Snow Chains - Revisited?

[petrel-TC]

Hello all! I need a recommendation on snow chains for my Renegade. I may have to slip up north in the next week or two and I want to be prepared. I would also appreciate some guidance on placement and installation.

In school they told us that the typical twin screw setup had power going to the front left and right rear tandem drive wheel. Is that where you install the chains? Also, what is the trick to installing them with such limited space? Is there a risk of them damaging the aluminum wheels?

My own research indicates that the Pewag Square link chains may be a good choice. Thanks in advance for any insights you may have to offer.

 

[Bob86ZZ4]

Can you drive your 4 wheeler and rent a room? Sorry, just sounds like way too much trouble to chain up the coach.

 

[petrel-TC]

Wife n kids want to ski. I want to RV. We figured Vermont would be good for both. Besides, any adventure more than a day in length or two hours on the road and everyone wants to ride in the truck.

About 8 hours on the road puts them about an hour from the slopes with the toad. I'm gonna camp. They're gonna rent a place on the resort. Everyone may get what they want that way.

So, yes they are gonna 4 wheel the last leg to their ski destination. I'm gonna stay in the coach and pray my bourbon supply holds until they return.

This trip is in the very preliminary planning phase. I hope to avoid snow, but want to be prepared. Not even sure I can find a campground open this time of year, but I figured a good set of properly fitted chains would be a sound precautionary investment.

 

[porky69]

Coming from a trucking background (and having thrown chains on many occasions) I would NOT want to chain up a motorcoach.

Not sure if your Renegade has bigger rear wheel openings, but my Haulmark does not have enough room between the outside edge of the outer tire and the wheel openings for proper chain clearance...and I would not want to catch a chain on the skirts. Remember that as the tires spin the tire chains will "grow" as speed increases. If you want to see how to install tire chains search YouTube. If it looks easy in the videos multiply the difficulty by 10 with tight fitting fenders (or skirts).

IF you are absolutely certain you want some type of traction adding device look at some:

AutoSock – The Alternative Traction Device

Way simpler to install, easier to store.

Or if you just want to keep the local cop off your case(meet the "must CARRY tire chains beyond this point requirement), just buy the cheapest chains you can find, keep the receipt and return them when you get home

 

[petrel-TC]

No, there appears to be little to no room to get in there. That is one of the reasons I started this thread. I figured that there must be some sort of trick to getting the chains on, or a special brand, just for truck conversions.

I have been so pleased with Renegade and the forethought they put into the systems and layout on the coach, that I figured that there was an angle to the application of snow chains that I missed.

I will take a look at the auto sock. 8 Snow tires would be pretty spendy!

 

[porky69]

I have yet to see anyone dedicated enough to camping willing to chain up a motorcoach/motorhome. They just are not designed for travel in snow...especially if you have typical RV tread tires (basically rib treads with no lugs) which are completely useless on anything worse than wet pavement. Even wet grass is almost a no go.

Here is a link to one of the larger tire chain manufacturers with lots of info on installation, various styles, required clearances for light vehicle tire chains, etc https://www.peerlesschain.com/tire-chain-finder/traction/tirechains

 

[petrel-TC]

That is disappointing. I was really looking forward to running the family up to Vermont Maybe I'll just keep a close eye on the weather.

Just out of curiosity, why aren't these rigs set up to operate in the snow? I certainly don't plan to drive into a snow storm, but if the weather were turning bad, I'd like to be able to get out.

 

[porky69]

Most of it depends on the tires you have...most RV'ers run a rib tread tire which is not a TRACTION tire, which is a requirement for winter travel in most places. Would you go driving for 8hours down a road covered with mud with your coach? I don't think it would be a very enjoyable drive. Snow/ice offers even less traction than mud.

If you want to run chains/socks on two wheels you would install them on the same axle, Once you lock the interaxle diff lock it doesn't matter which one. If you put the one chain on one axle and the other on the other axle you might as well have not put chains on, the differentials will allow the wheels with no chains to spin (unless you have cross-lockers)

I wouldn't say it is not possible to travel in the snow with your coach but my experience on the highway in the North-Western States and Western Canada (seen many southern trucks running rib treads come north and white knuckle it through a little slush while those that are prepared for it race along) has my common sense saying take the 4wheeler and enjoy the drive and when you get to the resort grab a stiff drink and relax in the hot tub or around the fireplace.

Also unless it is very warm (or Renegade insulates way better than Haulmark) it may not be overly comfortable in the coach and you will probably burn a pile of propane. Really shouldn't run the propane furnace(or any propane appliance for that matter) while driving.

I understand the yearning to go camping (I get the urge to go everytime I look out the back door and see my coach with 3ft of snow on the hood). I have also camped(lived) in a fifth wheel that was not fully equipped to winter camp and it was very inconvenient and expensive...

 

[petrel-TC]

I reckon I'll put snow tires (or at least all season tires) on my wish list for next year instead of chains. The rears are Michelin XZE2s now. Looks like a nice all season tire would be the XDN2.

