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Topic: tire chains (Read 1172 times) previous topic - next topic

tire chains

I have set of 1100x 24.5 chains but my new coach has 295r75x22.5. Does anyone know if they will interchange?
Jerry & Joanne       
'95 40' U320c SE Foretravel
towed '11 Jeep Liberty
Green Valley AZ.

Re: tire chains

Reply #1 –
You can cut the chains down to fit your tires, however before you do, you might take a look at the clearance you have between the drive tires and the frame/structure. 
I would not do it with the heavy truck chains.  If you are going to chain up, look for a set of the cable type instead of the truck chain type.  They take a lot less space.  But either way you are going to have a clearance problem as the tire slings the chains/cable out away from the tire and strike the frame work.  Very little free space there.
For me, I would not do it, would stay put or go another way.
MO
Dave

Re: tire chains

Reply #2 –
How about damage to air bags from chains or cables.  There is not much room between tire and air bags.

Re: tire chains

Reply #3 –
I have driven on snow and ice (slush, mainly). I was advised by a very trusted Foretravel salesman, Jack Patterson, at Foretravel of Tennessee: "never even consider putting tire chains on a motorcoach", for just the reasons stated by Barry and Dave. It just doesn't seem logical to me to drive a recreational vehicle in hazardous conditions, kinda an oxymoron.
No RV! Have hung up the keys.
In the past: 2016 Winnebago Era, 1994 Foretravel U240, 1995 Foretravel U240 (wide body), 1999 Foretravel 320, 36 Foot, 2003 Foretravel U320 38 foot,

Re: tire chains

Reply #4 –
Whooo!
What are you doing driving in snow and ice!
Right about now, our coach wants to head south!  She doesn't want here facial marred by sand and salt!  She won't start unless pointed south.
And, I'd have to agree.
Fall foliage make her want to go with the duck and geese heading south.
Michael Baldacchino
'97 40' U320

Re: tire chains

Reply #5 –
I chucked my tire chains years ago but I still keep a snow shovel that I acquired during exile in Omaha, this reminds me to avoid snow and ice at all costs.  Maybe a new option would be a NO START switch unless headed NORTH in SUMMER and SOUTH in Winter.
BTW On the Maine Coast it is now 71 in mid afternoon and DW INSISTED that I turn furnace on to warm coach this AM.  Life is tough. ;D

Re: tire chains

Reply #6 –
Agree completely about not driving your coach in the snow!  I'm from the Northeast, and no way I'd let our rig get salt on the frame and undersides!    But if you have to have chains for emergencies (like legally getting over high passes in the mountains), the only acceptable solution for a coach is the kind of "instant chain" setup that fire trucks use.  It's essentially a disk with chain segments on it that is deployed by an air cylinder to swing down perpendicular to the axle and sort of throws the chain segments under the wheel as it rotates.  The disk is rotated by either a little motor or a contact puck that rubs against the tire.  Hard to visualize.  Check out http://www.onspot.com/indhisfr.htm .    Can be yours for about $2000.  Or, you could save the $2000 and go south for the winter, taking care to avoid the high passes.
Dave and Nancy
1999/2013 U270 36' Xtreme
Motorcade # 16774
2013 Subaru Outback
KD0NIM

Re: tire chains

Reply #7 –
I remember one of our fellow Foretravel owners that has the "instant chain" setup that you mentioned.  I'm not positive I'm remembering the correct association however.  If anyone wants an owners perspective I can try to facilitate the hook up with them offline.  Harvey:  nelsonah@ieee.org
Audrey & Harvey Nelson
2000 U-320, 40' towing 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee
nelsonah@ieee.org

Re: tire chains

Reply #8 –
For the auto chains that are activated from an air chamber, a lot of school buses, fire trucks etc.  Mostly used on government vehicles where,  "it's free, em ole dumb taxpayers pay for em"  I am sure they work for an intelligent person, however for the other types, that chain system is very costly on tires and chains.
What is real interesting, they come standard equipment on our school buses, and they are removed before the bus is put into service.  They do not have school if there is a slight chance of snow, Real smart for this area.  WIth 1 inch, the whole area shuts down, with any more than 1, the entire state closes up.
For me, the thought of driving my nice Foretravel through salt, sand and chemicals with the snow just makes me ill.  I will park it unless it is a life or death issue. 
Nice to not be in a hurry and save the rust for the high speed types.
MO
Dave

Re: tire chains

Reply #9 –
Rover, our 1990 Foretravel, has been driven in snow once, and that was over Bromley Mountain in Vermont during and early return from Florida one year and that was enough. Since we travel to Seattle from New England some times on our way to Florida (we have no sense of geography) and cross the Cascades during "required to carry chains" season I have what appears to be a full set of chains stored in the tool box on the car trailer. However if it gets to the chain up point we will pull over and wait for the plows. The automatic chains work well and we once owned an ambulance repair business and we sold and installed them. However now retired and no scheduale to keep we find the pull over and wait routine works very well.

