Why were my snow-chains breaking???

[nrvsreck]

I've never had to chain up in my life until I headed for the hills west of Denver last Wednesday and chains were required. I stopped on the side of the road with all the other drivers chaining up and asked a fellow flatbedder to show me the ways of the "chain". Anyway, farther down the road, after a good bit of relatively clear driving I decided to pull off and remove the chains. Some of the lateral links were broken. I had the diff lock engaged the whole time and was driving fairly slow (<50, give or take). I just wonder if the diff lock was to blame for breaking the chains or if it was some of the dry pavement I was running across. Once I got to Vail the roads were dry, but once again, I don't know how fast I should drive on dry pavement with chains. Later on, running across Monarch Pass on US-50 on snow-packed road I had to chain up, but left the diff-lock off, and never drove over 35, even on dry pavement. Didn't have a problem with any more broken chains. What exactly was I doing wrong to have my chains break on me? I suspect it was the diff-lock.

[LadyNorthStar]

The law is your first problem. They could kiss mine before they'd get me to chain on bare ground. Thats just begging to bust up your chains.

No problem with the diff lock, but you were driving way too fast for being chained.

This of course is all assuming your chains were on correctly and tight enough.

BOL

ETA: If I'm chained up the road is so bad you can barely stay on it so I couldn't think of a max speed, but my northern expert "source" says max 30 mph.

[nrvsreck]

The problem with Colorado is the road will be icy and snow-packed for a few miles then dry a few more miles then icy and snow-packed. Yet the chain law stays in effect. The second time I had to chain up, going across Monarch, even on the dry spots I kept it slow, but still had a big truck riding my azz with no chains on at all. I'm just wondering if there any real rules regarding chains.

[yoopr]

have your rubber snubbers on?
Maybe you had the wrong size chains for your Tires?

[LadyNorthStar]

Is the law really 'if the sign is up you better have em on' kinda thing? Cuz we have signs...Chains must be put on HERE, but they are up all summer too? lol
I have always assumed they mean if you need em you better put em on HERE at the pull out instead of spinning out half way and blocking the road.

[nrvsreck]

Could be. My company is out of Altus, OK and I mostly run Texas. I was headed to Colorado and chains were required so I picked up a set at the yard. No one I spoke to knew how to put them on. What in the h3ll is a rubber snubber?

[LadyNorthStar]

Just found this chain-up reference page, guess we made a good call with the max 30 mph. Also has some state specific law info.
http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/1608/tirechains.htm

[nrvsreck]

Is the law really 'if the sign is up you better have em on' kinda thing? Cuz we have signs...Chains must be put on HERE, but they are up all summer too? lol
I have always assumed they mean if you need em you better put em on HERE at the pull out instead of spinning out half way and blocking the road.

I don't know. It's the first time I've run in an area that had chain laws. I know chains were required along I-70 from Georgetown to Eisenhower west of Denver as that's what the local radio was saying, but at Monarch Pass there was just a little sign saying chains were required. Who knows if that sign stays up all summer. Either way, I don't want to take a chance. And I don't want anymore broken chains.

[nrvsreck]

Just found this chain-up reference page, guess we made a good call with the max 30 mph. Also has some state specific law info.
http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/1608/tirechains.htm

Good info there. Apparently, in Colorado, I need another set of chains as I only have two. Makes sense on the dry pavement. I was trying to keep it slow, but I really had no idea how fast one could drive with chains.

[yoopr]

be careful in colorado-they have a unwritten law and it's a big money maker for them. If you're running the Mountains without your chains on and if the DOT "THINKS" you should have them on it's a major fine. Mostly happens around Glenwood Springs. That's past that little chicken Coop on the Western Slope. Key word is "Thinks"

[PDXer]

Speed broke those chains more than likely. The company I used to work for was 25 mph policy with chains on but the manufacturer of the chains listed a 35 mph max speed.

Look at it this way, to throw on six chains takes about an hour and 30 min to take them off and put away, not paid and goes against your 14. You can only drive 25-30 mph with them on. Say you had to have them on for 50 miles, that's 3.5 hours of time for only 50 miles. Do the math. Yes, you could use the adverse weather rules to extend your hours, but why not wait 2 hours for them to clean up the road ahead of you. On I-5 in northern CA you might have to throw chains in Weed for 5 miles then again in Dunsmuir for 3 miles.

I've only had to chain up once (my first solo run as a newb) in driving out here in the West in 2 winters. Drove 25' to do my tightening and took them off because they dropped the chain up law AFTER I got all six chains on.

I now have ALL state DOT numbers that I run in my phone to call ahead to check the route I'm running.

[LadyNorthStar]

Look at it this way, to throw on six chains takes about an hour and 30 min to take them off and put away

Uh, if you say so.

[nrvsreck]

Even for me, it takes maybe 10, 15 minutes for two chains, and that's after installing them twice. No way it could an hour and a half for six chains. Also, I'm not going to wait for roads to clear. This isn't Alaska. Even if I have to drive 15mph, I'm going to go. And I'm not logging any of it.

[mikey4069]

You should just stop and wait for the roads to clear so you dont have to chain at all .

[yoopr]

Even for me, it takes maybe 10, 15 minutes for two chains, and that's after installing them twice. No way it could an hour and a half for six chains. Also, I'm not going to wait for roads to clear. This isn't Alaska. Even if I have to drive 15mph, I'm going to go. And I'm not logging any of it.

that's the attitude :P

[nrvsreck]

Yeah, I'd love to have spent the entire week sitting at that d&mned little truckstop in Springfield, CO "waiting for the roads to clear". Playing pool and getting drunk with all the other snow-bound dumbazzes. No thanks. Slow is better than nothing if it gets me away from them. 8)

[yoopr]

If the gates aren't up go for it but be safe and smart

[nrvsreck]

Yes, if the gates aren't down, go for it. They were up. I'm always loaded heavy though, so 35-50 is adequate. Empty? Well, that's a different matter altogether. The feller that showed me how to chain-up was a flatbedder with an empty trailer and I told him I don't think I'd be quite so eager to travel empty. But you do what you got to do. He was moving slow. He took off before me, and I passed him twice.

[LadyNorthStar]

I'm not going to wait for roads to clear. This isn't Alaska.

Believe me, you wouldn't be waitin for the roads to clear if you were in Alaska either, you could be sittin for days.

[nrvsreck]

Yeah, I know it. That's why I'm saying I'm not going to wait. If it's sheet ice, take it very slow. That's typically what we get here in Texas. If it's snow-packed ice take fairly slow. But either way, I'm just not going to sit! Chain up or whatever. I can't stand to sit!