Well, let's consider this carefully for a second. Now, I'm a southern boy, but I do have some experience with chains. In snow, and in some applications, on ice, chains have their place. They use the weight of the vehicle to cut into ice and hardpack to gain traction - we all know that. By the same token, they would use the weight of the vehicle to cut into rock, hard dirt and other trail obsticles. One guy doing it might not hurt a trail, but the long run is what we're looking at here. It seems only logical to forward the notion that if everyone is putting that kind of wear and tear on a trail, it ain't a good thing.

Maybe I'm not thinking right.

One sort of related note of interest. Someone recently used studded tires on the Golden Spike, near Moab. And those alone made funky tracks the length of the trail, priety ugly really. ALso appeared they were sliding around on the rock. I emagine those marks will be visible for a year or more.

for the mud i would not want to use the chains. my point is this, even with the chains the mud down south is mostly water and that causes a good bit of tire spin. with or without chains. yeah you are only going 5 mph but the speedo say 30mph or more. idk i just would not want to use them in fear of them breaking.
plus the chain digs in that only making the hole deeper.

You seem to contradict yourself by stating that chains deepen holes and have no effect on tire spin or traction in sloppy off road conditions - but you have yet to run chains in the mud , or even know anyone that has? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

come down here and you will see what i am talking about. chains help on packed surfaces mud is by no means packed. this will only cause you to chew down not forward. thus no grip to move front and back.

try it and see what happens.


Paul

Edit: i think they will do more harm in the long run than good.

I live up in PA and went to a farm auction last year. It was wet and rather muddy. They had 1 ton dodges driving around with the auctioneers in the back. The trucks were also duallys, but were sinking about halfway up the wheels. These trucks had chains front and rear and had NO problems moving though the muck and were barely if at all spinning the tires. This was with stock tires and with the diesel motor. Our mud might be a little thicker, but as far as they were sinking, i dont think they would have made it through without the chains. I mean, these trucks came to a complete stop for several minutes. Then began to drive on. So I wouldnt discount chains completely in the mud. As they spin, they grab more. They chains add more bite to the tire.

Dan

I myself have never used chains. However I do occasionally come across skidders on some trails I go to. With their tires as tall as I am you think they would be fine like that but no, they have huge chains around those tires. and besides the fact they are used to haul trees out of the forest, I dont really see and damage to the trail itself because of the chains. if anything the people who do brake stand in soft dirty areas do more damage.

Hunterdan:

Out of curiosity, did the chains seem to self clean well at those low (I assume) wheel speeds? I'm also guessing that, because you mentioned little tire spin,they weren't really tearing up the track.

No kidding! I mean when you're spinning bar type traction tires or tractor tires you'd think it would be tractive overkill, but apparently chains perform beyond even the most aggressive rubber.
I've read, though, that skidders and heavy equipment are sometimes wrapped with "tire protection chains" primarily to extend the life of the tire. I take it improved traction is a peripheral benefit with this type of chain.

Here's a typical protection chain:



Here's an offroad traction chain ( <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/mrt.gif" alt="" />Pretty, no? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/mrt.gif" alt="" />)

Wow!
Those look kind of... kinky...
and expensive!
Oh, yeah- and hard to put on, too...
Toby