CHAINING...are you ready?

Depends on where you're at. Just the drives in Colorado, although they'll put up the chain law for single-screw tractors long before twin-screw. Donner on a BAD day? Anything that's round n' touches the ground!

Add a torch into the list... helps unfreeze frozen chains.

 

quick question, can you get away with just singles for chains or do some places require doubles

 

for california here are the requirements
for more info go to www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/trucks/ops-guide/chains


An 18-wheeler (typically a combination consisting of a 3-axle tractor and 2-axle semitrailer, but including other combinations and axle counts) is required to have chains on:

• All four tires on the main (usually front) drive axle
• The two outside tires on the other (usually rear) drive axle
• One tire on each side of the trailer (front or rear axle, or staggered OK)
• No chains are required on the steering axle

 

sounds like you still want to have (2) three railers anyway if I'm understanding correctly, if for nothing else than convenience. Putting singles on the inside drives sounds about as fun as sticking a spoon in your eye.

edit - ok sounds better after otters last post lol

 

this is the million dollar question, and has multiple answers.

From Colorado's perspective, if the chain law is up only for single drives, it must be a 3-railer. There are some who only run singles, and they usually spin out and get a costly tow. With twin screws, it's not really specific, except that a minimum is all 4 outboard tires must be chained. The preference is a set of 3-railers on one axle and singles on the other, with no trailer chains required.

Myself and our other road driver carry 3 sets of singles on a chain hanger, some of our day cabs carry 2 sets on a hanger and another set in a bag on the floor. The other daycabs carry a basket with 2 sets of singles on the catwalk. When the chain law is up for all CMV's, I will generally only chain my primary drive axle with one set of singles, if it's really bad (and it's my judgement) I will chain the second axle. Many times I've done one axle and gotten down the road without a problem. The yahoo's that assist with putting chains on EB I-70 @ 178mm are kinda pricks about this, I've had them chase down a Trooper and tell him I'm not putting full chains on. To which I usually tell the Trooper I'll risk the ticket. Now, if I'm on Wolf Creek, Monarch, Rabbit Ears or 550, I will put 4 singles on.

 

gotcha otter... couple yrs ago up on donner they had us chain everything but our underware..

 

yeah, chain underware would have been down right cold, kinky, but definetly cold