Tire Chains Thread

Calvinm119 · Post by **Calvinm119** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 1:41 am

Well, its almost August...and with the summer coming to a close(not really its still over 90 degrees in most places, I just like messing with stuff and its never to early to prepare, that and winter stuff is dirt cheap right now) I think its about time we start a good tire chain thread. I plan on taking some trips to the mountains this fall/winter and I think these will come in handy. I've already got one set (courtesy of one of the US Army's get rid of everything you're not signed for moments) that fit my rear tires pretty well, see below for the pics. I know from experience (days as a teenager driving my dads plow trucks in Connecticut winter storms) that putting one set of tire chains on the rear tire or front of a 4x4 essentially turns it into a two wheel drive vehicle. I would like to find something for the front such as another set of chains. Problem is I run 315-70-17 Goodyear Duratracs that rub so "IF" I did run chains on the front I would have to be extremely careful when turning. Now I figure that I can create something that prevents the chains(and tires for that matter) from rubbing the control arms(like a plastic/rubber stopper on the area which the control arm is rubbed by the tire) or I figure I can also run snow cables or I can use these "snow ropes" ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpJKU-zO ... re=related ) and (http://www.fox23.com/news/local/story/O ... cmdig.cspx) which is essentially a rope wrapped around the tire like a tire chains but it wont damage the control arms if rubbed and is a lot cheaper in the short term, but a concern is the longevity and legality. So I just wanted to get you guys opinions on the matter. I know most of you guys will say that the owners manual says not to run tire chains on the front, but hey... it also says not to change the tire size or modify the vehicle in anyway

. Let me know what you think.

Helpful link: http://www.rubicon-trail.com/jeep101/chains.html

RedMan · Post by **RedMan** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 5:57 am

Hey great minds think alike, I got these from a guy when I was in 29Palms. I tell yea, those things are top of the line.

Calvinm119 · Post by **Calvinm119** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 4:47 pm

Yeah, I was dumb

I only grabbed one set before I switched out with the new PL. And I'm sure he wont take to kindly to me messing around in his storage container

Post by **Cactus Red** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 5:21 pm

I bent a stock front lower control arm shortly after buying the truck. Dave at DT Profab built me a set of kinked arms and that gave me enough clearance to run chains up front if needed. I've never mounted them tho, the rear axle hop pretty much kills forward progress in any circumstance.

TwinStick · Post by **TwinStick** » Mon Jul 30, 2012 9:01 pm

http://www.clothierproducts.com/default_site.htm

Best quality ones i have seen. Cross chain every 2 links, instead of every 4 or 5 like the rest.

RedMan · Post by **RedMan** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 12:59 am

The pics I have above are from the front tire. Having the H2 wheels on their helps out as I have plenty of room except my turning radius has been reduced some. If I have to go chains on the front, I am most likely somewhere where I should not be in the first place.

Calvinm119 · Post by **Calvinm119** » Tue Jul 31, 2012 2:26 am

True...I think I will just stick with one set on the rear but I will more than likely add another cross section every two links. I will probably carry extra rope and use that if I ever get into a really bad situation where I need more traction.

GunniPWguy · Post by **GunniPWguy** » Mon Aug 06, 2012 2:52 pm

Probably should post this in the classifieds section but seeing as how we are talking tire chains here.. I have two brand new sets of cam lock hd light truck chains by security. Bought them on Amazon.com for 285/70/17 although they fit a variety of size tires. First $140.00 + S&H takes em! They are just collecting dust in my shed. I did try one on the front to see how they fit and all was great. Nice and tight with room to spare on the backside.

Mr.Smith · Post by **Mr.Smith** » Thu May 08, 2014 11:03 pm

TwinStick wrote:http://www.clothierproducts.com/default_site.htm

Best quality ones i have seen. Cross chain every 2 links, instead of every 4 or 5 like the rest.

I need some 35x12.5R17 chains. Looked at these chains in the correct size, specifically for a Toyo Open Country MT...

$185.35 per chain! Holly $H1T! Badass looking chain, though...

Mr.Smith · Post by **Mr.Smith** » Thu May 08, 2014 11:07 pm

I wish the Rud Grip 4x4 chain came in a 35x12.5R17. GunniPWguy why are you selling them?

R0NAN · Post by **R0NAN** » Fri May 09, 2014 9:30 am

GunniPWguy that's a great price. I would buy them if I didn't have to ship them so far.

