have to deal with Chain laws?

[GiesJ]

How many guys are in the mountain west and encounter bad driving or ever have to chain up?

another member posted a site and I found this after surfin around. seems like it would be pretty complicated set up:

http://www.truckspring.com/onspot/onspotmain.asp

whatcha think?

 

[willyslover]

I drive duallys and rarely have to chain up. . I live at 4000' and see plenty o snow... would not be worth the $$ over conventional chains that I carry for those emergency times. .

 

[wyosteve]

Finally had to chain up my 01 2 wks. ago to get home. Pain in the butt, BUT I found a product called sno-chain ramps from SumProducts in Oregon. Lets you lay the chain down and then drive on them so connecting is easy. I know this topic was addressed some months ago and someone said you could make the same thing with 2x4's, but the pair of chain ramps was under $25 shipping included. FWIW

 

[Mark_Kendrick]

I have a mother in law that looks like she should be on a chain. . does that count?:-laf:-laf

 

[ata]

Yep I remember that set-up back in the mid 70`s. The Company I was driving for tried them on one truck. Ever try driving on a wet loose chain. Thats what they where like on the trailer. On the tractor you would just spin on top of them. If you had traction tires on and the chain got between the lugs and you broke the tires loose on the chain, it would just about tear it off the truck. And it would look like someone put the hurt on an Octapus. Another thing the chains were not long enough to reach all the way across under the duals. Might work on a small truck or pick-up.

Very expensive set-up that did`nt last long.

 

[Champane Flight]

Get good.

You just need a little practice. After about ten years of steady mountain driving (semis that is). You finally get to the point where it only takes about five minutes to throw a set of doubles on and be on your way. What it boils down to is prep and practice. A lot of people just buy the chains and throw them in the truck and forget them. Then when it comes time to use them find them a tangled up mess in a degraded box, with the rubbers to old to use. And then they find they have only put on chains once or twice in thier life so they struggle trying to remember how to do it, of course in a blizzard, freezing thier bu!! off.



Get em out once a year and mount them. Lay em out and back onto them and hook em up. Have drove the auto chain system. It is basically something that does nothing but keep the driver from having to chain up. It isn't much better than no chains.

 

[illflem]

I've lived in northern Rocky Mountain snow country most of my life and have only chained up twice. Both times were in California, the road was in better shape than most Montana roads are all winter but chains were required. As long as you stay on maintained roads you won't need chains unless the plows can't keep up. Then you are better off to hunker down till the storm passes anyways due to poor visibility. With a 4x4 and weight in the bed you can go most anywhere chains will take you. Having your tires siped also helps tremendously.

 

[tntway]

onspots

they're probably NOT cost effective but my local FD has onspots on most of the apparatus and they're AWESOME... .

 

[Champane Flight]

It only takes once.

It only takes one time on the side of a mountain with 65' of rig and 9000 gallons of gasoline behind you without traction to make you wish that you had taken the extra five minutes to put em on. Going up the mountain isn't the problem, its going down. Ever been doing 15 mph and felt like you were doing 100? Knowing there is no way you can stop is not the best feeling in the world.



On the other hand most of the time the chain law was in effect they wern't needed. I used to feel like in most cases you could make it no problem. But it only takes once... ... ...

 

[illflem]

Champ I hear you on the chain laws for the big rigs but most times it's a whole different story for cars and PUs. I remember in the heavy snowfall year 95-96 in the PNW where chains were required for the big rigs for almost a solid month but only a few times for cars. Buddy of mine that drives a fuel tanker over the Cascades twice a day said his biggest problem with chains is being very careful not to twist his frame with the good traction and high torque when taking off uphill loaded while chained.

 

[GiesJ]

illflem - good point. I've been out west for 7 years now and had to help a buddy chain one tire up one time to get 'unstuck. ' I know that discount tire in Ft Collins will sipe tires but wasn't sure if it was worth it. I have BFG RAT's and wonder if it is worth it.

ON another note, what do you guys have with you at all times during the winter months (in WYO that's Jan to Dec. )

thanks for the info!

J

 

[illflem]

I wouldn't consider not getting my tires siped anymore, I've had excellent results, never run studs anymore. Don't know how aggressive your RAT's are, some tires with aggressive threads can chunk off on the edges when siped. The solution is to stop the sipe before it gets to the edge. Your siper (?) can tell you.



Things I carry in the winter and year round for that matter:

Water, very warm extra clothes/gloves, tow strap (for other folks so far), shovel and most important a cell phone, even if it's just the free kind that only dials 911. I used to carry chains but it seems like whenever I had to use them I had changed tire sizes and they didn't fit anymore, I'll just turn around if it comes to it.



I've known folks who like to use sandbags for bed weight with the idea that they can also be used for traction sand if you get stuck. Good idea but most times it gets wet and freezes into one mass. Same thing can happen to tire chains in the back. Whatever you carry in the bed make sure it's secured, in a panic stop or slide off the road loose objects can become missiles though the rear window and turn a minor mishap into a trip to the hospital or worse.

 

[Champane Flight]

As I say.

Like I said, everyone should know how to chain up, just in case. It is not something that is needed a lot. But, when you do have to, it is nice to have them and know how to use them. I do agree with Gene, in most cases they are not needed. Siped tires work very well. One thing, if you ever have to run chains (this goes for any tire) on sipes, make sure you are on snow or ice. Chains will tear up tires in short order running on dry pavement.



In my old pickup, I usually put a couple of Tractor buckets of snow in the back of her. If the weather clears it will melt off, if not well, I can open the tailgate and backup fast, slam on the brakes. It comes out with a whoosh. It will never leave the bed in normal driving unless upside down... ... .

 

[Happy Camper]

Have chained up a lot of times, but most of the time only because it is requires on all rigs over 10,000GVW. I have gone to the diamond type chain and throw them on the front so I will be legal and not receive an award! I am sure you are all aware of not to buy chains and wait until you need them to see if they fit. Have towed 5vrs on slick, snow, etc and steady as you go, no quick moves, look ahead for trouble spots and HAVE 4X4 never a slip because that first slip could be the last.

 

[wyosteve]

JGeis, just curious-- any relation to Keith Geis from Gillette??

 

[GiesJ]

Keith Geis?

WyoSteve -

Nope, but you wouldn't believe how many people ask me that! How's Cheyenne treatin ya?