If you are going to be traveling in the mountains alot, good heavy duty cross bar reinforced tire chains, with tightening cams, on all wheels will help when the conditions get extreme (ice storm, rain on compact snow, a couple of feet of new, wet snow in a Sno-Park lot that you are stuck in, as all the plows are busy just trying to keep the highway open). In deep snow those V-bar dual triple heavy duty chains on the back, along with chains on the front may get you out, if you can't wait. Just having a single chain on each outer wheel of a dual won't help in deep snow as the unchained inner dual floats and the outer wheel with the chain just digs a hole. I've only used the triples a couple times, as I now avoid Sno-parks when big storms are coming. The best part about a TC is you can just stay put and wait for a better conditions to travel.
If it is just for the highway chain requirements and there is enough snow for 4wd, then chains only on the front wheels works well. If you look at the Oregon DOT requirement for placement, they be need to be on the back wheel when in 2wd. In California I've had the chain control guys insist they be on the back, even in 4wd. To make installation of chains on the outer dual wheel easier, I carry a ramp made from two 16 inch long 2x8s glued together and beveled on each end. The upper flat part should be short enough to fit between cross links. Place it under the inner dual, drive up on it and install the chains that you'd normally use on the fronts.
I think the biggest issue for a truck with a TC on it isn't so much after you get into the snow zone, it is getting to it. Chains don't help in the transition zone between rain on the road and lots of compact snow on the road. If it were me I'd get a set of studded winter tires. That is the route I took. They can save you on the black ice, the ice on bridges when the rest of the road is bare, the bands of snow melt running across the road that freezes as it cools down at night, etc. The Toyo M608z can be studded if you like those tires, or find a studdable tire with more siping. A set of six will be expensive, but compared to the cost of your truck, the TC and the value you place on yourself and passengers it is insignificant. Having my tires hook up while drifting sideways in a TC is something I never want to experience.
Make sure you have a good coat of wax on everything on your camper or a quick wash with Zip wax as the road salt and brine solutions are very hard on the surfaces. I was surprised at how fast it started to corrode surgaces and hardware. Just sayin.
Coastal Wanderers wrote: Make sure you have a good coat of wax on everything on your camper or a quick wash with Zip wax as the road salt and brine solutions are very hard on the surfaces. I was surprised at how fast it started to corrode surgaces and hardware. Just sayin.
Mercifully something that we don't have out here in the West, they either put gravel down or attempt to plow.
The rest of the traction equation is up to the driver to provide.
Here in Washington when chains are required either for vehicles over 10K or all vehicles thee usually is an exception of 4WD and AWD vehicles. I work full time at a ski area in Washington and live full time in my camper, every week I go down and up the mountain and I have never used chains. Trust me I have driven in some nasty stuff, but have never had an issue.
2011 Dodge Ram 3500 4X4 Crew Cab/LB, Rancho RS9000XL, Stable Loads, Superhitch and FastGuns. 2009 Eagle Cap 1050, Hickory interior with on-board generator, A/C and Honda EU2000
I live in the mountains and have a 2wd dually and I can tell you that even with chains, without the TC I get almost no traction in the snow. I only chain the outside tires when I have to use chains. I choose to not really drive it when chains are required, since I live in "snow country" I dont camp in it. I will wait the storm out rather than chain up and drive in it.
Coastal Wanderers wrote: Make sure you have a good coat of wax on everything on your camper or a quick wash with Zip wax as the road salt and brine solutions are very hard on the surfaces. I was surprised at how fast it started to corrode surgaces and hardware. Just sayin.
Mercifully something that we don't have out here in the West, they either put gravel down or attempt to plow.
The rest of the traction equation is up to the driver to provide.
Follow me as I full-time the Redneck Way at The Journey of the Redneck Express CBChannel 17Redneck Express '1992Dodge W-250 "Dually" Power Wagon - Club Cab Long Bed 4x4 V8 5.9L gashog w/4.10 Geared axles '1974KIT Kamper 1106 - 11' Slide-in
I use to drive to with our Lance camper to Mt Hood Meadows or Timberline every weekend to ski and never put my truck in 4x4 to get to the mountain. Many times it was chains or traction tires required. I did have studless snowflake tires on the truck.
My Owners Manual says that if I must use chains, use them on the rear. I heard once that it has something to do with the anti-lock brake system. 2004 2500HD 4X4 Chevy.
Larry Pierce 2004 2500HD, X-cab, LWB, 4X4, 6.0 gasser. 265Es, IPD anti-sway bar, Rancho 9000s, Ride-Rite bags,
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