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| Manufacturer: Thule, Inc.
Category: Automotive Parts and Accessories
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 6-10 of 11
 Very nice set of chains. February 17, 2010
J. Court
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
They are easy to install and remove. It is nice that they are made in Italy and not China. I installed them on my Smart ForTwo (2008, American version) and they fit fantastic (Size 050). The case doesn't quite fit in the trunk compartment, but I am going to take off the handle of the case they came in and it will fit great. I currently have them stored in the space directly behind my seat. The back of the case has velcro on it, so it stays in place nicely. I would recommend taking out the instruction book, etc, and putting it all in a ziploc bag so they don't get wet when the chains are full of snow. After use, they are very easy to put back in their case. I have posted pics and hope to post a video as soon as we get some more snow!
Pros:
-Price (I paid $54 from Amazon Warehouse deals. Small crack in the case, barely noticeable)
-Easy to instal
-Made in Italy, not china
-Compact
-Good added traction
Cons:
-I am slightly worried about the bungie wearing eventually (probably in 10 years or so). I think it would be easy enough to replace though
-It may be possible to bend some of the red parts if you run them over just right. This wouldn't happen while driving, but rather if you are trying to take them off and you had to roll forward a bit to do so. I will take care not to do this.
-To get the bungie to the correct / safe tightness, it takes a bit of strength. Someone with low arm / hand strength may have a bit of trouble there.
I would highly recommend these to anyone thinking about buying them.
Nice set of chains February 7, 2010
Peter Senna (New York, New York)
Very nice set of chains which hopefully will keep me from getting stranded on icy, hilly stretches of roadway. Just wanted to point out that the mounting instructions that came with the chains from Thule are at odds with the editorial review. According to the instructions, you are supposed to mount the chains, drive 100m and then exit the vehicle to re-adjust and tighten. Still 5 stars from me, though, great product and I have actually used them. My experience parallels what DrummerBoy said. I have an Audi allroad.
BEST EVER! March 10, 2010
Domingo J. Sanchez
I have to admit, I've never driven in the snow before. Once I got to the part of the hill where chains were required I noticed someone putting the traditional chains on their tires and it seemed they had been there for a while. I then took out mine, my wife and I each did one tire. I think it took us about 3 minutes combined and we were done. Since it was our first time, we practiced at home before we went on our trip.
When we left, people were still working on theirs.
These chains never got unfastened. They worked great, they are durable and I would only buy these in the future if I had to. I recommend them. They are user friendly and beginner friendly too.
 Very satisfied, easy to use January 30, 2010
DrummerBoyInCalif (Culver City, CA)
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I put these on my minivan (2003 Honda Odyssey) and drove on mixed surfaces (snow-covered, icy, slushy & pavement) in Yosemite National Park. I've tried several types of snow chains prior to these -- straight cables, Z-cables, GoClaws -- I found this pair to the most durable. The other types/brands tended to give out when driven on pavement, or they rusted out after a couple of uses.
These chains were also the easiest to install, thanks to the stiffened inner ring that you just push behind the wheel -- you don't need to hug the wet, muddy tire to reach around to look for the other end of the chain because all the linkages are designed to connect on the outer side of the wheel, and you can install the chains without moving the vehicle. The uninstallation instructions say you need to stop and align the wheel perfectly, but this doesn't always work because I'd usually have a portion of the chain pinched under the wheel. I found it easier to just unbuckle the linkages and drive over the chains to get them off -- very quick. Key linkages are painted in bright colors, so they're easy to find. There is also a tensioning mechanism to keep the chains from flopping around too much. The unconventional locking/tightening mechanism is easy enough, but I'd definitely recommend that you try it at home before you head for the hills.
I purchased size 102 according to the fitment guide (225/60-16) -- while the chains fit around the tread nicely, I had hard time pulling on the tension arm of the chain to hook it to the designated spot on the chain (you'll have to see the instructions to see what I mean). I just ended up hooking the tension arm elsewhere on the chain, and compensated with a bungee cord.
In my opinion, these drive slightly more smoothly than the Z-cable chains.
I'm very happy with these chains. They store nicely in a compact case also. Good stuff.
If you are going to buy chains, buy a diamond pattern chain January 30, 2010
kevin mcdonald (portland, or usa)
I've owned and used all kinds of tire chains over the last 40 years. Diamond pattern chains are much better than any other style - both for driving traction and ease of installation/removal. I also have a set of Les Schwab diamond chains, they are also good. I bought the Thule because they are made in Italy instead of China. They come in a nice carrying case. I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 because I'll save the 5 stars for the premium version of this chain. But my hope is to never use them so I won't pay for the premium ones.
Showing reviews 6-10 of 11
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