I have lots of experience running tire chain on big rigs and 4x4's. You wouldn't believe the terrain I chewed though in my younger days with my Toyota 4x4pickup, all 4 wheels chained. I prefer the spikes over the v bar but the spikes can tear up your tires if the installation isn't correct and / or they are too loose. The results in snow and mud is mind boggling. I use tire chains on a regular basis at work as well.
I 've had chains rub the control arms and it's never been an issue at low speeds. Your not likely to be going fast at full lock. Brake lines and fenders are usually the victims of poor chain fit so make sure they are clear. Always ensure that any tail chain(leftover links) are not allowed to flail around. Cam locks are mandatory in my books as bungee cords don't work worth a s&$t at higher speeds. Also, always lay your chains out flat on the ground and make sure there are no twists in the chain. Sometimes when pulling them out of the bag they can get turned inside of itself, causing the crossbars to twist. To fix this you must feed the chain through itself (that hole between the crossbars) and lay them flat and recheck them. The keys is to put them back in the bag carefully so as they don't get all messed up, then carefully pull them out the same way. Big trucks have chain hangers which help prevent the chains from turning inside of each other. Putting them away and taking them out carefully will save you much hassle.
Key to nice tight chains are to putting them on and drive slow for a bit to allow chains to settle into position. Then stop grab another link or two on the inside and outside rail, then engage cam locks on inside then outside of tire. I've run at 60 mph with tight chains..np, but if they're loose they'll tear stuff apart. Recheck if possible after a bit of driving. With the chains tight, it's nice to still have one cam not yet engaged in case they loosen up a bit more. 3 cams on inside and outside is plenty but more is better.
Up here in Canada there are places that will build custom chains to fit your tires. I would suggest calling a commercial truck tire shop to see if they'll do the same or at least point you towards someone who can. Below is a pic of a typical setup that I like to use. Usually a hook grabs the inside chain and the lever grabs the outside chain which allows you to use leverage when pulling them tight. Always attach the inside chain first, grabbing the same amount of links as the outside then grab the outside. If you have duel wheels, it's middle (as many links as possible)-inside then outside.

Mr.Smith · Post by **Mr.Smith** » Fri May 09, 2014 9:54 am

It's been a pain in the butt trying to find HD chains for 35x12.5R17! Anyone use Tirechain.com? Who else is out there?

R0NAN · Post by **R0NAN** » Fri May 09, 2014 11:06 am

BigMike wrote:It's been a pain in the butt trying to find HD chains for 35x12.5R17! Anyone use Tirechain.com? Who else is out there?

Hey BigMike! Living in the mountains, I'd bet you can find someone to make a set for you. Big rig shops will likely know locals who can do it. I've also cut down to size, used rig chains that have been cycled out of commission.
Etrailer.com has a brand called " glacier twist link with cam locks" that come in 35'x 12.5"x 17'. They look like they're good quality but they don't have the v bar or spikes, which aren't necessary. They may have other options as well. This is what they look like. If you have access to a chain tool, it's easy to add extra cross bars.

http://www.etrailer.com/Tire-Chains/Glacier/PWH3235SC.html

Trouble Maker · Post by **Trouble Maker** » Fri May 09, 2014 1:54 pm

Crossbars every second link is a night and day difference traction wise but they are heavy. A trick if you are going to have them on most of the day is to zip tie the loose end links to keep them under control.

Mr.Smith · Post by **Mr.Smith** » Fri May 09, 2014 3:41 pm

Anyone hear or know anything about the Rud Olympia Sprint tire chain?

Mr.Smith · Post by **Mr.Smith** » Fri May 09, 2014 3:49 pm

They look like they'll work on a dually, but will they clear the brakes on a single wheel???

coder · Post by **coder** » Fri May 09, 2014 5:11 pm

4WheelParts has several of them search for "snow chains for 35x12.5-17 tires"

http://www.4wheelparts.com/

Trouble Maker · Post by **Trouble Maker** » Fri May 09, 2014 6:25 pm

BigMike wrote:Anyone hear or know anything about the Rud Olympia Sprint tire chain?

Those look like they would be a nightmare to keep tight, way too much slop in the side rails.

Mr.Smith · Post by **Mr.Smith** » Fri May 09, 2014 6:46 pm

??? They're supposed to operate/tension like the Rud Grip 4x4.

R0NAN · Post by **R0NAN** » Fri May 09, 2014 8:30 pm

Trouble Maker wrote:
BigMike wrote:Anyone hear or know anything about the Rud Olympia Sprint tire chain?

Those look like they would be a nightmare to keep tight, way too much slop in the side rails.

I completely agree. Not even close to heavy duty, complicated , no caming device, too much chain and to little strenght. The hooks are a joke as they could let the chain go if they come loose. Likely would be difficult to store without getting them all twisted and messed up. The rails on the sides aren't straight tensioned due to the light chain in the middle that's used to pull up the slack. That light chain would be your weak point. Poor designed garbage if you ask me. The design that was in the pictures I showed are simple, strong, tried and true. Once you use the cams you'll see what I mean. If you snug fit the chain, and lock those cams it will literally squish your tire. Absolutely zero slack. I've put chains on my work trucks (crane and pickup) just this year alone no less than fifty times and God knows how many times in my career on both pickups and rigs for both work and play. You want tight strong chains cause if a side rail breaks or the chains slip off and wrap around your axle, they'll likely need to be cut out after they destroy your brakes and anything else they contact.
The chains you showed in the photo are for a single wheel. Dual wheel chains are called triples because they have three rails and two sets of cross bars sharing the inner rail. They are used exclusively by truckers to my knowledge with the exception of those who prefer to chain each wheel separately (which I've done). It takes more time but you handle less chain because you're using 4 singles as opposed to two triples which can be very heavy. I certainly don't know everything but in regards to chains, I'm a black belt.

