swift driver chaining up

BlackW900.


Nobody should tell you when to chain a steering tire, it's something you should know. Let's say that it comes with experience.

I've never chainded up both steers, 1 only will suffice.

 

OK first....We're not talking about the oil patch.

We're talking about the roads and the laws in Colorado, California and Oregon.

The poster that I'm talking to is saying things that are simply not true!

I have many years of experience on mountain roads in the winter time and have never needed to chain a steer tire.
I have never been told to chain a steer tire or been ticketed or been threatened with being ticketed for not chaining a steer tire as ironpony claims.

The man is not telling the truth...

 

Whatever you think. I live in Colorado - you don't. My friend was told to chain or not go by a California State Patrol officer. Maybe you just don't get around as much as you think you do.

 

I've run in freezing rain and used it to get someplace where I can park. On the Alaska highway, that could be at least 2 hours. 40 MPH and we always made it.

 

I've never needed to chain a steer tire either - but, the fact is that a state patrol officer can order you to do about anything. Personally, if conditions are THAT bad, I usually shutdown - I'm usually heavy enough that I don't really worry about it too much, and throwing chains on the drives and drag chains on the trailer aren't a problem.

Personally, I think that some of these guys who post here are just plain arrogant pr--ks, and when someone says that maybe their experience differs, these guys always resort to accusations of lying.

 

I drove for swift and got on vail and had to chain. trainer never showed correct way. So I started trying to use the manual and figure it out. trooper pulls up asked if I was ok and I said yeah just reading the correct way to do this. he walks over to another trucker talks to him comes back to me and says if you'll help him he'll help you! I was over there in a minute! not only did he help me chain he talked me down the mountain in a blinding snow on the CB and never left me until we were in denver. Nice guy still speak to him on a regular basis.

 

okay, I reviewed, perused, etc., CRS (Colorado Revised Statues), I called a friend who's a State Trooper, he called one of the motor carrier guys. I also called Downieville Port, they've never heard of that requirement nor have they seen it. None, not a single one of us can find anything in CRS that requires chains on a steer tire.

I too live/run Colorado, I've never been told to do it. Also, even when Code 18 (chains for everyone) I've never put a 3-railer on (don't even carry them), I put a single on all 4 outboard drives and get a move on it. Colorado claims that you have to use a 3-railer, however, this is not enforced. The restriction on cables is aggresively enforced though. They nail a Prime driver last week for putting cables on, CSP told him that if he put those on one axle he had to have "real" chains for the other axle, he said that's all he had, they shut him down on the spot.

 

Let's not cloud the issue with facts here....

Just because no one in the world has ever heard of it but ironpony including the Colorado state patrol doesn't mean it's not true!
The cop you talked to must be an arrogant liar that's just saying that to make ironpony look foolish!

My bud from the CHP in Truckee says he doesn't have any idea where the guy got the idea that they would ever require anyone to chain a steer axle because in his words..."That's ridiculous!"

I don't know anyone in Oregon that I could ask but they would tell me the same thing if I did know someone because the whole premise is stupid!

 

Here is Colorado...straight from C-DOT:
LEVELS OF CHAIN LAW FOR COMMERCIAL VEHICLES

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Level 1

This level of chain law implementation requires that all single axle combination commercial vehicles chain-up. All four wheels of the power drive axle must be chained. Cables are not allowed on single drive axle combination commercial vehicles as an alternative traction device. When level 1 of the chain law is in effect, all other commercial vehicles must have snow tires or chains. Level 1 may be implemented at any time there is snow covering any part off the traveled portion of the pavement on an ascending grade. ​

Level 2

When the chain law is in effect at this level, chains are required for ALL commercial vehicles. This includes trucks exceeding 26,001 lb. weight, and buses or vehicles that are designed to carry 16 or more passengers. Autotransports must comply with the law to the extent possible without causing damage to hydraulic lines. Buses need to chain only two drive wheel tires. (Cables are not allowed on single drive axle combination units, they must use chains!) ​

Level 2 may be implemented any time there is snow covering the entire traveled portion of the pavement on an ascending grade or when in the discretion of the highway maintenance supervisor (or designee) road, weather or driving conditions make this restriction necessary to protect the safety of the traveling public or minimize occurrence of road closures. ​

Approved Alternative Traction Devices (ATD's) ​

Approved ATD's may be used instead of chains. These include wheel sanders (vehicle must carry enough sand to negotiate the hill), or pneumatically driven chains which when engaged, spin under the drive wheels automatically as traction is lost. ​

The rules and regulations disallow the use of tire cables on commercial vehicles. The following are the only two approved situations in which cables can be used: ​

• Tire cables constructed with high strength steel spring cross member rollers that are at least 0.415" diameter or greater can be used instead of chains on commercial vehicles with the exception of single drive axle combination vehicles. ​
• On a tandem power drive axle commercial vehicle any type of cable can be used only if there are chains on the outside tires of one of the power drive axles and cables on two or more tires of the other power drive axle. ​

The Colorado Department of Transportation will be monitoring the use of cables and their effectiveness this winter. The Department can at any time rescind the approval of cables as an ATD.

