# AWD and chains

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/awd-and-chains/23823>\
**Category:** General Discussion\
**Created:** [December 24, 2008, 4:53am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/awd-and-chains/23823 "2008-12-24T04:53:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\
**Post date:** [December 31, 2018, 7:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/awd-and-chains/23823/21 "2018-12-31T19:06:57Z")

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If you insist. Do you live in an area that requires snow tires or chains when it snows?

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**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\
**Post date:** [December 31, 2018, 7:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/awd-and-chains/23823/22 "2018-12-31T19:48:49Z")

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Who are you talking to after 10 years?

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**Author:** ![Luke\_Plumb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Luke\_Plumb](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Luke_Plumb)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2019, 2:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/awd-and-chains/23823/23 "2019-04-05T14:30:05Z")

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> [@keith](#):
>
> Edit: slip your fingers on top of the tire, underneath the strut and you will see that you cannot use chains on a Subaru even in a straight line. Centripetal force will lift the chain off the wheel as it picks up speed and beat the bottom of the strut.

The diamond pattern sub-S class chains I bought fit so tight that at any speed below 25 mph, they do not interfer. I checked. On a vehicle lift.

On any surface that needs chains, I’m not driving over 25.  
Also CENTRIPETAL force is INWARD, or the retaining force (the structure of the chains keeping them in a circle).  
You may have intended to say CENTRIFUGAL. Which is actually a poorly explained phenomenon of Newton’s 3rd law.

Regarding the concerns that the tire chains could interfer with the AWD:

> [@pleasedodgevan](#):
>
> AWD will fail if you use a slightly different size tire on one wheel.

If you are running chains on any vehicle (4WD or AWD),  
TURN OFF THE ELECTRONIC TRACTION CONTROL.  
Drive with your feet and seat of your pants to know when you have slipping.  
Additionally most AWD vehicles (Subaru especially) have Torsen differentials in the front/rear transfer case and in the individual axle differentials.

[Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/awd-and-chains/23823.md?page=1)