Speed broke those chains more than likely. The company I used to work for was 25 mph policy with chains on but the manufacturer of the chains listed a 35 mph max speed.

Look at it this way, to throw on six chains takes about an hour and 30 min to take them off and put away, not paid and goes against your 14. You can only drive 25-30 mph with them on. Say you had to have them on for 50 miles, that's 3.5 hours of time for only 50 miles. Do the math. Yes, you could use the adverse weather rules to extend your hours, but why not wait 2 hours for them to clean up the road ahead of you. On I-5 in northern CA you might have to throw chains in Weed for 5 miles then again in Dunsmuir for 3 miles.

I've only had to chain up once (my first solo run as a newb) in driving out here in the West in 2 winters. Drove 25' to do my tightening and took them off because they dropped the chain up law AFTER I got all six chains on.

I now have ALL state DOT numbers that I run in my phone to call ahead to check the route I'm running.

 

Uh, if you say so.

 

Even for me, it takes maybe 10, 15 minutes for two chains, and that's after installing them twice. No way it could an hour and a half for six chains. Also, I'm not going to wait for roads to clear. This isn't Alaska. Even if I have to drive 15mph, I'm going to go. And I'm not logging any of it.

 

You should just stop and wait for the roads to clear so you dont have to chain at all . :lol:

 

that's the attitude :P

 

Yeah, I'd love to have spent the entire week sitting at that d&mned little truckstop in Springfield, CO "waiting for the roads to clear". Playing pool and getting drunk with all the other snow-bound dumbazzes. No thanks. Slow is better than nothing if it gets me away from them. 8)

 

If the gates aren't up go for it but be safe and smart

 

Yes, if the gates aren't down, go for it. They were up. I'm always loaded heavy though, so 35-50 is adequate. Empty? Well, that's a different matter altogether. The feller that showed me how to chain-up was a flatbedder with an empty trailer and I told him I don't think I'd be quite so eager to travel empty. But you do what you got to do. He was moving slow. He took off before me, and I passed him twice. :lol:

 

Believe me, you wouldn't be waitin for the roads to clear if you were in Alaska either, you could be sittin for days.

 

Yeah, I know it. That's why I'm saying I'm not going to wait. If it's sheet ice, take it very slow. That's typically what we get here in Texas. If it's snow-packed ice take fairly slow. But either way, I'm just not going to sit! Chain up or whatever. I can't stand to sit!