I've seen Cabbage and Meacham have chain law for 3 days. Sat in Ontario waiting (I had maybe 7,000 on the deck) but as soon as it started to clear, the idiots would cause an accident and close the road. I mainly run the 11 western states; if I don't chain, I might as well stay home. When I lived in WA it was about the only way to get out most times since you have to cross the mountains no matter which way you go. Running chains is a confidence builder. I feel much better about being on the road once I have them on. It's important to be proficient with them since I've run them even when chains weren't required. It all comes down to how comfortable you are with winter driving. If you're afraid of it, you should stay in the truck stop... those of us running chains will appreciate it.
I learned to chain up in a warmed up shop on a tractor that was sitting on jackstands, man that was easy. Next time, it was 3 am, heavy snowfall, 20 deg. on the side of US 160 about to go over Wolf Creek, oh, and those two times were 10 months apart.
I like those drivers that say shut it down and sit it out so you should never have to chain up. Obviously these drivers have never worked for an LTL company. It's a fine line and a hard call to make sometimes but that dispatcher is going to watch very closely when you tell him or her that you're shutting down because of safety. They might rant and rave but it is your right to make the call. The only bad part is when you do make the call and you're sitting there with the next days frieght on and other company trucks come strolling into the yard the company is going to be watching you from that point on. Then on the other side if you do shut down and a couple of their high and mighty drivers did the same thing then you're the hero for the day. Personally, I do not like the LTL type of business. I do understand that some of them are great to work for and they do respect the drivers. I just didn't work for them. I also understand that their business is sitting on your truck and you have deadlines to meet.
Watched a video on it and a few years later did it for the first time on Snoquamie at 1 am in the slush and snow. Wished I had done it the first time in a warm shop. All of my winter students have run chains with me and the summer students have put them on while we're sitting at a trk stop.
I have a question. The slack in my chains is to much. And will hit the bottom of the trailer. I use doubles or triples. Im not sure ,but they do go around two tires. Anyways what do i do with all of the slack
You need to put rubber bungies around the outside to get the extra slack out. It will look like a criscross when you are done.
When you initially hook up the chains, hook them as tight as you can get them. After you tighten the cams, any slack (there shouldn't be much at all) can be taken up with bungies. Speaking of chains: I just picked up one of these the other day. Now why didn't I think of this... http://www.equipmentunlimited.com/proddetail.asp?prod=BUDBAR
The way I viewed having to have chains is like this. If I am in the middle of no where, and the snow just starts to fall like a beast. I had those chains, to put on, to get me to a safe location to park. Also, sometimes when your parked overnight it snows believe it or not. And many times I have used chains to help get me out of the truck stop parking lot. The easiest way to chain, from my experience. IS when you carry chains with you. Also carry 2 - 4 2' long 2x4's or 2x6's. Your going to use these to lay down in front of your tires for the axel your going to chain. Then your going to drive up onto them and park. Then secure your chains to the tires and repeat till all tires your intending to chain is completed. I know some others that lay down their chains then drive on them. For some this method also works, but I got tired of fighting the chains all the time so I ended up using the method I previously mentioned. I agree with the statement of if chains are required, then its not safe to drive. Chains do more damage to your vehicle and the road, then I can understand traveling on them all day long for at low X speed. They rip up your tires and they can break up the road. Also, its not your job to be a snow or ice removal vehicle. Let the pro's plow the road for ya instead of ya breaking up the ice on a road where you cant tell what lane your in, or if your even in a lane.
Thanks for the bungee info. But my problem is when i put the hook on the chain there is to much chain left over. I guess its not slack. The chains are tight on the tire. Its to much extra chain left after i put the hook on the beginning of the chain. Do i just bungee the extra to the side of the chain?
