When should I put on chains?

No. I have 2 axles and a drop. And only have 1wd or 2wd. I don't have 4wd like most of you have.

Truck used to be a Werner. But seems to me a axle lock would be better. I mean. If one tire spins. Chances are the other will spin too. So how bout traction on both sides instead of both axles spinning on one side.

Stupid idea.

I'm wondering though if maybe 1 switch does both functions. If that's possible. And the axle lock isn't working. Just the divider.

 

Some trucks have lockers, but not many. We spec ours with lockers because we do quite a bit of on farm maneuvering, plus we run PNW. They come in awfully handy.

However, most trucks will have open diffs, so in effect the wheel with the least resistance will spin. Lock the inter axle lock, and the two wheels with the least traction will spin. Gets freaky when pulling around hair pin curves in the snow, but with full lockers you have a problem going around curves, too.

I hang iron when I am told to via signage, oncoming drivers advise it, or when I break traction and I've already slowed down. But I've got 30 years of driving on snow and ice in all sorts of vehicles under my belt, and know how to straighten out a truck or trailer that wants to get away from me.

 

Wow.......THANK YOU!!!!!

This is one of my favorite words.
It needs to make a comeback in a big way!

 

Ditto. My company says emergency only. Some of the roads I run stay socked in for days, even weeks. My company won’t make me chain if I don’t feel comfortable about it. But neither will they prevent me from doing it.

Chains are a fact of life in the NW.

 

Lots of Good Stuff on here.Well...Believe me You Will No when theyre "Required",because youll See lines of Trucks and drivers struggling to put em on..."Oh the Agony", "Maybe if I sit here for 45 Minutes in warm truck" Theyll lift the chain requirement.This is Dumb thinking.Just because you may be skilled enough or lucky enough to make it over the pass without chains...Is this Smart? Im Not too lazy to put on chains...if it gives me a safety edge ,I Do It.Many times in the past ...when it was "Chains Advised" Ive went "Barefoot" and made it ,Yes.,but "Reconsidered" Later.Now Occasionally Oregon has had REDICULOUS CHAINS REQUIRED sign up and its Not Slick At All.Chains& Road take "A Beating".Chains arent for Bare Roads.Yes,Normally "If You Have Traction"..."You Can Go" is how it works.Trucks are Heavy and get Tremendous Traction...but,when they Slip or Slide...They really slide...Things get Ugly Fast.Now you Dont wanna be the Only Driver running 25mph in the city when rear drive cars are running 45mph with no problem.Have seen a Few Hay Haulers "go ahead on it" Barefoot when its chains required and either 1 (Make it thru,...2 (Get pulled over by dot checking for chains) or 3 ( Spin out on the last peak of the Pass...and block the Road...Screw it up for Everyone Else.JMO

 

The first time you break traction, you decide to put on chain or go find a place to park, one or the other.

Ive got a couple images of myself and a rocky doubles tanker working our way towards Sheridan WY from the southeast on a particularly icy and chain beaten section of interstate somewhere at 10 for him and 15 mph for me. We were using the dry side of split ice on both shoulders to make it work.

I remember that day more than anything because he was very good at what he was doing locally because he did it all the time and gave me lessons on the ice school via radio, tanker style.

 

Looks GNARLY...TO SAY the Least.

 

I've run down the gravel shoulder on a 2 lane in freezing rain. I had to get there by 9pm or couldn't get my wagon until morning. I ran 40 miles at 30 mph on the gravel, and guys coming the other way with trucks were doing the same thing.

 

Ive chained twice so far in Colorado. The signs were flashing, and hauling blood we gotta keep moving as much as possible.

There were cops just beyond the chain up areas, waiting to grab trucks that try to blow past.

The first chain up sucked, took forever. Second time was a lot easier.