New to the area - Question about tire chain regulations

[XC700116]

Well I just recently moved to CO and while working in the garage yesterday I heard something on the radio about a chain requirement on I-70 west of town on the pass. Never had a time/been in an area with a requirement for passenger vehicles, just tractor trailers.

My questions are:

1. is it mandatory?
2. If so what kind do you guys use, cable type or regular chains?
3. Do you chain up all 4 wheels or just front or rear? Trailer?
4. Any good sources for them especially for bigger tires? (I'm running basicly a 33/12.5/R18 on my truck.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Rprecision]

As you hinted at, typicaly chain restrictions are for comercial vehicles. The issue them for passenger vehicles once in a while not very common though

Cables in my expirence are useless

With a 4x4 vehicle chaining up less then all four wheels can severly damage your transfer case/ drivetrain

Quality chain made my old v-bars they worked good. What ever you get choose a cam-lock design. I belive Carquest carries Quality chain. As for the size, its going to be expensive. Additionally, there is a certain amount of clearnece that is needed, adding big tires may make that more difficult

 

[capen4]

I'm in the trucking buisness I work for Saia motor frieght and were tring out tire socks so far the drivers are telling me that they work great and they take about half the time to put on I went up yesterday just for a look and 4x4 works fine in most conditions only time you really need to chain is when you pushing snow with the front axle.

 

[NoCoastNesse]

COChain laws are typically for vehicles over a specified weight\axle\passenger combo. All commercial vehicles that have more than 2 axles are required as well as vehicles with more than 16 passengers.

For most of us....throw'r into 4X4 and try to stay ahead of the plows.

 

[milehighassassin]

Since you asked about chaining up the trailer, it is not needed. You only need to chain up drive wheels.

 

[BackCountryBob]

Not required on passenger cars/pickups except if you have a DOT number.

BCB

 

[sledskiing]

i've been thinking of getting a set of chains for the rare occasion when the parking lots are not plowed. It happens a few times a year up at rabbit ears. I don't want to spend an arm and leg for once a year use. Any ideas?

 

[Zoomie]

Some mountain passes in Colorado are closed down to everyone unless you have four wheel drive with chains, or snow tires. It doesn't happen too often, maybe a few times a year.

For chains, I suggest Rudd (Grip4x4) or Pewag (Brenta-C), I can put them on in about 90-seconds per tire if I don't have to clear the snow away from the tires first. They work great, I carry a set of four in my work truck year round. They are $$$, made in Germany or Austria respectively, and are nothing like those WalMart chains that are made in China. For deep mud or rough rocky roads, I would stay with the traditional style chains.

 

[lostinthewoods99]

best way i have found is go up one of the passes after a good storm watch the shoulders for chains that a big truck lost and make yourself custom fit ones I have found at least four sets of chains every time I go. just an idea

 

[mannix]

i've been thinking of getting a set of chains for the rare occasion when the parking lots are not plowed. It happens a few times a year up at rabbit ears. I don't want to spend an arm and leg for once a year use. Any ideas?

I've used both Real Chains and cable-chains.

Cables have actually been pretty good for me - two (three?) winters ago, when we got the series of storms through Christmas in Denver, I picked up a set at Walmart, because that's all they had that'd fit my van. I'd have rather gotten real chains, but beggars could not be choosers, and I needed them NOW. I needed something right then, so I got them.

They were pretty astounding, actually. 1 ton Ford van, like the ski-shuttle places use. Lots of ground clearance - it sits pretty high up. Roughly a 30x9.5" tire on it (265/75-16? Forget), at the time, Kumho Road Venture AT - an all-terrain tire, load range E, all that good stuff. Pretty decent inexpensive E-tire, for those that need such a thing.

Anyway - got the cables, and was able to get the van (2wd) out and about every day during that storm cycle. One morning, the snow was thigh-deep in my driveway; the van-door was pushing about 6" of snow when I opened it - probably close to 30" on the ground (the van is taller than most stock 4x4 trucks, and about a foot taller than the typical Ford 1/2 ton van). Backed out of the driveway, drove down the street, plowing snow with the bumper, shrug, they were WAY better than I'd expected.

Real chains would certainly have been BETTER, but they did the trick that time. Open differential.

Real chains with v-bars are certainly the best, but I'd not hesitate to buy cables again - they actually worked really well for me; I thought they'd be enough to get me around in a pinch, but nope, the thing was flat out unstoppable.

Now I've got studded snows on it. Need to check to be sure my cables will fit, hmmm. Cooper Discoverer MTs or something. Nice tires, no complaints.

In the end - chains are great, but cables? Ehh, I've not had any inspiration to replace them, bearing in mind I bought them as a band-aid. They far surpassed my expectations.



Iain