View Full Version : Chains
tmleadr03
11-13-2012, 14:53
Looking to pick up a set of chains for a road trip through the Rockies for Thanksgiving. Any brands people like more then others?
Anything with V bars are pretty good. What kind of roads will you be on?
tmleadr03
11-13-2012, 15:00
Anything with V bars are pretty good. What kind of roads will you be on?
Driving from here to Eugene OR on Monday before Thanksgiving. Also driving through the night to make time.
something less aggressive for highway use. I'd highly recommend not using the V-bar chains for highway use. They are much too aggressive and much more appropriate off road.
make sure you get good tensioners, because at highway speeds, you'll want to keep'em as tight to the tire as you can.
Driving from here to Eugene OR on Monday before Thanksgiving. Also driving through the night to make time.
I am heading that way the week after you. Let me know how you fare on the passes. I am going to Seattle, but I think coming in from the south is usually a little better than snoqualmie pass on I-90. I am assuming that you are going to go through Bend and over the pass there correct?
You could also check Craigs List for used snow tires with studs. Never know what you find there. I know it is not chains, but perhaps it will work for your needs.
Snowman78
11-13-2012, 16:49
Anything with V bars are pretty good.
I have had goot luck with the V bars!
I have had goot luck with the V bars!
The V bars will provide max traction. If you run them on wet pavement you will wear them down quicker, just like any tire chain. If you run them on ice and snowpack as designed they should perform awesome.
For what it's worth, I drive from Evergeen to Vail and back once a week and never have any need for chains. I'm not towing anything but good tires and 4WD is plenty. If I'm hunting on back roads that's a different story. There is certainly places I wouldn't go without them.
I also must ask why? You won't need them between Denver and SLC. If the road is open, you can make it w/o chains. Now, as you near OR, and wetter snows, that might be a dif story. You are not in a rush, so, don't push it.
If you really need em, get cables, that is what the CSP uses.
I've never needed chains on the freeway....except on Donner pass, when it wasn't snowing that hard. But, that was because Californians can't drive in the snow.
rockhound
11-13-2012, 22:10
I also must ask why? You won't need them between Denver and SLC. If the road is open, you can make it w/o chains. Now, as you near OR, and wetter snows, that might be a dif story. You are not in a rush, so, don't push it.
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i could see throwing some in the rig if you are driving a front wheel drive honda or mini van, I have seen plenty of them not be able to get started on hoosier or vail if they have to stop on an icy night, they just sit there and spin the tires until they smoke, or a rear wheel sedan or van maybe,
a decent 4x4 with quality tires shouldn't have any issues, you have to stir the transfer case of course, it's a $3000 dollar option for a reason.
tmleadr03
11-13-2012, 23:11
i could see throwing some in the rig if you are driving a front wheel drive honda or mini van, I have seen plenty of them not be able to get started on hoosier or vail if they have to stop on an icy night, they just sit there and spin the tires until they smoke, or a rear wheel sedan or van maybe,
a decent 4x4 with quality tires shouldn't have any issues, you have to stir the transfer case of course, it's a $3000 dollar option for a reason.
The wife and I are taking a rental SUV for the trip with our two kids. So we will have 4x4, but it will be with crappy OEM tires. Most likely a Tahoe/Suburban or a Armada(god I hope not, I hate nissan). That is the main reason. If it was actually my vehicle I would not have any issues with the tires I have on it, but that is too small for this trip with for people and two dogs.
rockhound
11-14-2012, 07:43
my family members have several tahoes and the factory tires were more than adequate when new, the weight of the damn thing gives them pretty good traction. pretty sure they will hang you out to dry if you damage their rig with tire chains.
Guess you could throw some in but I would be surprised if you needed them. Might be best to borrow a set if its for a one time use rental.
streetglideok
11-14-2012, 08:17
Can get some at Oreillys, but they aren't always cheap. I dropped $110 I think for my alpine chains, but they aren't ladder chains either. Had them for a year, only for emergencies, but rather have them and not need them, then to be stranded and not have them.
Yup I dropped $150 last week for mine. I do have a large wheel. Dodge ram 1500 come stock with 20s so its always more. Bad thing is chains are non returnable
tmleadr03
11-14-2012, 09:02
I am heading that way the week after you. Let me know how you fare on the passes. I am going to Seattle, but I think coming in from the south is usually a little better than snoqualmie pass on I-90. I am assuming that you are going to go through Bend and over the pass there correct?
Missed this one the first time.
There would be two options in my book and I90 would not factor into it for either option. That far north through the Rockies could be very bad. Beautiful but bad. The southern routes would be up through Portland on I80 or through bend on the highway 20. The choice being icy roads on Columbian Gorge or bad snow in the passes. Six of one half a dozen of the other if you ask me. I will probably go through Bend since it will at least be light out when I hit that part of the trip and it will be beautiful.
Byte Stryke
11-14-2012, 11:24
I saw the title and clicked...
NOT the kind of chains I was expecting.
:D
DD977GM2
11-14-2012, 12:09
Chris, you only need to 1 set of chains. Put them on the front and you will be just fine.
Im unsure of what kind of chains to get except DO NOT purchase the cheap steel braided wire kind.
They are shit. As for the OEM tires, Im sure they will do fine. I ran Chevy OEM on my last work truck and did fine
on those shitty rig roads. Just take it easy as you well know.
tmleadr03
11-24-2012, 00:59
So I left for OR at about 730 Monday night and made it to Eugene by 8 the next day. I went over the pass by Bend OR and did hit snow. That was not an issue. The snow was easy. Once we dropped down enough to get out of the cold it was raining and fog. On a winding road. That I had never driven before. And that was when my youngest started screaming. Wow, tension went through the roof. Visibility would drop to 20 ft in seconds. A Suburban is more then capable of hydroplaning. It was way more fun then I was looking for after 20 hours of driving.
Other then that I am meh over the Suburban. The seat isn't all that comfortable. For some reason, and this just is weird, the steering wheel is not centered on the seat. It is just off to the center of the vehicle.
For some reason, and this just is weird, the steering wheel is not centered on the seat.
My car is the same way. I feel like I need to be sitting up on the inside cushion lump to have the wheel directly in front of me.
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