Tire chains?

[farmerjosh0012]

Anyone here ever have to use these to get over a mountain pass? I have a trip where I will be going on a 2500 mile journey in my class c. I will be leaving in the coming spring for a potentially long term workamping assignment.

 

[bullfrog]

I have them because some roads in some states require them at certain times of the year. I have never needed to use them or been asked if I have them. I have never been involved in a weather related accident in which case I imagine I would be asked.

 

[Malamute]

Depending on where you are, there are places that restrict travel to vehicles with chains or 4 wheel drive in bad storm conditions, the State Police are at the bottom of the bad passes checking people, no chains or 4 wheel drive, no go.

Chains make a huge difference in packed snow and ice, and deep snow and mud depending on the vehicle and conditions. I used them quite a lot in the back country of N Az and anyplace I was at that had deep snow or bad conditions that 4 wheel drive wasnt up to. They make even 4 wheel drive much more effective.

Good quality heavy duty chains is all I used to buy, they hold up much better than cheap chains and cables, but very limited use may make cheaper ones or cables more practical. I still wouldnt buy the cheapest possible ones in any event.

I leave chains in my vehicle all winter, but store them the rest of the year since I dont do much 4 wheeling these days, otherwise Id leave them in all the time.

 

[tx2sturgis]

I've 'hung iron' and it ain't fun. 

I never use them to drive INTO a bad situation unless there is more heavy snow moving into where I am now.

Chains can do a lot of damage to your tires and your body work if they are not installed and used properly.

If I were you, I'd buy a set of autosocks and then hope I just wasted $200.

https://autosock.us/

 

[gizmotron]

Anyone here ever have to use these to get over a mountain pass?

Yes, hundreds of times. On busy highways that require chains they have people that install them and take them off for you, requires a fee. I would use real chains and no cables unless it is a short distance, you have a light vehicle, or you don't care if you get into trouble. I would also wash and dry them and the bag you carry them in after each trip. They rust, even the nice galvanized ones. Don't forget to bring tighteners. They keep from bashing the crud out of your car's wheel wells.

 

[NctryBen]

I’ve also used them a number of times. I laugh at truckers as most will sit out a situation vs hanging iron. But theirs are heavy... my dually ones are bad enough. But they work! One time some semi’s stuck their noses up at the chains required signs. Can’t imagine the cost to extract them. We were stopped on a steep incline facing up... back then just chained outside tires. Even with a big loaded trailer I cruised the 40 or so miles to where it was safe to remove them.
I70 west of Denver it’s very common to chain up near Breckinridge.

 

[John in Montreal]

I have chains but they're more for the odd time I get stuck in the mud.

In bad weather best practice is to stay home and only drive when necessary.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

Personally I wouldn’t bother, they are pain to put on and store, if you have a class c wait out the storm in comfort and safety at the bottom of the pass. If condition are such that chains are required it is dicey best stay off the road.

 

[PlethoraOfGuns]

Carry the chains just in case, but just wait out the poor road conditions. Not worth the risk.

 

[user 423]

Buy chains shortly before your trip and keep the receipt. If they aren't needed, just return them to Walmart, Amazon or wherever.

 

[farmerjosh0012]

thank you everyone for your response, I found some good chains on chains r us website for just for over 200 bucks. ill be leaving michigan and headed for the north west in the spring. if i can avoid elevations over 4000 ft i think ill be okay but im still thinking i wanna have them just in case. i didn't see anything about tighteners in my research.

 

[gizmotron]

You must get tighteners. They look like thick rubber bands with 5 or 6 hooks connected to each band. Typically they are black in color. I always bring two bands for each tire with chains. They will cinch up the chains as you  start rolling along. Don't exceed the posted speed for chains, likely 25 MPH. Don't leave them on your car after you hit pavement. Don't put them on until you see others putting them on, while already on snow.  They will create chain installation and removal points for this along the highway, usually right before the chain inspection station. These are temporary points created by the highway patrol and the snow removal teams. Don't be that guy driving 25 MPH on dry pavement with your chains on. You might get shot for it.

Oh yeah, try putting them on to see if they are the right size. Sometimes they are just too tight or too loose. You might have to exchange them and you don't want that out on a snowy highway.

 

[tx2sturgis]

You can buy a plastic bottle full of rubber tarp straps at just about any Walmart...they will work for keeping tension on the chains.

Some tire chain sets come with cam-lock tighteners, and they include a tool...a 'key', designed to twist the cams which will securely 'lock' the chains on your tires.

 

[jacqueg]

Personally I wouldn’t bother, they are pain to put on and store, if you have  a class c wait out the storm in comfort and safety at the bottom of the pass. If condition are such that chains are required it is dicey best stay off the road.

Totally agree, even with chains on, driving can still be a white-knuckled experience. Much better to pull over somewhere. And I don't even have a class C! If you can snuggle down in your bed, and have enough food, just stay put. Preferably in a truck stop parking lot or somewhere similar.

Yes, I carry chains. Hope I never have to put them on.

 

[Malamute]

Ive had the rubber tighteners fail when the exposed rubber cracked and broke, similar to how the plain exposed rubber bungies can. I ended up using one or more regular bungies to snug them, longer bungies can be zig zagged back and forth for several points of contact to snug them. I also tuck the chain tail into the bungie hook to keep it out of trouble.

Ive seen many install methods, some actually jacking up their vehicle, which seems dicey on slick pavement. I usually laid them out flat ahead of the wheel, drove onto enough of it that the majority of the chain ends up somewhere I can reach easiest to hook it up.

Chains have flat saved by behind a number of times, in snow and mud. They make movement possible in many conditions that its just plain impossible to move in otherwise. They arent much fun to install, but work well. I agree its best to avoid bad road conditions, but circumstances dont always allow that, or other considerations, like an incoming storm one wishes to get out of that trump waiting, at least for me.

 

[MGfromBC]

1 - Better to have them and not need them.
2 - Better to have good chains if you do need them.
3 - Better to have done at least one practice installation on a sunny day.
4 - Best to sit in a parking lot near food, coffee and washrooms.
5 - If you must; [font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif][/font]

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]MG[/font]

 

[wayne49]

The fact that they needed to post that sign ... [and those people have licenses to drive!]

Always stay behind the plow, the road's better back there.

 

[tx2sturgis]

Staying behind the blades is a good practice...most of the time. But sometimes, you just gotta go around one! I rarely post pics of my truck driving days, but this seems to 'fit' right now.

In January of 2016 I was in a snowstorm on US 550 between Farmington NM and Cuba NM and managed to grab this pic (as I rolled by) of a snowplow that had gone off the pavement. You KNOW it's bad when the snowplows can't keep it on the road!



Both ends of this highway were more or less clear and easily passable but the higher elevations along the mid-sections can get kinda nasty in the winter time. By then, most of the locals in 4-wheelers had called it quits and were presumably at home, sipping hot chocolate by the woodstove, and looking out the window at all the falling snow.

Lucky me.

 

[1shemp]

If you need chains,put em on.What's the problem?

 

[flying kurbmaster]

True story, Many moons ago, driving up the Stewart-Cassiar highway, mid winter, snow storm, my van, friend driving. Our side of the road plowed, come into corner snow plow coming other way, friend slows, moves over into plowed area close to edge right front wheel sinks, sucked into ditch, rear wheels high and dry. Plow had gone over too far to the edge. He stops backs up hooks up a chain pulls us out, we both continue. Moral of the story, if you can only carry one chain make it a tow chain.