Help with Tire chains

I have a 2020 Tacoma, stick shift.Toytec 3" lift.BF Goodrich AllTerrain T/A KO2 LT28575R186 on stock wheels with wheel spacers.I would like to have chains for emergency use. I have a cabin on a dead end forest service road 3,500ft elevation. early heavy snow fall an close the road (heavy snow fall will close road until spring) . The road is not plowed. I have read several threads on this forum, searched the net and spoken with the service /parts people at the dealership. It s not clear to me how to proceed. My last use of chains was on my 1974 FJ-40. At that time the dogma was that if you put chains on your 4x4 and were going to run 4x4 you had to chain up all the tires or risk damage to your transfer case. With the new fancy smancy 4wheel system it is not clear to me what I need to do.Cable Chains? Link Chains? chains on all for tires? Chains only on rear tires. Chained vehicle would be driven at 10km/hr max speed.

Started shopping now because when I needed them last November none were available so I wanted to get a jump on it.

Thanks!

 

Lots of info on this thread.

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/snow-chains-who-runs-them.774343/

 

If it were me I'd get a really good set of 4 winter tires, take off the all terrains for winter. Example Michelin X Ice and Nokian Hakkapeliitta. In my opinion chains are only practical on rear drive tires/wheels of semi tractor/18 wheel trucks.

 

Use the correct tire chain size when mounting the tire chains. Chain size is regulated for each tire size. Side chain (0.2 in. [5 mm] in diameter) Cross chain (0.25 in. [6.3 mm] in diameter)

■Tire chain installation
Observe the following precautions when installing and removing chains:
●Install and remove tire chains in a safe location.
●Install tire chains on the rear tires. Do not install tire chains on the front tires.
●Install tire chains on rear tires as tightly as possible. Retighten chains after driving 1/4  1/2 mile (0.5  1.0 km).
●Install tire chains following the instructions provided with the tire chains

Per owners manual

 

Chains only on rear, most don't run them on Tacoma, your BFG's are probably better than most tires that need chains.

The problem is traction is an issue once the truck high centers on the differential, so even with crazy good tires and chains etc, once the front starts to lift on snow you're outta luck.

Ideally for cutting a path you want wide tires to stay on top of the snow, so deflate once on the service road.

Or run skinny winter tires and ditch the spacers to keep the diff low points cleared from snow as best possible.

 

You do not need to chain all four,as mentioned above not recommended on front. Get real chains,v bar,stay away from cables. Before you need them size them on your tire and make sure they are snug. I run heavy chains on the rear of mine when needed and never an issue.

 

To clarify my challenge. I live in British Columbia and the possible chain use is to avoid getting my truck stuck on the mountain until spring thaw ( there is no one coming to get me out once the season's heavy snow comes it is there until spring). I will be driving to get out of a bad situation by necessity not 4 wheeling for fun. A lot of the forum discussion seems to involve highway driving , driving at lower elevations or travelling with other vehicles..My drives in and out of my cabin are solo trips with my tracks usually being the first in and the last out. Besides not wanting to leave my truck on the mountain , at 70 y.o. I would like to avoid a 10km hike in knee deep snow off the mountain.

Cheers!

 

My concern would be high centering as mentioned before. Chains can only do so much. They will not help push a Tacoma through 2m+ of snow.

 

If it's knee deep snow your biggest problem is going to be getting high centered, and chains won't save you from that.

 

no chains on front
try no chains with 4 good tires
if you still get stuck get a diff truck or there might be too much snow period

 

If you just need the chains for emergencies, and cruising up a snowed-in forest road check out auto socks. They work really well on snow covered roads, they're light and can easily be stuffed under the seats. HOWEVER, you should not use them on plowed roads especially if they put down gravel.

 

You're probably never going to get chains on that size tire to clear. You need a skinny tire like a 235/85/16 for best results. I can squeeze them on 265.75/16's but have very little fender clearance. Forget about them on the front of a Tacoma. There is simply not enough clearance.

There are lots of places where chains are required on all 4 wheels and it's rarely the snow. It's the mud that is left after the snow melts and the frozen ground under the snow thaws out.

Like this. We made it through without chains only because it was relatively level and only muddy for about 50 yards.



I made it to the top of this mountain and back without chains because temps were in the 20's. You can't tell how steep it is from the pic, but this road was impassable to anything unless it had 4X4 with chains on all 4 a week later.

 

I'm 70+ and have dealt with snow all my life and driven in it for over 55 years. I live at 3500 ft and go to places at 4500 ft +. Driven places like Rogers Pass in BC way before snow plows got there. Driven many times on back country roads to get to relatives ranch. Just get good winter tires and forget the chains like others have suggested. Narrower tires work best in snow. How have you gotten in to and back from "the cabin" before?? The biggest thing is knowing how to drive in the stuff. I've driven in lots of knee deep and worked and played in it as a ski patroller.

