Snow Chain Advice

[Nates1999]

Hey all. I could use some advice regarding snow chains for my 2wd.  We are going up to mammoth over Christmas and can either take my truck or my wife's highlander hybrid (also 2wd)  which is front wheel drive. Both cars have highway tires, as we live in southern California. We will need to get chains one way or the other and was wondering which you guys think would be the smarter choice,so I can go ahead and order up. My truck is certainly more durable with my ranch hand bumper etc, but the highlander will have its weight over the front drive wheels vs the pickup bed, and it seems that having the chains in front might help a tad with steering and control. 

 

Thoughts? 

[Wild and Free]

I have ran studded Firestone Winter force snow tires on the last 3 of my wife's front wheel drive cars and she can does and often passes most 4x4 pickups in all driving conditions, studs on a front wheel drive is an animal all around. She has only been stuck one time in the last nearly 20 years and that was when she got partially on top of a rock hard 2-3 foot deep drift and fell in and got her high centered.

I realize you could not justify studded snow tires for a single trip but if it was me depending on conditions I would choose the front wheel drive with chains if on well travelled roads way more reliable than a 2wd pickup with chains unless you have a ton of weight in the box, but even then if it got icy the front wheel drive still got it beat by a long shot.

In short get a set of chains for the highlander, best bet all around in many ways.

[Mopar1973Man]

I tend to agree with Wild & Free the front wheel drive with chains on would do much better than RWD Cummins with chains on the rear.
Like my truck since I'm 4WD, I would put the chains on the front axle being there is 4,400 pounds on the front axle vs. my rear axle at less than 3,000 pounds at times. This where you see people throwing engine blocks or harden bags of concrete in the bed of their trucks to add weight over the driving axle. Most of the ranchers will chain up the front axle of the trucks knowing a simple fact the front axle is typically heavier.

[Me78569]

Agree'd unless you are willing to pony up for some VERY nice tires I wouldn't drive the 2wd cummins

 

[AH64ID]

I agree with the above on taking the highlander. 

As far as chains on the front axle of a 4wd vehicle it really isn't about weight, as people chain up the front on vehicles that are heavier on the rear axle as well. Chains go on the front axle of a 4WD/AWD vehicle for the same reason a FWD vehicle does better than a RWD vehicle in the snow without chains, it's easier to pull the vehicle thru the snow than to push it. You also gain steering control, as well as better braking as the front of a vehicle generally does more braking. 

I am not a big fan of adding weight for traction as the weight you have added is now taking more braking and cornering traction than it did before. It only helps with acceleration and can be a hindrance the rest of the time.

 

[Wild and Free]

Chains aid in traction but have no effect on braking, from all the times I have run chains it is actually less reliable traction while braking but on the other hand there are so many different styles and types of strap on traction devices there are probably some that can help in braking, I am talking the old fashioned link type tire chains which are almost obsolete now days for road driving I would guess, have not looked into modern strap on traction devices in a few years for vehicles. heck they make a couple dozen different types for ag and industrial equipment tires alone. 

[AH64ID]

As long as you don't lock the wheels up while braking they can help, but if the wheels lock with the chains off the ground (where they are likely to lock) then they don't do any good. Vehicles with ABS will still brake a little better with chains, IME, than those without or those that disable ABS in 4-Lo. 

[Nates1999]

Thanks all. Looks like we will take the highlander. 

[Wild and Free]

Just came across these neat units on another forum, maybe something to look into, nice for one time use light and easy to install and even easier to remove.

https://zipgripgo.com/

 

 

[AH64ID]

Kinda cool looking. I wonder how durable they are. 

[joecool911]

Nothing like old school CHAINS on all 4 tires. I carry a full set in my truck for emergency use.  Offroad mostly in snow.