Hello, I have a 99 Monte Carlo Z34 with 225/60R16 tires. I was looking to get some tire chains but I read in the owner's manual that I shouldn't use tire chains because there isn't enough clearance and they can damage the car.

I looked on Amazon anyway and they said that a number of chains would fit my vehicle. It looked like chains were typically 10mm thick. But I don't know if Amazon is just using my tire size or if it knows something about Monte Carlos that I don't.

Unfortunately I live in an apartment complex so it's a little difficult for me to check the clearance manually, so I was hoping someone here might have had first hand experience with using chains on their Monte.

 

Amazon is just showing you chains that fit 16" tires. I'm not sure about a 5th gen because your wheel wells are shaped a bit different.

Having a memory of the chains we used back in the day (granted they were used on a truck) they probably would be grabbing inside the wheel well. So I'm going to say the owners manual is probably correct that our cars can't take them.

Personally I have no need for chains as we normally don't exceed 6 inches a night, and we'll have it plowed before the next night piles up again. So I can't speak from experience.

 

thinking/trying to put tire chains on a monte makes me cry

 

This sounds like a horrible idea. Get some steelies and put some snow tires on em.

Where do you live that you think you need chains, Alaska?

 

Snow tires sounds like a much better idea.

 

Thanks for the quick responses. I recently moved to California and they'll put chain controls on roads in the mountains sometimes. I'd rather not use chains at all but I would still like to go skiing. This is my only vehicle so I was hoping it would be possible. Snow tires apparently don't cut it unless you have 4WD.

 

You also need to look at the clearance of the strut tower above your tires. On my 6th gen, I can barely fit my fingers between the tire and the bottom of the strut tower.

 

If the locations you travel don't plow/salt the road ways, then those are NOT locations for a car. You should consider a 4x4, 4WD or AWD vehicle.

I live in an area known for getting blasted by winter snow, drive a FWD car with good all season tires. That's usually plenty. I know one or two guys that live around here and use snow tires in the winter and rave about how good they are.

 

When they say not to use chains I think they are referring to (old school) traction devices that are literally made out of chain. Last Winter when we had some ice and snow on the roads I test fit my cable chains and drove the car a couple of miles. No problems whatsoever with clearance. I'm running 225/55R17 tires. Larger sizes will have less clearance. The main cause of damage from chains is improper installation.