Chaining up ! How do you do it?

[Grenvilleter]

Curious here regarding winter chains. I have a set of chains that I currently have on rear my plow truck but thinking about trying them on my runner to get "way back" off the beaten trail.

As I only have 1 set, should I put both on the back wheels or put 1 on the front and 1 on the rear.

I know in ideal circumstance, chains on every wheel however, with a pair on the back of the plow truck, it works quite good but if I were to swap them over to my runner, how should I configure them. Both on back or 1 front/1 back?

 

[eddiebx]

Curious here regarding winter chains. I have a set of chains that I currently have on rear my plow truck but thinking about trying them on my runner to get "way back" off the beaten trail.

As I only have 1 set, should I put both on the back wheels or put 1 on the front and 1 on the rear.

I know in ideal circumstance, chains on every wheel however, with a pair on the back of the plow truck, it works quite good but if I were to swap them over to my runner, how should I configure them. Both on back or 1 front/1 back?

I've zero experience with chains, but if you have open diffs, wouldn't having one wheel with traction on each axle be pretty pointless? (since the other wheel would just freely slip, due to the open diff)

I think it's probably better to put a pair on same axle? That's just a guess

 

[Grenvilleter]

I've zero experience with chains, but if you have open diffs, wouldn't having one wheel with traction on each axle be pretty pointless? (since the other wheel would just freely slip, due to the open diff)

I think it's probably better to put a pair on same axle? That's just a guess

Well...that thought occurred to me but I can lock up the back end via diff lock but I cannot lock up the front end.

 

[RAD4Runner]

Curious here regarding winter chains. I have a set of chains that I currently have on rear my plow truck but thinking about trying them on my runner to get "way back" off the beaten trail.

As I only have 1 set, should I put both on the back wheels or put 1 on the front and 1 on the rear.

I know in ideal circumstance, chains on every wheel however, with a pair on the back of the plow truck, it works quite good but if I were to swap them over to my runner, how should I configure them. Both on back or 1 front/1 back?

You put both chains on your DRIVE wheels.

 

[Grenvilleter]

You put both chains on your DRIVE wheels.

Yea...your right. I could perhaps actually damage the E-locker with just one chain on the rear especially if I started to get wheel-hop happening in the snow.
That would not be good

 

[02SE]

Curious here regarding winter chains. I have a set of chains that I currently have on rear my plow truck but thinking about trying them on my runner to get "way back" off the beaten trail.

As I only have 1 set, should I put both on the back wheels or put 1 on the front and 1 on the rear.

I know in ideal circumstance, chains on every wheel however, with a pair on the back of the plow truck, it works quite good but if I were to swap them over to my runner, how should I configure them. Both on back or 1 front/1 back?

Just some advice from my young and dumb days. If you use them to get way back off the beaten path, you are alone, and then get stuck while using chains, you will be screwed. My own experience about 25 years ago, I only had to hike out about six miles in snow, to the main road.

Then I waited for a car to drive by, and then hoped they were willing to stop and ask what I needed while I was frantically waving.

If you go alone, (or even with others) I would suggest some serious recovery gear (winch, strap, hi-lift, shovel, etc.) and some non-perishable food, sleeping bag, etc. Also tell someone where you are going.

As for the chains, I'd put them on the rear simply due to more clearance around the tires. Chains on my front tires would hit the body.

 

[Grenvilleter]

Just some advice from my young and dumb days. If you use them to get way back off the beaten path, you are alone, and then get stuck while using chains, you will be screwed. My own experience about 25 years ago, I only had to hike out about six miles in snow, to the main road.

Then I waited for a car to drive by, and then hoped they were willing to stop and ask what I needed while I was frantically waving.

If you go alone, (or even with others) I would suggest some serious recovery gear (winch, strap, hi-lift, shovel, etc.) and some non-perishable food, sleeping bag, etc. Also tell someone where you are going.

As for the chains, I'd put them on the rear simply due to more clearance around the tires. Chains on my front tires would hit the body.

LOL...you never forget an experience like that and your advise should well be heeded.

In my case however, I won't be anywhere I can't walk home. No more than a couple of miles and I always plan on walking and dress accordingly.

Actually, I've never owned a vehicle that I didn't have to walk home while leaving it there either broke down or stuck. I'm now 56 and been driving "back there" since I was 12.

Last month it was the old David Brown 65hp tractor with chains on that I left in a semi-frozen mud hole. That was an interesting recovery effort before it froze in completely.

Actually, trying to get in the woods to cut wood and I like to have my Runner there for a warm place to get in for a few minutes and in the event of an accident, a fast way to get back out to civilized roads and to medical help.

 

[nevada]

are they the correct size?

assuming they fit, and you don't have ANY clearance issues, they will be most affective on the front. steering and stopping is much more important than GOING.

and if you're talking deep snow, you'll still want them on the front. you'll be able to dig through the snow, also you have the weight of the engine helping get traction.

 

[Kurtis]

The proper way to use chains on a 4x4 vehicle is to put them both on the front. I don't use chains. If you are doing anything more than driving on the street with snow they are useless. If you want to go play in the deep snow, air down. Don't believe me, look through my build thread or Dirtco's.

 

[TCMach]

The proper way to use chains on a 4x4 vehicle is to put them both on the front. I don't use chains. If you are doing anything more than driving on the street with snow they are useless. If you want to go play in the deep snow, air down. Don't believe me, look through my build thread or Dirtco's.

some of us cant afford beadlocks :flipoff:

Agreed though. I've gotten through plenty of deep snow airing down.

 

[having fun]

Chains are more for the icy conditions of the snow. Your tires can't grip them like chains can.

 

[Grenvilleter]

Sure would be fun to pony up and get a couple sets of these.

With the thawing and freezing that's happened around here, the snow has gone to what we call "sugar". More like fine beads of ice.
The chains on the back of my old plow truck (1 ton dodge P/U) certainly make a big difference in being able to get around in a wide variety of conditions.

Last year, I used it to pull out my Runner, neighbors Explorer and other neighbors Ram... all stock rigs. You know how it gets when one guy gets stuck and the other guy says "mine won't get stuck"

Yep...chains made a huge diff in that instance...and they were mounted on the rear.

 

[02SE]

The proper way to use chains on a 4x4 vehicle is to put them both on the front. I don't use chains. If you are doing anything more than driving on the street with snow they are useless. If you want to go play in the deep snow, air down. Don't believe me, look through my build thread or Dirtco's.

Yes, putting them on the front is ideal, if you have the clearance to do so. I'm already running the largest tire I can, so there is no room for chains on the front.

Snow depth and condition varies greatly, sometimes airing down is the best option. Other times it still isn't enough.

I recall being stuck in some deep powder. Letting the air out of tires until they were nearly flat, wasn't enough to give the heavy vehicle the flotation it needed to stay on top of the snow. Maybe some massively over-sized tires like you see on those Arctic Trucks, would have been enough. Fortunately I had a winch on that vehicle.

If we're talking ice while off-road, studs likely won't be enough. Then chains may be the only thing that works.