IMO winter driving on snow and ice can't be taught to the extent that becomes instinct. It's something that needs to be experienced. When things start to go sideways instinct takes over. People without this experience should not be driving truck in these conditions.
Highway Thru Hell - From TV ....
Discussion in 'Canadian Truckers Forum' started by Pullin2, Sep 5, 2012.
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The companies these drivers work for need to accept some responsibility, not just blame the drivers. If the company lane travels through the coq (or other mountainous terrain), they need to have their drivers trained on tire chains and proper driving techniques.
I was taught about chains in my first week here in Alberta. Never seen them used before out east.
For all the supplement training there is for professional drivers, I don't understand why tire chains is not one of them.
Trican policy is chain all drives and a triple on the trailer. -
So whenever you chain you can't just chain 1 set of drives? I was always wondering why trican guys were always putting so many chains on. Even saw them throwing chains on both steer tires when most just throw it on one tire.
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Lets just say company policy for those frack companies is "you can't fix stupid". They do not get to make decisions for themselves. I've seen those trucks chain for flat land dry road in the winter. Not long ago those companies only got the bottom of the barrel...Multi stage fracking have them making more bonus money and attracting and retaining better drivers. Not many years ago a cementer would get a very small bonus of 75-100 bucks to work an extra 20-30 hr's strait and be expected to be polishing rims @ 8am sharp for salary. We have an unusually huge territory here in Northern BC. IE a truck would have to travel from Fort ST. John to location, could be 8 hr's one way to some locations for exactly the same bonus as another guy called out just outside city limits.
rainyday lover Thanks this. -
i didnt carry chains, company policy....chains lights on, park....get checked in cali or wash, buy the chains, get back to calgary and drop them off and head back
2009-2011
we had to carry the minimum amount to get thru BC...if you went south, then you had the correct amount for your route, still policy was chain lights on, park....chained up 2x...once on coq at the tollbooths to go downhill and at the golden brake check again to go downhill into golden.
2011-now, im offroad and chain up all the time.rainyday lover Thanks this. -
Trican policy is all drives, one steer and one triple on the trailer. There seems to be different opinions on which steer to put it on. I like it on the drivers side due to the crown on lease roads when they are greasy. Most tell me to put it on passenger side just incase the chain snaps. If it snaps on the drivers side it could possibly grab and destroy the steering shaft and lose all steering. I see their point, but I still like it on the drivers side and inspect the chains thoroughly and drive according to conditions. Some guys put them on and just hammer down.
rainyday lover Thanks this. -
For us in the summer / mud its 1 set on the drives, in winter/ice/snow its 1 on the steer tire, 2 sets on drives and one on the trailer, crown side.
I've chained up often, I'm not sure why the spinners arent installed for the new drivers, not as a full chain replacement, just something to give you that little bit of traction when you don't have any until you can get to a safer / flat spot and get chained up.
In our convoys if one guy chains up, we all do - if you're in an accident where you slide into the ditch and having chains on would have saved you but you didn't have them, thats a meeting with your super you don't want to have.
And for those who don't know what the spinners are - these.
A tiny investment that might save a life. Again, not as a replacement for a full set, but something to help if you can feel the slide.
Last edited by a moderator: May 9, 2015
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Regarding On-Spots, and similar products:
Great for city streets in my books. The local fire ftrucks and school busses all have them, but it's a back up plan (back-ing - up being the key words here ....).
I watched a FD Quint ( combination small ladder truck/pumper ) NOT get up an incline with a few inches of slush down and On-Spots deployed.
Watch a YouTube video of the FDNY in winter -- they DON'T use On-Spots. They use full wraps, and they don't even have nasty winters in NYC.
Personally I'm a fan of full wrap chains. On-Spots seem to me to be flung around to much and bunch up. They also seem to me to not even completely go under one of the tires.
If you Google tire chains or wheel chains or cables .... you'll get a million hits, a million methods, and a million products.
Big chains, full wrap, solid links with a 'V Bar", rated for your tire size, AND weight, are they way to go. My opinion. I'm also the type to chain both sets of drives, a left and right trailer set, and both steers if it's that bad. I wasn't the type who liked to stop for a second bought of chain-up. Stopping the second time used to mean waiting for help.
Check this out: http://fastertruck.com/pages/How-To-Chain-Up-Big-Trucks-Tire-Chains-Instruction.html
Watch the video - Is it me, or does this guy have a chain wrapped around his head too ???
Again, all my opinion based on experience. My first truck chained up was an old Army deuce and a half 6x6. I chained all 6.
SL
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