Snow Chains

[BHerring]

hey all,

I live in San Diego, CA, and I must make a trip to Kansas City in early Jan, :{

I don’t have and never had bought snow chains for the ole Dodge and was wondering what kind should I buy. I have 235/85 R16 BF Goodrich AT tires.



I have seen pics with the cable type and the chain type, but I am clueless in which one are better.



Thanks

Brad

 

[RRees]

Odds are you won't need chains, but the cable ones are easier to put on. I have two sets of those. Only used them once.



If your tread is decent on your BFG AT tires you should be ok.



If you think you'll be going out into the fields (farm type), the chain type would probably work better.

 

[BHerring]

RR,

thanks, I think I will get the cable type chains, and yes your correct I might need them, but I dont what Murphy knocking on my door when I am on this trip. I just put in a DANA Limited slip diff and have excellent tread on the tires. . so I should be ok

 

[Jgolden]

If you do need them you'll be glad to have them, but remember to get them off when the road clears. They can be like rollerskates on dry pavement.

 

[BHerring]

Jgolden,

Thanks for the advice, I will do that, I know this may seem stupid, but how fast can you go with snow chains on? Go easy on me because I live in San Deigo and I have never need snow chains before?

 

[pepecat]

35 MPH I think?

 

[GHarman]

Jgolden,

Thanks for the advice, I will do that, I know this may seem stupid, but how fast can you go with snow chains on? Go easy on me because I live in San Deigo and I have never need snow chains before?

Your cable chains will work fine for the speeds that you will be driving in snow and icy roads. I would get chain tighterers as well. If you get them on a little sloppy, the chain tighteners or spreaders as some folks call'em, will take up the extra slack in case you get carried away (driving a little fast). It does happen. My rule of thumb is that I dont install chains to go into a situation unless it is a rescue. I use chains to get out of a bad situation and dont plan on returning. Those cable chains will work best in a thick padding of packed snow and ice. I would not like them on black ice. I would prefer regular chains with V-bar, ice cleats. Those will beat you to pieces on a thin coat of ice on the asphalt, but you wont slip! If you have good tires and are careful, and are aware or the torque you have available, you may not even need to install them. The highways are very well maintained on the I-70 passage through the Rockies and your only issue will be a storm in progress, very high passes (Vail or Berthod pass) after a recent storm or if you take to the back roads and accumulations from ground blizzards, East of Denver. GregH

 

[HSpiering]

I hate to be a spoiler but I wouldn’t give a nickle for a set of cable chains for a 6K lb truck. Cable chains are the things you see parts of along the road. Some good LT truck chains are going to last. I have a set with ice bars welded to some of the links. That may be a little over kill, but they dig in. My two cents worth.

 

[Mel Fuelling]

Several years of experience on I-90 leads me to suggest to you: Take a warm sleeping

bag in the cab with you and if you encounter conditions bad enough to warrant putting chains on, pull over and take a 4 or 5 hour nap instead of putting your chains on. By the time you wake up, snowplow and sanding crews will have created much better driving conditions; you will be rested and ready to make safer, better time and progress.



On a farm, chains can't be beat for plowing snow with a tractor or feeding livestock

with a 4wd pickup. On the interstate, they have cost me time and energy. Chains are

a necessity on mountain passes where they are required; try to avoid using them if you can.

 

[GHarman]

Take a warm sleeping

bag in the cab with you

Along with extra food, water and warm clothing, that is excellent advise any time you are traveling in the Winter where you are driving, outside of your comfort zone! GregH .

 

[BHerring]

Mel,

Well said, I will take your advice and be prepared!!! You never know whats going to happen... ... .

 

[JLight]

Bherring, JLIGHT Here just my two lincolns that pappy taught me is NEVER put chains on the front wheels because you will tear the spiders all to heck! I run chains(rear) on my 93 plowing because my driveway and the neighbors are on a hill. Had the thrill of sliding out in to the road with no stopping on glare ice. Freezing rain then snow it will make things greasy!

 

[RRees]

Also, since you are coming from a warm climate. Don't forget to get some anti-gel for the diesel fuel. Get a bottle of Power Service Red (9. 1. 1) just in case. Don't count on all the fuel being treated properly at the fuel stations. Get your self some Power Service White bottle also. I use 8 ounces per 1/4 tank of diesel. This will keep your fuel from gelling in the colder temps.



On a side note: Your truck should use approx 23-26 oz of diesel in a high idle situation for every 15 minutes. I did a test on this a whle back. I was running Smarty Jr on level 2, I believe. With that said, don't let your tank go below 1/2 when travelling in colder climates (below freezing or there abouts). Remember when you think about calling emergency personnel, there will be more people calling for them also.



Be prepared.



With that said - Enjoy the trip.

