Forum Discussion

Hydeaway's avatar
Hydeaway
Explorer
Jan 28, 2015

Chain on a c class motor home

I have a C class motor home and I was told that when you chain up in the snow you only have to put the chain on the back passenger wheel because it is so called your driver wheel what do you think about that!
  • As others have said - chain up both outside rear tires - it's not that difficult and you can only buy chains in set of two anyway.
  • Many years ago I got up one dark winter morning to go to work. We had had a freezing rain over night and the country road was covered with cold ice. I went about 200 feet and slid to the shoulder, so I parked it and went back to bed until it starter getting light. I went back to my van and put a tire chain only on the left rear drive wheel, because the right one was in some snow. I feared that I would have trouble because of a chain only on that one wheel, but driving very carefully I made it to work without a problem. Many others did not make to work that day.
  • In an open differential the one with the least traction is going to spin. So if you chain up the right side tire then the left will spin and you still are not going to go anywhere. Like above poster said chain up both outside dual and then you are good to go. It will also provide even braking like stated above.
  • Hydeaway wrote:
    put the chain on the back passenger wheel because it is so called your driver wheel what do you think about that!
    Actually both sides have equal torque applied. If the right seems to spin first it is due to the drive shaft torque pressing the driver side tire to the pavement and lifting the passenger side. This does not allow you to chain just one corner.
  • I can just see your C doing doughnuts down the road when you hit the brakes with chains only on one side.

    Bill
  • I think you may be confusing the outside tire vs. both dual tires. You put chains on the outside tire of the dual set on each side of the vehicle. The inside tire of a dual tire set is not normally required to have chains.
  • Check your state for chain requirements but you will need to chain both sides of the drive axle.
  • That would be interesting, especially in braking situations. Not familiar with chain up regs. being from the east, but I would think at least on both sides of your rig. Imagine having the rig pivoting on one corner.
    Many people here forget that winter tires (chains) are just as or even more important for stopping and steering as they are for going.

    Ken