one last pretrip question--tire chains

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chaplainrobert

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I am apparently required to carry chains with me in case I need them. I have driven my whole life in snow and often towed a horse trailer in it so I am not excessively concerned except that the extent of my experience is in much flatter Missouri winters, not the mountains. If I wake up and need chains that day, I am just going back to bed! But if I am already out in it and need them to make a safe harbor, how should they be configured? 4x4 on rear, 2x4 on rear or what makes most sense to my inexperienced brain 4x4 on front?
 
I can't speak for other states, but in CA chains are required on the outer tires of rear duallies. 4x4 vehicles with 'snow rated' tires are exempt, but I don't know if that is also the case when towing.
 
Don't know what the law states regarding chains for 4x4's, but Tom is correct regarding the snow rated tires.  Common sense, at least to me, says rear tires should be chained.  You really need them for ice more than snow.  The best snow tires in the world will not stop you if you hit a patch of ice at speed or on a grade. 
 
Tom said:
I can't speak for other states, but in CA chains are required on the outer tires of rear duallies. 4x4 vehicles with 'snow rated' tires are exempt, but I don't know if that is also the case when towing.

Tom, in Calif. most of the time, when chains are required, 4x4 with snow tires (M&S rated qualify) is OK....however, there are exceptions to that.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8219/8308362145_593fa811d5_c.jpg

When towing in California in a chain restricted area, the tow vehicle is required to have a set of chains on at least one axel and the trailer, if it has brakes, is required to have chains on at least one axel.

Note, cables qualify as chains and they've come out with some that fit real close to the wheel for applications where clearance is an issue.

I just bought a set of Super Z8.....  http://www.scc-chain.com/tire-chain-finder/traction-product-comparisons/


Hope this helps.

Staff edit: Remove unneeded parens from link to make live
 
Thanks JCZ. Duly noted for future similar questions.

I've only been required to put on chains once, and that was in the early 90'sdriving a Toyota car solo. (I'd unhooked the Toyota from the coach and drove into Yosemite for the day.)

Not long after we first arrived in CA, and when I still didn't understand the requirements, I bought chains for our 4x4 Ford Bronco which had 'mud and snow' tires  :-[  We didn't run into chain restrictions in the 10+ years we owned the Bronco, but I wouldn't have needed them anyway  ;D
 
I really, REALLY hope that somebody is still reading THIS one! ;) We'll be going from Portland to Death Valley, and there seems to be no way to avoid at least one mountain pass without going far, far out of our way. The problem is that rental places DO NOT allow snow chains on tires (this holds true of all car rentals, too.) Are snow cables the same (I'm going to find out if those are allowed?) If not, how do people handle this? Again, it's in all capital letters that snow chains are not allowed, so that it not an option.
 
Anise,

I doubt the car rental companies will allow cables either but do check and let us know.  Chains should only be used if you really, really have to go through. My opinion!!

There are very good reasons for not using chains because if you break a link, easy to do, you will damage the car and it will probably require extensive body work, lots of dollars, to repair the car.

I do not own or use chains.  IF they are required, I find a hotel/motel and stay till they are not.  I have been caught once in over 60 years of driving and that was at Medford OR when the pass required chains.  It was open the next day and we went over with no problems. 

 
I'll find out about cables tomorrow, and I'll post what I find. We definitely not going out to the middle of nowhere (until we get to DV, anyway, where there are no mountain passes), but we have to get from Portland to Death Valley, so at some point, I don't see how we can avoid going over SOME higher elevation, SOMEWHERE. What we're specifically looking at is now is Donner Pass over I-80. Have you ever driven there?
 
I've been over Donner pass many many times. During the winter, you would always want to carry chains there, but during and after a storm I-80 is the first to get plowed. If you watch the weather and road conditions you should be able to travel that route without worrying about using chains as long as your schedule is flexible.
 
Tom said:
Thanks JCZ. Duly noted for future similar questions.
I've only been required to put on chains once, and that was in the early 90'sdriving a Toyota car solo. (I'd unhooked the Toyota from the coach and drove into Yosemite for the day.)

Not long after we first arrived in CA, and when I still didn't understand the requirements, I bought chains for our 4x4 Ford Bronco which had 'mud and snow' tires  :-[  We didn't run into chain restrictions in the 10+ years we owned the Bronco, but I wouldn't have needed them anyway  ;D

I can't take the credit Tom.....I wasn't born that smart.  A CHP buddy of mine (the guy that I sold my Harley to) educated me to it.  He does commercial enforcement (trucks and trailers)......the guy that drives around in the CHP 4x4 pickup with the white camper shell.

