Can I Leave My Snow Chains On All Winter?

Updated 12/02/2019 | Published 12/01/2019

Products Featured in This Question

Glacier Cable Tire Chains - Ladder Pattern - Roller Links - Manual Tensioning - 1 Pair

(1115)

$58.24

Konig K-Summit Tire Chains - Diamond Pattern - Square Link - Self Tensioning - 1 Pair

(86)

$585.27

Question:

Have a hyundai sonata, great car but relocated to a snow and icy area. Ama senior now and though i know how to drive in snow and ice, not hrilled going out on roads unless i have too. So i am drivi g far less. What is the harm leaving my newly purchased cables on the car and only driving it when the roads are pretty clear but still wet and icy? In other words can i just leave the cables on and do not drive on dry roads?

asked by: E H

Helpful Expert Reply:

The thing about snow chains and cables like the Glacier V-Trac Cable Snow Tire Chain # PW1942V is that they're really not designed to be used for anything except providing traction on snow and the more you use them, the quicker they're going to break down. Using them on roads that aren't snow covered are going to make them deteriorate much quicker. You're also limited to driving no faster than 30-35 mph when the chains are on, so you're really going to be limited in the driving that you can do with them attached, on top of running through chains quite quickly.

If you're looking for something that is easy to take on and off, and you anticipate that you'll be using them somewhat frequently in this new area, I recommend using something similar to the Konig Premium Self-Tensioning Snow Tire Chains - Diamond Pattern - D Link - K-Summit - Size K34 # th02230k34 which would fit on a variety of size tire that you might encounter with a Hyundai Sonata, like 205/65-16, 215/55-17 and 235/45-18. These are the fastest and easiest installed Konig chains and they're extremely high quality (backed up by a 5 year warranty).

If you have the tires sizes listed above, these would be the perfect choice for you since it's always good to invest in quality snow chains when you're living in the mountains (or other snowy areas). If your tires are a different size, please let me know what size tires you have on your Sonata and I can locate these same model chains for you in the appropriate size. I've also linked a brief video on the Konig chains for you to check out as well.

expert reply by: Erik B