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When hooking up cable chains...front or rear?

RevN3

RevN3

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Location
Eugene, Oregon
2017 TRD OR DCSB Manual
Blazing Blue Pearl
So, we got 13 inches of snow overnight here in town. That is unheard of on the valley floor and I have my Tacobra safely hidden away in the car-hole because I don't want any idiots to crash into me. But, if I have to venture out I will want to put these new cable chains on. Note, I am running the terrible stock ATs that, in my experience, become slicks after two rotations in the snow. I'll be driving on snowy unplowed paved roads (we have 3 snowplows for a town of 200k) on some fairly steep hills.

My thought was that when I put the cable chains on I will put them in the front and put the truck in 4-wheel drive. That's where the weight is (although I will be throwing sandbags in the rear) that's where half the drive is , where more than half the braking is and all the steering is. But I just watched a guy in a tundra try to get up the hill in front of my house with the chains in front and make a horrible mess of it. So I decided to look on the internet to confirm and everyone seems to disagree.

So Midwesterners, Noreasters and Canadians who spend the most time in these conditions...what do you do?
 
1 - make sure your cables will clear the front before putting them on and driving. There isn’t a lot of room.
2- general rule is to do the rear first. There will be differing opinions, but industry standard is to generalize it is safer to apply to rear before the front.
Ymmv.
 
Rear first then front everybody is right @In4aride in makes a great point of ensuring front chains are fitted tight and secure as you dont have much room to play with
 
Rev N said:
Just checked the manual, they say to never put chains on the front...but they don't specify why. I'm fine putting them on the rear, I'd just like to know why.
Click to expand...
Chains should go on main drive wheels ,they state not to out on the front probly because the steer knuckle is to close and even the uca, potentially a hazard zone if the chains fail
 
Rev N said:
Just checked the manual, they say to never put chains on the front...but they don't specify why. I'm fine putting them on the rear, I'd just like to know why.
Click to expand...
Snagging close proximity brake lines/sensors, and, as mentioned, the UCA/knuckle. It can be done, just takes time and some moving things around to make sure it’s done safely. Usually an aftermarket part requiring thing, usually.
 
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