Chain count to carry on the truck?

You’ll need enough to cover 4 drive tires plus a spare and enough to do 2 trailer tires plus a spare. If it were me in your situation I’d buy a set of three railers and a set of singles for your drives and then you’ll have to buy two sets of super single chains for your trailer tires.

 

And I'll assume that both drive axles are drive axles? No tag axles? I see a few out there. If there is only one drive axle it will have to have "3-railer chains" (chains on both the inside and outside tires)

 

super single trailers require drag chains on all 4? You sure? Why then do regular trailers (at California max) require one tire be chained on both sides?

 

Im not sure of the super singles. I don't run them at all. (I'll quit first)

But I can tell you here in America you need chains on 4 drives at the tractor and one on either outside aft tire on your trailer. Usually the right rear out because the shoulder might have drifts and so on. Plus three more for spare.

I'll stop there. Im not sufficiently knowing about supersingles. If you have those on your rig, I'll pray for you. Do try to be careful and check with your state or providence's Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Board. They will be more than happy to clarify for you before they catch you and write a ticket.

 

He’d still have to do two tires, so unless he can find a place to buy a single chain he’d have to buy two pair to cover two tires and have a spare.

 

4 singles and 2 wides is all he needs.

He'll probably never use all 4. So that's 2 spares right there.

I've never seen a need for 3 railers in the snow. Those are for people who play in the mud on a daily basis.

And I think i actually used all 4 drives maybe 3 times in 6 years.

 

WA and OR require spares plus the max number.

As far as 3 railers, if you chain up the outside only and there’s hard pack under fresh snow your inside tire (unchained) can sit on top of the hardpack causing you to lose traction. A 3 railer will dig down til you find traction. But all I’ve ever done in the mountains is heavy stuff, and usually it’s faster to throw your 3 railers and get down the road than mess around with 4 singles.

 

I think Cali and maybe Co require spares also. I think.I could be wrong. I've never seen anyone actually get checked. Not that it can't happen.

I think a few members posted of CO actually checking on the 70.

I ran mainly west coast for 6 years. Singles is what most companies equip their trucks with. 3 sets. It was a rareity to have to throw 6 tires though.

Heavy haul might be a different story but for the average truck. 3 railers weren't necessary. If the roads were that bad. They're usually shut down. Or closed for semi cleanup.

My last 2 otr years saw Oregon closed more then open.

My first set of chains lasted 3 years. They didn't get used much. My second set lasted a year. They were constantly used. My 3rd set lasted the last 2 years.

We were home every weekend pretty much. Those of us that didn't mind chaining up anyways. If the company didn't have new chains. We were sent to FL dealer. Or the trailer repair shop. Basically. We had to have good chains BEFORE leaving out for the week. Boss was never happy when someone needed chains out on the road somewhere.

I could understand that being a dillema for companies who cross country or stay out days at a time.

 

WA checks for chains, they tell to pull them out so they count and make sure you have enough.

 

Spare chains: 1 spare chain for drives (5 chains total) and 1 spare trailer (3 chains total)?