Snow chains or cables

[Todd78d]

I haven’t been able to find what Ram suggest to use on my 2018 Ram 2500 4 wheel drive.
Snows chains or cables?
Has anybody found it in the manual?

 

[Random_Walk]

1) Either works, but get chains. Trust me on this one. Cable sets are for suburbanites and city dwellers who might use them once in a lifetime for maybe 10 miles maximum. Chains are for everyone else. Why? Because cables will come apart very quickly after around 20 miles or so (and then they'll thrash the **** out of your fender when it does, taking lots of paint off before you can stop. I found this out on a car, years ago, with top-of-the-line cables. Won't ever make that mistake again.)

2) I don't think the manual mentions anything specific, but a good quality set of chains sized to your tires should be just fine.

 

[Joes1500]

Dont forget. The more cross links , the better.

 

[Craw]

I have a 2 sets of cable chain hybrid. Will only be used for when I get stuck though, since I have Falken Wildpeaks AT3Ws... never used em lol

 

[Ratket]

1) Either works, but get chains. Trust me on this one. Cable sets are for suburbanites and city dwellers who might use them once in a lifetime for maybe 10 miles maximum. Chains are for everyone else. Why? Because cables will come apart very quickly after around 20 miles or so (and then they'll thrash the **** out of your fender when it does, taking lots of paint off before you can stop. I found this out on a car, years ago, with top-of-the-line cables. Won't ever make that mistake again.)

2) I don't think the manual mentions anything specific, but a good quality set of chains sized to your tires should be just fine.

This is not entirely true. And every driver is different. Cables are fine when used “ Appropriately “ - Hence, keep speed under 35mph/ do not drive on dry pavement/ make sure you have the correct size/ make sure they are installed correctly. As far as damage they can cause to the vehicle, the description above is a “ Best case scenario “ because I have seen them rip a fender well in half/ tear brake lines off, just flat out destroy a vehicle, but this typically only happens when they are not used “ Appropriately “. Now some vehicles say the Vehicle “ won’t accept” traditional chains due to clearances, and this could be the case, But again When sized “Appropriately” and installed correctly, chains can fit just about anything. A good set of tires goes a long way, along with appropriate driving skills for the conditions. If you live in a place that has a “ winter” season, and don’t plan on changing tire sizes,” Make/size” I would have a set custom made to ur tires “ When the tire is new” and walla, now you have a set of chains for life. If heavily used after a season or two you can take them in and have them Hardend. Remember to store them in a “Dry,easy to access place, after each use, dry them out in the garage and toss em back in their spot in your truck, if your truck is 4x4 and you need chains, Install then on the front and not the rear, and in all honesty if you need to chain up the front of your daily driver it may be best just to stay home. Weather you go with cables or chains, verify fitment before winter hits and stay safe. Oh one other thing, if you have to install them it’s always nice to do it in a “ Dry climate” like a parking structure or a garage. Hope this helps.

I have the same set of chains In a amo can in my garage that go in the bed, they have been in there for the better part of 20 years... I think they fit a Honda.. I only have them to get through chp chain check points, have never installed a set on anything I own, “ put em on plenty of other cars lol” in most cases when 4x4 are required to chain they just close the Hwy/roads.

 

[Craw]

This is not entirely true. And every driver is different. Cables are fine when used “ Appropriately “ - Hence, keep speed under 35mph/ do not drive on dry pavement/ make sure you have the correct size/ make sure they are installed correctly. As far as damage they can cause to the vehicle, the description above is a “ Best case scenario “ because I have seen them rip a fender well in half/ tear brake lines off, just flat out destroy a vehicle, but this typically only happens when they are not used “ Appropriately “. Now some vehicles say the Vehicle “ won’t accept” traditional chains due to clearances, and this could be the case, But again When sized “Appropriately” and installed correctly, chains can fit just about anything. A good set of tires goes a long way, along with appropriate driving skills for the conditions. If you live in a place that has a “ winter” season, and don’t plan on changing tire sizes,” Make/size” I would have a set custom made to ur tires “ When the tire is new” and walla, now you have a set of chains for life. If heavily used after a season or two you can take them in and have them Hardend. Remember to store them in a “Dry,easy to access place, after each use, dry them out in the garage and toss em back in their spot in your truck, if your truck is 4x4 and you need chains, Install then on the front and not the rear, and in all honesty if you need to chain up the front of your daily driver it may be best just to stay home. Weather you go with cables or chains, verify fitment before winter hits and stay safe. Oh one other thing, if you have to install them it’s always nice to do it in a “ Dry climate” like a parking structure or a garage. Hope this helps.

