Tire Chains for an Elk Hunt

[TheJason]

I disagree with chains on the rear being bad - my Explorer can't have chains up front, but chains on the back have got me out of trouble many times. 100x better than nothing.

It's not that they are bad, it's that 2 sets are exponentially better than 1 set.

Agreed on the Gravellies. I've come down the Cottonwood Road before when I thought I had the entire seat cushion embedded in my ass.

 

[RobG]

It's not that they are bad, it's that 2 sets are exponentially better than 1 set.

Actually the post was "Chains on the rear only will get you in a whole lot of trouble ."

On all fours is obviously better, but rear only is pretty robust and the only option for many vehicles. You can lose steering control on slippery stuff, but if you are going slow - which you should be - you can stop and work yourself out what you got into. If not, wait until the guy with all four chained up to pull you out

You can also find yourself in a jam with all four chained up, and it will be a lot bigger jam. The biggest thing is to go slow and stop before you gt in over your head.

 

[Southern Elk]

Update. My chains came in and I put them on. Ran into problems on the front. On one of the pics, you will see the chain almost touching the upper control arm. This could be fixed with wheel spacers. I'm not sure if I want to do that or not? The other pic shows the chains rubbing the mud flap/bottom of the fender. I'm not sure if leveling would help enough or not? I would like to hear from anyone who has experience with this problem. It looks to me like I may just be running a set on the rear wheels. No issues there that I could see. These tires are 285/70/17, basically 33"x12.50".

 

[grizzly_]

I think that's closer to 11" wide (11.22" to be exact).

That's pretty tight for the front end, probably not worth it.

 

[Southern Elk]

I think that's closer to 11" wide (11.22" to be exact).

That's pretty tight for the front end, probably not worth it.

You are correct. 11.22". I think you may be right. My biggest issue was the rear end fishtailing. This should solve that.

 

[buckykm1]

Update. My chains came in and I put them on. Ran into problems on the front. On one of the pics, you will see the chain almost touching the upper control arm. This could be fixed with wheel spacers. I'm not sure if I want to do that or not? The other pic shows the chains rubbing the mud flap/bottom of the fender. I'm not sure if leveling would help enough or not? I would like to hear from anyone who has experience with this problem. It looks to me like I may just be running a set on the rear wheels. No issues there that I could see. These tires are 285/70/17, basically 33"x12.50".

personally I would get a set of the rubber chain tighteners for them too, to keep them nice and tight.

Kevin

 

[EBOLAVIRS]

Age old Duramax problem. They come with those little wagon wheel tires on them for a reason. Their front end is just not meant for larger tires, you can make it so but it costs $ to do it. At least Cognito control arms, but then your looking at steering upgrades to handle the larger rubber and it just goes from there. Really wish GM would change their suspension setup but I don't think its in the cards.

 

[huntaddict]

Any of the newer Ram 1500 have only about 3/4" clearance between the tire and the upper balljoint. You have to get offset rims or wheel spacers to get the clearance needed. I went with billet aluminum spacers for like under $100

 

[7Remmy]

How much offset did you get?

 

[Gr8bawana]

I don't recommend this, but I used to carry chains and never needed them. I don't even carry them now. I'm in the mountains everyday, so it's not just for hunting. Like I said. I don't recommend it. Espeacially, for pickups.

A couple of years ago we ran across a guy who had a jeep every similar to this in the Ruby Mountains of NV. There was about 6 inches of snow and the road had been driven on so the snow was very well packed. The jeep was skittering all over a slight incline even with big agressive mud tires. He finally slid over off the road and was unable to go anywhere. We pulled him up the hill with my 4x4 Suburban with chains on the rear and never spun a tire.
I think the jeep was just too light and the tires too wide to get any traction. Chains would have made all the difference in the world.

