why can't you chain the front ?
i'd think it would aid in steering in hard icy conditions.

pcollins - your road conditions will vary a lot by elevation and salt/plowing conditions. you'd only want to put on chains when conditions require them. you wouldn't want to drive down a highway with them on when you didn't need them. they'd wear out before you got to where you needed them... plus the noise and discomfort...

 

It's in the manual. Something to do with clearance between the upper control arm and the tires I think.

 

Some good info already posted but coming from someone with 2wd dirt road snowy condition experience here goes. First off be sure to have good SNOW tires not ATs or mud tires, preferably all 4 (you have to stop and steer too). Be sure that the weight is secured as it might cause some sliding if it shifts at the wrong time. Good ice breaker chains pre-fitted to your tire/wheel size, with the ends wired back (saves a lot of time in the cold under the truck) and good tensioners to keep them snug. Lastly if the road is mostly snow covered or snow packed you won't hurt the chains much just leaving them on but avoid dry pavement at speed like the plague. Good luck and drive safe.
RSD

 

Thanks for the input everyone.

I am in a dilemma in regards to snow tires. I would really like to keep the 275/60-r20 size so that I dont have to buy new wheels, dont have a lot of money to spend right now. However, if I stay with this size, the only tire I found on Discount Tires website was the: Cooper Discoverer M+S, found here: http://www.discounttire.com/dtcs/fin...008631&sw=true

I currently have the Cooper Zeon LTZ all-terrains, which many people on these boards have said handle well in snow. Do you all think I would notice considerable difference if I went ahead and got the Discoverer's for the winter months? I will already be putting upwards of 400 lbs in the bed, and will have a set of chains, but I really just want to make it up into the mountains around Denver for skiing, etc.

Anyone with these Discoverers (or a different winter tire) have any input???

Also, someone on craigslist is selling 4 used Hankook studded tires for $400 bucks. Worth it?

Thanks everyone

 

I had an 04 2wd 1500 with the 20s and ran the Coopers with studs (all 4). They did very well for me in the mountains of WV and PA. Be sure to check prices, I paid $140 more than I needed to because I trusted my "local tire guy" .

 

I would get some 17" wheels and use them as spares/winter rims. Much easier and cheaper to buy 17" rubber and to swap out wheels instead of paying for mount/dismount all the time.
LTZ's got me around pretty good last winter, but they are not a tire i would buy for soley winter driving. they do pretty good, but there are tires far better for snow and especially Ice.
Why not try putting weight in the back and seing how it will handle. Then go and buy tires...etc But i will tell you one thing. The LTZ's as any other M & S tire out there. They aren't made for ice at all. Ice compound is very soft. What's good on pavement sucks on ice and vice versus.

 

Thanks for the info guys. Dirtydog, I actually ran into some ice in-town last weekend and it was pretty pathetic.... i started spinning the rears and it was a completely flat road. I literally had to crawl just to get the truck moving. Didnt have weight in the back but still... I was pretty disappointed.

 

Not sure if it has been said or not DON'T spin the tires inside the chains. The chains will win ask me how I know. Good thing I had new tires to be put on.