Question regarding tire chains...

Most tire chains will break if you drive faster than 25mph. Chains should be inspected at the beginning of each season and periodically throughout. Only use them when absolutely required & remove them as soon as possible. Store them properly on hooks if the truck is equipped, or in the chain boxes on your truck. Chains improve traction on snow pack for maneuvering purposes; but remember you're using them because you're on packed snow and traction will be an issue...do EVERYTHING slower than normal. Engage your power divider with chains on so you get both drive axles helping you to move.

Having said all of that my best advice is to park and wait until the roads are clear to proceed without using chains. I realize that some companies will require you to chain up to get through; but most companies (mine included) have standing orders that unless you need to chain up to get to safe parking, if it's bad enough out to chain-it's bad enough to get off the road. It is simply not worth the risk. Just my humble opinion.

 

Speed depends on tightness. I will run up to 35mph, on steel links, but I get them tight enough you can play a tune on them. If you live in the Pacific Northwest, you're gonna run them in the winter, just part of the job.
They won't effect tire life much, if you run them tight, as mentioned before.
Life of the chains depends on tightness, how much you use them and much, or little, they are run on bare pavement.

I used to live in an area, where I had to chain up in my driveway, just so I could drive 10 miles into town, to find out if the chain law was in effect!

 

Let me see.....the longest time I ran with chains on was from Muskogee,OK to Joplin,MO several years ago. Sure I couldve shut down along the way but going 30mph with chains on is still making a profit versus setting the park brake. At the end-of-the-day it is your responsibility to determine whether you feel safe and have the balls to tell whoever needs to be told what you will be doing. Each driver is differant and snow does not bother me.....its the BLACK ICE !

 

Most companies do yes. As they will say the load can always get there, but not if you guess wrong and wreck the equipment (the $$$ consideration you mentioned) by guessing wrong and chaining/going when you should have parked/waited. Most companies who do require chaining up will let you know during the hiring process that unless the roads are closed (that DOES happen sometimes) or very severe weather; you'll be expected to chain up if need be. Ultimately no matter what company you sign on to; the final decision to chain and go, or not is going to be yours to make...the driver has the final say. Because you have the final responsibility...if there's a wreck you'll be the one answering why you decided to go or not. All I do is message the company over the Q-comm that the roads are too bad so am going to shut down until it clears. Usually all they respond with is "Where are you?" then "OK let us know when you're rolling again". They may double check with the state's DOT for the latest weather/road conditions, but ultimately it's a judgment call...your's. It really does come down to what your comfort level is, personally if visibility is less than half a mile or so, or if it's at night, or the roads haven't been cleared in a long time or if I've been driving a long time (fatigue); then I'm shutting it down.

Unless it's clearly stated that you're expected to chain when possible, I simply won't do it. That went for the the other companies I drove for before current one. Your dispatcher/fleet manager/etc. may get annoyed if you're late on a delivery because you wouldn't chain, but they ain't the ones in the truck. And better a load is a day late than having to deal with a wrecked truck.

 

Yes, it is required in Oregon and Washington. You don't need to do all the trailer tires, though. And your thinking is correct, if you need added traction to get going, you most likely need it for stopping, too!

 

You do chain trailer tires also...usually only 1 outer tire on each side.