Hello all. I've some??.....tired of all the snow and with a 2wd truck and a flat bed and hwy tires I'm not getting much traction. I've never used tire chains before, so I need some input from those with experience. Are they worth it? More trouble than worth? How much snow/ice is needed before they're usable? I don't want to spend an arm and a leg but don't want junk either. Can someone steer me in the right direction? Anything I might need to know about them clue me in.

Thanks, Tony

 

I'd say first thing to check for is if they're legal in your state. I know up here only studs are allowed during the winter months, no chains. From what I understand they tear the tire up more than anything in less than a few inches of snow. But with those few inches of snow they do work well!

 

http://www.tirechainsrequired.com/laws.html

 

Chains won't hurt your tires if you install them correctly.

Ged a good set of "flat" chains, they are good quality and will last longer.

Install them on your rig and cut off the excess links on the connection points.

Get four 12" rubber hold downs and hook them at 12 and 3 o'clock, pull to the center and cross them over and hook at 6 and 9 o'clock.

If you want em really snug air down your tires halfway, put them on and bind them then air your tires back up. In my younger days I could hit 60 with chains on all four on the open highway and nothing came loose! Don't try this though.

Just remember to keep your distance from the car in front of you and give yourself more room to stop.
They won't help your handling much, but help with stopping and starting.

 

Will chains help with traction, you bet.
With that said most of the time with snow you really don’t need them but for those times when the snow is packed or there is glazed ice on the road like with freezing rain there is nothing that will help except a good set of chains.
I live about 25 miles from work and even when the roads are almost impassable I have never yet failed to make it in by adding three 55 gallon drums full of water and strapping them at the tailgate and chaining the outside duals. With this set up I think the truck will climb trees.
If you can not find a set of used chains I got mine at Tire chains .com for about $120.00 for 17”tires. Then sold the 16 ‘ ones that I had owned all these years on crags list.

 

Got mine (four) at Wall-Mart. Im still running highway tread and use chains only when really needed. The worst time was when we got stuck in the mud outside Moab. Putting them on after you are stuck sucks.

 

Got mine at tirechaindealer.com. Have had to use them once on the ranch. one of them broke, looked like a hidden manufacturer defect, the seller agreed and he replaced it, no charge.

Don't forget a shovel. Like Bark pointed out, its a drag to put them on after you get stuck. A square tipped shovel makes for a pretty good tool digging through packed snow.

Besides lowering/raising the air pressure, make sure to drive forward and backward a couple of times, then re-tighten. If your bungie chords are tight. They may do it themselves but always check to make sure.

As far as using them, its a judgement call. If you put them on then get stuck, you'll never get out. If it is bad enough for chains, I take a serious look at where I need to go and why, but I have 4wd, so it has to get pretty bad before I come to that decision. I have to drive in some pretty unpopulated areas, and there is no forgiveness for being late on the rigs. Show up on time, or your replaced. You will have to use your own judgement, based on your trucks performance.

Sounds to me like a set of Blizzak's might be an option for winter or icy only conditions for ya. Kind of a drag to have to switch out though.

I didn't see any damage to my tires FWIW.

Will they help, absolutely. no question about it. after you put em on a couple of times, you get really fast at it too.

 

Thanks folks.

 

I've had mine on my dually 6 times this year. We had 2 feet of snow and high winds. Piled the snow even with the top of the truck on one side. I put the chains on the night before and backed into my spot. I also have a 2500 pound block of concrete in the bed tied down very well. I simply put it in 1st and churned right on out of the snow bank. I drive out to the street or clear area and take them off. It takes about 10-15 minutes.

Get the bungies, you need them and cinch the chains down as tight as possible. Tighten them up if you have to. Get some insulated waterproof gloves with cuffs on them. I think I got 6-7 pair before I got the right combination of flexibility and insulation. I also have some wrist bands that I seal up the cuffs with. Putting the chains on in the wet snow and sleet is not fun in the first place but once you get wet and cold hands it is real trouble. I also have an ice fishing facemask and a matching pull over hat. Both are very water resistant and warm.

Don't cut the extra links out as you may only be able to hook the very ends at first if the tires are packed with snow.

Hook the inside links first and don't drop it down between the dualls or you will never get it out. Don't ask how I know. I'm still upset with the guy that tried to help me and dropped the links between the tires.

Otherwise just take it easy once you are out of danger and take them off. Allow extra time and you will be fine.

I think I paid about $125 for v-bars heavy duty.