Tire chain problem

I have a 2007 Mazda 6. I bought it in 2016. It had 111k miles then, and it has 153k now. In 2017 I decided to get some cable chains for it. I bought the chains at the auto parts store, then went outside and tried to put the chains on. They fit around the tire, They were the correct chains for the tire. Unfortunately, there was a metal part of the car that was very close to the inside shoulder of the tire, I could only fit the tip of my index finger in the space between. The first knuckle would not fit. I'm sure the chain could not rotate past that metal part. I took the chains back into the store and got my money back. I live in the Puget Sound region of Washington, so it rarely snows. I have gotten by without the car whenever it snows.

Right after I took the chains back, I inquired with a Mazda dealer about possible solutions to the problem. They told me that there were three different wheel and tire combinations for that model and year. They said they could sell me a pair of wheels and tires with one of the other sizes. They said they could not promise me that that would solve the problem, and I would not be able to get my money back if it did not work. Of course I rejected that. I also thought if getting some kind of spacers or bushings that you could put on the lugs to move the tire out farther. I don't recall what I found out, but I gave up on that. I would think the lugs would be too short for the nuts. I wonder if you could put on longer lugs.

Of course, I could put snow tires on and off twice a year, but in this region I can't justify the cost.

Doe anyone have any advice on this, or any idea how this happened in the first place? Could the tires be wrong for the rims? How would I check on that?

 

Go to any local junk yard with tire shop, but 2 steel rims for your car and mount winter tires on them. Put them on the front, as those are drive wheels. I had 2 tires like that, rims and some studdied winter tires, for my Camry, $120 complete, with mount and balance. If you live in Kent area, Budget Auto Wrecking has large shop and one yard next to it too.