 

Understand completely. My first piece of advice is to get a winch (and accessories) for when you do get stuck and if you are thinking this much about getting stuck, you will. Sometimes I am even winching downhill in the snow. Next is to learn how to drive in deep snow, very slowly just creeping along, as soon as you lose traction stop, back up and give it another try. Do not spin your wheels that only digs you down into the snow; tire chains make this digging almost instantaneous. There are those that believe getting a run at it to get you through snow is the way to go, this may work for short sections, but what you describe is continuous deep snow. My only use of chains when I first started 4-wheeling found me buried up to my frame and there was no getting out without a bit of help, which I did have that day. Snow differs greatly between locals, temperatures, seasons, etc., learning the different snow types takes time. Chains just dig a hole that your vehicle settles into - fast.

This past Christmas I made it into a cabin that I did not make it into on Thanksgiving, New Years was impossible too. The cabin is at 6,800', max elevation for the trip was 7400'. Judge the conditions and make the appropriate decision. This trip "in" was uneventful, on the trip "out" the GPS said I was doing 0.80 MPH at times. I don't think the Tacomas have low enough gears to go that slow, I was in my Samurai. At one point I had 3 30' straps and an 80' winch line in play to get up a hill that is problematic in dry weather.

You may have noticed, maybe not, that snow wheeling does not involve tire chains. IMO it is best to keep away from them.

If you intend to keep visiting your remote cabin realize that you are "snow wheeling" and be prepared.

Oh, yeah letting the air out of the tires is paramount. Getting them aired back up also helps once you get back to a civilized road.

The best advice I can give is to contact a 4-wheeling group in your area and have them lead you through a few of their trips in the snow. You will be safe in a learning environment.

 

I'm also in BC and work in the bush. Yes, mornings could be deep fresh snow on ice, afternoons can be an ugly mix of ice/slush/mud. Your BFG's are ok on snow but horrible on ice. I carry a good set of v-bar chains all winter. Don't forget to practice putting them on a couple of times at the start of each winter. Rarely need them but peace of mind is good. Where I have needed them is because of icy conditions under the snow. I run Duratracs and get them siped when I put them so they are ok on ice, but not a dedicated ice tire.

I've worked on jobs where chaining up is a daily requirement to get to the drill. No fun. I hate chaining up. What I do before I chain up, air down, and try the spiffy new traction control, it works. If not, chain up the rear, you probably don't have clearance between the tire and the UCA for front chains. Don't forget some added weight in the bed. I use a combo of cement patio tiles and sand bags. Sandbags can always be busted open if you need sand around the tires.

Minesite job I was recently on, there were days that chaining up was required.

Two years ago was the last time I was close to chaining up in the bush. Our drill trail had a short steep uphill that had ice on frozen mud covered but several inches of slushy snow (yeah breakup). First go at the spiffy crawl control in the new OR and it got me out before chaining up. Before that it was out Christmas tree hunting with my son. Started sliding backwards down a steep logging road. I managed to get the brakes to hold, kid jumped out and found rocks to block the wheels from further sliding and while he aired down, I shoveled sand around the tires so I could climb to the next landing and turn back.

Oh the memories of trying to get to a Cariboo region cabin in February and getting stuck. As I'm lying on the ground shoveling out the snow I'm high centred on so I can chain up, I hear a voice and see a neighbour standing next to the truck, "not a very nice place to be putting chains on." LOL. OK, I got chained up and drove up and down the last bit of road to the cabin to push in a trail.

EDIT: I just saw you have a stick so you won't have the spiffy crawl control on the auto. Clutch slipping may be your friend to control initial traction before chaining up.

 

Don't let air out of tires for snow. Maybe for other conditions like 4 wheeling. You want winter tires to sit tall and narrow in snow so they bite into the stuff. Know from 55 years of living with the stuff in cold temps to -30 for many days in a row.

 

Thanks for your reply. My place is a bit west of Blueberry-Paulson. The steepness of the road is complicated by some partial deactivation of road by Forestry. I have gone in and come out in snow every year for over 20 years. Heavy logging followed by improperly dug cross ditching makes the road more challenging . condition, What tires would you recommend for West Kootenay conditions,keeping in mind I go up north (Fort St. John) at least once every fall/early winter.

 

Buy a snow mobile! If the snow is 3-4 feet deep you will get stuck.

 

see post #3

where does he say 3-4 feet?

 

Get a good set of studded winters,with chains if you really need them. I run Winter Claws studded from Kal tire in 265/70/17 and have had really good luck with them. My wife's FJ we run Cooper winter tires studded as well. It's a toss up which is a better tire but the FJ is a beast. Someone mentioned weight in the box which is a good idea,sand so you can use it for traction if necessary.