Tire Chains On 4X4

[smd]

climb into my Subaru

Living in Reno and up at Lake Tahoe, no joke I would park the truck and drive in my wifes Outback Subaru. Not to macho :{ I know, but alot safer :-laf with the family. Never once had to chain up the Subaru!

 

[Grizzly]

JStrasser

where did you get a water bladder? I figure 75 gal would be about 500 lbs.

75 gal of water @ 8. 33 lbs /gal = 624. 75 lbs.

 

[HSpiering]

Looks like half use front and half use rear. Some times depending if off road or hwy. Some ask why chains at all? You may not need in some states buy I see WA and OR have laws you cant get around. Example on one part below.



The following vehicles are exempt from the chain law; however, in very bad winter road conditions all vehicles may be required to use chains regardless of the type of vehicle or type of tire being used (this is known as a conditional road closure). A conditional road closure may occur on any of Oregon's highways and are frequent in the winter on Interstate 5 through the Siskiyou Pass south of Ashland:



Police vehicles, fire vehicles, ambulances, and Department of Transportation highway maintenance vehicles when performing their duties.

A four-wheel or all-wheel drive passenger vehicle if all of the following statements are true:

a) It has an unloaded weight of 6,500 pounds or less;

b) It is operated to provide power to both the front and rear wheels;

c) It is carrying chains;

d) It has mud and snow, all-weather radial, or traction tires on all of its wheels;

e) It is not towing another vehicle;

f) It is not being operated in a manner or under conditions that cause the vehicle to lose traction.



A dodge diesel is over 6,500 lbs. Now I already out of luck.



If I could only get 75 gal water to freeze in the bed of the truck. I got it made

 

[TMitch]

Don't Eskimos have dozens of different words for what we call snow? Wet, dry, fluffy, sticky, ice underneath, crusty... . I always chain up the front wheels first and then if I am still having trouble I chain up the back end.



I would recommend at least one pair of chains that have:

V-Bar cross links (look like studded chain links)

http://tirechain.com/VBAR.htm

and cam-lock tighteners (no more bungy cords and loose chains)

http://tirechain.com/cams.htm



The cam tighteners are well worth any added cost as they make it very easy to get the chains on and then tighten them adequately.

The above links are for reference only so you can see what the V-bar and cams look like. I have no affiliation with the vendor... and have never done business with them.

 

[ZHutton]

I think the owner's manual says to chain up the back because it will help control a light rear end when slowing down.



And even with weight in the truck it would not be too hard to have the rear end want to come around on you when slowing down.



I have never had to chain up. If I did I would chain up all 4 and if I get around to owning a bigger trailer I plan to pick up chains for it as well if I ever think about towing during the cold months because I want that trailer to stay behind my truck as we go down the road.



Biggest thing to keep in mind with these trucks is you need real tire chains and not the little cables or little chains made for cars these days.

 

[NIsaacs]

If I only use one set, I run them on the rear. The front already has the most traction, it's the rear that needs help. Also the rear axle is a lot bigger and stronger.





"NICK"

 

[UP N MTNS]

Biggest thing to keep in mind with these trucks is you need real tire chains and not the little cables or little chains made for cars these days.

We are in the snow ALOT but rarley "chain up". When I do have to chain up I always wrap my BFG's with cables and have never had a issue.

I'm not talking about 3+feet of backwoods snow,just around town and un-plowed side roads... .



just my two cents

 

[PRush]

Re: Shurtrax Bag

Looks very good and makes sense. Will the bag handle a hard freeze, like -30 degrees. Do you need to add antifreeze? I went on the site and they did not mention anything about maintenance of the bag during extreme low temps.

 

[skipro3]

Chain up all 4. I can do my rear wheels in about 15 minutes total and the fronts take me 3 minutes each. Front is easier to chain up since you can turn the wheel and get behind them easy. Use the heavy duty chains with the ice bars on the treads. Use ones with cam locking action and you won't need the rubber chain tensioners.

Practice putting on your chains in good weather. Have a tarp to kneel on. Installing chains is usually at that point where the snow is just starting to stick to the road and it's wet snow; slushy. You are going to get wet if you don't have a tarp and some sort of coverall. I use a good goretex pair of ski pants off ebay for $15. Don't use cheap PVC rain pants. They can't handle cold and will crack and leak.

