ramblinChet
Well-known member
Have you ever taken the time to research tire chains?
A few years ago I began collecting information on the subject and talking to people occasionally - nothing big, just a bit of information here and there. Last fall and winter I spent all my time down south with much of it being spent out in Arizona, California, and New Mexico, and Texas, so there was no real need for chains at that time. Interestingly, there were a few mountain passes out west I passed through which had designated areas to install snow chains when required.
Roads such as the one below are not necessarily bad although growing up in the Great Lakes region and learning to drive through feet of lake effect snow taught me that conditions change quickly and it is always a good idea to be prepared for the unexpected. Through the years I have run summer radials, all-terrain, mud-terrain, studded tires, and chains - on and off road in all sorts of conditions: snow, ice, frozen ground, slush and mush, mud, etc.
This time my goal was to procure quality chains that would last me for several years, had repair parts available for purchase, and were routinely used by professionals. It may have taken me a few years but it sounds like I found a solid company with a great history and reputation that are experts in all sorts of chains to include tire chains. Allow me to introduce you to the company pewag, the leading supplier of traction chains worldwide, who began a forging plant in Brueckl, Austria in 1479.
Here is a closeup of their premium alloy square link which is available in 7.0 and 8.2 mm for my tire size (37"x12.5"x17"). Note the grooves in the links which provide additional traction.
This morning was decision time and I spent around one hour on the telephone with the regional representative from pewag discussing my specific requirements along with the pros and cons of each type of chain configuration available. The Zig-Zag 7.0 mm singles (USAZZ3235) were the first to be removed from consideration mostly due to their high price and focus on smoothing out the ride. The representative explained that if I had a smaller car sized tire and drove frequently on chains this would be a great choice due to their comfortable ride and more affordable price for regular sized tires.
Edit - here is some additional technical information to supplement the picture above.
The Ladder 7.0 mm Singles (USA3235) seem best overall and were my top choice prior to speaking with the representative. If I expected most of my chain use to be on paved roads that were packed snow or ice I believe these would be the best choice but when I shared how much time I spend off-road the representative he agree that there was an even better choice.
My ultimate choice were the Ladder Heavy Duty 8.2 mm Singles (USA2445) based upon my projected use of 25% on road and 75% off-road. The 8.2 mm square links are larger and provide more of a paddle type of traction off road compared to the 7.0 mm links plus I drive a heavy duty 3500 truck. We both agreed that for mostly off-road exploration these would benefit me in snow, mud, and sand, although the tradeoff might be a slightly rougher ride on pavement. We then took into account the weight of my vehicle and size of my tires and the representative agreed that even on road my ride should be acceptable.
For reference, here is a copy of my order placed through etrailer. The Ladder 7.0 mm Singles were approximately 25% less cost compared to the 8.2 mm that I selected although I judge the additional cost worth it for my intended use. You can also see I also included two pair of the Glacier Tire Chain Tensioners since they were only a few dollars more and recommended by many.
Here is a video that provides a nice overview of pewag:
A few years ago I began collecting information on the subject and talking to people occasionally - nothing big, just a bit of information here and there. Last fall and winter I spent all my time down south with much of it being spent out in Arizona, California, and New Mexico, and Texas, so there was no real need for chains at that time. Interestingly, there were a few mountain passes out west I passed through which had designated areas to install snow chains when required.
Roads such as the one below are not necessarily bad although growing up in the Great Lakes region and learning to drive through feet of lake effect snow taught me that conditions change quickly and it is always a good idea to be prepared for the unexpected. Through the years I have run summer radials, all-terrain, mud-terrain, studded tires, and chains - on and off road in all sorts of conditions: snow, ice, frozen ground, slush and mush, mud, etc.
This time my goal was to procure quality chains that would last me for several years, had repair parts available for purchase, and were routinely used by professionals. It may have taken me a few years but it sounds like I found a solid company with a great history and reputation that are experts in all sorts of chains to include tire chains. Allow me to introduce you to the company pewag, the leading supplier of traction chains worldwide, who began a forging plant in Brueckl, Austria in 1479.
Here is a closeup of their premium alloy square link which is available in 7.0 and 8.2 mm for my tire size (37"x12.5"x17"). Note the grooves in the links which provide additional traction.
This morning was decision time and I spent around one hour on the telephone with the regional representative from pewag discussing my specific requirements along with the pros and cons of each type of chain configuration available. The Zig-Zag 7.0 mm singles (USAZZ3235) were the first to be removed from consideration mostly due to their high price and focus on smoothing out the ride. The representative explained that if I had a smaller car sized tire and drove frequently on chains this would be a great choice due to their comfortable ride and more affordable price for regular sized tires.
Edit - here is some additional technical information to supplement the picture above.
The Ladder 7.0 mm Singles (USA3235) seem best overall and were my top choice prior to speaking with the representative. If I expected most of my chain use to be on paved roads that were packed snow or ice I believe these would be the best choice but when I shared how much time I spend off-road the representative he agree that there was an even better choice.
My ultimate choice were the Ladder Heavy Duty 8.2 mm Singles (USA2445) based upon my projected use of 25% on road and 75% off-road. The 8.2 mm square links are larger and provide more of a paddle type of traction off road compared to the 7.0 mm links plus I drive a heavy duty 3500 truck. We both agreed that for mostly off-road exploration these would benefit me in snow, mud, and sand, although the tradeoff might be a slightly rougher ride on pavement. We then took into account the weight of my vehicle and size of my tires and the representative agreed that even on road my ride should be acceptable.
For reference, here is a copy of my order placed through etrailer. The Ladder 7.0 mm Singles were approximately 25% less cost compared to the 8.2 mm that I selected although I judge the additional cost worth it for my intended use. You can also see I also included two pair of the Glacier Tire Chain Tensioners since they were only a few dollars more and recommended by many.
Here is a video that provides a nice overview of pewag:
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