Snow chains

Yeah, IDK. Seems nuts that I couldn't run chains on a truck.

 

I don't know what level R3 is (I'll look it up), but I've never needed chains on my 4X4. I've been skiing for like almost 40 years and only ever put chains on my 2WD cars. So, I guess I don't need them for the Tundra. Still, don't know why I had to sign the no chains thing....that was weird.

 

R1 and R2 conditions allow 4wd without chains. I believe you may still be required to carry them but I’ve never ever heard of them checking. R3 requires even 4wd vehicles to put on chains. But they’ll close the highways long before it gets that bad. You can always get them for your peace of mind but I just think it’s a waste of money. I know at least 10 people who’ve bought chains for their 4x4’s and not one has ever used them.

 

R1 and R2 conditions allow 4wd without chains. I believe you may still be required to carry them but I’ve never ever heard of them checking. R3 requires even 4wd vehicles to put on chains. But they’ll close the highways long before it gets that bad. You can always get them for your peace of mind but I just think it’s a waste of money. I know at least 10 people who’ve bought chains for their 4x4’s and not one has ever used them.

 

pair of chains is like $70. cheap insurance imo. I just keep them in my bed.

 

Only the rears, right? So I’m curious, if you only put them on the rear, would you drive in 2wd or 4wd?

 

CO sounds like a chill place.

 

Yes and no. I was curious about this as well. Every situation is different. The rear's will give you traction to go and less to steer and opposite for in the front.

 

That's a good point. I think you'd have to drive in 2WD, but I'm not sure.

 

According to some NASA scientists the Earth is supposed to be going into a cooling period starting last year. They predicted more snow last year and this year is going to be colder and more snow if they are correct. The articles had something to do with an amount of solar inactivity in the atmosphere or whatever. Ill try to find the article if you want.

 

The need for chains has more to do with safety than DOT requirements.
Traveling safely on bad ice and snow is a subjective matter that hinges on lots of things; visibility, traffic, road grade, driver skills, and the consequences of failure (suppose that you’re transporting a load of children for instance), to name a few.
I’ve chained up a lot to make sure I get home. For years I also had a second full set of mounted studded snow tires that went on in the the fall and came off in the spring.
I’ve only run chains on all 4 when off road in the snow.
Regardless of what you signed, use good sense, plan for the worst, and be safe.

 

Well chains wouldn’t fit on my fronts so it would have to be on the rear. I was wondering more about making the rear wheels taller and putting stress on the diffs if in 4wd. Probably not enough of a difference but I’d probably be worrying the entire time I was driving in 4wd.

 

Not sure what the hell Toyota engineer's were thinking when they designed this 4wd system. Not allowing it to lock in when you don't have traction? WTF? So basically they want you to predict when you will loose traction up the road and shift before you ever get there...other wise if I get this right it will just pulse the ABS till it gets traction and engages(this will be indicated by a flashing 4wd light) which will never happen if you get onto some ice. Snow is not the problem. Its the ice. Being from PA and living there in some bad winters I have seen 3-5 ft of snow and everything continues just a bit slower....Now in Portland you get 1/8th inch of snow, sleet, or ice and the entire city shuts down.

 

I had mine on today (v-bar on the rear) didn’t like the look of the hill where other trucks had clearly slid backwards and gone sideways on the ice. 20+ % grade. I knew if I did make it up barefoot, I’d still want the “jewelry” on coming down loaded with firewood, so I spent the few minutes and chained up. Worked like they always do, didn’t even slip a wheel going up or down.

And @joonbug, no harm in running in 4wd with only chains on the rear. If you have enough traction to cause problems with “binding” between the front and rear, you probably don’t need to be in 4wd, nevermind chained up. Keep in mind, the cross chains dig into the compact snow / ice so don’t really change the efffctive diameter of the tire much at all.

