Truckers Report Jobs

Find Trucking Jobs

Company Driver Company Driver Dry Van Dry Van Flatbed Flatbed Refrigerated Refrigerated Specialized Specialized Owner Operator Owner Operator
More Trucking Job Searches ⌄ Fewer Trucking Job Searches
⌃

Learn to use your chains!

Discussion in 'Experienced Truckers' Advice' started by Frank Speak, Jan 29, 2017.

Page 1 of 12
  1. Jan 29, 2017 #1
    Frank Speak

    Frank Speak Road Train Member

    4,560
    14,014
    May 3, 2016
    0
    I cannot believe how many times I've been asked by drivers If I would show them how to put chains on in the past month.

    I don't mind showing them, but it's amazing that their company would turn them loose to run in the northwest in the winter without ensuring they can put chains on.

    I'm equally as amazed that a driver would would go out there in the winter without giving any thought to learning to chain.

    Also, I helped two drivers get unstuck in the Flying J parking lot in Mountain Home, ID by showing them how to use their chains to get out of their predicament.

    Advice:

    1. Make sure you check your equipment BEFORE you go to areas where you'll likely need to use it. Sitting on top of Donner Pass isn't the time to figure out you don't have enough chains, cables, socks, etc..., or that one or more are broken.

    2. Learn how to use your equipment! Again, sitting out in the cold, wet, miserable conditions of a chain up area isn't the time to learn how to put your chains on.

    And believe this, you might THINK you can watch a video and be good to go but, trust me, you're not. I actually had someone tell me once "I know how it's done. I watched a video. I just haven't done it yet". Yeah, good luck to you, lol. You need to actually do it a couple of times for practice, just like anything else.

    3. If you get stuck, break out your chains or cables (cables are especially good for getting unstuck).

    Example, if you're stuck on an incline due to ice (as in the case of the two drivers in Mt. Home), lay one chain out behind your drives and roll back on it. Now, you can go.

    Even if you can't roll backwards, just lay one out in front of your drives and pull it up snug as far under the tire as you can get it. Then, start rolling slowly, the tire will grab the chain and roll right up on it. Now you can go.

    There are other ways to skin the cat, and that's great. My point isn't which way is best, or whether or not you will or won't drive on snow, etc...

    My point is if you ARE, you need to be PREPARED!
     
    Frank Speak, Jan 29, 2017
    Frank Speak, Jan 29, 2017
    #1
    gentleroger, fargonaz, x1Heavy and 14 others Thank this.
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. Jan 29, 2017 #2
    TequilaSunrise

    TequilaSunrise Medium Load Member

    617
    615
    Feb 3, 2016
    Seattle, WA
    0
    I love this post!

    Thanks for reminding people to know before you go.

    Last week a trucker had the wrong size chains and he needs help to put them on. Sorry. No tools for that on the truck call roadside. Because we all get paid to roll and chaining is part of the process in The PNW.
     
    TequilaSunrise, Jan 29, 2017
    TequilaSunrise, Jan 29, 2017
    #2
    Lepton1, Puppage and Frank Speak Thank this.
  4. Jan 29, 2017 #3
    ChaoSS

    ChaoSS Road Train Member

    3,338
    6,758
    Sep 20, 2014
    0
    I mind showing people how to do it. I'm on e-logs. I already had to chain, and although I know what i'm doing I haven't done it much so I'm not the fastest. I've burned up at least half an hour already. Now I have to drive nice and slowly for a while, and my clock is ticking on a delivery that doesn't understand the concept of bad weather. Now you want me to take another big chunk of time to show you how to put yours on, then move, show you how to get them tightened up, get them bungeed, etc? Watch the youtube video. That's how I learned to chain. A youtube video and trial and error in some very wet and very cold conditions.
     
    ChaoSS, Jan 29, 2017
    ChaoSS, Jan 29, 2017
    #3
    Lepton1 Thanks this.
  5. Jan 29, 2017 #4
    Frank Speak

    Frank Speak Road Train Member

    4,560
    14,014
    May 3, 2016
    0
    There's a big difference between watching a video in a nice, warm place and sitting on the side of the interstate sloshing in wet, cold, conditions trying to figure out what you're doing, eh? Lol

    Well, at least you can do it now, right?
     
    Frank Speak, Jan 29, 2017
    Frank Speak, Jan 29, 2017
    #4
    Lepton1 Thanks this.
  7. Jan 29, 2017 #5
    ChaoSS

    ChaoSS Road Train Member

    3,338
    6,758
    Sep 20, 2014
    0
    Yes. And I think the first time I did it it took me 2 hours to get it all done. But I did learn how to do it, and while I've broken two sets of chains running over bare pavement since California and Oregon love to require that, I've yet to have a set of chains come flying off, I've never run a set of chains so loose they were hitting the truck/trailer/each other, and I've never had anything come loose and damage anything. Which seems to put me at better than probably 60 per cent of the guys chaining up around here..... But then I actually make an effort to get things properly tightened up and re tightened up as needed.
     
    ChaoSS, Jan 29, 2017
    ChaoSS, Jan 29, 2017
    #5
    misterG, Lepton1, TequilaSunrise and 1 other person Thank this.
  8. Jan 29, 2017 #6
    Frank Speak

    Frank Speak Road Train Member

    4,560
    14,014
    May 3, 2016
    0
    Kudos driver!
     
    Frank Speak, Jan 29, 2017
    Frank Speak, Jan 29, 2017
    #6
  9. Jan 29, 2017 #7
    supersnackbar

    supersnackbar Road Train Member

    19,759
    50,659
    Aug 19, 2007
    Your Town, USA
    0
    Years and years ago, my truck driving neighbor (who only does the SE) laughed at me when I was teaching myself how to chain in my driveway (in FL). 1st company I worked for never went anywhere that chains were needed, then I started with a 48 state company that did some NW runs, and the fair weather favorites never went out there when the snow started flying. So, I watched the videos, then dug out my chains and got good at installing and removing them quickly...of course, I wasn't quite as fast in the snow as I was at home, simply because winter clothing is a bit more bulky than my normal hometime attire. But then again, when I started driving, we were drivers, not the professional seat warming tourist that are so prevalent in todays trucking world, so we took our jobs a little more seriously than many do today.
     
    supersnackbar, Jan 29, 2017
    supersnackbar, Jan 29, 2017
    #7
    TripleSix, misterG, tscottme and 4 others Thank this.
  10. Jan 29, 2017 #8
    skellr

    skellr Road Train Member

    8,737
    12,187
    Jul 17, 2011
    The Village, Portmeirion
    0
    Who wants to chain up when you can take a nap In the chain up area untill it clears. :tard:
     
    skellr, Jan 29, 2017
    skellr, Jan 29, 2017
    #8
    BostonTanker, magoo68, pattyj and 5 others Thank this.
  11. Jan 29, 2017 #9
    Frank Speak

    Frank Speak Road Train Member

    4,560
    14,014
    May 3, 2016
    0
    Well, again, this isn't a debate about whether you should, would, won't, etc... it's about being prepared.
     
    Frank Speak, Jan 29, 2017
    Frank Speak, Jan 29, 2017
    #9
    tscottme and otherhalftw Thank this.
  12. Jan 29, 2017 #10
    TequilaSunrise

    TequilaSunrise Medium Load Member

    617
    615
    Feb 3, 2016
    Seattle, WA
    0
    So many people do this... Crazy!
     
    TequilaSunrise, Jan 29, 2017
    TequilaSunrise, Jan 29, 2017
    #10
    Lepton1 and skellr Thank this.
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

    • Page 1 of 12