Tire Chain Source

[Brody]

This is from GreenRamp. These guys carry all diferent sizes and styles of tire chains. They even have chains that will fit my 38x15.50x15s, but that seems to be about as big as they carry before going to dual tire set ups.

http://www.tirechain.com/35x12.5x15.htm

[1freaky1]

Man I can not remember the last time I used a set of chains, That is a good link with lots of different styles to choose from. Check out their page on which styles are rated for what use too.

[WINKY]

ill be getting heavy duty ones from here :)

[Chris]

What's the word on using chains? Front & rear? Rear only?

[WINKY]

always put chains on drive axles first. front wheel drive car, they go on front, rear wheel same... you have the option of putting it on all four if its four wheel drive.

[gm4x4lover]

I chain all 4. That way its hammer down and spin all 4.

[ShutUpHippie]

So are the ice bar chains overkill (For now, if I get them, I'm only getting 1 pair)? Or should I be looking for something less intense?

The ice bar chains are a little more pricey $$

[ShutUpHippie]

These look pretty good, an if I get these, I can get 2 pairs.

I guess this is an extension of my previous question: will these do just about as good of a job as the ice bars?

http://www.tirechain.com/square_alloy_cross_chain.htm

[Brody]

I can't answer that as I have never run them. They are supposed to be better, but all I have ever run has been the standard heavy duty truck chains..the cheapest. A lot of that has to do with the tire size I usually run and many of the better chains aren't available in the bigger sizes. Also, too, is the fact that I don't buy them for anything but off road use, so on road use doesn't figure into the equation.

At the moment, I don't even have a set of chains that fit my tires, though I may butcher up and combine some before the Nov 1 run.

[ShutUpHippie]

I think I'm gonna go for the cheaper square alloy cross chains. This way, maybe I can buy 2 pairs.

I bet they will work almost as well- but there's probably a point in running snow that chains can only help so much. It might just require tow straps and winches at some points regardless of the type of chains used. :2c:

Great resource though, thanks GreenRamp!

[Brody]

I bet they will work almost as well- but there's probably a point in running snow that chains can only help so much. It might just require tow straps and winches at some points regardless of the type of chains used. :2c:

Great resource though, thanks GreenRamp!

You are right! Gotta have some hard surface for them to bite into. It is always a toss up, though many people I know stick them on as soon as the snow starts to get halfway deep. The Pizgauer folks do all of their snow runs with them on, but they all use skinny tires, too. Another big tire/skinny tire debate, but with chains thrown in. If I have some, I'll for sure carry them. They have helped out more than once...

[ShutUpHippie]

I usually don't put them on until I'm stuck, haha!

[A-TRAC]

What's the word on using chains? Front & rear? Rear only?

I guess it would depend on the vehicle. I know that we're not supposed to use chains on the front tires on FJ Cruisers. I'm guessing that has something to do with the FJC having IFS and not a solid axle up front.

[billsbar]

They even have chains that will fit my 38x15.50x15s,

holy crap I'm not sure I could pick them up

[Chris]

Anyone have experience with the different types they offer?

[Funrover]

Anyone have experience with the different types they offer?

The V-Bar does great, and cables suck in deep. IMO. That is all I know from experiance

[Brody]

Anyone have experience with the different types they offer?

The way I figure chains is that I am only going to use them for slow off road use and then for only short amounts of time. I usually get the biggest, beefiest chains for that reason. I think these are listed as the standard heavy duty truck chains.

The V has better traction on icy surfaces, but the heavy duty trucks have bigger and beefier links. The ones with the center link and the diamond pattern are supposed to work well for higher speed highway use, but not as well as the cable chains. The cable chains suck off road. Anything with links is better for off road wheeling.

Jimmy had a sweet set of 4 of the more expensive easy on diamond chains, all with light weight links, and I watched him blow up all four on a winter run we did. I personally don't think light links work well off road.

You will probably be very happy with the cheaper heavy duty chain set up with the beefy links, especially if you only have to use them off road. They are also much easy to trail patch or repair if they break a link than many of the others, mainly because they use a style link very close to a regular chain. A regular screw type chain link or a split chain link will repair most breaks. I usually carry a mix of them with me if I have chains.

[Chris]

Maybe Roland can chime in here but I've been told that chain up areas along I-70 have good pickings of stuff left behind.

