Centexguy

Ditto.

cmb2474

No use for chains with a 4WD?... 4WD in and of itself can get alot of things done... but not everything. Basically (as stated a bit earlier in this thread), it's all good in the hood until you add a steep grade with a slippery surface and/ or when pulling or pushing something more than just your truck while on a slippery surface.

Try camping out in Wyoming with a travel trailer at 8000 foot... in the perfect camping spot a few hundred yards off of the gravel road and down slope a bit... nestled up against a stand of aspens. Getting to this spot requires driving several hundred yards of very doable somewhat rutted up 2-track terrain... no problem for a 2 or 4WD as long as it stays dry and you don't have to pull a trailer out of it (downhill so getting in with a trailer isn't hard). As often happens in the mountains in early October... the weather turns nasty overnight and now that somewhat rutted 2-track that gets you back up to the gravel road has turned into a wet, slushy snow/ mud, rutted out 2-track. Just keeping your foot in the gas and your speed up isn't an option... at least not if you would like to keep the trailer in one piece! Hell, my buddy with his F350 DRW was worried about getting his 7000+ pound fifth wheel out. My buddy has a nice fifth wheel and he wasn't willing to incur damage... What did we do? We both chained up on all four corners (I had an f350 SRW at the time) chained our trucks together and slowly (4 low) made our way back up to the gravel road. The chain's didn't stay on once we were on the gravel, but we were sure glad to have them available to get us there.

Or how about driving up a steep mountain road with a foot of unplowed snow above an icy roadway?... What's that? just go ***** to the walls... You'll join the rest of those youngsters in the ditch as I slowly make my way on up the road. Or you could just join the other 4WD/AWD vehicles that were parked down below (before the road got too steep). Me... I just chain up and drive nice and slowly on up to the cabin.

Or you can just avoid these types of situations altogether... but then you'd be one of those afore mentioned individuals I was referring to in my earlier post.

I learned about driving in the nasty stuff by listening to my buddy's (yeah the same one I mentioned earlier) crotchety, opinionated, mean'ol nasty dad. When we were 16, we went hunting up in the mountains in Utah. The spot we were heading for was another 1000' up... accessible via a steep, narrow dirt logging/ mining road. The weather was nasty... at about the 7000' mark, it was snowing like crazy and the ground was alternating between frozen and slushy mud. My buddy's dad had told us to put the chains on back before we started up this stretch, but it was nasty out we didn't want to get cold and wet. We stubbornly argued that chains weren't necessary... after all, this was a 4WD with locking hubs and nobby tires (like all teenagers... we already knew everything... hell we even had driver's licenses)! Well... we made it on up that nasty road a while... then at the best possible time, in a hairpin turn, we done got stuck as stuck can be. His dad cursed us out for a bit (we deserved it), then made us get out in the nasty muck, hi-lift jack the truck up, shovel out the pumpkins and put the chains on... then he drove us on up the mountain. God rest his his sole... My buddy's dad tought me all kinds of important stuff my city slicker parents never did. We can all use some wisdom from a crotchety old guy that truly has been there and done that.

20+ years after learning my lesson in the Utah mountains - I ALWAYS have a pair of chains in my truck box... ALWAYS! I have rarely used them, but on the few occassions I did... I was sure glad I learned the lesson back when I was 16

04DarkShadowGT

So because many people have no interest camping or hunting up in the mountains a couple hundred yards through a rutted up whatever the hell, they are somehow less "truck" people?

Sorry we dont all need or use trucks to pull a camper. There is not much I would rather do less than that.

brucesears

Obviously lots of people here have never hunted in the Rocky Mountains. You have chains with you all the time in inclement weather or run the risk of walking many miles. No cell phone service for miles and miles and no tow truck to the rescue. That said, I have put chains on my Platinum for a short distance with no sharp turns.

EBinMT

doesn't the warning inclued 17", 18", 20", and 22"??? or am i reading it wrong or missing something?

speeddemon86

Then you must not drive up steep grades in 2-3 feet of snow with ice underneath. Chains are a requirement in some places during certain conditions. No chains = turn around and go back and wait for nicer weather

gwpfan

EBinMT - It does, but dependent upon tire & wheel size combo, not just wheel size.

What bothers me is my 20" wheels and my 18" wheels have the same P275/65's on them; however my 18's aren't acceptable, yet my 20's are?

I've used chains enough to know I'd rather have chains on a 18" rim than a 20" rim, especially on the same size tire. Again not a tire expert, but I can't see their reasoning.

Used chains at least a dozen times, probably more. In mountainous areas during winter chains/snow tires are required. Been in places where snow tires weren't enough even w/studs, even on the 'paved' road. Ice can get nasty.

One old timer once told me the difference between a 2 wheel drive with chains and weight compared to a 4 wheel drive is less that a mile. *Now a 4WD w/chains your going somewhere. From plowing with tractors and such I can agree with his statement, normally just chain up the rear wheels.

Twice I recall, I've had to chain up all 4, normally I just chain the back if things start to get bad/have problems. I still for the life of me don't see the clearance issues, but I will try the chains on to test.

cmb2474

I'm not in anyway saying that someone is less of a truck/ 4WD person because the don't go to the mountains. But for people to say that a 4WD has no need for chains... That's uninformed. I also think it's screwy for Ford to put out a 4WD full size truck with wheels & tires that aren't supposed to be used with chains.

Watt-maker

I'm glad this was brought to my attention. I am going to try my chains next week. The chains are for 285/70/17 tires so hopefully they will work on the OEM tires. If not I may need to make some adjustments.

I know on my 4Runner, you can't use standard chains on the front tires due to the fact that the tire is close to the upper A-arm but low profile/tight clearance chains are ok. The rear will accept any chains. I have them but have never needed them.

gwpfan

Agreed, but I will admit my truck came with 20's, and according to the manual they are approved with 20's, but not 18's.
Interesting part is if I go to various tire size calculators, my 20's have a tire height of 34.07 w/a circum of 107 & my 18's have a tire height of 32.07 w/a circum of 100.8.
researchmaniacs.com/Calculate/TireDiameter.html and www.wallaceracing.com/tire-aspect-calc.php.

Here's a better one - robrobinette.com/tire_diameter.htm

So in all reality my approved 20's would have less clearance for chains than my unapproved 18's....

*Watt-Maker - I have plenty of clearance in the back, the front may be tight...