I have been told to forget what the manual suggests. Every Toyota mechanic I've talked to Including Les Schwab tire centers in the Pacific Northwest who sold me my chains suggests if you only have one set of chains....put them on the front of all wheel drive and four wheel drive vehicles like my 2005 Lexus GX 470. Besides the vehicle has intelligent traction control. It will figure out where to put the power regardless. As far as comments on snow driving prowess? Climates in different parts of the country produce varying degrees of winter conditions. We don't get nice powdery snow like other parts of the country. **I was raised in New England and drove through blizzards of powdery snow on street tires on my 67 Chevy Corvair! And my 69 Pontiac Catalina wagon with posi rear! VW's the list goes on and on. Back in New England my GX with new Michelin Defender LTX M&S tires would have no problem getting me through winter without any need for traction devices. In the Pacific Northwest winter conditions are completely different. We get snow *then immediate thaw then ice* or just plain *black ice!* The person at Les Schwab tire centers who sold me my chains has a 4th gen 4 runner and he has occasionally had to chain up as well, if one set...the front end gets them. Most of your traction and braking *and all of your steering* comes from the front of your vehicle. Even in the GX the front does most of the work it's not true full time 4 wheel drive. Needless to say "steering,traction and braking go hand in hand 😏 Chains on the front makes more sense IMHO.