Now here is California:
What chains are required for an "18-wheeler?" An 18-wheeler (typically a combination consisting of a 3-axle tractor and 2-axle semitrailer, but including other combinations and axle counts) is required to have chains on:

• All four tires on the main (usually front) drive axle
• The two outside tires on the other (usually rear) drive axle
• One tire on each side of the trailer (front or rear axle, or staggered OK)
• No chains are required on the steering axle

And here is Oregon:
Chain Law

Oregon's chain law applies to all highways throughout the state. When you drive in winter conditions, you may see signs telling you to carry chains or traction tires and when you are required to use them. In some areas, lighted message signs also will advise you about chaining up. Traction tires may be used in place of chains on vehicles rated at 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight or less and that are not towing or being towed.
In very bad winter road conditions all vehicles may be required to use chains regardless of the type of vehicle or type of tire being used. This is known as a conditional road closure. A conditional road closure may occur on any of Oregon's highways and are frequent in the winter on Interstate 5 through Siskiyou Pass south of Ashland.
Studded tires are legal in Oregon from November 1 through March 31. Because of the damage caused by studded tires, the Department of Transportation encourages motorists to use studded tires only when necessary. Delaying putting on studded tires or using other traction tires is helpful to the condition of the highways.
For placement of chains or traction tires go to Minimum Chain Requirements. For information on traction tires go to Traction Tires.
Signs

Lighted message signs or signs like these will be posted to let you know the current requirements for chains and traction tires:
You must have chains or traction tires in or on your vehicle and they must be the right size for your vehicle and of sufficient number to comply with the chain laws.
You must use chains if your vehicle is rated 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight (GVW) or less and is towing. You must use chains on any single drive axle vehicle rated over 10,000 pounds GVW. Chains must also be used on the trailer or vehicle being towed as described under Minimum Chain Requirements.
You must use chains if your vehicle is towing or rated more than 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight (GVW). Chains must also be used on a trailer or vehicle being towed if it has a brake that operates while in tow.
You must use chains if your vehicle is towing or is rated over 10,000 pounds GVW. Chains must also be used on a trailer or vehicle being towed if it has a brake that operates while in tow. If your vehicle is rated 10,000 pounds GVW or less and is not towing you must use chains or traction tires.
Definitions

"Chains" include link chains, cable chains, or any other device that attaches to the wheel, vehicle or outside of the tire that is specifically designed to increase traction on ice and snow conditions. For information on the placement of chains go to Minimum Chain Requirements.


I am still trying to find any place DOT Regs (state level), State Code or even a "Federal Code" where any State even suggests the use of chains (or even cables) on the steer axle! Any driver (or wanna be, or student) that sounds off with a statement about chaining the steer axle (no matter if it is one or both tires)...has no concept of how chains effect traction, let alone the physical change of a steering tire if something is placed so as to degrade the effect of steering traction. And yes there is a huge difference in the word "traction" when looking at forward/back movement traction v. steering traction.


Ironpony and Prarieboy...you have been caught in your BS and you still want to fight like a dog with a bone! The laws have been posted, authorities have been called to "double check" you statements...yet prove to be a line of BS....I have been running Donner in Commercial vehicles (dedicated Sparks to Bay Area for 3 years) and in the Fire/Emergency services for over 3 decades. Never has CalTrans required or even suggested chaining a steer axle.... NEVER...and they wouldn't as they know that a set of chains or even cables diminish the steering capability of a tire on a paved or cemented road surface. In a pure mud environment they could feasibly assist in the tracking of a steer axle, but not for traction which is what steering requires, a certain amount of traction to change a directional force at the front of any unit.


While CO does not REQUIRE drag chains...any driver worth his/her mud understand the concept of a drag chain....it is to maintain the tracking of the towed unit especially on a slick BANKED section of roadway (generally preceding and following through then exiting a curve)...if the forward movement (momentum) is reduced the towed unit can (and will) slide off the boundaries of the hard slippery roadway surface.

CA has pretty much abandoned the "maximum" requirement, but it is still listed in their regulations...they have found that the "modified max" is sufficient for commercial vehicles. The cards they hand out at the chain check points reflect this...if you notice, the "darkened" wheel positions for "modified max" is all four outside DRIVE tires and two drag chains. The drag chains can be placed on the same axle (either front or rear) or they can be applied in a staggered configuration.

OR has a "minimum chain requirement"...and that is all, they don't specify maximum but they do also require drag chains.

NONE OF THE THREE STATES HAS LISTED, OR ADVISES, OR REQUIRES CHAINS ON STEER AXLES ....

Your freind that told you about (so you say) getting in some trouble about not having sufficient cables...this is simple, if you want to use cable get ready and have cables for 6 of the eight drive tires....and if in CA, 6 of 8 drives and the required 2 for drag chains.... NOTHING ABOUT STEERS!!!!!!


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Oh, and as an after thought.....any of you "youngsters" who like to do their best to poke holes in statements made by BW900....why waste your time and energy...on this forum, he offers nothing but sound, experienced advice, he is willing to share his experience with others, and he doesn't just repeat what has been said at the coffee clutch truck stop counter stool. Most of the BS you will hear at the coffee counter will be such a bunch of tripe, how can you swallow your coffee without spitting it all over the waitress?!!

It would behoove all who read these threads to read, absorb, and practice what is offered by the 2,3,and 4 decades of experience from the likes of BW900 and Southern Pride....SP, you are in our prayers on your journey with getting back to health and LEAVE THE NURSES TO THEIR WORK....keep your hands within the boundaries of the bed!