Dually Chains?

[Jimster]

We have a F350 4x4 dually with an Arctic Fox 811, and plan on using the rig through many of the coming fall and winter months in BC, Yukon, ID, MT, OR, CA and WA. I found that Washington State requires trucks with a gross weight of over 10,000 lbs. to carry chains (actually, two sets of chains) and British Columbia also requires all vehicles to have M&S tires or chains between Oct. - Mar. 31. I realize that our rig with its BFG Rugged Terrain T/A tires will probably not have any problems in the snow, but I like to be prepared for the worst.
Do those of you with truck campers on duallies carry dually chains, or do you mount single tire chains on your outside tires? I've read pros and cons for both, and recently found a good Internet price on dually chains. My Jeep and I were pulled out of the snow on Bannock Pass with a chained up dually in Montana once, and I am inclined to pop for the dually chains.

[brholt]

I have been carrying these for my duelly.

Auto socks

I Haven't had to use them yet but they are very easy to to carry and I figure worthwhile insurance if I do get caught in difficult conditions.

[braindead0]

WayneLee wrote:
In California, it's either CHAINS REQUIRED,or no chains required. There is no in-between. The CHP determines when chains become necessary and, after that, all vehicles must put on their chains. On duals, only the outer one is required. No snow tires are acceptable.

Incorrect. There are 3 levels of traction control requirement

Requirement One (R1): Chains, traction devices or snow tires are required on the drive axle of all vehicles except four wheel/ all wheel drive vehicles.

Requirement Two (R2): Chains or traction devices are required on all vehicles except four wheel/ all wheel drive vehicles with snow-tread tires on all four wheels.
(NOTE: Four wheel/all wheel drive vehicles must carry traction devices in chain control areas.)

Requirement Three (R3): Chains or traction devices are required on all vehicles, no exceptions

I drive our jeep with M+S rated tires through the checkpoints up to R2 all the time. R3 is VERY rare around here at least.

[DOITHARD]

trail-explorer wrote:

DOITHARD wrote:
... also might be towing a double axle trailer...should Trailer also be chained on both axles or just one?

One should suffice.

TY

[Jimster]

Thanks for the advice on chains for a dually, and thanks also for the warning on the BFG tires; they came with the new truck and have only 2,000 miles on them, so I'll use them through this winter. I think I'll order chains for the outside rear wheels only. Now the question is whether to buy chains with cams or the type of chains that I've used for years without cams.

[Grit_dog]

trail-explorer wrote:

Grit dog wrote:
Chain the outside rears and fronts if necessary.
If all 6 are needed to get through, you're in the wrong place!.

That was my thought too.

I know it happens that WSDOT (Snoqualmie Pass) will require chains, but it's very, very rare that it happens. Generally when it happens, I think they post it as "rigs over 10k GVW I typically monitor the DOT pass reports regularly.

If the weather over Stevens or Snoqualmie is bad enough to require chains, I don't think I'd want to be travelling in that mayhem.

Outer chains only is what I'd do.

Like you, In 20 years of living in mountains I don't recall seeing chains mandatory for 4wd passenger vehicles. Plenty of little cars chaining up though.
And yeah, in WA anyway, by the time it's THAT bad, there's an accident or 6 that close the road.

Just have some tires that are up to the task. They do make that much of a difference.

[trail-explorer]

DOITHARD wrote:
... also might be towing a double axle trailer...should Trailer also be chained on both axles or just one?

One should suffice.

[trail-explorer]

Grit dog wrote:
Chain the outside rears and fronts if necessary.
If all 6 are needed to get through, you're in the wrong place!.

That was my thought too.

I know it happens that WSDOT (Snoqualmie Pass) will require chains, but it's very, very rare that it happens. Generally when it happens, I think they post it as "rigs over 10k GVW I typically monitor the DOT pass reports regularly.

If the weather over Stevens or Snoqualmie is bad enough to require chains, I don't think I'd want to be travelling in that mayhem.

Outer chains only is what I'd do.

[HMS_Beagle]

In California, the usual requirement is "chains req'd, 4WD with M&S tires ok". Following that there is a chains req'd for everyone, but that almost never happens - it goes from the former to "road closed". So if you have 4WD the chains will rarely be used (in California).

[CAJW]

I've got chains for the rear outside only, but admittedly have only done the obligatory test fit and not yet actually needed them. These ramps make the install tons easier and held up fine with our at gross weight rig.

Tire chain ramps

[Oldtymeflyr]

I don't like chains. I carry a set for the rear axle, we do have 4 x 4 which makes a big difference. We have not used the chains for maybe 10 years, and that is fine with me.

In bad weather, there are two overwhelming issues that must be considered, visibility and the other vehicles. The road may be clogged with stuck vehicles and just because you can move does not mean that there is any place you can go. Just one truck across a two lanes in the middle of nowhere and its time to so something else.

Classic case a spring storm on 285 south of Cumo Colorado, the road was snow packed, some blowing snow, visibility maybe 1/4 mile, not much traffic, but a small semi lost it on the first curve/downgrade south of Como. The road was blocked. If you know the area, there are not a lot of options. We returned to Arapahoe Hills.

[Grit_dog]

Trackrig wrote:
To paraphrase Grit Dog above - if you need chains on the trailer also, you're in the wrong place. Park it and wait.

Bill

I actually posted about the trailer chains earlier but it wouldn't post. Somehow you saw the post?? Lol. Or read my mind.
In years of driving INTO snow storms while towing up to my current 32' Sno machine trailer, I've never chained up the truck except on greasy western wa snow and ice back on steep un plowed forest roads. Even at that, I've never felt the need to chain the trailer.
Well I've felt the need a couple times......but didn't have trailer chains.
If it's icy enough that the trailer is trying to pass the truck, do as track rig said and park it for a bit.

[Trackrig]

To paraphrase Grit Dog above - if you need chains on the trailer also, you're in the wrong place. Park it and wait.

Bill

[DOITHARD]

I dont have any experience driving a truck camper in the winter. I have a F450 4x4 dually. And, planning on buying chains for front and rear outside Tires. also might be towing a double axle trailer...should Trailer also be chained on both axles or just one?

[Grit_dog]

Chain the outside rears and fronts if necessary.
If all 6 are needed to get through, you're in the wrong place! You're no different than a srw truck traction wise.
By the way, bfgs rugged trails are in the top 3 worst snow tires I've ever had. You're misguided thinking that they are even a marginal AT tire. They're hiway rubbers and no more. Bring chains if you're running those tires for sure.

[Buzzcut1]

I have 4x4, on my SRW I always carried chains for all 4 only had to use them once coming out of Yosemite in really icy conditions R2 for my own piece of mind. On my 4x4 dually I carry front and rear chains but not dually chains, just for the outer rears only. So far I have not needed them but my fire department rescue vehicle which was a 4x4 GMC 3500 dually with an ambulance box we used chains every winter on the ridge where I worked and we only chained up the outer dually and never had a problem.