CHAINING...are you ready?

Bailin' wire, duct tape and WD 40. Those three things can fix durn near anything, at least temporarily.
(I once knocked a hole in a gas tank in a four wheeler. Waaaaay out in the boonies. A bud happened to have a can of plumber's putty. We plugged that tank and got back to town just fine.
WHAT STRIKER SAID!

 

That would be something my dad would have done.

Like when his VW Superbeetle sprung a leak in the gas tank, he replaced it with a Coors beer keg. He figured the deposit was less than a new fuel tank.

 

On the general theme of fixing broken chains. If I've got a broken cross link and no spares. I'll use a heavy duty zip tie on each link and kinda sew it to the rail.

Had a super single drag set get done in by Oregon's "Icy" roads. That was a fun day, every other truck "clank , clank, clank..." It held but another crosslink went on that same set a few miles later. So I pulled it off and took my chances, all the other sets were fine though.
The chain up was west bound somewhere between Lagrande and Cabbage WB I84. Counted 7 or so broken sets on in the slow lane down cabbage, all I could see in the dark.

 

I could see a potential for new marketing of ideas in the snow-driving arena.
Seldom-break chains, multiple engine exhaust redirectors that force blast concentrated engine heat down to the road surface to speed up ice melt.
Then of course there's just straight up, switching out regular road tires into something larger and wider for snow driving.
I wonder how those beefier, Aussie road train tractors would fare in a snow/ice storm?
They definitely look like American tractors on steroids.

 

Better chains always a good idea. Or something that could replace them.

Exhaust rederectors depends how cold it is and what your driving on, if your on a snow packed road in Montana at -5 its only going to make the situation worse.

Larger wider tires could help but it depends on the tread cut and compound more than anything. True snow compounds don't last long in comparison and like chains quickly degrade on dry or even warm roads so they are only good for someone in it everyday.

As for beefier tractors. There might be a case for it but torque can be an enemy in slick conditions. Maybe some new smoother suspension designs could be a good idea. Something that makes the side roll in a curve smoother. More axels can help and hurt on one hand it could lessen the likely hood of sliding out straight but increase it turning.

Really we would need some real break throughs in design to get much better and cost effective than current options.

Just my thoughts.

 

The best option is SLOW DOWN. If it is glare ice, park it.

 

So you want wider tires for the snow and ice?
Not so smart.

 

Many don't realize it, but the absolute best tire on hard pack snow and ice is a steer tire. It's all the sipes in the tread. Yes, they totally suck in deeper or looser snow, but on the hard stuff there is no comparison in performance.

 

A narrow tire has a deeper footprint.
A wider tire spreads the weight so you get less grip on the straight line.

It is a matter of pounds per square inch.

After that, it is the rubber compound and tread design.

Wider is better when going side to side or around a circle on a dry surface.
Or if you want impressive burnouts.
But a narrower tire is better in the snow or on ice.

 

Long story but 4 of my drive tires are former steer tires, the other 4 are legit drive tires. I believe the steer tires are better than knobby drive tires in that position.