Caribou Gear

School Me On Chains

Q

Qubo

Active member
Joined
Nov 27, 2019
Messages
208
Location
Longmont, CO
Trying get my truck more prepared to hunt deeper spots this year. I want to get chains just in case of unexpected weather. I live in CO and only hunt CO but being form the south originally I don’t know anything about chains. Figure I’d get some for all 4 tires but I know some trucks can only do cables on the front. Not sure about mine. I have a 2013 F250 with 4” lift and 35x12.50 tires. Would like recommendations but don’t want to spend crazy money. Also done some looking at those traction boards too if anyone has suggestions on them? Thanks.
 
As for traction boards, Max Trax are the standard. They are for getting out of a bad situation while chains are to keep FROM getting into a bad situation (if you are reasonable). Check for clearance but on a 3/4 ton you should have plenty of room for chains all the way around. V bars are a good fit for 3/4s , find a good set sized right for your tire/wheel set up and then make sure and 1) Practice putting them on when it is warm and dry and 2) put them on BEFORE it gets nasty...... ;)
 
SFC B said:
As for traction boards, Max Trax are the standard. They are for getting out of a bad situation while chains are to keep FROM getting into a bad situation (if you are reasonable). Check for clearance but on a 3/4 ton you should have plenty of room for chains all the way around. V bars are a good fit for 3/4s , find a good set sized right for your tire/wheel set up and then make sure and 1) Practice putting them on when it is warm and dry and 2) put them on BEFORE it gets nasty...... ;)
Click to expand...
I'd say practice putting them on when it's nasty too. Who puts chains on when it's nice? ;)
 
Keep a small tarp with your chains. It’ll help keep you cleaner and drier when installing them. V bar cam lock chains on all fours. Blue Jay Industrial in Hayden Idaho has great service, fair prices and offer a wide selection. Give them a call.
 
Chains are definitely worth the money. As a Southerner, I greatly overestimate my winter driving prowess and my trucks ability to navigate in heavy snow. I have used v bar chains extensively in a 2500 Ram which is ridiculously light in the back end and they make an unbelievable difference. I keep foldable ramps in my truck for an ATV and they double as traction boards which are also beneficial. Do you have a winch?
 
As others have said, Vbars on all four. With a 4" lift you should be ok but 1" wheel spacers, if you don't already have them, will ensure clearance, or at least should. I used to have tundra with a lift and spacers and had no issue with clearance at all.
Good advice to put them on when the weather is shitty. Make sure you have gloves in with the chains so you'll always have them. I use the cheap, rubberized palm ones. A small tarp is a great idea too.
 
I keep mine in Ammo boxes to keep them dry. Spray some WD-40 on them to keep from rusting. I prefer the short bungee cords from ranch stores for tightening as opposed to the rubber rings that come with them which seem to crack and fail since I only use them every few years when I forget what a pain it is to get stuck.
 
Qubo said:
Trying get my truck more prepared to hunt deeper spots this year. I want to get chains just in case of unexpected weather. I live in CO and only hunt CO but being form the south originally I don’t know anything about chains. Figure I’d get some for all 4 tires but I know some trucks can only do cables on the front. Not sure about mine. I have a 2013 F250 with 4” lift and 35x12.50 tires. Would like recommendations but don’t want to spend crazy money. Also done some looking at those traction boards too if anyone has suggestions on them? Thanks.
Click to expand...
I'm glad you asked these questions. I've been wondering the same thing. Looking forward to the answers...
 
V-bar chains are built on a lighter chain than good off highway chains. If you plan on putting much power to the ground off road then buy good off highway chains. Also Cam lock chains work well on highway but with rough use off highway they can unlock. I just run standard off highway chains with good rubbers or bungee straps. I run V-bar chains on my snow plow truck. When I chain up all 4 on my hunting rig it is more often because a mix of mud and snow. High desert gumbo with wet snow gets ugly when the roads are side hill two tracks.
 
baltz526 said:
V-bar chains are built on a lighter chain than good off highway chains. If you plan on putting much power to the ground off road then buy good off highway chains. Also Cam lock chains work well on highway but with rough use off highway they can unlock. I just run standard off highway chains with good rubbers or bungee straps. I run V-bar chains on my snow plow truck. When I chain up all 4 on my hunting rig it is more often because a mix of mud and snow. High desert gumbo with wet snow gets ugly when the roads are side hill two tracks.
Click to expand...
Thanks. Appreciate this advice.
 
Wow. Wasn’t expecting so much help so fast. Thanks everyone. I don’t have a wench but it’s on the list. Probably going to wait until next year for that. I don’t have wheel spacers but my wheels are offset a little more than stock, but not too much. Any more opinions on v-bar vs. off highway?
 
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