ychoi1216

The manual says no snow chains for the stock tires(275/55 R 19 111 H M+S). There are several low profile snow chains available(need 6.33 millimeters (.25 inches) of sidewall clearance).

The GL does not have 0.25 inches of room???

anyone tried snow chains?

ymmv

There's adequate room (it's just a matter of the fronts getting close to the plastic wheel well liner (aka "fender liner") but as you note, some low profile chains from European manufacturers work well.
I have the Thule Summit XXL size K77.
There's a fitment guide here:

http://www.thule.com/en-us/us/produc...k11-_-04505711

I think it will select the K77 for all X164 and X166 wheel and tire combinations.

I've used these chains every winter since 2010 to climb the steep road (16% grade ... the maximum allowed steepness of an access road) to our ski cabin in two foot of snow and on ice that makes it practically impossible to stand or walk without some sort of "shoe chain" and the GL just clambers up and deftly grinds its way down using the descent control ... never a mishap.

The design of these is to clamp onto one wheel lug bolt head, then the net of steel chain (not cables) expands out around the tire without touching the wheel and without going between the shoulder of the tire and the suspension or strut, then a ratchet clamp contracts the chains into the tread surface and it's on for good. A little wiggling and it self-centers after a few feet. It's literally a 5-10 minute job to get two chains fitted and a 3 minute job to take them off.
Be sure to pre-fit in the comfort of the driveway or garage the first time -- the adjustment system requires some time to remove the threaded adjustment rods that control the overall diameter of the chains. This is about a half hour to do the first one, then about 10 minutes to match the second one to the adjustments made to the first one. Once you "get" the symmetry of the adjustment process, it's a cinch, literally. : )

For the most part, you'll never need to fit chains to a GL with M+S tires unless you're towing or practically off-road climbing. Having chains is required by law and I've been stopped and asked if I'm carrying chains (rest assured ... driving an expensive SUV in a blizzard, the road crews will assume you're a rich imbecile about to crash into a snow bank and be rescued with hypothermia ...)

ychoi1216

Thanks a lot. It looks quite high quality....






I was looking at cheaper one

somersetjon

I like the look of the K77, the manual says to put a pair on the rear wheels - is this what you do or you have 4 chains?

ymmv

I use just two on the rears. I'm guessing there's an issue of too much traction / load to the fronts, but it might be just a matter of clearance around the front struts, especially in a worst case with the wheel turned and the suspension compressed.

Surely the transmission endures much higher loads and shocks at 70mph on a bad, potholed freeway, so I'm assuming it's not a matter of strength and durability, but on an asphalt surface, I'm guessing the differential ratio could be three wheels with no traction and one front wheel taking all the traction ... and that might be at a limit.

I once broke a front drive shaft on a Ford super duty because the chains were biting and then losing traction and then biting again ... it's practically impossible to sheer snap those drive shafts, but when an irresistable force meets an immovable object ... summits gotta giv.

ymmv

Definitely -- just stuff them in the cargo area and forget about them, you'll practically never need them other than to comply with the law or in a real emergency (or helping pull someone else out of a ditch.)