When we get a little snow around here, the big rigs seem to move around with little apparent concern for the snow and slush. I'll have to take a closer look at what tires they are running.

I the weather keeps going the way it is, I think the wife and kids are gonna want to go diving instead of skiing!

 

[Java230]

Ill add my 2c here. Although is a smaller rig, I do a lot of winter camping in it.

This is normal to me...

Good tires will make all the difference in the world. Highway ribs will suck ass in snow. As to ski lots, they are the worst, worse than the roads. Always either ice or slick packed snow. They do scrape them every night, but the amount of traffic they see polishes it fast.

Ski in ski out is pretty sweet though...

I would NOT chain up unless you were forced too. There just isnt usually enough clearance. Chains move a lot when your start driving. They will destroy things.

I carry these (maxtrax) they are a god send, on slick stuff it just takes a little traction to get moving. They work great for that.

So my vote is good tires and have fun, take it slow and easy. If your stuck the lot attendants are usually pretty cool and they always have a front loader stashed somewhere to pull people out.

 

[petrel-TC]

Thanks for weighing in. I didn't quite have that winter wonderland in mind, but it sure looks great. I just wanted to get my family close to the winter wonderland and let the wife's 4X4 do the rest.

We've camped in 20 degree weather before with little ill effect. We run electric space heaters while underway. Once in a campsite, we set the propane furnace to back them up if mother nature gets ahead of them.

I wonder how a set of all season coach tires would sound and burn fuel as opposed to the ones I have installed now?

 

[Java230]

Thanks for weighing in. I didn't quite have that winter wonderland in mind, but it sure looks great. I just wanted to get my family close to the winter wonderland and let the wife's 4X4 do the rest.

We've camped in 20 degree weather before with little ill effect. We run electric space heaters while underway. Once in a campsite, we set the propane furnace to back them up if mother nature gets ahead of them.

I wonder how a set of all season coach tires would sound and burn fuel as opposed to the ones I have installed now?

Im sure your mileage will go down and noise may go up, depends on the tire.

Yeah its fun, we have been down to -20, that truck wasn't anything special, just normal RV construction, but had a big heater I did cheat and it was 4x4 though.

 

[mooseknuckles]

RVing and skiing....unheard of. These shots are from a few weeks back on Snoqualmie Pass at Alpental lot 3. Like Java said, good tires, matrax and heavy machinery close by at the resort and anything is possible. I do not have 4x4 like he does but we put On Spot Chains on our Renegade. The matrax get you moving out of the hole, the On Spots keep you on the road.

 

[mooseknuckles]

Last Thursday the chains were no match for Ol Man Winter. I had to back down this hill on our way up to Whitewater in BC, Canada. Parked in the town of Nelson for the night and waited for them to clear the "road." Made it up early Fri morning. Looking at going with XZY3 steer tires and XDN2 or XDE M/S rears for next winter.


Edit- Sorry for the sideway photos. If anyone knows how to correct/adjust please let me know. Thanks!

 

[Java230]

Last Thursday the chains were no match for Ol Man Winter. I had to back down this hill on our way up to Whitewater in BC, Canada. Parked in the town of Nelson for the night and waited for them to clear the "road." Made it up early Fri morning. Looking at going with XZY3 steer tires and XDN2 or XDE M/S rears for next winter.


Edit- Sorry for the sideway photos. If anyone knows how to correct/adjust please let me know. Thanks!

Very nice! The road wasn't too bad when we were up there a few weeks ago. Its long though.... Show up late enough at night and you can park right in the front

 

[mooseknuckles]

Show up late enough at night and you can park right in the front

SCORE! Well played and excellent choice. Far easier to get in to the main lot then the old maintenance/"RV" lot when snowing. The Caterpillar H950 had to help multiple RV's get in to the upper lot late last Thursday night, early Fri am.

 

[Java230]

Yeah parking guy was cool about it, kinda mentioned we weren't supposed to be there.... I just told him I wasn't planning to leave that afternoon and he could park me in. He just asked we move for the night.

 

[petrel-TC]

I need to see how noisy those XDN2s will be and how much thirstier they will make the truck.

 

[porky69]

I would suspect you will hardly even notice a change in either noise or fuel consumption.

I have XDA Energy's on my coach and don't hear anything more than road noise, which you are going to get with any tire.

 

[ChiefMechanicMark]

Looks like I saw someone mentioned the "On Spot Chains". Yes the tires are huge part as is inter-axle and locking axles are even better for traction but adding an auto-chain system in my opinion is great. You stay in the nice warm cab and flip a switch... No chance of body damage, if you put them on both drive axles you don't have to worry which tire has traction when, they are out of the way for storing and they are not that heavy. The other nice thing is when the pavement is bare in spots but icy in others you can turn them on and off.
They use them a lot on transit type vehicles as well as fire apparatus. I believe a complete kit is about $2500.00. But hey if you don't use them they don't wear out.