I bought the cables recently, just in case we get caught with the trailer but I've never put chains on before because I have the 4x4.  The very few times it's been ice and all vehicles require chains, I'm staying home. ;)
 
Anise said:
I really, REALLY hope that somebody is still reading THIS one! ;) We'll be going from Portland to Death Valley, and there seems to be no way to avoid at least one mountain pass without going far, far out of our way. The problem is that rental places DO NOT allow snow chains on tires (this holds true of all car rentals, too.) Are snow cables the same (I'm going to find out if those are allowed?) If not, how do people handle this? Again, it's in all capital letters that snow chains are not allowed, so that it not an option.

Anise, not sure where you're from but if you rent a 4x4 SUV you should be good to go.....at least in Calif.  Not sure about Ore and Wash.  By the way.....when driving in a chain restricted area with M&S tires on a 4x4, the posted limit (usually 25-35 mph) still applies to you as well.
 
Water Dog said:
I've been over Donner pass many many times. During the winter, you would always want to carry chains there, but during and after a storm I-80 is the first to get plowed. If you watch the weather and road conditions you should be able to travel that route without worrying about using chains as long as your schedule is flexible.

Dennis, you're right up the road......I'm in West Natomas....just across the freeway from Arco Arena.

Yes, Cal Trans does an incredable job of keeping I-80 open however, this past ten days chains or snow tires have been required more often than not.  Of course this has already proven to be a freak winter.  Fortunately, starting today, it's supposed to start warming up a bit.
 
My reply only appies to Colorado and Wyoming since I have lived and we work in this area since 1958.

Colorado only requires chains on semis/commercial trucks Fall through Spring over the mountain highways (The Colorado Chain Law). Lighter trucks, RV's, cara, etc., are not required by law to have chains but it is highly recommended that they have and use chains or proper Snow Tires. If you do cause a traffic stoppage in the Mountains in Winter, and do not have adequate snow tires and/or chains, you are subject to citation and  heavy fines plus towing expense here in Colorado.

It is a good idea to have and use chains when needed. For those of us who live year around in Colorado, many of us put winter tires on our light trucks and cars in the Fall and put All-Weather tires on in the Spring. All-Weather Tires are not winter tires, and don't think that they are. All Weather Tires will not save you if you get into slippery conditions in the Mountains. The Colorado Highway Patrol will cite you if you cause a traffic stoppage on slick highways with only All Weather Tires but not Winter Tires or chains.

For anyone traveling I-70, US-50, US-160 and adjoining roads in Colorado, plus I-80 in Wyoming, wintertime weather forecasts should determine travel for anyone not used to traveling in the Mountains in Winter. My recomendation, and what we do living here, it avoid travel over the Continental Divide during any storm when possible, even with chains. Our Commercial trucks, that I own, must travel on schedule so all of our heavy truck have Auto Chains, as do School buses, plus most commercial trucks that travel daily here. Other heavy trucks from out of state use normal truck chains as required.

Also, anyone, resident or visitor, should avoid traveling I-70 on Sunday evening and nights between Denver and Vail, Colorado, in ski season, no matter what the weather happens to be. And, absolutely, do not travel between Vail and Denver Sunday evenings anytime during or a snow storm. If you do, you will be sorry.

When the Colorado and/Wyoming highway Departments have their warnings out on their numerous signs and broadcasts, I recommend that anyone pay attention. In Colorado and Wyoming Call 511 on your  phone to get the road conditions. If you are not on a tight schedule, it is recommended that a comfortable stop-over before getting into a storm in the mountains is much safer than braving un-drivable conditions. If you are on a really tight schedule, when the chain law is in effect, either  stop before proceding for a few  hours, have real winter tires, with studs, or have chains available because you will probably need them. And when the highway is actually closed, (fairly often in Wyoming) then you have no choice.
 
A couple of comments. If you have a rental car that prohibits "using" chains, it doesn't mean you can't carry them to comply with the law. Just don't use them and when you turn the car in and you lost a day or two, demand they refund the charge for those days. Not your fault you  couldn't use the car.

Second, years ago I traveled I-80 over Donner three or four times round trip per year. For one season I couldn't afford the extra cost of the chains, just to carry them. The answer was Les Schwab's. We "purchased" the chains, kept them in the original sealed box and sack and in March, returned them for a full refund. This wasn't just a scam, the manager at Les's made the suggestion when I needed three sets to clear the pass check point. Apparently they took issue with the chain rental scammers who would charge $50-$100 to move their chains over the mountain.
 
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