 

[WJune]

Bherring, JLIGHT Here just my two lincolns that pappy taught me is NEVER put chains on the front wheels because you will tear the spiders all to heck! I run chains(rear) on my 93 plowing because my driveway and the neighbors are on a hill. Had the thrill of sliding out in to the road with no stopping on glare ice. Freezing rain then snow it will make things greasy!

Your Pappy may be right. I had chains on all 4s of old Willys wagon I was using on slippery hill sides so could steer, also coming down steep roads. Took the spline off axle an probably messed up spider. No time to fix, so been plowin snow on level for 5 yrs in 2 wheel. Chains make poor mans locker :-laf Seldom drive on pavement more than few 100', just to rough ridin.

 

[Tippin Spotted Cow]

If you'll take note, his signature says D250... two wheel drive... no splines or spider to mess up.



Keep a decent set of tires on your truck and you'll be fine. I buy a new set of Goodyear Wrangler Silent Armor A/Ts every year and tool around all winter in 2wd and just kick it in four-wheel when I wanna have some fun or yank someone out of a ditch who cheaped out and bought the "walmart special" tires.



We generally get a snow storm of anywhere between 4-14 inches 1-3 times a week from early December to late February around here and I've made it through some deep stuff with a lot smaller vehicles. The further you get from the big cities, the worse job of plowing they do, but as long as your on a main highway I think you'd be fine with just a good set of A/Ts with the severe service rating (which would most likely include your BFGs). Keep in mind, too, that most cities don't allow the use of tire chains on highways unless it is declared a snow emergency or something of the like.



Some of the 2wd guys around here throw sand bags or cinder blocks... or even old truck parts I've seen, just to put some weight over the rear axle. Just remember your contending with a 900lb motor at the front of your truck with an empty bed over the rear wheels that are trying to push the whole truck along. Nice thing about using sand bags for weight is if you still get stuck you can rip open a couple of them and dump them out under your rears to get some traction.



Also, bring a snow shovel, a snow brush (with an ice scraper), and a few extra jugs of washer fluid. Make sure your battery is in good shape. If you travel through any areas where they use salt instead of sand (which you probably will) wash your truck when you get to where your going, and again when you get home or it'll start to look like mine with all the cancer under the doors.

 

[JLEONARD]

Some of the 2wd guys around here throw sand bags or cinder blocks...

I used to carry 8 or 10 standard cement blocks over the axle... . held in place by a makeshift frame of 2x4s and furring strips... don't want them launching at the cab during a quick stop.

My first 3 winters I had highway tread tires... the last 4 studded snows. I only got stuck once... on ice and had to wait 30 minutes for a sanding truck.

 

[Mel Fuelling]

JLight,

I am sure your dad based his rules on his experience. However, I have had no power train problems with a 1949 Dodge Power Wagon, 1953 Willys 1/2 ton pickupa 1974 Jeep 3/4 T pickup, a 1985 Nissan 4wd King Cab pickup, or a 1995 Dakota V8 4wd from 1966 to present running steel chains on all 4 wheels when needed. It gives more traction and spreads the stress more evenly from front to back axles. They are never run on dry pavement or over 35mph, usually below 20 mph. I have pulled JD 4010 size (7,000# to 8,0000#) tractors on solid ice that didn't want to start in the cold, pulled wagon loads of feed in muddy conditions that stuck a 2wd farm tractor with chains, pulled out town kids trying out their new 4wd, and similar off road (usually) farming situations. I have often used chains on one end of a 4wd pickup if that will do the job, but usually on the front because in our terrain and soil types, it allows you to steer the heavy end of the pickup. We usually need them on both ends (all four wheels) here. They are no substitute for a tractor, but in limited traction conditions will often outpull a 2wd tractor

with chains that weighs twice as much. All this heavy a use of 4wd chains certainly taxes the power train, but even the 85 Nissan with 218,000 miles on it has not broken

any power train parts. The biggest bother to me is mounting and removing chains on all 4 wheels. Sometimes once they are mounted, they stay on that vehicle here on the farm all winter.

 

[jrjuday]

Brad, Make sure to check your coolant and make sure the antifreeze is good to at least -20F. Not likely to encounter those kind of temps, but I've noticed that the northerners have been leavin' that door open quite a bit this winter.

 

[Jgolden]

Mel Fuelling:



Your post makes a good point. Mostly the operator can have a big influence on vehicle life.



Then again sometimes stuff just breaks.

 

[Jefff929]

Brad, you might check with tire shops. Some here have quick fit chains, IMO way better than cable chains. They are easy to install and take off. Here at Les Schwab tire centers they allow you to return the chains for a full refund if they are unused at the end of the snow season.



I HATE cable chains wouldn't ever recommend those even to folks I don't like.