Tire Chains

So I shot first and am asking questions later.

I accepted a trailer delivery to Portland, Oregon. I completely forgot that I have to go through states that require tire chains at this time of the year by law. I have no clue where to buy them and it's too late to order them.

Are they a pretty common thing to purchase as I get closer to the mountains or am I going to have to seek them out? They aren't needed here, so they don't really exist as a retail item.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Out here in the mountains, basically every tire place, gas station and car parts store carries them, at least for regular cars and pickup trucks.. I'd just wander into a Napazone when you get to the mountains.

Personally I don't like the cable ones that much, get some proper chains. They might be a bigger PITA to put on, but they also get you more traction.

This is interesting.

I will be driving from San Francisco to Lake Tahoe the last week of December. Do rental places offer these? I tried renting a 4x4 but Avis did not have anything for a reasonable price.

Any tricks on installing them? Tools needed?

In reply to Slippery:

If you're taking a rental car, most if not all rental companies don't allow you to put chains on their cars. So no, they don't tend to offer them as an optional extra. Keep in mind that CHP/CA DOT does set up checkpoints and actually checks if you have snow tires + AWD or chains on if chain controls are in effect. Even up here at the Lake it's hard to rent AWD and/or vehicles with snow tires.

NHP doesn't check, they just write you a ticket when you crashed after ignoring the chain controls.

If there is a winter storm coming in around the time when you're trying to drive up here, you might be better off flying into Reno from the Bay Area. Worst case there are even busses running from Reno to various parts of the Lake.

Normally installation is just a matter of rolling out the chains, drive the driven wheels onto them, wrap them around the tires and tighten them. Tightening is a PITA, especially on the inside. I'd usually drive on them a little (couple of miles) and then re-tighten them. No special tools or tricks needed, just a willingness to roll around in the snow...

December usually isn't too bad for snow storms, but you never know. There is a big detour from the Bay Area that'll get you to Reno at least if the passes are closed or have chain controls on them (go up to Oroville and take CA 70 across to US 395). This works most of the time as the majority of that route is below 5000', but they can also have chain controls.

BoxheadTim wrote: Personally I don't like the cable ones that much, get some proper chains. They might be a bigger PITA to put on, but they also get you more traction.

This. We put cable/rubber ones on our buses and real chains on the trucks that pull them out. Get a few short rubber tarp straps too to stretch across the center of the wheel to keep them tight.

I don't need them, but these popped up on my FB feed the other day.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/_XNrV2gTUOM

They look too good to be true.

Note that when going up to Tahoe, you don't need AWD+ proper snow tires- just mud and snow rated tires, which is pretty much any all-season. But- you are still required to carry chains, and they will check. Ironically, if it gets to the point that they would actually make you put chains on an AWD, they would close the road.

Sporting goods and big box stores in the foothills also carry chains, usually for less than the auto parts stores. Many places used to let you return them if you didn't use them, but I think most places now make them non-returnable.

I was under the impression that the chains-in-the-car rule was one of those leftover laws from when cars were almost all RWD on bias plys. A modern 4x4 on AS/AT tires will be pushing snow with its bumper without any need of chains.

An aside on chains: I had them once and tried them on my subaru wagon (FWD only) and they didn't help. But did fling off scratching up my fender. I won't use the berkeleying things.

Since you accepted a trailer delivery should I presume this is a semi? If so, the various truck stops along the way should have them. Especially near those states that require them for commercial haulers.

If you're thinking about actually using them, you might want to peruse this chart from Peerless to help in your selection. https://www.peerlesschain.com/brands/traction/traction-product-comparisons/

In reply to KyAllroad:

They take it seriously in the mountains, especially for commercial vehicles, which I will be driving. I don't really want a $1500 fine.

If you have time put them on and off a couple times on dry ground to see how they go. It's not complicated but will be easier if you've seen it done before you have to crawl around on the snow.

In reply to foxtrapper:

No this is a pickup, but it's still required because I'm commercial. I know truck stops have them, but I think Semi chains will be too big.

In reply to KyAllroad:

That sounds like they weren't tight enough, that's pretty much the only way they can fling off unless you were driving way too fast with them on.

In reply to Boost_Crazy:

IIRC Nevada says "snow tires or chains" but nobody over here ever checks. Even at the Caltrans checkpoints - say, when there are chain controls over Donner or Echo Summits - everybody's always taken my word that I was running snow tires. I've never had anybody grovel in front of the wheels checking for all seasons vs snows. I've also never been checked if I was carrying chains, but I know some of my friends up here have had to show they had chains in the car.

I have seen them checking in WA and OR, not often and they kinda just look as you roll by but there is a trooper.

Laclede seems to make a lot of the ones sold around OR/WA.

Get the "chain" ones not cable. The newer ones are WAY easier to put on these days, no driving over the chain.

Drape over the tire, there is a quick connect on the backside, connect that, then do the tnesioner through the front. I find a couple of rubber bungees across the front help immensely.

Install Vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4gy4I59eBQ#t=67

I like this style, not super heavy, reasonably priced (50-90 generally) and work well.