Actual Experience With Snow Chains

[alaskaman]

I think the OP is driving rutted dirt roads and trails in winter which sounds like a challenging terrain. Honestly while I go off road in Winter our ground is hard and even with snow ice I can pull out with studded Nokians. Sounds like his environment is more challenging.

A new idea chains. I like it.:hatsoff:

 

[JB.]

I don't doubt that d2huffman needs the chains for the exact conditions he described and I'd love to experience them to learn his viewpoint, but in the case of forest roads with deep, not always passable snow, much of it fresh and while traveling solo, I've decided, for me, chains are pretty much only for recovery. In deep snow, they only take you a little farther. Far enough to get you good and buried.

Never forget the shovel.

 

[d2huffman]

You have to know the destination and conditions before venturing forth with chains on. I normally just carry a single set of chains to use if it is to icy or I get stuck in "normal" snow conditions. In the case of chaining up to get to our cabin, it is all up hill and as long as you don't get crosswise you can back out and it is time to fire up the snowmobile. If you need chains to get through the snow it is not a matter of not being a good enough driver. There are some real challanges to driving - we have a hairpin turn in our driveway and it is in the steepest part. The rear tires will still try to push you in a staight line and you have to be ready to let the gas off quickly to allow the truck to turn and then stick it again to keep going.
When you get stuck with chains on you are ususally high centered and will be doing some shoveling or winching or both. I have had to put chains on several times to go down a hill that has iced up - I sometimes just throw a single chain on a rear tire as that will keep up pointed in the right direction.

 

[justgot984runner]

Huff - What chains did you get that worked?

Hey huffman, This is the only thred I could find with some actaul experience or a solution to the front clearance issue with factory settings. I have a 98 4R sr5 4x4. I am going to be doing some elk hunting in CO and am looking into some chains for all 4 wheels. I am interested in the chains you have. I know you mentioned class-s ratings but I am looking for the exact model and your rating of them? Looking forward to a response but either way thanks for this thred. I've searched for hours about this and this is the best posting out there. Every other thred is just a repeat of the same stuff. Thanks!

 

[d2huffman]

Hi - Good luck with elk hunt. Just starting to get ready as we don't hunt until end of Oct.
The chains that I have are:
Laclede Chain Alpine Sport 2526 - my tires are 265/65 17
These are not gang buster heavy truck chains like I used to throw on my Bronco but they are strong and will fitted to the 4runner. The traction system makes a big help.

 

[Sburcheci]

I used to think that chains are worthless with
My 4runner and mud terrains. But I picked up a
Pair on clearance at a sporting goods store. They were too
Cheap to pass up. Glad I did. That winter I was coming up a
Steep and curvy icy hill keeping my constant speed when around a turn a car had just ran into a Ditch. There were people in the middle of the
Road so I had to stop. I put it in park and pulled the e break. When I let my foot off the break the small jerk from the tranny and ebreak catching
Made my runner start sliding backwards. I immediately put my foot on the break
And it slowly stopped. I tried it again and it starting sliding backward. I couldn't even get out of the runner at this point cause it would start sliding. I told my friend that was with me to grab my chains and put them on. The people that stopped me felt bad for doing so and offered to help put on the chains on the other side. Well they put the chains on alright and I got passed the hill. 100 yards later pulling in my friends driveway I starting breaking to take the turn and my break pedal sunk to the floor. I stopped and got out to see that the "help" I was given was not very helpfull. The guy hooked my break line instead of the other end of the chain on the inside of my tires , and when I took off it tore the metal break hose off the caliper. Conclusion steep hills + ICE = chains. No hills and ice, no big deal.

 

[zonianbrat]

Hey huffman, This is the only thred I could find with some actaul experience or a solution to the front clearance issue with factory settings. I have a 98 4R sr5 4x4. I am going to be doing some elk hunting in CO and am looking into some chains for all 4 wheels. I am interested in the chains you have. I know you mentioned class-s ratings but I am looking for the exact model and your rating of them? Looking forward to a response but either way thanks for this thred. I've searched for hours about this and this is the best posting out there. Every other thred is just a repeat of the same stuff. Thanks!

So where are you planning on hunting up here in CO that you need chains? I'm just curious as up here close to steamboat in Moffat county is some of the best hunting around. I've had to use chains when I worked on oil rigs consulting. I used them mostly in Wyoming. I had one set of heavy duty v-bars and they kicked arse. So if the snow is going to be that bad I'd go with the v-bars but, I wouldnt use them on normal road at all! If the vbars dont get you through then your probably going to get high centered anyway so it's time to pull out the snow machine.