Re: tire chains

Reply #10 –
Quote from: Horace B. Cupp Jr. –
I have driven on snow and ice (slush, mainly). I was advised by a very trusted Foretravel salesman, Jack Patterson, at Foretravel of Tennessee: "never even consider putting tire chains on a motorcoach", for just the reasons stated by Barry and Dave. It just doesn't seem logical to me to drive a recreational vehicle in hazardous conditions, kinda an oxymoron.

Ok, i have to say a few things here.  First, chains will not fit on our coaches very well. We do not have the clearance and if you bust a section the damage will hurt. 

Now about driving in the snow.  I have pulled into a flying J for three days after a freak storm caught us in Spiceland IN. We had a bunch of company though. There were about 10 mh and some trucks even waiting it out.  Now, that is the way to have a snow storm, where you can get more food, fuel drinks and can dump too.....

But, then there is this experience. I was driving home from Iowa at the end of March three years ago. I was going across I 68 and when I got a couple miles from the cumberland gap, the weather turned from sunny to snow.  No warning just snow and it was heavy and wet. It coated the ground before I could get to an  exit and since the ground was warm and the air cold, if hit the ground and melted and then refroze into a sheen of ice and the rest of the snow stuck on top. I watched a couple trucks try to get off the interstate and they could not negotiate theoff ramp even going very slowly.  SO, the tracks in front of me were the best alternative. I put it is 2nd gear and turned off the retarder and never touched the brake all the way home. It was about a 100 miles going 10 mph for a lot of the trip but did hit 20 to 25 at times till the snow got heavier. I backed into my driveway with 8 inches or so on the ground.  It was interesting but something I do not want to repeat. The coach drove great and handled the white stuff with out a problem. I was only worried about the other guy and there were enough of them.

SO, if you can pull over or go south but even Nac got snow this winter but forget about the chains.
2025 Wanderbox Outpost 32 on F600 Expedition Motorhome
2015 Born Free Royal Splendor on Ford 550 nonslide version  for sale
Former Coaches  covering. 360,000 miles
1999 34 U270
2000 36 U320
2001 42' double slide U320
2018 Jeep Rubicon
 

Re: tire chains

Reply #11 –
We bought our first coach in August, 2009, a 1997 37' DP.  It was a very popular "entry level" DP.  We had a grand time on a couple of 4,000+- mile trips.  We were heading for Walla Walla, WA, from Texas for Thanksgiving celebrations with family.  I bought chains for the trip.

The trip to WW was great!  Weather was fine.  The only coach problems were slow tire leaks that were were detected, and also caused, by the TST tire monitor systems.  The weight of the sensors worked the stems and caused the stem grommets to leak.

Daughter says, "Come to Billings for the Advent concert in early December."  I had planned to return to Texas via California, but, hey, Billings is an easy drive and not really out of the way.  While we were in Billings, the blizzards started.  We did some driving in bad conditions to make our way home.  We made it home without harm, but with lots of stories.  They included a night in a Kansas DOT sand lot after ice accumulation pulled the speed sensor from the Allison transmission.

We didn't use the chains.  What we need was HEAT, power, and fuel, so we could hunker down.  The SOB coach had 18 gallons of propane capacity for heating.  We burned six gallons/day in the furnaces.  With 30 amp power, we would only have enough heat with propane, which would require a trip to the propane fill station every second day.  In blizzard conditions, that might be impossible.  Therefore, we fled southward in unsafe conditions.  Fortunately, we only observed crashes in icy conditions rather than participating in them.

We now own a 1997 U295, with 50 amp electric power, 42 gallons of propane for heating, and a 10KW diesel generator.  I expect we can park in blizzard conditions with reasonable comfort and safety for a few days.  We should be able to wait for safe conditions before we have to move.

I agree with other folk.  You don't need chains.  You need enough resources to hunker down for a few days.
J D Stevens
1997 U295 CAI 36' Build #5085
2002 Subaru Outback
Motorcade 16869
Bellville, TX