Tire chain expertise, especially highway use...

tod osier

tod osier

Well-known member
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Hey all, new truck and I need a new set of chains. I always keep a set in the truck, but seldom use them. I haven't run them on the highway ever, but I'm going to be out in the western mountains this year in late may and june, so I'd like set that can be used on the highway (and obviously have them for my general use like winter boat ramps and mud at other times).

Anyone have some suggestions of features or brands to look at for a chain for highway and boat ramp/mud use?

Thanks,

T
 
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I have never put a chain on a tire in my life. Damn near lost it in my 2wd tundra in the black hills in late may last year. Where are you going?
 
I have never put a chain on a tire in my life. Damn near lost it in my 2wd tundra in the black hills in late may last year. Where are you going?
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When I've used them, I needed them and was damn glad I had them.

We are going to WY/CO, do the big national parks, some worm dunking and generally bumming around. Hope is to be on the road 6 weeks, or so. We will be doing some waiting for the roads to open, given our timing.

Were you turkey hunting in the black hills?
 
Tod,

I would suggest steering clear of the ones with the added "vee" welded to the cross links. If you are not familiar with it, just looks at some pics and you will see what I am referring to.

While the vee adds traction, it also greatly adds discomfort in the form of rough ride, if you have to run sections of dry pavement as opposed to running completely snow packed roads.

That said, I alway liked the beefier ones, with the vee, for both the added traction and the longer wear life in them. Just didn't run them on the road much at all, mostly off road use.

Peerless is a good ( or they used to be anyhow) name brand. I have not purchased any recently so that is old info, so take it for what it's worth.
 
Tod,

I would suggest steering clear of the ones with the added "vee" welded to the cross links. If you are not familiar with it, just looks at some pics and you will see what I am referring to.

While the vee adds traction, it also greatly adds discomfort in the form of rough ride, if you have to run sections of dry pavement as opposed to running completely snow packed roads.

That said, I alway liked the beefier ones, with the vee, for both the added traction and the longer wear life in them. Just didn't run them on the road much at all, mostly off road use.

Peerless is a good ( or they used to be anyhow) name brand. I have not purchased any recently so that is old info, so take it for what it's worth.
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My last set for my Tacoma were V-bar mud chains and super heavy duty. I never actually used those chains for anything other than driving around the lawn :). The set before that was a wimpy set without v-bars and I actually used them quite a few times and they saved my bacon more than once.

Seems like they sell v-bar chains for highway use, but I don't know if people use them for highway.
 
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I never actually used those chains for anything other than driving around the lawn :) [/QUOTE]
LOL! I guess chains are cheaper than paving the rest of the path to the shed
 
Just a note of CAUTION. I recently bought a 2011 Tundra. I had full size PU's of the past, Dodge, Ford, etc. The tire size was so different (bigger) from my previous rigs that I couldn't rebuild the old chains to fit. I had been using the same chains for 20 years ( 4 differant PU's)...used only on icy boat ramps, etc., just by rebuilding to size...easy and cheap compared to new chains for every new size tires. Anyway my point..............I was having trouble locating chains the correct size for the 18 inch tires and wheels on the Tundra. About my third stop a parts guy mentioned that I might want to check the owners manual before I used chains on the Tundra! I was thinking, what?? Anyway, the Toyota manual says DO NOT use tire chains on the front of the Tundra...plain as day. I checked my rig and there is nearly no clearance for chains between the front tire and the front suspension in the front of a 4 wheel drive 2011 Tundra. There is room in back and I have a set of chains now so I'll have to chain the rear if necessary. Not sure that is as good as chains on the front wheels of a 4X4 but it is what it is. Wonder if any of the other makes of 4X4's have a similar problem?
 
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Just a note of CAUTION. I recently bought a 2011 Tundra. I had full size PU's of the past, Dodge, Ford, etc. The tire size was so different (bigger) from my previous rigs that I couldn't rebuild the old chains to fit. I had been using the same chains for 20 years ( 4 differant PU's)...used only on icy boat ramps, etc., just by rebuilding to size...easy and cheap compared to new chains for every new size tires. Anyway my point..............I was having trouble locating chains the correct size for the 18 inch tires and wheels on the Tundra. About my third stop a parts guy mentioned that I might want to check the owners manual before I used chains on the Tundra! I was thinking, what?? Anyway, the Toyota manual says DO NOT use tire chains on the front of the Tundra...plain as day. I checked my rig and there is nearly no clearance for chains between the front tire and the front suspension in the front of a 4 wheel drive 2011 Tundra. There is room in back and I have a set of chains now so I'll have to chain the rear if necessary. Not sure that is as good as chains on the front wheels of a 4X4 but it is what it is. Wonder if any of the other makes of 4X4's have a similar problem?
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Yes, rears only. There are F-150 4x4s sold with certain packages that the factory reccomends no chains at all - front or back?!?!?
 
