Wheel circumference won't be the problem, the stress on the chaincase from that axle doing all the work will be. Question is, are the chains that expensive that you can't get four sets, or do you only have two sets and want to work like that until you get two more?
Holy f#(/. Is he only spending about 5 minutes per drive??? If he's taking any longer than that, he's spending more in fuel than he's making.
Despite the fact that everyone here has advised you not to do it that way and yet you're still "gonna give it a try". There will not be "enough slip on the back axels" (sic) when one is chained and the other one isn't. One will be spinning and the other one will be wound tighter than a clock spring.......
That's right they are the ladder style chains that we make, we find that if you happen to break a cross link you can repair it easy in the field, the one's you are running are studded chain for ice pretty much the best you can get but would play hell on pave roads getting from one back road to another which we do a lot of, our roads are not far enough apart to justify taking them off, we used to run square link cross chains for ice back in the day they were harder and worked very well on smooth ice but cuts in the department they just buy regular chains for cross links now, I find keeping your chains tight on your wheels will save them and your tires, so put lots of rubber bungee straps or spider bungee to keep them tight, we had a operator on one of our loaders ruin a complete set of new tires spinning them inside the chains, very similar to your style of chains because of running them to loose, he does not work for us now.
I have to disagree with you a bit on this Nige. Don’t get me wrong, I really appreciate your input but I don’t think spending big bucks on the best tires and putting chains on them makes sense to me. If I was working in conditions where traction was just a bit iffy a lot then maybe good tires. But when it turns to winter here chains are a must, so I don’t see the benefit to spending big bucks on tires also. Once I put chains on they stay till spring. I’m sure glad for your advice, think it was your post that I showed to my boss, that convinced him to buy me that last set of chains.
I don’t use bungee straps. I keep my chains super tight with a chain jack. The net looking chain is connected in four spots on the face of the tire. I use what’s called a pin connector there, then I do up the side chains. Once I tighten the sides with the jack there is no slack at all. They do stretch a bit over time but I tighten when ever it’s needed. I can travel full speed on good parts of the road if I’m just high blading back to my pickup. But I don’t go on pavement. Like you say, I bet they would be really hard on pavement.
