 20mph, the zip-ties would probably contact the shock mount and break them quickly.
I agree that they might be helpful getting out of an icy parking space, but not much more than that.
Snow tires are the answer if you have to drive a Bolt in winter.

 

[duncanator]

California flatlanders are famous for no snow skills. Me included but at least I'm cautious unlike the yahoos who skied all day then do the trip home as one more ski run.

We were up at Donner Summit (I-80, yes those Donners) visiting friends for dinner last evening and came back down some 30 miles with Chain Control in effect from 7000 ft to 3,000 ft elevation. In other words, the usual toboggan run down the hill. But this time we saw only two SUV's stuffed backward in the snow berm and a couple more that had ground to a halt along the center divider wall - a record low.

Love my elderly Subaru! No chains needed under R-2 Chain Control, with M&S tires! My host up there said R-3 and 4 usually mean Closed to let the plows get out through the spun-out cars rather than chaining up 4x4's.

I chained up my Audi last January while going up to Northstar and by far the vehicles that passed me the most without chains were Subaru's. With the right tire, they must be amazing in the snow. Unfortunately, my LR4 has road tires for my time in the "flatland."

 

[California]

... by far the vehicles that passed me the most without chains were Subaru's. With the right tire, they must be amazing in the snow.

Subaru seems to provide suitable tires. I've replaced this '99 Outback's OEM Michelins with the same model tire, twice. Now halfway through my third set at 135k miles. They simply work. I did some Brake Checks in the cabin's subdivision before getting on the highway, no problem. Then thankfully the drive down the mountain in the snowstorm was uneventful.

 

[p7wang]

There is always the option of mounting snow or studded tires on the Bolt.

 

[California]

There is always the option of mounting snow or studded tires on the Bolt.

Yes but ... At least here, that won't get you past Chain Control to get home from skiing.

Agree that would help a lot when this isn't a consideration.

 

[California]

'Don't be this guy:' CHP finds driver using zip ties at chain control

At this point, you probably wouldn’t be faulted to think California Highway Patrol officers have seen just about all there is to see on our roadways, but even they get surprised still, from time to time. Such was the case when officers monitoring chain control along a snowy Interstate 80 outside of Truckee came upon a car with zip ties for snow chains.

“Seriously, don’t be this guy,” CHP officials wrote on Facebook. “These will not suffice as traction control devices.”

While the devices may look like zip ties, they are actually a sanctioned snow traction device allowed in some states. Just not California, according to CHP officials.

 

[California]

And just for fun - Flatlanders do a day trip to go up and see the snow!

(I've seen it like this on Ice House Rd - with a CHP officer shoveling gravel from the bank onto the road in an icy spot with a car in the ditch).

 

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There is only about 1/4"between the front tire and the front shocks. Anything you strap to the tire will cause damage. You might get away with those spider-like metal traction assists that bolt to the outside of the wheel and wrap beneath the tire.

what brand are spider-like metal traction assists?

 

[greendave]

what brand are spider-like metal traction assists?

One option mentioned in another thread is Spikes Spider. Planning on giving them a try this winter.