I'm with dave on the peerless,great chains. I presently have a set of thule's for my F250 . They are tire sized specfic,meaning they only fit my 265-75-16 .very easy to install and are medium duty. Tod are you going to enter yellowstone from the south (Wyoming entrance)? I worked out in Rock springs in the early 90's .We drove in right after they cut the road open it was great!
 
I've owned cables and chains for my old pickup... I only ever NEEDED to use chains twice, and my experience is that if you NEED em, your gonna be glad to have the glarliest chains you can (and not cables). Cables are easier to put on though. I suggest you practice doing it a couple times with frozen hands (seriously), its not the same in the dark at -20 as it is in you driveway on a warm sunny day ;) . I had the ones with welded V's on em, and they gave me incredible traction in deep snow going up hill no problem.

Don't forget bungee cords to tie em up incase the hitch-thingee comes loose. A loose chain can shred the side of your truck and worse also chop a brake line.






So now my next question is this : are you sure these roads will be open that time of year? We had an awful lot of snow gates on the little mountain highways in Canada, and they were often closed from november to june.

Sigh, I sure do miss the mountains and snow... but at least we have lots of dust and flat here in okahoma :P
 
Tod,

I would personally say don't worry about the chains. I have been out in the Greater Yellowstone area in the time frame you are talking about. The roads are cleaned well enough, especially if you have 4wd. I think the chains will cause more problems than they are worth if there is less than 3-4" of snow.

If you are still convinced you need them... get the cables, easier to put on and not as rough... I do love the V bars on my tractor though....

The below are from early June of 2011...
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Would love to bore you with more pictures...but I will let you go experience your own... :)
 
I'm with dave on the peerless,great chains. I presently have a set of thule's for my F250 . They are tire sized specfic,meaning they only fit my 265-75-16 .very easy to install and are medium duty. Tod are you going to enter yellowstone from the south (Wyoming entrance)? I worked out in Rock springs in the early 90's .We drove in right after they cut the road open it was great!
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Thanks. For the thule's that you have, are they diamond style (vs the conventional style)? That seems like all they make.

As far as Yellowstone, we have no idea where we will enter at this point. It is going to depend on how hard we are pushing to get in, which depends on how the roads are. If we get out there last week of May, we are going to be killing time till things clear up (2 weeks in most years til the second week in June ?). If you were in Rock Springs, I'll take any suggestions you have as to how to kill time! On our list is we were thinking of before Yellowstone is Thermopolis/Worland to see the hot springs, dig some fossils collect some pertified wood, maybe Kemmerer to dig some fish fossils at one of the pay quarries there, dinosaur national monument in CO at some point before or after. Ultimately we were planning a couple weeks in Yellowstone/Grand Teton and to swing through Rocky Mountain National Park with fishing and bumming around before, in between, during and after. We are towing our travel trailer and probably bringing our canoe. I'd like to spend as much time out of the parks as possible, since we will have the dogs.
 
I have used chains and cables on everything from suburbans to vw golfs fom eastern Wyoming to western Washington. If your concern is highway driving I'd get cables. I've never had to use them at the time of year you are looking at. The brand question is difficult cause I typically have purchased Les Schwab which is a tire store here in the Northwest.
 
Nice pics as always Phil. That Barrows is awesome, it takes just enough time looking for the trout for the brain to process that there is a duck there.

Of course this year will be different weather, but did you feel like you could get around to see everything you wanted early june?

Chains are not so much for that trip, I just like to have them in the truck, but I do want to have something that works on the highway.
 
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Do you really want suggestions on killing time in Rock Springs or around Rock Springs? I worked there in 1979 .....
 
Do you really want suggestions on killing time in Rock Springs or around Rock Springs? I worked there in 1979 .....
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Info on things to do it Southern or Southwestern WY would be great since it is very possible that we will be coming across 80 and need to kill a couple weeks. Any general Western WY suggestions are appreciated as well. A lake in the foothills that I can get a camper within sight of that is full of hungry trout that can be caught on a worm and eaten for breakfest would be nice :).
 
Last year in Yellowstone they had record snows, according to the locals. The Beartooth pass wasn't opened until the week after we left...or. Dunraven Pass opened June 7th or 8th. We drove every road in the park. It snowed when we were there... but with road temps and road crews, there was never a concern about being able to make it. Good tires, 4x4, and 13000 pounds, 445hp ...perhaps that was why I felt fine.
 
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