 

[MrTom]

I used to think that chains are worthless with My 4runner and mud terrains. But I picked up a Pair on clearance at a sporting goods store. They were too Cheap to pass up. Glad I did. That winter I was coming up a Steep and curvy icy hill keeping my constant speed when around a turn a car had just ran into a Ditch. There were people in the middle of the Road so I had to stop. I put it in park and pulled the e break. When I let my foot off the break the small jerk from the tranny and ebreak catching Made my runner start sliding backwards. I immediately put my foot on the break And it slowly stopped. I tried it again and it starting sliding backward. I couldn't even get out of the runner at this point cause it would start sliding. I told my friend that was with me to grab my chains and put them on. The people that stopped me felt bad for doing so and offered to help put on the chains on the other side. Well they put the chains on alright and I got passed the hill. 100 yards later pulling in my friends driveway I starting breaking to take the turn and my break pedal sunk to the floor. I stopped and got out to see that the "help" I was given was not very helpfull. The guy hooked my break line instead of the other end of the chain on the inside of my tires , and when I took off it tore the metal break hose off the caliper. Conclusion steep hills + ICE = chains. No hills and ice, no big deal.[/QUOTE

Someone please decrypt for me. "Break" is mentioned quite frequently but there is no mention of what actually broke.

 

[zonianbrat]

Why do you need it de-crypted? Break sounds like Brake! Maybe you should close your eyes and read it.....bet you cant tell the difference!

 

[Sburcheci]

"MRTOM"
Sorry to offend your superior vocabulary skills. I didnt know that this was an online english course I logged in to. I will have someone proof read my posts next time I post loosely on a forum. I dont want you to get your panties in a knot if I decide to post here again

 

[jdkilroy]

Climbed almost all the way to top of Mt Baker in middle of winter a few years back. Wife and I were driving a '85 Land Cruiser. We then spent the next couple months meandering about BC driving remote logging roads, finding places to dig sno-caves and go back country skiing. We had AT tires mounted and there is no way we would have been able to get to 1/2 the places we got to without using chains on all 4 corners.

We used the cable chains.

Not lookin' to offend but "superior driving skills" do not eliminate the need for chains.

 

[d2huffman]

Climbed almost all the way to top of Mt Baker in middle of winter a few years back. Wife and I were driving a '85 Land Cruiser. We then spent the next couple months meandering about BC driving remote logging roads, finding places to dig sno-caves and go back country skiing. We had AT tires mounted and there is no way we would have been able to get to 1/2 the places we got to without using chains on all 4 corners.

We used the cable chains.

Not lookin' to offend but "superior driving skills" do not eliminate the need for chains.

Amen - it is all about road and snow conditions

 

[justgot984runner]

Hey Duff, thanks for your help. Hope you have a good hunt too. We don't hunt until after Thanksgiving. I was looking at the Laclede chains and it seems a lot of places do not have return policy's and I am wondering about my clearance issue. It look like I only have about an inch to an inch and a half from the inside of my tire wall to the control arm. Can you estimate how much clearance you have without the chains? What about with the chains? I know we don't have the same trucks. I just think I would like a decent buffer to feel safe. Thanks man!

 

[d2huffman]

I bought mine from the local dealer - good price and they guaranteed they would fit. The inside cable rides high enough on the tire as to not catch on suspension. I ran them in deep wet snow last winter and was really on the trottle to bust through. (really smokes the brakes with the traction control)
I have 07 SE with 265/65 17 tires - AT type tires.

 

[wjkrostek]

I've never used chains on a 4x4 vehicle in snow. Not sure how deep, deep snow is, but I've driven in 2-3ft of snow with stock tires with no issues. It comes down to driver skill IMO. Now, if you are talking about slow speed <5mph in deep snow 3+ft on fresh untracked roads, chains may not be much help anyways once you come to a stop, if anything they will dig you into a deep rut faster.

Uphill chains on the front, downhill chains on the rear. With backroad driving, you'll probably have both. You can chain all four wheels, but if it were me, I'd just get quality mud/snow tires in stock size (if you dont want to size up on tires)

This guys doesnt seem to have much of a problem either.
Toyota 4Runner Riding in Snow - YouTube


Good luck!

no one drives in 3 ft of snow for long even with chains. get your self a tape measure.

 

[nevada]

no one drives in 3 ft of snow for long even with chains. get your self a tape measure.

just because you cant/haven't doesn't mean that someone else isn't doing it.

I personally have done it. this was not it a stock vehicle, but the snow was 30"-36" deep.

however, the snow was "just right". in that same vehicle, equipped exactly the same I have struggled in 3-6" of snow.