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Chains up front?
Posted: Mon Jan 06, 2020 11:56 pm
by btsbarton
I just ordered a pair of v-bar ladder chains for my truck. I plan to run them on the rear axle side the chain guide that ram issues lists chains for rear axle only. But I’m curious if anyone runs them on the front without issues??
I’ve got 35s, so I know that steals a bit of clearance too, I’m thinking they probably wouldn’t fit on the front unless I got lower profile chains for the front.
Re: Chains up front?
Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2020 12:02 am
by DamageWagon
What year is your truck? If a 2003-13 do you have factory control arms?
Re: Chains up front?
Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2020 12:15 am
by btsbarton
Yeah I should have included that info. It’s a 2019. Suspension, wheels, and bumper is all stock and plan on keeping it that way. My tires are 35” (315/70/17) though.
Re: Chains up front?
Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2020 12:17 am
by DamageWagon
It might be close. The lower edge of the fender flare would be the contact point. Clearance when parked is different than clearance going 30mph when the chains are centrifuging out.
Re: Chains up front?
Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2020 12:28 am
by btsbarton
If I’ve got chains on I’m probably not hauling ass at 30mph anywhere. In fact more likely I’m on a snowy trail. But Yeah I figured that leading edge of the fender well might be close, especially when turning with the suspension flexing a bit. Any concerns with brake lines on the inside, or are they pretty safe?
Re: Chains up front?
Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2020 12:45 am
by TankerZak
btsbarton wrote:If I’ve got chains on I’m probably not hauling ass at 30mph anywhere. In fact more likely I’m on a snowy trail. But Yeah I figured that leading edge of the fender well might be close, especially when turning with the suspension flexing a bit. Any concerns with brake lines on the inside, or are they pretty safe?
Low profile cables would be a good bet and the only thing that would fit.
Sent from my SM-N976V using Tapatalk
Re: Chains up front?
Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2020 11:00 am
by btsbarton
TankerZak wrote: ↑Tue Jan 07, 2020 12:45 am
btsbarton wrote:If I’ve got chains on I’m probably not hauling ass at 30mph anywhere. In fact more likely I’m on a snowy trail. But Yeah I figured that leading edge of the fender well might be close, especially when turning with the suspension flexing a bit. Any concerns with brake lines on the inside, or are they pretty safe?
Low profile cables would be a good bet and the only thing that would fit.
Sent from my SM-N976V using Tapatalk
Yeah I could probably get away with low profile chains/cables in the front, if the vbars don’t fit. Downside is Ive found the low profile diamond chains are a bit more of a hassle/confusing to install, and Im not sure how durable they would be off-road.
Re: Chains up front?
Posted: Tue Jan 07, 2020 7:37 pm
by SeppW
What does the owner's manual say? Mine says no go. Just asking the obvious.
Seems contact with something as the front components are pretty close to inboard side of tire.
Re: Chains up front?
Posted: Fri Jan 10, 2020 1:10 pm
by olyelr
This guy runs them up front (Low_Sky maybe?). Maybe he will chime in with his experience.
Re: Chains up front?
Posted: Fri Jan 10, 2020 1:13 pm
by olyelr
Yea not sure how a pic of my daughter got in there LOL. Maybe a mod could remove it?
Re: Chains up front?
Posted: Fri Jan 10, 2020 1:32 pm
by btsbarton
SeppW wrote: ↑Tue Jan 07, 2020 7:37 pm
What does the owner's manual say? Mine says no go. Just asking the obvious.
Seems contact with something as the front components are pretty close to inboard side of tire.
Manual says rear only for 2500, 2500 Power Wagon, and 3500 SRW. Interestingly it says Front or Rear for 3500 DRW. I can’t imagine what the difference in the FRONT is on a Dually??
Re: Chains up front?
Posted: Fri Jan 10, 2020 3:36 pm
by olyelr
btsbarton wrote: ↑Fri Jan 10, 2020 1:32 pm
SeppW wrote: ↑Tue Jan 07, 2020 7:37 pm
What does the owner's manual say? Mine says no go. Just asking the obvious.
Seems contact with something as the front components are pretty close to inboard side of tire.
Manual says rear only for 2500, 2500 Power Wagon, and 3500 SRW. Interestingly it says Front or Rear for 3500 DRW. I can’t imagine what the difference in the FRONT is on a Dually??
The tires are much skinner, and they stick out farther.
Re: Chains up front?
Posted: Fri Jan 10, 2020 3:38 pm
by SeppW
Probably because the stock tire on a dually is pretty narrow and chain wouldn't be slapping/hitting the suspension. A 3500 4WD Dually with 33s and up is another matter.
Re: Chains up front?
Posted: Fri Jan 10, 2020 4:10 pm
by btsbarton
olyelr wrote: ↑Fri Jan 10, 2020 3:36 pm
btsbarton wrote: ↑Fri Jan 10, 2020 1:32 pm
SeppW wrote: ↑Tue Jan 07, 2020 7:37 pm
What does the owner's manual say? Mine says no go. Just asking the obvious.
Seems contact with something as the front components are pretty close to inboard side of tire.
Manual says rear only for 2500, 2500 Power Wagon, and 3500 SRW. Interestingly it says Front or Rear for 3500 DRW. I can’t imagine what the difference in the FRONT is on a Dually??
The tires are much skinner, and they stick out farther.
Ah good point I forgot they have different wheels
Re: Chains up front?
Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2020 12:39 pm
by pw1601
btsbarton wrote: ↑Tue Jan 07, 2020 11:00 am
TankerZak wrote: ↑Tue Jan 07, 2020 12:45 am
btsbarton wrote:If I’ve got chains on I’m probably not hauling ass at 30mph anywhere. In fact more likely I’m on a snowy trail. But Yeah I figured that leading edge of the fender well might be close, especially when turning with the suspension flexing a bit. Any concerns with brake lines on the inside, or are they pretty safe?
Low profile cables would be a good bet and the only thing that would fit.
Sent from my SM-N976V using Tapatalk
Yeah I could probably get away with low profile chains/cables in the front, if the vbars don’t fit. Downside is Ive found the low profile diamond chains are a bit more of a hassle/confusing to install, and Im not sure how durable they would be off-road.
I'm not sure which type of diamond chains you've tried, but the diamond quick fit style from tirechains.com are much easier to install than regular chains. Might be something worth looking at.
Re: Chains up front?
Posted: Tue Jan 21, 2020 9:44 pm
by btsbarton
I don’t know what brand they were...I was helping someone put them on their truck (a Raptor) and they kept getting tangled, It was confusing with all these different color chains and hooks, and we couldn’t get them to tighten up properly. It didn’t help that I wasn’t familiar with them and wasn’t really either since he had only installed them once before in his driveway. But it left a sour taste in my mouth for that type of tire chains.
Re: Chains up front?
Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2020 6:58 am
by pw1601
btsbarton wrote: ↑Tue Jan 21, 2020 9:44 pm
I don’t know what brand they were...I was helping someone put them on their truck (a Raptor) and they kept getting tangled, It was confusing with all these different color chains and hooks, and we couldn’t get them to tighten up properly. It didn’t help that I wasn’t familiar with them and wasn’t really either since he had only installed them once before in his driveway. But it left a sour taste in my mouth for that type of tire chains.
I'd keep an open mind to trying them again. The ones I got even have a weather resistant paper inside the package that has pictures to help.
I also once a year in the fall put them on in the garage to refresh my memory.
I did come up with one little trick that helps. If needed you can reach out to me.
Re: Chains up front?
Posted: Wed Jan 22, 2020 9:49 am
by btsbarton
pw1601 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2020 6:58 am
btsbarton wrote: ↑Tue Jan 21, 2020 9:44 pm
I don’t know what brand they were...I was helping someone put them on their truck (a Raptor) and they kept getting tangled, It was confusing with all these different color chains and hooks, and we couldn’t get them to tighten up properly. It didn’t help that I wasn’t familiar with them and wasn’t really either since he had only installed them once before in his driveway. But it left a sour taste in my mouth for that type of tire chains.
I'd keep an open mind to trying them again. The ones I got even have a weather resistant paper inside the package that has pictures to help.
I also once a year in the fall put them on in the garage to refresh my memory.
I did come up with one little trick that helps. If needed you can reach out to me.
Thanks for the info, I’ll have to try my vbars on the front and see if they might fit first. I will just stick with one pair this year, and maybe next year I’ll get another pair of v-bars or the diamond style depending on what fits.
Re: Chains up front?
Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2020 2:59 pm
by JRHPWRWAGON06
I've run these on front and rear in slush snow/ice. Don't need chains when the snow gets deep. My Firestone M/T2's work great in snow.
Diamond tire chain:
https://www.tirechain.com/Truck-Tire-Chains.HTM
They are lowest clearance chain-type chains I've found.
Only cable chains can be found with more clearance, but they don't work so well on mud terrain tires with large void area/lugs.
Re: Chains up front?
Posted: Mon Dec 28, 2020 9:07 pm
by btsbarton
Just wanted to follow up on this post. I ended up getting cables for the front, from tirechainsonline.com (# 761C - for 315/70r17 tires)
Put like 20 hard* miles on them, no issues. Other than a few scrapes on the outside cable clips from rocks
*About half of this was high clearance Forest Service 4x4 road with a frozen creek crossing or two, and big rocks popping up thru the snow. The other half was semi-maintained dirt road, but covered in snow pack. There were a couple miles where there was no snowpack remaining and I was driving on dirt.
I made certain to keep the sway bar engaged and limit my steering... but I didn’t notice any scrapes inside my wheel wells afterwards
Re: Chains up front?
Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2021 8:19 am
by waldo
btsbarton wrote: ↑Mon Dec 28, 2020 9:07 pm
Just wanted to follow up on this post. I ended up getting cables for the front, from tirechainsonline.com (# 761C - for 315/70r17 tires)
Put like 20 hard* miles on them, no issues. Other than a few scrapes on the outside cable clips from rocks
*About half of this was high clearance Forest Service 4x4 road with a frozen creek crossing or two, and big rocks popping up thru the snow. The other half was semi-maintained dirt road, but covered in snow pack. There were a couple miles where there was no snowpack remaining and I was driving on dirt.
I made certain to keep the sway bar engaged and limit my steering... but I didn’t notice any scrapes inside my wheel wells afterwards
Got a link to those front chains?
I spent 1st part of the month running rear chains getting up the mountain to my cabin in WV. Not every day, but depending on the snow and ice.
1st winter in six years that I've ever chained up one of my trucks to get up there. The last third of the climb is steep. Sliding backwards down the mountain is no fun.
It may be another six years before I use them again, but I'd rather have them than not.
Re: Chains up front?
Posted: Sat Feb 20, 2021 8:22 am
by btsbarton