Trouble Maker · Post by **Trouble Maker** » Fri May 09, 2014 9:50 pm

I ran V-bar singles on all 4 around the Rocky and Nordegg areas when I worked on a seismic crew years ago (early 80s) and come from a farming/oilpatch background. I ran my chains tight as I could get them and could get 40+ mph before they would start slapping the fenders. Everyone else on the crew was blowing them off into the trees at 15 mph.

I could run down the forestry trunk road like I was on rails.

My brother made up a set of chains from an old set of triples for his pickup, removed one rail and put the extra crossbars every second link, a little weight on the back and it would go almost anywhere.

Mr.Smith · Post by **Mr.Smith** » Sat May 10, 2014 2:15 am

Sorry...not these chains exactly, just this style chain.(random picture) My real problem has been finding a set for 35x12.5 R17 that I really like, plus my search engine skills are horrible. Just spitballing here & bouncing ideas around. I've used the cam tension & non cam tension types as well. I was not calling them dually(tripled) chains, more to the point of pointing out they were on a Dodge Ram dually & curious about the clearance.(on the brake side really) We've all used the shit out of chains at one point or another, glad to see your confident im your ability...that's awesome! Keep the feedback coming, thank you Sir's! So far the Clothier or tried & true cam chains have been the best suggestions in my book...

R0NAN · Post by **R0NAN** » Sat May 10, 2014 2:41 am

Hey Trouble Maker! Right now I'm working about 100 Kms north of Rocky Mountain house building power lines through the bush. Nasty mud. You ve experienced it so you know what I mean. I hate chaining up but sometimes there are no other alternatives, especially with a crane that's over 75000 lbs. tri axles fully chained and diffs all locked up.even then I sometimes need a pull from a d7 cat or the big 4x4 bush buggies with chains. My work pickup has the toyo open countries and they are surprisingly good in the mud and snow. I haven't had to chain up the pickup much since putting them on.
When I was young, I also cut down some logging chains to fit my stock Toyota. I would go to this one spot where guys with their lifted, power moded trucks with 44 inch tires would blast through this swamp. I'd come along chained up and go deeper than they dared , then I'd stop, back up, fart around a bit... My truck was worth less than their tires alone. One time we were coming out of the bush and an old jeep Comanche slid of the road and broke through the ice in the ditch. Ice level was above the center of his wheels and he couldn't get out and was at risk of his truck freezing up in the ditch. I stopped and said"you need a hand?" He kind of ignored me cause there was already a big truck there tugging on him with no success. So I pulled ahead and chained up anyways and then backed up and asked again. The tungsten spikes where crunching the ice as I rolled back and I think that changed his mind. I hooked up to him and ripped him outta that hole effortlessly. Chains are great to have and I too need to get a set for the power wagon.

Here is a pic of one of my winter episodes. The crane broke through frozen ground at -30 Celsius due to an underground stream that keep the ground soft an warm under the frozen crust. I tried to use my outriggers to lift the truck to put something under the wheels but they just pushed into the soft mud. If it wasn't for the bumper being hung up in the front, it would have continued to sink. It took a d7 cat three tries to get me out and that's with me partially chained and all diffs locked up and helping.
Big Mike! I don't mean to come across as a know it all, I just want to share my experience with you. Many of you guys have unknowingly helped me in the knowledge department in regards to power wagons and wheeling in general and I appreciate it. I just want to help when I can.

Mr.Smith · Post by **Mr.Smith** » Sat May 10, 2014 4:54 pm

Hell yeah! No worries! Love hearing stories like theses!

FirerescuePW · Post by **FirerescuePW** » Sun May 11, 2014 7:19 pm

BigMike wrote:Anyone hear or know anything about the Rud Olympia Sprint tire chain?

One of my Engineers bought a set of these for our Rescue Pumper. I didn't know about them until I saw them on the truck. My first thought was there were WAY too many moving parts. He attempted to take up slack in the chains with bungee cords, of all things.

The first run, I noticed they rode like s#&t. I assumed the connector links parrallel to the circumference of the tire would provide a better ride than traditional chains. We drove about 2 miles to the dispatched address. I had already decided we were taking them off when we returned. When we left the address, we turned off of the street and snapped one of the connector links that run between 2 crosslinks. A short time later we threw one of the tails that had been secured with a bungee cord. I believe both happened because the whole assembly worked loose. Fortunately, all impacts happened inside the wheelwell. No damage to the outside of the rig.

As stated by others, too complicated, too much slack, maybe a little too gimicky.

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