Snow cables or just stay with AT tires for snow?

[Plati]

I live in Colorado. They just passed a law here that, in certain counties, traction devices must be used whenever there's snow. Fortunately, I don't live in any of those counties. But if I happen to travel into one, I need to have the chains or cables. The fine for not having them is pretty hefty.

piqued my interest ... the way i read it snow tires are enough, 4WD is even better

https://theknow.denverpost.com/2019/09/20/colorado-new-traction-laws-i-70/224582/

 

[Chris Carl]

THIS

x 3 on this one. Buy snow tires. It’s all about tires. A front driver sedan with blizzak snow tires will out perform most SUVS with All Seasons in the snow/I’ve.

 

[Hanalei Owner]

At last, a question I can answer!

I have a 2018 Expedition and had the same question. I, too, received the ominous warning paper at the time of purchase seemingly saying not to use any type of chain.

I had the same question and repeatedly struck out trying to get an answer. Customer service said "ask your dealer," Ultimately, I wrote an email to Ford's President and, I am happy to say, he was good enough to forward my email to a very high up engineering exec who in turn told me: (1) there actually is no list of approved chains and (2) they strongly recommend using a low profile cable chain, SAE Class-S. Security Chain Super Z6 appears to fit the bill. Also Glacier makes a compatible chain.

 

[Hanalei Owner]

To clarify my last post. My Expedition has 18" wheels. I assume that the answer is the same for 22" wheels, but no promises!

 

[Tocapet]

They say Autosocks are good enough to satisfy the law.

 

[star-art]

We have a 2017 EL XLT and a 2018 "shorty" Platinum. We don't get a lot of snow but live on the side of a mountain so when it does snow, we need traction.

For the 2017 EL XLT, I have an extra set of 17-inch wheels from my old 2009 Expedition that I use for Winter driving. I put traction tires on these and swap them out each season. I also carry cable-type chains for the rear wheels in case I need them.

For the 2018 Platinum with 22-inch wheels, we don't plan to ever drive it in the snow. But, in case of emergency, we have a set of "tire socks." These might tear up after a single use, but they are only for emergencies. Apparently you can't get Winter tires for wheels this big and chains are definitely NOT recommended.

2015+ Expeditions come with three different wheel sizes from the factory. All have the same overall tire diameter. Yes, CCD comes only with 22-inch wheels, but some 2015-17 Navigators with CCD have 20-inch wheels so it's at least theoretically possible to install smaller wheels if you have CCD suspension.

If you live where there's a lot of snow and have a 2018 or newer Expy with big wheels, consider getting a spare set of smaller wheels (18's) and good set of traction tires. You can match the overall outside diameter of the tire so it doesn't throw off the speedometer. So, for your Platinum with 22's you might run 285/45 R22 tires in the Summer and 18s with 275/65 R18 traction tires in the Winter (consider getting them siped).

For my first Expedition, I had Cooper tires in Winter (don't have the model on hand, sorry). These were so "sticky" I lost 10 mpg in mileage but they worked *very* well. For my 2017, I currently have 265/70 R17 Back Country all-terrain tires that are siped.

 

[Calidad]

Ccd I don’t think impacts wheel size. Brake disc clearance does. Smallest stock wheels are 18’s. So 18-22 pick your poison

 

[star-art]

True about brake clearance. CCD has a specially tuned shock damping though. Ford claims the 22-inch wheels were "specifically selected" for CCD which might imply the shock valving program assumes a specific unsprung mass for that wheel and tire combination. Changing that value too much might affect the performance of the CCD. Again, just a theory as I haven't seen anyone try 18-inch wheels with CCD yet. I do know my 17-inch wheel/tire combo is heavier than my 18-inch wheel/tire combo.

 

[BFD350]

At last, a question I can answer!

I have a 2018 Expedition and had the same question. I, too, received the ominous warning paper at the time of purchase seemingly saying not to use any type of chain.

I had the same question and repeatedly struck out trying to get an answer. Customer service said "ask your dealer," Ultimately, I wrote an email to Ford's President and, I am happy to say, he was good enough to forward my email to a very high up engineering exec who in turn told me: (1) there actually is no list of approved chains and (2) they strongly recommend using a low profile cable chain, SAE Class-S. Security Chain Super Z6 appears to fit the bill. Also Glacier makes a compatible chain.

I’ve been trying to locate info on this subject as well. In Colorado the new traction law that could include all passenger vehicles being equipped with chains or auto socks.

Interest post, do you still have that email? Dealers didn’t even know about chain issue with 22”s on Expy (nor the same statements in the manual about the 20”s on my F-350). I’ve tried different avenues to understand it better and get a “ruling” on cables instead of chains. Auto Socks are pricey.



2018 Expedition Platinum
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[flying68]

Here is the text of the Colorado winter traction law:

When icy or snow-packed conditions exist on the highway, the department of transportation may restrict travel on or use of any portion of a state highway by any motor vehicle unless the motor vehicle is equipped with the following: Tire chains or an alternate traction device; four-wheel drive with tires that have a tread depth of at least three sixteenths of an inch and that are adequate for the conditions; all-wheel drive with tires that have a tread depth of at least three sixteenths of an inch and that are adequate for the conditions; or tires that are imprinted by a manufacturer with a mountain-snowflake, "MS", "M+S", or "M/S" symbol or that are all-weather rated by the manufacturer and that have a tread depth of at least three sixteenths of an inch.

So you can see the minimum requirement is 3/16 of tread depth with either all season tires on 4x4 or AWD vehicles or with all season M+S on 2wd vehicles. Winter tires and traction devices are not required if you meet the above for non commercial vehicles. However, if you do a lot of driving in the mountains during the winter it is highly recommended to have winter snow tires on and traction devices available, but if you are just heading to go skiing at the resorts, all seasons with M+S are legal.