Snow Chains

Then you have not been driving I-90 this year... They've called for chains on all vehicles a couple times this year. First time I've ever seen them do it. Of course they have largely given up plowing and largely refuse to ticket semi that don't chain up. WSDOT sucks.

 

Whoops I meant most modern 2wd vehicles. Most now a days can only fit snow socks, cables, or smaller stuff like Laclede Alpine Sport or Konig. I can’t think of a single modern 2wd car that has the clearance for v-bars.

WSDOT has required chains on 4WD/ AWD multiple times in just the past couple weeks. It usually happens a few times each year.

 

Yea I think we got confused over terminology. I'm talking cable chains for small vehicles, not big link cables like on semi trucks

I avoid I-90 like the plague during most storms. To many inexperienced drivers. For the most part I feel like a lot of the big-rig truckers do a good job. But there's always one of those guys that starts sliding around and blocks the highway right before the ski area..

 

My T100 had clearance for chains on all 4 wheels.
In my opinion the engineers dropped the ball on a 4WD Tacoma only accepting chains or cables on the rear.

WNc will melt and get rain in the next few days.

 

Idk what it costs to fit automatic chains like what an ambulance has or if there’s room

question is what works and what fits
Regarding chains and socks

some chains flail and are big, hard to put on, and could hit the spindle depending on how much room between the tire

I wouldn’t be opposed to having something kept in the truck
If it’s ever required and checked for
Or just in case of extreme conditions or snow wheeling. Sounds a lot easier and cheaper than swapping to studded winter tires.

if you’re on a road trip where only a small portion of road is inclement, that makes no sense. Or going on a small trip.
Or living where the weather changes frequently to where it’s only inclement for an hour. Otherwise the tire is overheating, chewing up the road, and stuck on the truck. And studded isn’t legal everywhere.

they did come out with DIY stud kids that can be added and removed from any tire

right now I have Kenda Klever RT. I believe they’re rated for some inclement weather and can handle some, but it’s likely not the best out there for it. And likely had the trade off for somewhat better off road performance at the cost of decreased inclement weather performance

vice versa, tires the best in inclement weather are probably not the best at off roading.

I had Wildpeaks. Regardless of what emblem is on the tire, they’re not snow tires. Still had situations of not having traction. A chain or sock might’ve helped.
Was a lot of ice and snow and plows not there.

given the amount of additional equipment folks carry everywhere, I don’t see anything wrong with a set of chains or socks
Assuming the right kind can be found.

take CO for example. One area is dry. The other is not. If you went through the effort of putting socks on, 5 miles later where plows are laying down mag Chloride, those socks are now getting shredded on pavement.

 

In California they have ratings for road conditions when it comes to chain usage. At the highest rating (R3) the CA DOT requires chains on all vehicles, no exceptions.

https://dot.ca.gov/travel/winter-driving-tips/chain-controls

 

And the condition of the tires as seen by the trooper.

 

We don't have state troopers here, but we have CHP (California Highway Patrol) which is pretty much the same thing. But you're right that if CHP is on the scene pretty much everything is up to their discretion no matter the conditions.

 

These work in some very gnarly off-road situations.

https://www.nosted.com/en/trygg-super-tight

The key is to put them on BEFORE you need them. On hunting trips, I bring a tarp to lie on specifically for chaining up and removals.

 

Do you have a local source for those or did you order directly from the website?

 

I like these guys: https://peerlesschain.com/light-truck-tire-chain/super-z-lt

Had a set that worked really well for our MDX, and they were a lot beefier than I expected. I bought a set for the 4R as well, but haven't had to use them yet.

Obviously V bar or other heavy duty chains would be better for real off-roading, but these worked for me on dirt roads and patchy snow. I think they're a better fit for the 1-2" of packed snow and ice on the roads we get down south.

 

I got mine from Northern Metalic in Fort St. John, BC.

 

Auto socks are best kept for an emergency where you have 0 access to any of the other options. They fall off, rip easy, and are only easy to put on when new or clean. If you use them and toss them in the bed they will most likely freeze and will be impossible to put on again.

 

I've had 4 2nd gen tacomas since late 2004 and still have a 2015 today. I've ran "off road" snow chains on all 4 tires for mostly hunting seasons in mountains and if we get a 2+ footer in town. The off road jeep roads are iffy when wet, muddy, and/or snow of several inches and that's when the off road chains are a lifesaver. Sometimes skinny mountains dirt roads off the path of the main dirt roads are hellish scary with just good off road tires on a skinny hillside jeep road. It's even scarier if the snow, mud is mushy. I've driven around stuck people in trucks off road stuck with my chains while they grabbed their shovels and I know the thick heavy duty off road mud/snow chains have gotten me in/out of some snotty, snowy areas during hunting seasons or maybe woulda slide off the hills (one side is up the mountain and the other side is down a long way). Now for on hwy use, you could get away with some cables or smaller chain designs and those are great, but for off road, they need to be bigger chain links and sit on top of the tire treads (if half the links go down into/tween treads, loses effectiveness). For hwy you could go with 3 tires that have stud options, one is a tough heavy tire cooper st maxx with studs if allowed in your state. Another is the good year duratrac with studs, another is general grabber atx with studs. These 3 are all all terrain tires that are good for minor snow and ice, but with studs on these in packed down hwy snow and icy roads, they work great. Issues are 1)can you run them year round in your state 2)studded tires are a little less in stopping and hard cornering on dry or wet hwy conditions. I've run the cooper and now the general studded here in CO and the general atx was $400 cheaper. I think the cooper st maxx with studs is a tougher off road tire than the general. Cooper maxx rides a little rougher but after 50k on them, they are decent and tougher. The general atx studded I've only had this past winter and they seem a little softer but ride ok. I've had bfg k02's and they are ok and ride good, but wanted a studded all terrain tire and the 3 studded tires I'd rather have than a non studded or having to swap/spend for winter tires. My studded tires easily can go 10-15 mph on packed snowy hwy roads that when I just ran non studded all terrains and the stopping and going and turns is better confidence. Off road over the past 20 years, my big chains keep me going, then can stop, then keep going. Thats the diff if you stop on a downhill or uphill thats frozen or muddy, snowy or all these, the off road or studded tires help a lot. I'd never trust my studded tires to replace my chains off road when the roads might be really bad tho. Yes chains suck butt to put on and you need a tarp and lay the chains out right by the tire, put some 2x4 blocks in tween the chains and then drive up on 2x4 blocks so can install them tight during install and use tensioners. I like to fit my chains on new tires, then cut off all the extra links (they just swing around and tear fenders/suspension stuff up). I prefer the cam type but that's me. All 2nd gen taco's and assume 3rd/4th gen, you need rims on front that give 1 inch tween sidewall of top tire and steering stuff (usually UCA). If you reach behind the front top of tire and run your hand back and forth, you likely can't fit a finger thickness tween uca and sidwall on back side of tire at top. Thats why I don't like keeping an extra 3-6 links to bang into stuff.

 

Awesome information. Thank you. I did get a set for the front. Spiked ones for ice. Probably will never need them now, but you never know.