To confirm what the manual says?

 

I just picked up a set in Oregon from Les Schwab. We have a chain requirement over some of the passes where they are not an option even with Snow Flake tires.

The 20 inch wheels come with a 55 series tire and yes they can scratch the wheels. I run 275/65/20 and do not have a problem.

I have spent time in Montana and love it there. I was also glad I had chains!

 

...and a bit of snow-driving ability.

At least, that was my experience—I lived in Red Lodge, had cable chains that installed on my Xterra three times in two years of ownership, with two of the three times involving attempts to yank out someone else who got stuck. When I bought the F-150, I also bought a set of cable chains, because (a) by state law, you're supposed to carry them on certain roadways (also true in certain other states / mountain passes where I planned to travel) and (b) if you do need them, having them in the truck is a very, very good thing. I went with the cable chains due to the warnings in the manual and the fact that my tires are not on the approved size list, but I think they'd still work (on the rear only, I'm about 98% sure based on eyeball measurements that any sort of traction aid on the front would be a problem in some range of the wheel turn/suspension compression range).

Those F-150-sized chains are still unused in the carrying case, because the studded Nokian LT2s provided plenty of traction for everything except climbing out of a ditch when I misjudged the road edge while three-point turning (and that was the day I felt the winch was a worthwhile spend).

YMMV, of course, depending on where you travel, but I've had the truck frame-deep on unplowed USFS roads without chains, and there's also the whole "the better prepared to go further you are, the further out you can get stuck" issue.

 

So is the issue with the front the clearance from suspension components? I was able to run them on the front of my Taco, but made sure I had them very tight and skewed to the outer side of the tire. Of course this was for very short steep trips.

 

IMO with the big wheels and facing the occasional chain requirement, I'd go with the lowest profile cable style with best wheel protection. Chain performance isn't your issue, chain clearance is. Snows will get you over the pass, cable chains will get you past a checkpoint.

BTW: This is one of the several reasons I went with 18" wheels.

 

I signed a "Tire Chain Disclosure" at time of purchase, July 2019, which said as equipped tire chains could not be run. However consult the manual for possible other traction devices. 275/65R18 all season came on vehicle and is not addressed specifically in the manual. The manual does say no chains in front as seen in a previous post here. And 30 miles per hour seems a little restrictive.

I am used to running 4 chains on packed snow and ice roads, paved or dirt, but looks like now not going to do that.

GD

.

 

Tis the season for tire chain talk.....

Here's what I did:

​​​​​​https://www.f150forum.com/f118/tire-...ey-fit-366706/

 

I went mt lion hunting in Montana and the outfitter would chain up everyday once we got to the mountains. Around here in Missouri the only time I’ve seen people have them on is when we get a bad ice storm. I’ve seen a lot of tractors have them on for traction in mud.