Community Forums

SteveSkinner · 01-03-2013, 10:04 PM

Our next trip Dallas to LA then San Francisco over the sierras to steamboat and back to Dallas may require chains. Or to at least carry chains on hwy 80 or 50 weather permitting (early to mid April)
Does anyone carry chains. If so are they any more difficult to fit than on a car?
Can you buy them from truck stops??
Wheel size is 295/80
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Towing Subaru outback

Mr_D · 01-03-2013, 10:18 PM

WA requires us to carry them in the winter if your GVWR is 10,000#'s or more, so I do. And I hope I never have to use them, there just isn't enough clearance and the Newmar says never use them.
Actually I've driven in conditions where lots of trucks and cars were in the ditch with no trouble. Even watch cars go off the road right in front of us on I-5. Went to the next exit, filled up the propane tank and drove back the other way to a Wal*Mart where we stayed since the state patrol closed the freeway.
A DP has a lot of traction with all that weight on the rear axle.

Snowman65 · 01-03-2013, 10:25 PM

good evening we snowmobile with a lot friends they have deisel pushers We have a class A with V10 i would stongly suggest if you are just traveling over the passes not doing a lot of snow chain traveling and not a lot of parking lots in the snow to just us cable from Les Schawb you can take them back if you dont use them and if you use truck chains you may not have enough room in the finder wells. also a little trick is drive the inside duals up onto blocks then you can put the chains on the outside duels and get them tight without driving onto them all the other stuff. much faster and easier. good luck Terril

SteveSkinner · 01-03-2013, 10:30 PM

So in place of standard chains what are you using?

Dutch Star Don · 01-03-2013, 10:40 PM

I found cable chains years ago that fit 22.5 tires. They fold up to about 18" long and 6" in diameter which makes them easy to store and leave in the coach.

Hookum · 01-03-2013, 10:43 PM

I would not spend the money to buy them since they would not clear the fiberglass and would make a mess of that. Second reason is that by the time you put them on without raising the coach with jacks so that you could get your hands up and over the wheels , spring would be upon you and the snow had melted. #3 The HP closes the road at first sign of danger. You would not spin out as easily as all those light vehicles whizzing past you, they will be sliding off the road first and then your stuck trying to get past them.

Now, I do agree that they make cable and nylon attachments for snow that are thinner and might clear the fiberglass on your coach. If you buy, make sure you practice putting them on in the sunshine a couple times to get the routine down. You could also make a 2"x8" x 2' long block with notches that you drive up on to raise the wheels off the ground and it allows you to get the cables all away around the inside or outside wheel while supported on the other wheel on the block. Clearance is your biggest challenge and it varies from coach to coach.

SteveSkinner · 01-03-2013, 11:11 PM

I had an Avis 22 seat mini bus one snow season here in Australia for a large group i had organised. I left the lodge at 5am to catch the first train down to pickup the bus.
On the way back up the hill I got to the chain up area and basically no traction on the ice.
It took me about 30 minutes to put the chains on. I was covered in crap from laying on the ground in my good ski gear.
But there is a saying " I could do it in the dark". It was still pitch black.
Best part of the deal was the next time I got to the states I bought new ski gear. ( prices of almost everything is 50% cheaper in USA.
I ll check out the cables as i'll obviously have to carry something to be legal.

Mr_D · 01-03-2013, 11:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hookum

#3 The HP closes the road at first sign of danger. You would not spin out as easily as all those light vehicles whizzing past you, they will be sliding off the road first and then your stuck trying to get past them.

You must not have actually driven a DP in ice and snow.
I have, and can honestly say that the car drivers were more of a hazard than glare ice even without chains on our rig. Yes, I went slow and watched cars spin out and we didn't even slip.

vsheetz · 01-04-2013, 02:39 AM

We travel to Oregon where there is chain law (certain times of the year you must have them in the vhicle). Bought them at NAPA. Have never put them on. Don't plan too - if they are required that is a indicator to get off the road and hole up somewhere until the weather clears.

KBolin · 01-04-2013, 04:02 AM

I would only buy to provide evidence that I had them. If not installed properly on the back side just think of the mess the chain can make underneath. I don't own any but if conditions are that bad I'm never driving, I pull over, put out 1 slide, satellite up and wait it out. :-)

SteveSkinner · 01-04-2013, 04:43 AM

Ok I think I get the idea

Ill buy the chains to be legal and stay off the road if I need them.
This is obviously a more mature plan than risking damaging the coach
I would like to know what chain sizes fit 295/80/22.5 as I can't see any that match the size. I see 70 profile but surely they would be too small.

lonestarace · 01-04-2013, 04:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveSkinner

Our next trip Dallas to LA then San Francisco over the sierras to steamboat and back to Dallas may require chains. Or to at least carry chains on hwy 80 or 50 weather permitting (early to mid April)
Does anyone carry chains. If so are they any more difficult to fit than on a car?
Can you buy them from truck stops??
Wheel size is 295/80
Monaco Signature
Towing Subaru outback

We carry a set of http://www.scc-chain.com/tire-chain-...oices/super-z/ with us when we go snow skiing. They fit just fine and go on easy peasy.

We have not had to use them yet, but we're prepared. We carry a set for our toad too.

Wolfpack Fan · 01-04-2013, 05:02 AM

We don't do any driving with our class A that requires chains in possession or installed, but I've been a fleet manager before and I'm familiar with buying, replacing, repairing and installing them. If you EVER think you'll need to put them on, don't skimp and buy the inexpensive one's from China. Glacier brand or the likes. Get Pewag chains. They're made in Germany and of very good quality steel. They will give much more peace of mind knowing they won't fall apart and wreck the wheel well and other areas around them if a link comes loose. Caltrans is notorious for having chain controls in effect well before they're actually needed. The pavement beats the heck out of the chains and cheap ones fall apart very quickly after running on wet asphalt or concrete.

Oscar Mike · 01-04-2013, 06:14 AM

If I need chains to get to where I am going, I just ain't going...it'll wait till spring. I hate snow, having shoveled my share in Labrador and Montana as a kid...