 

Well, I dug into the Toyota Tundra manual today (2018 4X4). It explicitly states rear wheels only for chains. That seems odd, and the manual does NOT say anything about running in 4WD with chains on.

Wish I could get a ruling on this. Does this mean that I can run chains on the rear in 4WD?

Here is the application/sizing chart for Security Chain -- http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/B1AuiYOtblS.pdf

And the size/model I bought for my truck 275/65/R18 (stock TRD Offroad tires) is
Security Chain Company QG2228CAM

$112 SCC QG2228CAM Quik Grip Light Truck CAM LSH Tire Traction Chain - Set of 2

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000VAJ17M/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&psc=1

BTW - I alway use two chain tensioners per tire.

 

OK, so I now understand R1 vs R2 vs R3, funny I never knew that before. So you are right, I probably won't need them, however, I once ended up on 50 when they had already closed it in a 2WD Lexus LS. It was snowing so hard that you had too proceed very slowly. We ended up in an informal convoy of about 6 cars. Each of us took turns leading for awhile because the concentration required was intense. I actually wore the chains out on that trip.

So, I'm buying some cheap chains for when I go up there, just in case. I'll probably never need them however.

 

I know that there’s lots about the Tundra systems I don’t understand completely but I will run chains in 4wd with no hesitation. I’m pretty sure the only problem with chaining up the front is how close the upper control arm is. Hitting that with the chains would suck for sure.
Toyota would be stupid not to have a liability out on this. Therefore, the note in the manual.

 

^ Yeah, could be. I don't expect to ever need chains so I'm gonna buy just buy one pair. So if the cops ever ask me if I'm carrying chains I can say yes. IF I need to go off road in the snow I'll buy a second set.

 

Not to mention if a chain in the front ever came loose/or off those thin brake lines may go with it....and that would not be good. My chain came loose on the rear and pulled the ebrake cable out of the bracket. Thank god I was just trying to get off the ice and then took them off anyway.

 

Earlier this year, i think it was march they had R3 conditions going to big bear. 18 and 138 were closed coming up from the south and i had to go all the way around to go in from apple valley. they made chains required for everyone.. i slapped them on and took them off after a half mile. totally unnecessary. i did go into 4h though.

 

Bump, anyone have any further input? I'm wondering what the difference is between snow and mud chains? I would assume I'd want them to be able to be used in both...

Usage will be headed to aging parents house to dig them out, and winter hunting on non-plowed roads. Also summer hunting in mud.

 

Usually mud chains are heavy duty.. a heavy duty v bar will satisfy both your snow and mud needs

 

Lots of folks mention v bars, but not a lot of talk of square links. Anyone have experience or info between the two?

 

I have a set. They'll do the job as well. V bar's are just designed for that much more traction.

 

And if you want more traction than V bars... there's always the U bars.

They've yet to fail me.

 

What's the best brand of U or V-bar chains that you recommend?

Also, would they work with a stock TRD PRO (comes with 2" lift) and 285/70/R17 or 285/70/R18 tires?

 

I got mine through QCCanada.com (q c as in quality chains)

I wouldn’t put u bars or v bars on a p-rated tire, and I doubt you could put chains on a 285 without hitting the UCA.

I have had 285 on a couple rigs and would never recommend them. They wander way more on the road and are more prone to hydroplane so they don’t track as well or find traction as easily (unless you’re looking for a high floatation type setup). Skinnier tires in winter for almost all driving are way superior. If you want to drive across the top of 3 feet of hard pack, then you need big fat tires but 285’s won’t cut it.

255/80r17 is a nice big tire with a more narrow/military looking footprint if you can find one you like. Lighter. Track better. Better mpg. No down side.

 

New to the forum and was just reading through some old posts and ran across this.
I have 2010 Crew Max with General Grabber AT2's on it. P275/65R18
The company web site called for QG3229CAM, but I found that way too loose.
Even on the tightest link, I could close all of the Cam Locks by hand.
Is that why you picked 2228?