Lately I've been doing some work in the Marcellus Shale region. Some of the roads I travel are dirt, and snow covered, and they're requiring tire chains.
Before you burn me at the stake here, let me say I've been driving 14 years, and haven't ever needed chains, as I've always seemed to be where the weather isn't.
Soooo.....my question is this: how fast can you safely go with tire chains on? Obviously you wouldn't go faster than conditions allow, but just how fast would be safe before the chains give problems?
I'm not asking because I wanna go 75mph or anything, I'm just curious
How fast can you safely go with tire chains on?
Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by rbrtwbstr, Dec 16, 2014.
Page 1 of 3
-
-
Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds
Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.
-
It depends on the terrain and conditions, obviously. You can't really pinpoint a number, but I'd say that 10-25 mph would be a 'safe' bet.
-
I never go over 25-30 mph with chains on.
You'll see other drivers blazing past you, but then you're dodging their hardware laying all over the road a few miles ahead. I can't imagine the damage being caused to their rigs as their chains are coming off.Lepton1 Thanks this. -
-
My last trip to a tire shop was due to a cross link buried in my tread. Couldn't dodge them all running Cabbage last month. Always seems that especially the first big winter storm results in broken chains littering the highway. I think someone could make a penny or three picking up those chains. -
I run between about 15 and 25 with chains on. I have used chains a lot living in the mountain west and have experienced and seen the damage caused by running too fast with chains on. It's much better to hold the speed down and not tear up the truck than to run fast and do a bunch of expensive damage.
-
About 30 Mph @ prolonged use; afterwards, check chains for damage to the chain links...keep ur chains tight.
-
I've run them up to 45 mph on good packed snow to get around slower, un chained trucks - but 25-30mph is safer.
They're pretty rough on the tires, and tend to let go a rail or two and ribbon strip the mudflaps if you run them too fast, or on thinly covered pavement for too long.
I'd guess you could get away with 35-40mph off road, but I'd check 'em every 50 mile or so and tighten them up real snug. -
Oilfield roads, about 30 was my top speed with chains on... and they do destroy tires after days of use. Watch for damaged cross links, as they will destroy your fenders.
-
Ca. used to post 25 MPH when chained. That's about it, maybe 30. Off road, in the mud etc, I'm not sure. But a loose or failing chain will do some damage. I only chained twice in 32 yrs of driving, the first time a chain came off a drive tire and got wrapped around the axle, un-known to me until I stopped to take them off. It could have wreaked havoc if it got into the brakes etc.
yuban Thanks this.
Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds
Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.
Page 1 of 3