Snow chains: determine the tire size
To determine the correct snow chain size, you can look in the vehicle registration document or the registration certificate Part I, as the tire size for your car is noted there. However, it is better to take a look at the tire casing of your winter tires, because the snow chains should actually fit on these. The information in the vehicle registration document may differ from the tires you currently have on. To find the right chains for your car, you need:
- Tire width
- Height-to-width ratio
- Rim diameter
A typical size specification on a car tire has this form: 195/65 R15. The size information for your vehicle will likely vary, but the spelling is identical. The first number gives the Tire width in millimeters at. The number after the slash describes the percentage value of the Flank height to tire width. In the above example it is 65 percent of 195 millimeters, i.e. exactly 126.75 millimeters. The R in the size indicates that it is a radial tire. The number after that is important because it describes the Rim diameter in inches, in our example this is 15 inches. To determine the right snow chain size for your car, you need all three dimensions of the tire size.
Next step: read off the size of the snow chains
Once you have determined the correct tire size, you can read off the right snow chains for your car tires with 12 to 18 inches using this table.
Tires in inches | wheel size | Snow chain size | wheel size | Snow chain size |
---|---|---|---|---|
12 “ | 120 / 80-12 | 10 | 145 / 80-12 | 20th |
125 / 80-12 | 10 | 155 / 70-12 | 20th | |
130 / 80-12 | 15th | 155 / 80-12 | 30th | |
135 / 80-12 | 15th | 165 / 60-12 | 15th | |
140 / 70-12 | 15th | 165 / 70-12 | 30th | |
145 / 70-12 | 15th | |||
13 “ | 135 / 70-13 | 15th | 175 / 60-13 | 30th |
135 / 80-13 | 20th | 175 / 65-13 | 40 | |
145 / 60-13 | 15th | 175 / 70-13 | 50 | |
145 / 65-13 | 15th | 175 / 80-13 | 60 | |
145 / 70-13 | 20th | 185 / 55-13 | 35 | |
145 / 80-13 | 30th | 185 / 60-13 | 40 | |
155 / 65-13 | 20th | 185 / 65-13 | 50 | |
155 / 70-13 | 30th | 185 / 70-13 | 60 | |
155 / 80-13 | 40 | 195 / 55-13 | 40 | |
165 / 55-13 | 20th | 195 / 65-13 | 60 | |
165 / 65-13 | 30th | 195 / 70-13 | 70 | |
165 / 70-13 | 40 | 205 / 60-13 | 60 | |
165 / 80-13 | 50 | 205 / 70-13 | 80 | |
14 “ | 135 / 80-14 | 30th | 185 / 60-14 | 50 |
145 / 80-14 | 40 | 185 / 65-14 | 60 | |
155 / 65-14 | 35 | 185 / 70-14 | 65 | |
155 / 80-14 | 50 | 185 / 80-14 | 80 | |
165 / 55-14 | 35 | 195 / 55-14 | 50 | |
165 / 60-14 | 35 | 195 / 60-14 | 60 | |
165 / 65-14 | 40 | 195 / 65-14 | 70 | |
165 / 70-14 | 50 | 195 / 70-14 | 80 | |
165 / 75-14 | 60 | 195 / 80-14 | 90 | |
165 / 80-14 | 60 | 205 / 55-14 | 65 | |
175 / 50-14 | 30th | 205 / 60-14 | 70 | |
175 / 60-14 | 45 | 205 / 65-14 | 80 | |
175 / 65-14 | 50 | 205 / 70-14 | 90 | |
175 / 70-14 | 60 | 215 / 70-14 | 100 | |
175 / 75-14 | 70 | 225 / 55-14 | 80 | |
175 / 80-14 | 70 | 225 / 60-14 | 85 | |
