Tire Chains

[JayB]

I have the cable chains for my Toyota pickup right now, but have been in a few situations where the combination of cable-chains on the front wheel and 4-low has been just barely adequate.

 

So - I am planning to get some real chains for my truck for the times when the going gets really nasty. For those of you who own or have owned a burly set of chains, has your experience been that they are all pretty much the same, or is there a brand that is actually superior to the others in terms of ease of use and traction improvement?

[Figger_Eight]

Nuthin beats a beefy set of chains for good bite. The biggest thickest ones are the best.

 

BTW...when has it been "barely adequate"?

[JayB]

Nuthin beats a beefy set of chains for good bite. The biggest thickest ones are the best.

 

BTW...when has it been "barely adequate"?

 

Well - the times that stand out were:

 

A couple of (snow-filled) solo-ditch extractions.

 

One or two steep adobe-mud covered grades in southeastern Utah.

 

Hiking out to the trialhead after a winter overnight and dealing with about a foot of new on the road.

 

The mother of all traction related debacles involved driving over a sustained dip in a logging road which was concealed by a 3-inch ice-layer , and having the whole truck drop in up to the headlights in late season depth hoar - while it was snowing heavily. By the time I got out of the trench and back onto the road there was nearly a foot of new on the road. Thankfully the snow-banks were pretty high on either side of the road and I was able to carry quite a bit of momentum up the hills.

 

I think that in every case good judgement would have been quite a bit more helpful than a good set of chains, but I have given up on acquiring perfect judgement so chains it is.

 

Looking into one of the models pictured here:

 

http://www.tirechain.com/31X10.50-15LT.htm

 

and leaning towards the "Diamond Heavy Duty," models as the best compromise between ease of use and maximum traction.

[cj001f]

The Ratchet Attachment system like that on the Diamond Heavy Duty

[AlpineK]

I don't know brands, but real chains kick butt on those cable things.

[thelawgoddess]

melted out southwestern colorado mud also sucks. (literally!)

 

i wanted to buy real linked chains for my car ... but "they" said no way; had to get those lame cable chains.

 

i had to get a 4-wheel drive xterra pulled out of a ditch by a toyota pu once. that was sweet.

[snoboy]

From that page, JayB, I would go with the V-Bar, and the "light truck" attachment system.

 

v-bar = extra grip, and the cam locks let you really crank 'em down, the key to getting anything out of chains IMO. I used to carry my chains (needed them to get home once every couple weeks) in a small rubbermaid, with a pair of HD rubber gloves w/ gauntlets. Also a small piece of kneeling foam. Made life much better. A springy thingy like they picture is also handy, although I used rubber bungie hook cords.

 

Don't forget to retighten after about 1/4 mile. Otherwise you will almpost certainly break a chain eventually, and then you will lose a fender...

 

You should see the chains for my Unimog best tightening system ever... each wheel's worth weighs about 60lbs, and I have four...!

[thelawgoddess]

chains on your unimog??? yikes; watch out!!!

[genepires]

I don't own a 4wd. Is it standard to put the chains on the front tires and not on all 4?

[Camilo]

I vouch for the V-bars too. They grip like crazy, and the cams are great. The diamond heavy duty are really easy to put on, it takes about 2 minutes. Also, everyone I know puts the chains on the rear of a 4wd for the best traction and avoid drifting of the rear. You'd be just fine with either set, but if you want the most traction go with the V-bars. Just get one set, put them on the back, and if it's really nasty put the cables on the front too.

[Figger_Eight]

I think that in every case good judgement would have been quite a bit more helpful than a good set of chains, but I have given up on acquiring perfect judgement so chains it is.

 

Heh heh...that's what I've found too. The times I've had too dig my truck out - chains wouldn't have made a difference.

 

On a two wheel drive car, it's standard to put them on the drive wheels.

[fern]

After watching enough people (snoboy) crawl around in the muddy snow under trucks I am contemplating pre-installing chains onto 2 spares and reducing the chain installation procedure to a bit of jacking and undoing of wheel nuts

[Dru]

This from someone who doesn't even have ONE spare at the moment, Ms. "BCAA Will Come Get Me"

[jmace]

I don't own a 4wd. Is it standard to put the chains on the front tires and not on all 4?

 

put the chains on your drive wheels, if you have 4wd then you can put them on all 4.

 

better than chains for jayb would be to purchase a rear locker, then you would at least have 3wd, as it stands a 4 wd dr really is only a 2wd, since power only goes to one rear wheel and one front wheel.

 

whats your reasoning for putting the chains on the front tires and not the rear or not all the tires?

 

big chains are the best.

