tire chains?

Driving over some passes in WA right now. (My wife is driving... I'm typing.) Lots of "chain up areas." Got me thinking. Should I have chains with me? We are going into potentially snowy areas during wintertime. I have a 4 runner back at home (and a subaru before that) so I never really even have to think about this issue.

So, do y'all carry chains? If so, how many? Which tires do you put them on. I know nothing on this subject, so perhaps a lecture is in order. Be rough. I can take it:-)

Thanks,

Adam

I don't know if any laws apply requiring chains, but I had 9 winters of driving in snow before I finally got smart and left the snow belt.

The bus does very well once underway. It holds the road and is not prone to skidding unless you get careless. It lacks good traction for starting from a stop, but a little care in applying the gas combined with lifting the tag usually gets the job done. There is no substitute for looking ahead and avoiding stops on an icy or snowy incline.

It stops OK, but allow a whole lot of room.

Your biggest problem will not be snow. It is the damage salt covered roads does to the coach. Fittings rust, the radiator fins are turned to powder by the salt, your wheels will corrode and pit, and the finish on the coach will take a beating.

Adam there are some high passes that chains are mandatory for trucks when the conditions get bad enough.

Buses? I do not know. You bring up a good question and for your situation one that needs answering. I might try Greyhound to see. Coloradobus may know.

Chains are not easy to put on and if not installed correctly will come loose and can do mega damage. There are those truckers that choose to wait it out when they are required for this reason.

Either senerio is not a pretty picture. Sometimes an alternate route can be hundreds of miles further and roads colsed for DAYS.

Adam,

Most of the time if there is snow or ice on any high passes, they will be closed, whether out West or even as far East as New York. I have driven in snow many times in cars, vans, and light trucks, and it is okay on relatively level ground. It can be very scary and dangerous (even with chains) when on steep inclines.

In 2005, we were in Wyoming in a 40' coach and came across a narrow mountain road that had some unexpected snow on the road. It was not fun. The road was narrow because they were working on it and had one lane closesd. There have been several times when I was in a van and was supposed to be going forward with chains on the rear wheels, and I was actually sliding backward. I would not want to take that chance in a bus. Neither would I want to be coming downhill on a steep mountain not knowing if I were going to hit a patch of ice. You can usually maintain control on snow, but ice is a different story.

When considering how fast you can get into a mess with snow/ice and the impact the salt/sand (as Jon mentioned) can have on your bus, I would make every effort to completely avoid these situations.

I would avoid driving in any conditions that required chains if at all possible. I have driven previous motorhomes in snow and it was doable, but no treat.

The most scary experience was a section of interstate in Virginia that was covered in black ice.

The coach started to "drift" on a curve as I was trying to "tiptoe" around a car that was on its roof, directly ahead of me in my lane on a curve. Luckily there was no other traffic to avoid.

Good luck and be extra careful out there......

I can't imagine putting chains on a bus because of the fender well clearance around the tires, even if the bags were pumped up. It's bad enough on an 18 wheeler with plenty of tire clearance to the trailer.

Best advice is from Jon, don't do it and spare your bus from the salt if at all possible.

All previous posts are correct--it's really scary driving on snow and especially ice. We haven't done it in the bus but in previous RVs and wouldn't want to do it again.

The best thing about your post was the first sentence. Glad to hear your wife drives also. We're a rare breed. :D

Bonnie

That would be second sentence. I can drive but I can't count. :o

Bonnie

Hi Adam,

When I purchased my bus in Coburg at the Marathon factory it had 2 sets of tires and wheels, one was a winter set, snow tires. The original owner traveled from Vegas to vancouver and wanted the winter tires in case he encountered snow.

When I left Coburg in Feb I had the snow tires on and decided to go across the Crater Lake route up to about 10K and I encountered lots of snow and also ran into snow in Wyoming and Colorado, found the snow tires to be a real big help, not for everyone but having an extra set did help in this event. Like Jon said though they put a lot of crap on the roads and I found myself cleaning the bus twice on the way back, digging volcanic ash out of every crack and crevice.

For the first 1000 miles I was too busy trying to figure out where the windshield washer button was to worry about the slippery driving conditions, probably a good thing.

You have gotten a lot of good advice, Adam. Forget about putting tire chains on your bus. Like Tom said, they ain't gonna fit. We have made many winter trips in our motorhomes over the years. Snow you can handle with little or no problems if you take it easy. Ice, at least for me, is a no go situation. Park it, and keep your diesel tank topped off every chance you get in bad weather. You may encounter a few mountain passes that say "vehicles with chains only" and once again, it's a no go deal. Just keep her full of diesel so if you do get stuck for a few days you and the bus can stay warm.

Adam, if you are in WA. you have no doubt seen the signs stating " Vehicles over 10,000 lbs. must CARRY tire chains NOV.1 to APR. 1. I don't know of anyone in a coach ever being challenged on this but friends carry chains with NO intent to ever use them just to comply with WA. law. I never have and it has never been a problem. If I need chains, I'm with others that have posted to just park it, usually within 24 hours the restriction is lifted.
Here in WA. we have 3 classifications for traction devices and mountain passes. 'No restrictions' , 'Traction tires or devices required' , Chains required'.

Oregon has much the same rules as Washington. We live 50 miles north of Pendleton, OR. On I84 just east of Pendleton is a 6-7 percent grade that carries on for several miles. Often in bad snow conditions, the TV station news will show the 'Several Miles Long' line of trucks that will not chain up. They wait it out and usually are gone in less than a day or two.

If you travel the Northwest in winter, all the states have really good DOT pass reports, road reports, often with real time video feed.

Probably more info than you care to have, but there you have it.

Larry

HI Adam,

We carry chains just for the last resort if we get caught in the snow. Would only use them to get to safety off the highway.
Our 2001 CC XL had CC installed traction control. that worked very well.
Some states we have traveled in, like California, you have to show you have chains to the 'Chain Monkeys> CHIPS. So, we have them, never used them. Here in Colorado, the bus is considered a commercial vehicle having more than ten seats, and weighs over 26,001 lbs. So, when the sign says, Chains Required", we delay our departure.
As said above, the bus sticks to the road once you get started pretty well, but if it cuts loose, just hang on.

Adam: Find a map of the United States and notice the northern part is for summer, spring and fall. The southern part is for winter, spring and fall. When approaching the Sierra and the chains required signs are out, I shut down and wait it out. There is no trip important enough to chance a wreck.

There is a Prevost Video which shows a Prevost in the snow drifting in a curve. It's not pretty. If you own a 2008 Prevost you will have computerized balance and braking for such incidents. Without it, you are likely to be going down the highway perpendicular to the road at the least and/or rolling the bus at the worst.

Thanks to everybody for the info. We have no intention of driving on ice and, if we were to drive on snow, it would only be for very short distances at very slow speeds. Was really just curious if I was missing something here. (with all the signs I saw advising chains be used.)

I really appreciate all of the help. Now a few days off from concertizing. (Just played a really nice show in Pendleton, OR. Great town!) Off to play in Anaconda, MT on Friday. Should be fun.

All my best.

Adam

Adam I carry a set of chains only for the signs "carry chains". I would never be able to get the chains over the top of wheels because of the fender shirts. I remember a few years ago when I asked this question someone wisely said "the reason they put wheels on these buses is to stay away from cold weather"
GregM