Snowing while towing ❄

[Curb71]

Living in southern California all my life I've never had to tow in the snow. My 2 wheel drive truck has 35" mud terrain tires and I'm unsure if I even need chains for my trip I'm planning to Bend, OR for which snow is expected.

Would chains on either/both axles of the 2 axle TT be advisable? Chains on the truck? Any type or style of chain recommended?

[Mr_D]

State law may require you to at least have chains, check the OR state highway website, sometimes they even require you to have "drag chains" on the trailer. And, as I remember, commercial truck rules apply unless you weigh under 10,000#'s

[BandSA]

I am sure on the the truck, and the front axle of the trailer. Now, for the disclosure: I have never towed in the snow in the mountains. I am curious if anybody else can chime in on the two wheel drive though. I would want at least 4x4 up there. Going in those conditions in summertime, meeting some of those other drivers, especially on the Hood River bridge where the other guy kept his wheels in between the two yellow lines in the middle of the road (bridge) and me towing a 7' wide trailer with the axles sticking out 12" on each side, rubbing the bridge and leaving a permanent rub mark on the right wheel fender, yep, I'd want 4x4. I was breathing kinda hard and I thought that my uncle was going to have to change his tighty whities!!!

My uncle did tell me that if you didn't have chains, you'd have to wait until they would let you go through. Even the cars would have to chain up. Apparently you can rent them. But at every hill?? That would get to be a little ridiculous I would think, just buy my own and not have to worry about finding some to rent.

[Waiter21]

Drives and drags.

you'll need chains on the drive axles on the tow vehicle and one of the axles on the trailer.

[RPr]

Driving in bad weather is different than driving when the roads are bad. Usually if the roads are plowed and clear it is just slow going. If the roads are snow covered it is very very slow going or not at all.

A lot depends road conditions and how safe it feels. If the going get uncomfortably rough, I will stop early. Fortunately chains are rarely seen in Indiana but we do get our share if ice and snow.

Good luck

[Canarado]

From a Canadian who is used to snow...I would rather drive a truck with crappy all season tires than mud tires on snow or ice! I've had mud tires on trucks when I was younger and scared the hell out of myself when the truck was sideways in the other lane. And your towing It's risky...but if you have to... go buy the best V Bar chains you can find

[Jim_HiTek]

Wait till you get close to Oregon and buy your chains at a Les Schwab tire store. You can return them for a full refund when withers over if you don't use them. I'd get the plastic cable chains myself.

[kgchampagne]

Originally Posted by Canarado

From a Canadian who is used to snow...I would rather drive a truck with crappy all season tires than mud tires on snow or ice! I've had mud tires on trucks when I was younger and scared the hell out of myself when the truck was sideways in the other lane. And your towing It's risky...but if you have to... go buy the best V Bar chains you can find

That is correct. Mud tires on hard pack or ice are the worst choice, because you will have a minimal amount of contact with the surface. Sipes, or small cuts in the tread on all season make difference, studded tires makes a bigger difference (on ice/hard pack), but nothing compares to chains. Chains come in two general styles, v-bar (chain linked in a twisted fashion), and cable "chains". I carry both in my 4wd truck, and both in my motorhome. They are both a PITA to put on, and sometimes hard to take off, but easier than a tow truck pulling your wrecked rig out of a ditch. Using the chain sets four or five times a year, I get about 3 years out of a set. FWIW, UPS and the USPS use v-bar chains on their RWD trucks and vans here in Colorado at 7,000'...I would imagine they have tried all of the available options and have settled on V-bar. Etrailer.com has lots of options and reasonable prices.

[Highway 4x4]

I would error on the side of safety and just un-plan the trip. Lots of time to go to Bend without snow.

[okmunky]

I tow a Smart Car behind my motor home. In April 2013 I got caught in an unexpected snow storm in southern Wyoming and Colorado. I decided to continue driving on the Interstate thinking that it would be better to get out of the snow area rather than wait it out. Big mistake! The Moho wheels threw slush onto the car which refroze and packed 6-8" of nasty ice onto the front. It also caked the safety cables, tow bar and breakaway lines. Never again will I tow thru snow.

Are you really sure you need to make this trip?

[msturtz]

I have done this. My setup was a 1 ton 4x4 with studded snow tires. I used a Hensley Hitch for the truck-trailer connection. I also carried two sets of chains. A few things to keep in mind:
You cannot use any "normal" sway control because you can't turn
If you have a normal 2wd truck you also likely have an "open" rear differential which means you really only have 1 drive tire. I.e. The one that is slipping!
Stopping can also be a problem because the trailer will want to jackknife on you (Hensley hitches prevent this)

Bottom line with a 2wd truck, with an open read differential and a standard hitch I wouldn't drive at all on snow and ice. Chains or not.

[BrianGlenn]

As mentioned carrying chains is a law in certain states on "snow routes". I carried chains for drive and "braked" trailer axle; that said I always scheduled my travel to NEVER drive in snow.

Road cameras and weather reports for passes are mostly reliable these days; drive when it is going to be sunny and clear. Carrying the chains will keep you legal and avoid a fine if stopped and checked during "snow season".

My thoughts,
Brian

[wa8yxm]

Two answers one of which translates to "I do not know" plus some other thoughts.

Chains on the trailer likely will not help. I woudl not consider.

On the tow vehicle.. Main roads are normally aggressively cleared of snow. One of my jobs back when I was a working stiff was pressuring the county to keep the freeways as clear as possible, Get the plows and salt trucks out pronto when the first flakes started falling.. And frankly, the county was good at it... Primary roads other than freeways.... Likewise.

However that said.... Some states REQUIRE CHAINS on the power unit (Truck) when driving selected roads in a snow storm. Thus I do not know if they may be required or not.

Now. Here is what i did in Blizzard 2006.. I left Las Vegas on a nice warm sunny day and drove into the worst bilzzard I've ever seen while on the road (have seen worse but from a bedroom window, not a windshield) when it got to the point where I felt it was a tad too white and scary.. I found parking... Had dinner at the assoicated diner (A cooporative rest stop in the Beehive State) and next morn had breakfast in the same diner.. Watching the news, it was all about the cars lining the ditches on the freeways.

ANd they were not kidding, Starting about half a mile north of where I spent the night there was at least one car per hundred feet on both sides of the road all the way to Salt Lake city.

That is the key... When it gets to white and scary.. PARK. continue in the AM after the roads are cleared.

And mind you... that was my first time out of Michigan in the winter in 30 years.. AND I had one of those jobs where you really need to be there (Emergency Dispatcher) so in that 30 years I'd missed one day due to snow... just one.. and that also included a busted U Joint.

[MtCamper]

I vote with Highway 4x4. I've towed where 4 wheel drive was a must and I've run lots of chains while not towing. I would recommend chains on the highway. No fun at all. Cable chains are better, but still no fun. White knuckling at 30 mph for 10 hours sucks big time.