 

[mtmuley]

Some rigs are better suited for snow and ice in the mountains. A Jeep like that ain't one of them. mtmuley

 

[Muley_Stalker]

A couple of years ago we ran across a guy who had a jeep every similar to this in the Ruby Mountains of NV. There was about 6 inches of snow and the road had been driven on so the snow was very well packed. The jeep was skittering all over a slight incline even with big agressive mud tires. He finally slid over off the road and was unable to go anywhere. We pulled him up the hill with my 4x4 Suburban with chains on the rear and never spun a tire.
I think the jeep was just too light and the tires too wide to get any traction. Chains would have made all the difference in the world.

I've been into hard core 4wheeling since the 60's. The clubs i'm in do a lot of snow runs. Nobody chains up. Knowing how to drive and F&R lockers helps.

I'd chain up too if I had a truck like you guys. I never said not to.

 

[tjones]

You are correct. 11.22". I think you may be right. My biggest issue was the rear end fishtailing. This should solve that.

I would do what ever it takes to be able to put chains on the front. You are asking for trouble chaining up the rear only, especially going downhill. The rear will have great traction and be pushing and the front will slide while trying to steer and break

 

[sbhooper]

I've been into hard core 4wheeling since the 60's. The clubs i'm in do a lot of snow runs. Nobody chains up. Knowing how to drive and F&R lockers helps.

I'd chain up too if I had a truck like you guys. I never said not to.

Yep. My Tundra pulls with all four, after you turn off the stupid traction systems. It is a monster with chains on.

 

[RidgeRunner76]

Update. My chains came in and I put them on. Ran into problems on the front. On one of the pics, you will see the chain almost touching the upper control arm. This could be fixed with wheel spacers. I'm not sure if I want to do that or not? The other pic shows the chains rubbing the mud flap/bottom of the fender. I'm not sure if leveling would help enough or not? I would like to hear from anyone who has experience with this problem. It looks to me like I may just be running a set on the rear wheels. No issues there that I could see. These tires are 285/70/17, basically 33"x12.50".

I've got a 2013 2500hd with 265-70-18s. I looked into this and I've no choice but to put a 3 to 4 inch lift kit onto my truck in order to run chains on my factory tires/wheels. Cost is just under $1500.

 

[mtmuley]

I've been into hard core 4wheeling since the 60's. The clubs i'm in do a lot of snow runs. Nobody chains up. Knowing how to drive and F&R lockers helps.

I'd chain up too if I had a truck like you guys. I never said not to.

I'd like to get you and that Jeep on a Montana mountain road polished Zamboni smooth by roadhunters. Throw in steep off-camber to the downhill. There are guys here that make snow runs too. Their rigs don't look anything like that shiny Jeep. mtmuley

 

[sbhooper]

I'd like to get you and that Jeep on a Montana mountain road polished Zamboni smooth by roadhunters. Throw in steep off-camber to the downhill. There are guys here that make snow runs too. Their rigs don't look anything like that shiny Jeep. mtmuley

It doesn't matter a whole lot which tires you have, when the road turns to pure ice.

 

[Muley_Stalker]

I'd like to get you and that Jeep on a Montana mountain road polished Zamboni smooth by roadhunters. Throw in steep off-camber to the downhill. There are guys here that make snow runs too. Their rigs don't look anything like that shiny Jeep. mtmuley

Mine doesn't either now. That was 15 years ago when I just got done building it. The Jeep has run all the hardest trails in the US. All the Hammer Trails which I lived 30miles from, Rubicon, Moab etc.

D60's F&R, Atlas, LCG long Arm suspension etc. If they don't look like mine and are streetable. They have work to do.

As for your polished roads? I don't hunt where road hunters are. Do you?

 

[mtmuley]

I am sceptical of the claim that the black, shiny rig has been over the Rubicon. Pics maybe? As far as hunting where road hunters do, nope I don't. But I have to drive past them to get where the shitty roads are. Then the chains come in handy. mtmuley

 

[Muley_Stalker]

Different tires. Same Jeep.