Are there different types of chains? After moving to a property with a two acre driveway to plow last year, imagine my disappointment at finding out that a 91 chevy S10 Blazer 4x4 uses open differentials in the front & back..
My first 4x4 ended with lots of getting stuck, because of a mere 34" of snow..
I'd like to avoid that this year, but I don't think I'll have time to weld up the diffs before the powder comes, so I'm going to need some chains. Where do you guys buy yours? When I checked sears' website, and they seem to be going for about 200 for all 4 for the "mud service" ones, and ~220 for the "diamond pattern" ones...
Is there any difference?
The truck is going to be used to plow the driveway, and maybe occasionally haul a tree from the back woods to the chopping block. It's not titled or registered, nor do I have the means to do so. The trucks' been here since two owners ago, and just kinda came with the property, so I don't need comfy ride or anything like that. If we get another 3' of snow, I may drive it into town to get gas & milk, but that's only a 3 mile round trip..
Sounds like you just need regular tire chains. There are easier to attach tire chains that just came out and zip-tie type "chains", but regular chains are likely the best and cheapest answer.
Unless you can afford these. 
get some knobby tires on it..
In that much snow, you'll probably want to float over it, not go through it. Unless you're dealing with a heavy truck with very low gearing that will sink down on its own and plow through it all, like an old 1 ton. So WIDE tires, find a set of used 31" mud tires/wheels and put chains on them?
For driving to town, I'd add one of those orange low speed vehicles triangles.
Welding the diff on a C clip axle is a arguably bad idea, more likely to break an axle which causes the wheel to leave the vehicle. Weld the front diff though.
Eh, switching tires is probably out of the budget for this year.. Even if it's something cool like those snow cat treads above :)
I got stuck in a blizzard in a 1991 Firebird. I was on the way home from a winter AutoX 100 miles from home. Went to a walmart off the freeway and bought cables, because all their chains were sold out.
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They were amazing! I will never use chains again. easier to install lighter and you can drive a little bit faster than with chains. There was 2ft of unplowed snow on the road, and i sailed down the freeway kicking up snowy rooster tails. I suggest Cables.
While I'm sure cables work fine, I'm also sure there's a reason I always see chains on farm equipment and commercial stuff, and this truck is pretty much being used as a tractor.
Yeah, Kenny's got it right.. I'm not sure I'd trust the truck to take it above 35 MPH anyway... I got near there last year when I drove it over to get gas during the blizzard, and it was pretty sketchy..
It definitely sounds like the cables would be a great choice for a car, if I didn't use Blizzaks :)
I drove through and plowed a lot of snow with CJ's and 4wd wagons with open differentials . Never had a problem. In extreme cases, more to be safe when going back into our camp, we did put chains on the CJ but never on the wagon.
Of course each case is different.
Go look for a set of trigs. They are Swedish tempered steel . Half the weight and twice the life and traction.
I am from British Columbia. Just saying.
So I did a search for trig tire chains, and there's a tirechain.com.. Go figure, eh?
Here you go. I have never had to spell it before...
.http://www.trygg.no/en/