I have to chain up... ... . a lot!! My job requires it; I work for the electric company in the mountians around Tahoe. It's better to chain rear if you are only going to chain up one axle. Just all my opinion and all that... ... ... OF COURSE!!

 

[mwhals]

Looks very good and makes sense. Will the bag handle a hard freeze, like -30 degrees. Do you need to add antifreeze? I went on the site and they did not mention anything about maintenance of the bag during extreme low temps.

Leave a little gap of air in the bag to allow for expansion of the ice. That is what I would do personally.



Mark H

 

[cojhl2]

every year its four wheel drive trucks in the ditch...

They always say: "The only difference between 2wd and 4wd is the length of tow chain needed".



Saw a article in a newpaper once it read something like: "Study shows 4wd vehicles not impervious to accidents!" Well duh,,



Although I haven't chained up in years,, I always chained the rear first. The only time I've had the front chained is when feeding cattle in the mud you had to chain the front just to steer the vehicle.

 

[CBrahs]

JStrasser

where did you get a water bladder? I figure 75 gal would be about 500 lbs.

water weighs 8. 2lbs per gallon. would be 615lbs plus the weight of the bladder

 

[CBrahs]

Every year, when the snow starts here in Washington, the local TV stations do the "first accidents on the pass" stories and just about every year its four wheel drive trucks in the ditch... [/QUOTE]





Going over Snowqualmie (spelling) Pass is not that bad or even white pass for that matter. . the problem is that people (not all!) with 4x4 rigs think they are invincable. All 4x4 does is put you in the hole deeper if you are not watching out.



I ran Z-cables on my 98 pete when I was hauling cattle around washington/oregon/Idaho. 3 large sized black rubber bands held em in place and the faster I went the tighter they got. Kind of a pain to put on but they were way cool and did not wiegh me down like conventional chains did.

 

[DSutton]

Well since all the local experts have weighed in, I guess I should too. Ha ha!



I am a forester and am also quite well educated with tire chains. Anybody who asks "Why" must not have been too far from dry pavement. ALWAYS carry a pair, and when you get yourself into trouble, they are another tool to help yourself out. On icy roads with lots of traffic they are about the best insurance you have against the other crazies.



As far as front or back. Front first always on a 4X4.

 

[DocDetonancour]

I use studded tires in the winter and the OE in the summer. never needed chains, and tow on the snow and ice. Doc

 

[Tomscreek]

I use them quite a bit for deep snow. Need to get some traction bars for the rear for axle wrap. Anyway I always put on all 4 and 2 tons of hay or 2 cords of wood in the back make for some awesome traction!!!!!

 

[CRuth]

The authorities, if chain restrictions are in effect, will require them to be on the rear (at least). And many, if not most, jurisdictions prohibit studs.



I had the misfortune to be returning to CA from Utah, perfect weather till I hit the summit at donner and of course its snowing heavily there. I was towing my Jeep on a trailer. I had no idea I needed chains on the trailer. Luckily I had the cash for the chain monkey because after 16 hours on the road I just wanted to get home.



I was also lucky the chains from my old truck, that I thought would fit but never actually tested, did fit the truck. :-laf

 

[BigDan]

Yeah "everyone says" they've heard that they will ticket people w/o chains... .



Well I believe thats a bunch of BS.



I worked all winter up at a ski resort running the sno cats and never once did I see or hear of chains being required on a 4x4 with snow tires unless towing a trailer.



I mean they will close down the highway bbefore they make a 4x4 w/ M&S chain up... Its just too dangerous by the time you need to make a 4x4 w/ MS chain up.



I live in CA of course... but I want to see an actual $400 ticket given to a 4x4 truck like ours that has Mud and Snow tires who wasnt carrying chains. .



I mean what the point in pulling over and ticketing a tuck on the side of a snowy highway to ticket them in the most of dangerous of situations. Many people get killed by pulling over on a snowy road... Heck CA just issued it largest lawsuit lawsuit to the family of a old as dirt 78yo man who got hit my another motorist installing chains on a road that didnt have a sign warning oncoming drivers that there might be some old guy in the road... .



OK it late and my meds are making me type weird things