Automatic Chains

Agreed, but they are legal to carry in all states if you don't want to carry chains. Many drivers don't drive in heavy snow areas in the winter and we carry them just to be legal.

 

Only times I ever used mine. Once was about 20 miles of slush and wet pavement, they are fine other than wet and dirty.
Second time was in my driveway on ice. Put on 2 of them and backed right into the shop. Without them the truck wouldn’t move an inch forwards or backwards.

Did I buy them to run back and forth over the passes all winter? Nope.

Did I buy then to be legal and get me out of a jam? Yup!
On top of that they are light.

 

I just installed them on a truck and trailer. I have friends that have them and barely ever use them. I installed them myself. The chain wheel touches the tire on the tire bulge, which is between 3-1/2" and 4" from the ground. I've never used them before. I don't run in snow, but I've always carried chains and now I will carry a set of Auto Socks in addition to the OnSpots. If I do drive up north for any length of time, like to Alaska in the winter, I'll use heavy chains on the wheels and not the OnSpots. I paid about $2500/axle and I saved about $2K by installing them myself. The install was not easy. I had to cut off the factory U-Bolts and install U-Bolts with enough thread to accommodate the OnSpot brackets. There has to be exact measurements because once they are installed, the chain wheel has to clear everything and touch the tire dead center of the axle so that the system works forward or backward. In the last 20+ years, I've chained maybe 10 times. But I don't like being on the side of the road throwing chains while other "truckers" are flying by you without a care in the world. And I don't like having to carry chains just to have them for inspections. So, even though they are far more expensive than regular chains, if you are an O/O and have to chain up once every couple of years, and hate having to do, and you have some money to burn, then I'd say, go for it. I plan to pull over with all the guys who have to chain up, and stand around talking trash with everybody about how chaining up is hard and I hate doing it for like an hour and a half. Then while they are chaining up, I'm going to casually get in my rig, flip a switch and drink my coffee while watching everyone else struggle on the shoulder while being rained and snowed on. Then I'll pull off in the chain area where everyone is taking their chains off and start complaining about how tough it is to chain up and then take the chains off. You know what I mean driver? Man! Chaining is tough! Am I right? I have to go drink some hot coffee now, I'd hate to stop you from chaining your truck. Try not to get hit by one of your fellow drivers who can't slow down enough to have any consideration for your safety. Oh well, your a professional, I have to go flip a switch now, take care! LOL!

 

He does have some valid points about it being dangerous in the chain up zones. This is why in my posts about chaining I call BS on the guys that make the videos about stopping and tooling around, etc., because you don't want to be out in the open, it is dangerous.

However I didn't thank it because it does seem to be a " Look at me " post, while running others down.

I chained up like 10 times last year lol.

 

I haven't chained up at all in that time either. I choose not to drive in snow areas by choice. I drove for a company for a year that used automatic chains on the tractor and trailer, and they were great. If rates continue to stay as low as they have been, and I decide to branch out into areas with a lot of snow/ice, I will also invest in auto chains. Laying in the slush on the side of a highway is no way to make a decent living at my age.

 

I take issue with a few observations of my post. Mainly, this "showing off" and "superior" comment. I was joking. Humor, comedy, levity. If you think I believe myself to be one of those things, that's your perception. In 3 million miles I think I've earned the right to poke fun at this industry. And that's MY perception. I'm looking forward to seeing how these auto chains perform. I went to the MATS the first year these came out and always wanted a set for myself. I can finally afford them.

 

Carry a few extra chain lengths with you just in case one breaks off which happens on occasion. Also, when driving through heavy snow and ice, sometimes it builds up around the arms and wheels so they can't deploy or detract completely. I carried an 5 foot steel rod to reach under the truck and trailer to knock off some of the ice and snow build up around the units so they worked properly. Trust me, you will love these things when they're needed. Four years ago was a bad winter, and I worked from September to March driving from northern California over Donner Summit, across Nevada, Utah, Wyoming and into eastern Colorado through the worst conditions imaginable making back road deliveries to dairy farms. These things were a life saver.

 

Slacker

 

It sounds like maybe you are using the Insta-Chains? I'm using OnSpot. I asked them about replacing individual chain links and they said that they only sell whole chain wheels. They said that their way of doing things is if one chain link starts wearing out, the rest will soon follow. I'm thinking that I'll carry some extra chain sections anyway just in case. I'm a flatbedder, so I have my ratchet bar to knock any ice off. I'm big into maintenance. Probably from driving crap company trucks for ten years that left me stranded in the middle of nowhere on the side of the road because of some lazy mechanic who the cheap trucking company was paying minimum wage to. Yeah, been there, done that. Then the company goes out of business and screws all the drivers. I love the job, just not the industry.