I have the same set of chains In a amo can in my garage that go in the bed, they have been in there for the better part of 20 years... I think they fit a Honda.. I only have them to get through chp chain check points, have never installed a set on anything I own, “ put em on plenty of other cars lol” in most cases when 4x4 are required to chain they just close the Hwy/roads.

I have 2 sets personally, I plan on going
4x4 Auto to
4x4 Hi to
4x4 Lo
4x4 chains on front,
4x4 chain it all

And if that doesnt do it then I am digging and throwing down the kitty litter!

 

[Todd78d]

Thank you all for the reply’s, I’ll go with chains.
Thank you

 

[BWL]

Thank you all for the reply’s, I’ll go with chains.
Thank you

When you get chains try to find ones with cams. They're a lot easier to tighten and keep tight. They come with a small wrench.

 

[Kapt]

I had to sign a form stating that if I put chains on my truck it would void my warranty. Besides, if I have to chain up my 4x4 I'm not going

 

[Craw]

I had to sign a form stating that if I put chains on my truck it would void my warranty. Besides, if I have to chain up my 4x4 I'm not going

Never heard of that lol.

 

[tap4154]

Never heard of that lol.

I had the same form in my paperwork. Mine is 2WD with P265/70R/17 and the rear brake line is very close to the tire. If I used real chains, good chance that the brake line would be taken out. I've also read, at least on the newer Rams, you can only put chains or cables on the rear of 4WD. Something about clearance with suspension on the front. I tried on a set of Z chains, like were posted earlier in this thread, and the inner hardware and cable were almost touching the brake line. I was afraid to even drive it.

Then I found these other "Titan" chains sold by "etrailer" which have one stiff cable on the inside,and the rest is smaller chain, and they seem to have plenty of inner clearance, so I'm carrying these. However, with larger tires on the 4WD, maybe regular chains are fine?

BTW these are very easy to install and come in a nice, compact case. That said, I'd rather use real chains, but in reality I use them very infrequently, and usually only for a few miles on winter trips to the local mountains.

 

[Kapt]

Never heard of that lol.

I had to sign one for both the Challengers I had too. Made sense on those cars though, not so much on my 4x4

 

[Todd78d]

BWL
Obviously you don’t drive in California. They make 4x4’s chain up on hwy 80.

 

[BWL]

BWL
Obviously you don’t drive in California. They make 4x4’s chain up on hwy 80.

?

 

[Craw]

BWL
Obviously you don’t drive in California. They make 4x4’s chain up on hwy 80.

True, but thats for the tards trying to have all season tires going up the lake Tahoe or Reno lol . Otherwise if you have all terrain tires with the snowflake most will let ya go if they know you got 4 x 4 unless sh*t is really bad.

 

[BWL]

These are my tire chains on my truck. You can see they are about the most aggressive chains out there. Square studded can-v. In the picture you see there is plenty of brake line clearance.

 

[Ratket]

• BWL
  Obviously you don’t drive in California. They make 4x4’s chain up on hwy 80.

  
  In Cali normally when it’s time to chain up a 4x4 they just close the roads, but HWY 80 is filled with special people so what would normally be R1, chp goes “Meh make em all chain up “ lol

 

[BWL]

• 
  
  In Cali normally when it’s time to chain up a 4x4 they just close the roads, but HWY 80 is filled with special people so what would normally be R1, chp goes “Meh make em all chain up “ lol

I got that, just wasn't sure why it was directed at me. I just suggested getting chains with cams so they're easier to adjust and keep tight.

 

[Ratket]

No worries, and ya I don’t know either, like I said, I used to drive all over the eastern and western Sierra Nevada”s and never once put on chains.

 

[BWL]

I chain up occasionally. The ones I have now I haven't used yet. Sold my old set to my neighbor when he was stuck on his iced over driveway and discovered the chains he had didn't fit. So another good tip is put them on when you get them to make sure they fit. Better to find out right away then when you need them.