Chaining..... uggh!

I'm based in California and only run up and down the west coast. I've never chained, not once. Chain restrictions usually last no more than a few hours and I wait them out. But to be in compliance, I bought a set of the autosocks for my rig should I ever have too. I'm told by other drivers out here who use them, if you keep at or under 15 mph, they last and hold up as good as the iron chains. Hopefully I'll never find out.

I have a good set of new mud and snow tires on my truck, and they do great in snow. We don't get a lot of ice out here.

 

Been making a living behind the wheel since '98 only ran OTR for 5 of those. NEVER hung iron not once.

 

You are fortunate enough to run dual tires and not wide singles? I think any state is requiring chains requires all drives chained up when running wide singles... PITA.

 

Wait it out....that is a smart idea. Log off...re up your driving time by the time the restrictions are lifted. Besides... How far can you go in chains really? Superhero trucking makes dead truckers.

 

I run OTR... 5 to 7 days out then home for 2 days... I will chain on the homeward bound side of the trip... Wait it out on the out-bound side of the trip.

 

California starts chain restrictions when the first snowflake falls from the sky. It's a complete joke. Then you have a line that can take hours to get through so the CHP can check to make sure your chains are on. All to go about 30 miles. I watch the weather carefully, and if snow is in the forecast I avoid especially Donner, and make other plans.

Between northern California and Portland Oregon there are about 10 places where you might have to chain up if a snow storm blows in off of the Pacific. Rather than wasting an entire day to go a couple hundred miles averaging 25 mph, I shut down until they lift the chain restrictions and go the same distance at 60 mph. Saves a lot of wear and tear on my back.

 

Curious as to why chaining up would make one a superhero trucker? When I ran the NW I would’ve gone broke if I waited out every chain restriction during the winter. And I wouldn’t have gotten my weekends off at home. Used properly by experienced drivers driving is no different with chains than without. Get them good and tight, run 25-30mph, get over the hill, take them off and carry on with your day.

 

I agree. It is amazing how many problems you can get ahead of by chaining and being on your way rather than waiting for the restrictions to lift and fighting all the other guys that were waiting as well. So much easier on my mind to have that behind me instead of ahead.

I do have to chain up numerous times a day sometimes, and having your chains organized in a chain hanger and a bit of experience throwing them on helps a bunch. It's just not that big of a deal to me.

And a driver going 25 mph with chains on does not fit my description of "superhero", but safe comes to mind.

 

Gotta love the drivers who will wait it out.

There's a time to wait and a time to roll. When you're still sitting there 7 days later. That obviously wasn't the time to wait.

As for the chain laws by state. It usually goes on the conditions. Most times 2 drives are fine but sometimes 4 drives is needed. They don't always make you chain up all 4.

The top of donners is always the last section to be plowed. You can pretty much plan on chains. All season long if that's what it comes down too. As happened 3 or 4 years ago. Wasn't all season but most of it.
I wouldn't want to work for them companies in reno that only go west and back.

Oil haulers (LOCAL) have to throw chains 6 months out of the year. And they're triples. If you don't. It's $750 out of your pocket to the grader. AND you have no idea how long it's going to be before he gets to you.