California tire chains control

[bbqdevil]

First off, I know I'm a season or two ahead of needing this knowledge (as my wife already pointed out), but I was looking into chain controls per CalTrans and due to the weight of the truck, we'll pretty much always have to sock it any time chain controls are in effect.

Kind of sucks since, you know, AT tires and the various kick-assedness of how the truck handles off road.

From the CalTrans site:
California does not have any specific dates when vehicles are required to carry chains. When the road is posted with a sign requiring chains, all heavy-duty vehicles (over 6,500 pounds gross weight) must be equipped with chains mounted on the tires in order to proceed.

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[crashmtb]

There are several threads about this.


https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/threads/snow-tire-chain-recommendations.4010/

does the GVW rule apply to commercial vehicles only, or all vehicles?

i.e. RVs are exempt from scales, but can weigh as much as a commercial vehicle.

 

[bbqdevil]

There are several threads about this.


https://www.rivianforums.com/forum/threads/snow-tire-chain-recommendations.4010/

does the GVW rule apply to commercial vehicles only, or all vehicles?

i.e. RVs are exempt from scales, but can weigh as much as a commercial vehicle.

I didn't see the last ones, so thanks for lead. Heading over to read them fully.

That said, from what I saw on the CalTrans site, it only made the distinction by GVW and nothing else. Further reading required on my part to confirm it all.

 

[diranged]

I’ve already been through chain contrtol a few times in my R1T in California (on US-50 and I-80) - the only thing the chain control people cared about was how cool it was to see an electric truck. I don’t think you will ever be asked for chains.

As a side note - while California does have a chain-control level that would require chains on any vehicle (4x4 or not), they have not actually used that chain control level in over 30 years to the best of my knowledge. The roads simply get shut down now because the state is not willing to take the liability risks anymore.

I’ve driven through some of the worst storms in the last 30 years on both I-80 and US-50, and I’ve never once been asked for chains if I was in a 4x4 with snow-rated tires.

 

[bbqdevil]

I’ve already been through chain contrtol a few times in my R1T in California (on US-50 and I-80) - the only thing the chain control people cared about was how cool it was to see an electric truck. I don’t think you will ever be asked for chains.

As a side note - while California does have a chain-control level that would require chains on any vehicle (4x4 or not), they have not actually used that chain control level in over 30 years to the best of my knowledge. The roads simply get shut down now because the state is not willing to take the liability risks anymore.

I’ve driven through some of the worst storms in the last 30 years on both I-80 and US-50, and I’ve never once been asked for chains if I was in a 4x4 with snow-rated tires.

Good to know, thanks.

I actually grew up in Soda Springs, but haven't had a 4x4 before, so the "new rules" to follow will be fun.

We did go up to South Lake on 50 after Xmas (80 was closed) in my wife's Mazda CX-5 with cable chains (what the R1T will replace), and it was during the highest snowfall levels up there since before I was born a half century ago. Man, we're we wishing we already had the truck on that trip!

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