please advice about snow chain

[sharowcat]

Dear Folks,
Would Somebody tell me about Snow Chain for towing trailer?
I am going to tow next week to go to ski..mountain..towing 22ft safari by Chevy G-VAN.
I have heard about snow tire chain before.
That is Do not use for trailer!
Why don't use it for stable towing?
Why is it danger?
I thought it would help to stop safely??
I only know,,,Trailer brakes should been faster than CAR brake.
by the brake controller tune.....on the Ice or snow condition.
yes, I think,,It might be basically operations ,,but Please tell me something about this .
Might I ?
Best Regards
Sharowcat

[Janet H]

if you use the search tool on the upper tool bar and search for tire chains you will find several threads about htis topic. There are varied opinions about foul weather towing. Check out these threads:

http://www.airforums.com/forum...ht=tire+chains

http://www.airforums.com/forum...ht=tire+chains

and .... you might look in the towing sub-forum. Good luck - stay safe.

[Darol Ingalls]

Check the posts suggested by Janet. I've used cable chains on the rear wheels of a 25' Caravanner on icy mountain roads for braking. There's not much room in the wheelwells, so be sure the chains fit snugly. If you do a lot of winter traveling, you might consider a set of good snow tires. They provide enough traction for braking without the need for chains.

[sharowcat]

Hello, Janet and Darol.
Thank you very much for your advise.
I try to carry the Chains for bad road conditions.
Thank you again.

[overlander63]

If you feel you must use the chains for safe towing, it is probably best if you don't try to tow in conditions that would warrant needing to use them. After all, semi trucks don't use chains of their trailer tires.
If you must tow using chains on the trailer, drive slowly, and take the cahins off as soon as you clear the area of bad road conditions, as the chains will set up a horrible vibration that will shake everything loose inside and out.

[sharowcat]

HelloTerry .
Thank you very much for your words.
Yes, I am not want to tow in Storm also night and ice.
And Now my G-van has Snow Tire.
Why they(Big Semitrailer ) doesn't use the chain for their trailer??
It's Simple mystery...don't you think??
or Is it an easy physical principle?

[C Johnson]

After all, semi trucks don't use chains of their trailer tires.

HI Terry, I am not sure where you heard that. I am a truckdriver and I can tell you that I have chained up my semi-trailer 3 times this year alone. It is state law here in Oregon when the weather gets bad. I know the chain laws vary widely from state to state and for conditions. Here in Oregon when the chains required sign is up ANY vehicle towing must have chains on. IF the conditions warrant they may make you put a drag chain on your trailer. ( yes they do stop you at the bottom of a pass and check ). If you get caught with out chains on when its is required, Or. will give you a nice 424$ ticket. I once got a ticket for 300 $ for not having enough chains on.

I think Darols suggestion is better than tire chains. Get a couple studded snow tires for the AS on a spare set of wheels, so you don't have to leave them on all the time. If you have a tandem axle just do two tires and put them on the axle with the brakes on it. ( not sure if all axles are braked on all tandem travel trailers )

But then if its that bad, do you really need to tow in the snow ??? I personally would avoid towing my AS in a really bad snowstorm if I could avoid it. I have enough of that kind of "fun" at work.

Remember take it easy, increase your following distance and reduce your speed when driving in the snow.

Be safe, Chris

[bryanl]

State laws will usually require chains on at least one axle of a trailer when conditions require restrictions such as "chains required"

A friend with a CDL (commercial driver) jacknifed his fifth wheel recently in slick conditions. Chains on the trailer would have helped keep the trailer behind him preventing damage. They can provide the traction needed for braking the trailer and also help somewhat is side to side slippage.

Chains are usually only needed during and right after a winter storm. Wait a week or so for things to clear and then you only need to have them in the vehicle for a 'just in case' situation.

There are a lot of different types of 'chains' and some are designed for small clearance wheel wells.

[uwe]

Keep a thumb on the brake controller as well. Most of them are inertia controlled. This means that the vehicle has to decelerate before the brake controller will react. If the vehicle slips, the brake controller will do very little to slow down the trailer.
I would chain up the tow vehicle front and rear, as well as the trailer's axle, if I had to tow in the snow frequently.

[bryanl]

Uwe, good advice and chaining but the brake controller item sounds like a misleading Jourdan commercial.

One thing to keep in mind is that on slipperly surfaces you do not want heavy braking. You do want the trailer braking matched to the tow vehicles _response_ to braking control and not to wishes and desires. If the tow vehicle slips, the odds are the trailer will too and the proper response is to reduce braking pressure. This is the essence behind ABS braking systems.

