Tire Chains

[Harald Hansen]

I had a tyre chain brake on me once. I was in the Army, driving a Geländewagen down a super-slippery mountain road. I had three chains mounted, as the fourth was faulty already. Once down from the mountainside and onto a forest road, one of the cross links snapped on the right front wheel, whipped out from the centrifugal force and jammed in the vehicle frame. Since the vehicle was moving forward, this caused the front wheels to violently turn left, ripping the steering wheel out of my hands. Luckily we weren't going all that fast, but we ended up sideways on the rather narrow forest road.

Since then I've been rather careful with looking the tyre chains over before driving. If it had snapped on the mounting road, it could have killed us.

 

[NorCalSam]

good topic Sam, i'm intersted as well.

I got a pair of these diamond style (my understanding is the diamond pattern is better for mixed street use)
http://tirechain.com/315-75R16.htm

I am wondering if I should get another pair for the front tires... i'm thinking if it's bad enough to require chains on a 4x4, maybe I should just have all 4 chained up?

the reasons i didn't are-
-will never use them so don't want to waste $
-potential to do damage to the front brake lines/etc if they break loose or installed incorrectly...

on that line, maybe it would be better to spend a bit more for those easy to use self tensioning chains for the front? assuming they have them for 315s

Thanks, I must of missed that before. those look to be the same type as I am talking about and using like the rud ones and they are bigger than the 3.8mm ones I have they are the mid size. And look like a good deal. I think this stye is better for having to install them more that once a day and for steep roads too (less sliding sideways). And yes I agree, If you need to chain up, chain them all. But thats not cheep or fun. At least when climbing hills, If you think about it only one tire is grabing and holding the whole weight of the truck. I think this is what happend to the Truck last year to much force and weight on one chain becuase the chain look fine and was new.

 

[NorCalSam]

FYI, At this point I am not that eager now to buy any “bigger” chains right now after the little test I did. I chained up my mom’s cruiser a stock 92 FJ80 with the bigger ones that we have that fit her 31” tires and drove up and down the hill and road several times. It appeared to me that the truck did not do or climb any better at all, In fact I couldn’t help but notice that the rigs rear end slid around more then ours coming down hill. I was running the 4.5mm on the rear and the 5.? Mm up front. The chains did leave a noticeable bigger mark, in the snow and ice but the traction did not seem any better to me. I just need to concrete my road and ether heat it or get a plow and plow it and spead sand.:beer: