[barrys]

I have an 09 FWD V with stock wheels and 225/65/17 tires.
In the manual, it says this:
Because your vehicle has limited tire
clearance, Honda strongly
recommends using the chains listed
below, made by Security Chain
Company (SCC).
Cable-type: SCC Radial Chain
CH2612T

Thos chains don't seem to be available anymore and they also may have been sized for a 16" wheel. The SCC application site recommends another set of chains for our tire size, but Honda might have had something else in mind when recommending the CH2612T.

Does anyone have any difinitive information on what chains would work for an 09 V without tearing out suspension or brake parts?

I'm just taking them with me on a trip where I know they make you put chains on if it's snowing a lot. Otherwise, I hope to never use them.

 

[barrys]

Response from customer service at Security Chains

Thank you for your email. The product Ch 2612 was replaced by SC 1038. Honda tests our chains on their vehicle and they choose what works best for their vehicle / tire /chain combination. So I would recommend that you get the SC 1038 even though we list a bigger size the SC 1042 (we only look at tires, not at vehicles).

Below are the choices we offer for your tire size.

Cable
RADIAL CHAINSC1042
SHUR GRIP ZSZ343
SUPER Z-6SZ143
Z-CHAIN Z-571
RADIAL CHAIN LTTC2111MM


The Shur Grip Z, Super Z6 and Z-chain would be upgrades to the chains the manual suggests.

 

[barrys]

Don't buy SCC chains, and 1038 is the wrong size...

So, after this email almost a year ago:
Thank you for your email. The product Ch 2612 was replaced by SC 1038. Honda tests our chains on their vehicle and they choose what works best for their vehicle / tire /chain combination. So I would recommend that you get the SC 1038 even though we list a bigger size the SC 1042 (we only look at tires, not at vehicles).
I bought the 1038. As it turned out, that dude was a moron. The 1038's didn't fit. I was about to go to Tahoe and I tried to put them on the 09 V and not even the Incredible Hulk could have pulled those things on.

When I was in Tahoe I ended up buying chains and they were 1042's from another vendor (Pewag -- the oldest chain company in Europe).

Then I came home and got into it on email with SCC. Here's what the other guy at SCC said in his email:
Thank you for your email and sorry that you had a bad experience with the fit on your snow chains. For your tire size we recommend SC 1042 which is two sizes up from the SC 1038. So it is not too surprising that they do not fit. All three numbers have to be exact in order to get the correct fit.

> All three numbers have to be exact in order to get the correct fit.
Duh! That's what I gave them a year ago when the moron told me to get the 1038's.

Then I flamed him and I got this:
After more investigation we changed the label on the SC 1038 two years ago (evidently your chains were on the shelf for a little while) to update this tire size. I am willing to exchange your SC 1038 for a SC 1042 if that is something you wish to do.

Oops! I sent my chains back to Amazon (which doesn't keep things on the shelf very long) in the meantime. I asked SCC to refund the difference in cost between the SCC and Pewag (about 25.00 retail in Tahoe). He said he couldn't wished me a Merry Christmas.

So, the moral of my story is SCC doesn't get my business anymore. The Pewags are about 3.00 more online and they worked great.

And for those who made it this far, get size 1042 and try them on a nice day at home.

 

[barrys]

Sorry for the abbreviation of SCC on the company I suggest owners avoid. Their full name is Security Chain Company.

I promise I do not make a cent off of dissing them. But, they just gave bad advice and followed up with lame customer service. And with that, I'll do a little forum slamming so others won't suffer similarly. And, if they're your only choice, their 1042 (which they now recommend) should work fine.

The bigger issue is that the V's owner's manual recommends them. So, any owners who inquired when I did would have been advised to buy the wrong chains and the V is hugely popular around here (Nor Cal) where chains are often required in the mountains in winter.

 

[mtlcrv]

Thanks for the info. A friend just gave me her old chains for a 2006 that she used to own, and they were 1038s... So they went to larger tires between gen 2 and gen 3.

I decided on actual chain chains for the stock 225/65r17s from Costco... if I don't use them I can return them without hassle!