[JayB]

Yeah - in a perfect world I would add an ARB air-locker to the rear differential, but the chains will have to do for now.

 

I have been putting chains on the front for drives that primarily uphill, and on the rear for drives that are primarily downhill.

 

My reasoning for this arrangement is that on uphills I want the chains to help move the vehicle forward, and having the most traction under the wheels bearing the most weight seemed to make sense, and the traction up front seems to enable quick corrections of fishtailing on climbs.

 

I put the chains on the rear tires when I am heading mostly downhill, as in that case I am most worried about being able to stop as opposed to being able to go, and have reasoned that having traction up front and nothing on the back while gravity is moving you downhill could cause a quick 180 if the rear wheels were to break loose - but I will change my ways if it turns out what I have been doing for years and years is less safe than what other people have suggested.

 

I've only used chains on one axle at a time because that's all I've ever had.

[jmace]

Sounds reasonable to me,

[Camilo]

I'm thinking you've got it backwards, but I'm no expert. You should have traction in the front wheels going downhill, as that is where 80% of your stopping power is, where the weight is, and when you're most likely to run into steering problems. Uphill, more weight is pushing towards the rear. After I sold my pickup I got a honda and if I ever have trouble getting up a snowy hill with chains on the front, I just put it in reverse and go up it backwards with no problems. If you're driving a pickup, you should have a 100lb sandbag or two in the winter anyways. If you don't have a canopy, just shovel a bunch of snow in the bed. Now that you're getting a better set of chains, put the beefy ones on the back for traction and the cables up front for steering and braking. Oh, and if it works the way you've been doing it for years, keep it up and ignore me.

[JayB]

BTW - anyone out there put an air-locker on as an aftermarket mod? Just wondering what the damage is. I figure about $1500-2000 but would be pleasantly surprised if it can be done for less.

[cj001f]

I'm thinking you've got it backwards, but I'm no expert. You should have traction in the front wheels going downhill, as that is where 80% of your stopping power is, where the weight is, and when you're most likely to run into steering problems.

I'm no expert but JayB's usage seems to be common - chains on the uphill end of the vehicle. I assume this is because with less weight on it that end will have less traction and be more likely to break free; when one end goes the next will follow.

[Camilo]

I'm thinking you've got it backwards, but I'm no expert. You should have traction in the front wheels going downhill, as that is where 80% of your stopping power is, where the weight is, and when you're most likely to run into steering problems.

I'm no expert but JayB's usage seems to be common - chains on the uphill end of the vehicle. I assume this is because with less weight on it that end will have less traction and be more likely to break free; when one end goes the next will follow.

I hate it when I start thinking myself in circles! All I know is when I had a pickup, the sketchiest part was going downhill. Now with my trusty Honda, it starts to shimmy like crazy with chains on the front going up steep slick hills. That's why I have to kick it into reverse and it gets up anything, no matter how slick. Downhills are never a problem. So if you ever see some crazy asshole flying up a snowy hill backwards in a red Civic, he's not drunk. . . it's just me

[JayB]

Oh, and if it works the way you've been doing it for years, keep it up and ignore me.

 

I have also wound up in ditches at least 3 times so I am very open to suggestions...

[rbw1966]

At least you haven't rolled it on your way to the grasslands yet.

[jmace]

The ARB air locker is the cream of the crop, so you will pay a few bucks for it, I think somewhere around 500 bucks. There are alternatives like power trax, EZ locker, lockrite and so on. The neat thing about ARB is you have an air compressor that you can use to fill tires, little slow, but nice if you air down for the trail. The bucks is the labour but you can save if you hook up the compressor and run the air lines your self which is not so bad. The other thing is if you crack open your diff to put in the locker you might wanna change your gears, I'm running 4.10's you probably have 3.73's so it would be nice to get some 4.10's or 4.56's but you dont have to. I dont know much about toyotas or what type of axle you run but the new Tacomas have a rear locker so maybe you coud get one from toyota and I dont think the stock is air locked. Definetly one of the best mods you could make to your vehicle!! I had one in my ranger and I have one waiting to go in my explorer. I'am just mulling over my gears and if I want to add a larger compressor so that I could run some tools.

 

Forget the trailhead take her to the base of the climb!!

[JayB]

I have an older Toyota - 1995 4WD extra-cab.

 

How much does the labor run for installation on the air-lockers?

[jmace]

I thonk its about 400 bucks for the install, of course it will vary from shop to shop, also Im not sure if the air compressor is included in the price for your locker, probably not so might need to add a 200 bucks to that locker. Again that is the nicest locker around, so you could save a few buck by gonig with a differnt brand.

 

if you get really serious you should contact your local 4wd store. but thats the approximate price range.