[Brody]

Maybe Roland can chime in here but I've been told that chain up areas along I-70 have good pickings of stuff left behind.

Matter of fact they do. I have a set of broken chains that I found that I am combining with another set of broken ones I bought to fit my tires. The found set was found at a chain up area.

[ShutUpHippie]

Yep... gonna buy some chains tonight.

[ShutUpHippie]

Done and done. Now I can't wait at all for this run!

[ShutUpHippie]

Got my chains in less than a week- 4 days to be exact. They fit great, came with all the parts, no complaints.

I highly recommend this site.

:thunb:

[Roostercruiser]

Maybe Roland can chime in here but I've been told that chain up areas along I-70 have good pickings of stuff left behind.

i stay away from mountains in wintertime any more:)(senoirity has its privaliges). but in the trucking community you cannot use cables. but whats funny is states like kansas and nebraska its illeagal to put chains on because it tears up the roads.

[Brody]

This from GlacierPaul:

http://pewagchain.com/

[glacierpaul]

Some other advice, the chains should be tight to the tire, so no links are hitting anything when in motion. And as soon as you hear clanking STOP, AND FIX. Also make sure your brake lines are totally clear of the chain, use repair links to secure extra linkage or cut off and remove(what I do). A couple of bungee cords work the best for keeping the cahins tight, I can do 25 mph in 4low and the chains do not lift or rub anything. As far as the v-bar chains, I would probably not use those for wheelin because the v sticks out farther past the chain itself, so when the tire is pushed up into the wheel well, it will cut into it, where the flat chain will just rub(less damage basically). But for plowing I only use v-bars, far superior traction, especially on snowpack/ice. Hope this helps!

[Brody]

Some other advice, the chains should be tight to the tire, so no links are hitting anything when in motion.

What Paul said here reinforces what I suggested about airing down and tire chains. For one thing, you do not want to do both. Do one or the other. To get the chains really tight, air down, put the chains on as tight as you can, then air back up. This will seriously tighten the chains. I wouldn't recommend this for a short snow run, but if you are going to be in the white crap on the trail all day, it is worth doing. Loose chains are going to break and cause all sorts of damage.

[Chris]

I guess I should measure my chains, never used then so I don't recall if they're for 33's or 35's.

[Popsgarage]

Loose chains are going to break and cause all sorts of damage.

Like rip shocks off mounts or tear them open, or tear steel inner fender wells open and then get stuck wrapped around control arms, or remove brake lines and all other kinds of mayhem.

[Brody]

Sounds like you have some first hand knowledge there, Jon! Me, too! I bet Paul does also as he said a bit about loose chains and stopping ASAP..

[Popsgarage]

Some. Brake line was me. But the others happened to my dad. I only had to help get the chain unstuck from the fenderwell. I wasn't old enough or around yet for the others.

[glacierpaul]

Yeah, e-brake cable and brake lines are the first to go!! Luckily, I learned this lesson once:)
Chris, do not measure, just fit them on the tire, auto shops make mistakes and chains all have multiple possible tire sizes for each size, the best deal is to put them on immediately and make sure they fit proper. This will eliminate any surprises, just my :2c:

[Chris]

Paul, I figured to measure just to see what they will fit since I'll never use them. I just can't recall if the set I ran across in the garage were for 33's or 35's.

[Popsgarage]

These are interesting. SnowBootz.

http://denver.craigslist.org/pts/2743595691.html



http://flextrax.com/mycustompage0027.htm

[Brody]

A word of caution here, too, in addition to the 'don't air down AND run chains'.

If you run chains on the front of your rig, be careful if you have an IFS. There is a lot of stuff going on with an IFS suspension, plus a serious lack of room, especially when turning. Make sure you have the necessary clearance before taking it off road with chains.

Keep in mind the strength of your front axle. If you are, for instance, running a Dana 30 in the front, then stick some chains on it, then get aggressive off road, you are simply going to bust the axle. Almost every Dana 30 axle I broke in a Jeep was when I had chains on it....If you have a stout axle, you still need to keep in mind the additional traction factor. If you are spinning and grind down to a solid surface, you are immediately going to get traction...and cause a lot of force to be generated.

[Popsgarage]

That is entirely to true, Pete.

[glacierpaul]

Four to Go has big tire chains in stock, cheap(plain chain), v-bar, and Pewag square link. Good prices too.