185 / 55-14 | 45 | 235 / 60-14 | 95 | |
15 “ | 135 / 70-15 | 30th | 195 / 70-15 | 90 |
145 / 65-15 | 35 | 195 / 75-15 | 95 | |
155 / 65-15 | 45 | 205 / 50-15 | 65 | |
155 / 70-15 | 50 | 205 / 55-15 | 75 | |
165 / 65-15 | 55 | 205 / 60-15 | 80 | |
175 / 55-15 | 50 | 205 / 65-15 | 90 | |
175 / 60-15 | 60 | 205 / 70-15 | 95 | |
175 / 65-15 | 60 | 215 / 50-15 | 75 | |
175 / 70-15 | 70 | 215 / 60-15 | 90 | |
185 / 55-15 | 60 | 215 / 65-15 | 95 | |
185 / 60-15 | 65 | 215 / 70-15 | 100 | |
185 / 65-15 | 70 | 225 / 50-15 | 85 | |
185 / 70-15 | 80 | 225 / 55-15 | 90 | |
195 / 45-15 | 50 | 225 / 60-15 | 95 | |
195 / 50-15 | 60 | 225 / 65-15 | 100 | |
195 / 55-15 | 65 | 235 / 55-15 | 95 | |
195 / 60-15 | 70 | 235 / 60-15 | 100 | |
195 / 65-15 | 80 | 235 / 70-15 | 104 | |
16 “ | 185 / 50-16 | 60 | 215 / 45-16 | 75 |
185 / 55-16 | 75 | 215 / 50-16 | 90 | |
195 / 45-16 | 60 | 215 / 55-16 | 95 | |
195 / 50-16 | 70 | 215 / 60-16 | 100 | |
195 / 55-16 | 80 | 215 / 65-16 | 102 | |
195 / 60-16 | 80 | 225 / 45-16 | 85 | |
195 / 65-16 | 90 | 225 / 50-16 | 95 | |
205 / 45-16 | 65 | 225 / 55-16 | 100 | |
205 / 50-16 | 80 | 225 / 60-16 | 102 | |
205 / 55-16 | 90 | 235 / 50-16 | 100 | |
205 / 60-16 | 95 | 235 / 60-16 | 104 | |
205 / 65-16 | 97 | 245 / 45-16 | 100 | |
215 / 40-16 | 65 | 245 / 55-16 | 104 | |
17 “ | 205 / 40-17 | 70 | 245 / 45-17 | 102 |
205 / 45-17 | 80 | 245 / 55-17 | 105 | |
205 / 50-17 | 90 | 255 / 40-17 | 102 | |
205 / 55-17 | 97 | 255 / 45-17 | 104 | |
215 / 40-17 | 80 | 215 / 45-17 | 90 | |
215 / 50-17 | 95 | 215 / 55-17 | 100 | |
225 / 50-17 | 100 | 225 / 45-17 | 95 | |
225 / 60-17 | 104 | 225 / 55-17 | 103 | |
235 / 40-17 | 90 | 235 / 50-17 | 102 | |
235 / 45-17 | 100 | 275 / 40-17 | 104 | |
245 / 40-17 | 97 | |||
18 “ | 215 / 45-18 | 97 | 235 / 55-18 | 105 |
225 / 40-18 | 97 | 245 / 40-18 | 102 | |
225 / 45-18 | 100 | 245 / 45-18 | 104 | |
235 / 40-18 | 100 | 245 / 50-18 | 105 | |
235 / 45-18 | 102 | 255 / 40-18 | 104 | |
235 / 50-18 | 104 |
Why is chain size important?
With the different snow chain dimensions, the sizes of the individual chain links must also be taken into account. The reason for this is that chain links that are too large with the Wheel arches of the vehicle collide. This leads to damage to the wheel arches, the snow chains and possibly also the tires.
What types of snow chains are there? What do they cost
Different snow chains with more or less fine chain links and different types of locks are available on the market. Basically is between three types in different price ranges to distinguish:
- Rope chains
- Strap chains
- Comfort chains
You can travel cheaply with rope chains. Good rope chains cost around 50 euros and are sufficient for the occasional ski holiday. Strap chains are recommended when there is little space in the wheel arch, cost about 130 euros. An automatic retensioning system is practical. With comfort chains that are easy to assemble, you can get started from 250 euros.