Question:
I know it's July, so don't jump all over me about the question.
I have been driving for a few years, but always in the midwest or east. Am now starting to run west coast from the midwest. Have never had to chain. I know a lot of drivers say if it is bad enough to chain up they are parking, but I still want to know the best ( i.e. easiest and most efficient ) way to put them on. Should I carry a couple of 2x8's and drive up on them on the inside drives or is there a better way?
Thanks for any feedback.

Answer:
Couldn't tell ya how to put them on. Last time I did that was over in Germany, during my tour in the Army.
I refuse to chain up my truck now. If the roads are that bad, there is no sane reason for me to be out on them, there's enough idiots out there already. There isn't any load worth risking my life more than I do every day out there.
I do carry chains now, because I am required to when I run out west, but the only reason I will chain up is to get out of a dock.
Oh yeah, carrying a couple 4x4's or 2x8's would work.

Answer:
Generally no big deal to chain up. A couple of pieces of wood will definetly make it easier. Chaining up the tractor is even easier if you can move out from under the trailer.

Answer:
I couldn't tell you how to put chains on either, it's been too long..
The first and last time was in 91 on Cabbage. I chained the whole drivers side of the rig only, then said "F" this.
That day, I made a Covenant with GOD.
I said Lord, I'll never put chains on my truck again.. To this day, I never broke that Covenant.

Answer:
There is no real "good "way to chain up, just some little tricks to make the job easier for you to do..
The states have different requirements for applying chains that I am not 100% familiar with so many on the drives, so many on the trailer.. I won't get into the techinical aspects of the chain laws but the fundamentals of putting them on.
First cables are lighter than chains and are a little easier to man handle around and installing them.. (1 point to concider)..
Your going to need coveralls, thick gloves, bungee cords help, even some ashes, or rock salt under the bunk helps to get you going in a jam.
I have never had to chain up on the highway, I always stop and wait out the chain up to pass then boogy on down the road.
Chaining up can take 1-2 hours depending on how many you have to throw. You can't go over 30 mph w/ chains on.. so why stop 1-2 hrs to go 20-30 mi and take them off .
(of course some people will dissagree with my times, but I want you to realize I start counting my time from the moment you take your foot off the fuel and start slowing down, then you stop, park, get your heavy winter clothes and boots.. go outside do your thing, get back in take off all your soaked clothes, put them away, get situated and pull off....)
The easiest way to chain up is to drape the chain over the tire you are putting the chain on so that the ends meet at the bottom of the tire. (On occasion I have been able to get it close enough to attatch it here.. )
Here is a good time to have some bungees, cause if you can't get close enough to hook the ends together, a bungee can hold them in place for you to get in the cab and rotate the tires just enough so that the chain is just under the tire. Hook up should be no problem.. (What I do is hang ALL my chains like step 1 and then roll the truck forward or backward then get out and finish the hook up thing..)
There is no easy way to do it, you get wet, dirty, cold, slushy. and gritty doing it.. Your down there where the rubber meets the road, with the slop and stuff.. you know what I'm talking about
Answer:

Very valid point! This is about a 3-5 hour window of time here.
In the time it takes to change clothes, chain up, change clothes again.....get down the road 5-30 miles.......change clothes, unchain, change clothes again, you could've had a nice nap and the roads will probably be cleared and drivable when you wake up.

Answer:
Gonzo, reading that description about chaining up brought back Nightmarish Memories of the 1st & 2nd time(2nd time was THE LAST) I did it.
Unless I just absolutely HAVE to....I will NOT chain-up!!!

Answer:
Have never chained up a truck, and if I can avoid it I never will.
Am more than happy to sit and wait until the roads clear up and the chain requirements are lifted.
Spent 2 1/2 days once upon a time sitting in Sparks, Nevada waiting to get over Donner. Had a blast.
Answer:
The few times I have chained up in Oregon (for my own reasons - not dispatch or anyone else's) there has been someone around doing it for a charge. I have paid $30 to have my chains installed and felt it was well worth the money and didn't take him 30 minutes to do it. I can do it myself, but for $30 I got to stay warm and dry. I have sat it out many, many more times than I have chained and had it not been for personal reasons I would have waited it out the other times.
I believe the trucker's atlas gives the requirements for chains in the different states, if not it should be available on a DOT website for that state (I know it is for CA and OR).

Answer:
Single chains are a heck of a lot easier to put on than doubles.
Answer:
That's what I like about my tanker. With 48,000 to 50,000lbs of liquid in the tank, I can run in pretty deep snow with my snow tires over the mountains out west. I run the northwest quite a bit in the winter months. I have chains with me, I think I'm going to have them bronzed, you know, like little kids booties are !!
Mostly BC loads from FL or the east coast. I'm one of the winter drivers for my carrier. You'll find me a lot on I-90 or north of I-90 across the country during the winter. I love winter. I like the cold. I know, I'm weird. My dispatchers think so too!!
As long as no one stops in front of me on the mountains, I'm ok!!! I just plug along.
That's why I run at night in bad weather. Everyone is off the road, except me. I have the road to myself. Happy trucking in the snow and ice.
Oh, empty tank? Ice/snow, I'm off the road in deep snow or heavy ice!!! Empty tankers are dangerous in raining weather, not to mention, ice/snow. It's really white knuckle time, even in FL. when it rains.

Answer:
Thanks all for your replies. You have confirmed what i already was thinking..."screw it" i'll wait until the chain restriction is lifted.
On second thought maybe i'll just take from Nov. until May off. Yeah ,right.

Answer:
If I'm not mistaken, most "chain laws" are in effect from Sept.30-April 1st.(trust me, there's no April Fools about it.)

Answer:

HANGING IRON
Best place and way to hang iron is very neatly on those cute little racks under the tracker or racks under the trailer......they just look soooooo good there !!! ''


Answer:
you guys crying about hanging iron is funny
i had a local milk P/U route that on some winter days I chained uped 17x's, just to get in the driveways
get a couple of 2x6's or 2x8's one longer than the other, and nail them together to form a step a litte sand to help get up on them is handy,
flip the chains over the tire,chinch up, tryingto have th latch come out about 1/2 way up the side, and the begin to tighten up,drive about a mile or two and check to see if you can take up more lack
pratice makes perfect
I could do two drive tires and a trl. drag chaini less than 45 minutes