Another thing to keep in mind is that most modern brake controllers have an initial (controlled) response to the brake light switch. On some, this is adjustable (the Prodigy boost factor, for instance).

There are good points for and against hydraulic, pedal positioning, and inertia governed brake controllers. Slick ice braking is a circumstance that is anomolous and subject to many critical factors that totally overwhelm those points.

The key concept in any slick driving condition is to avoid any change in direction or speed. This means you go very very slow, avoid low gears, avoid needing any braking, and creep around corners. Until they put ABS on trailer brakes, the only way to assure proper trailer control is a very conservative approach to trailer braking. And that goes beyond the differences between different types of brake controllers.

[sharowcat]

Thank you again! Chris ,Bryan and Uwe!and Thanks everyone.
I am just a beginner of vintage trailer Fan.
and I have collected old lovely trailers ,,1965 safari,1962 bambi,1963 bambi,
1953 flyingcloud,1977 sovereign(my home), and 1971safari,
1978argosyMH24ft....all is just sitting everyday in my lot.

but I must go to north mountain at 7th March..
I stay there total 5 days in this mountain.
Thanks again for your Many helpful words !
I hope to report when I could come back my Home(31ft)!
from snowy mountain!!GOD! help me!ha!
Best Regards

Sharowcat

[uwe]

Originally Posted by Leipper

Uwe, good advice and chaining but the brake controller item sounds like a misleading Jourdan commercial.

I have no reason, whatsoever, to write a "misleading Jordan commercial".
Fact is, if the tow vehicle slips, the trailer brakes won't activate enough to prevent serious issues.
My point is that you need to make sure the tow vehicle has the most possible traction, same with the trailer. Otherwise, there will be very little to no braking on snow or ice.

[Condoluminum]

It is important to understand how states set policy in law and enforce it... Chain requirements rare in Northeast, but in California (wisely for most drivers..) chain controls are mandatory when new snow and ice are on the road surface of interstate or main state highways in the mountains.

Also wisely, in Calif it is illegal to be on the road towing a travel trailer when chain controls in effect, so issue of trailer chains not really important... Chain requirements for truckers similar to Oregon, and enforced by Highway Patrol. Motorhomes can travel with chains, under same theory as busses.

John McG

[bryanl]

Originally Posted by uwe

I have no reason, whatsoever, to write a "misleading Jordan commercial".

Well, then, it's a good thing I let you know what it sounded like! (I didn't accuse, only compared. no offense meant or intended)

It provided an opportunity to clarify what was important and what you really meant.

My point is that you need to make sure the tow vehicle has the most possible traction, same with the trailer. Otherwise, there will be very little to no braking on snow or ice.

So carry chains and use them if conditions get slippery.

[davidh]

Originally Posted by overlander63

After all, semi trucks don't use chains of their trailer tires.

Most semi truck drivers will chain the trailer, they will chain one trailer wheel on the high side of the road, meaning that most mountain roads have slight grade to dropoff edge for water drainage, if you chain to the high side of the road, and your trailer should start to jack knife you can apply trailer brakes only, this will straighten out trailer and keep it from slideing down on grade slope. also use short bungie cords to to secure your loose chain ends to the side wall chain, this will help to prevent loose chain from slapping your trailer wheellwell.

[azflycaster]

The more I read about towing in the snow / ice. The more I remember why I moved to Phoenix. It seams to me that if I hit the brakes on snow the trailer would most likely lock up unless I dialed down my brake controller. My TV has antilocks and would slow down much quicker then the trailer. Chains might help, but they might shake the **** out of the trailer. I say, avoid snow / ice if you can. Wait for the road to be plowed / sanded and be safe.

[cooperhawk]

I drove tractor trailer for many years in my youth here in Minnesoota. Chains have a tendancy to break. When either the main chain on either side of the tire breaks, or just one of the cross chains, they flail around and would cause a lot of damage to your trailer. We never ran chains on the trailer. Only on the drivers.

One thing you must do when driving in icy conditions is plan ahead. don't get into a situation where you must brake suddenly. Slow gradually and use the trailer brakes to slow down when you can. If you start to jack knife, use the trailer brakes to straighten the rig out but don't lock them up. Just apply enough to get control and then slow down gradually.

If you don't have to drive on icy roads, don't!!

[davidh]

Cooperhawk,, I take it you never drove tractor trailer out west through the passes like donner, lookout, or the forth of july pass, not all truck drivers chain there trailers. When your on your way down the back side, and when you see the side of the trailer starting to pass you up, its a good feeling knowing that you have a drag chain on the trailer. As for chains breaking you are right it would make a awfull mess to the wheelwell..

[cooperhawk]

yep. I did drive out there. Never used chains on my trailer though.