I will be heading to Colorado this October and was looking into taking a set of chains along for my truck. It seems as if most half-ton trucks are recommending no chains or the S class type due to clearance issues. For the guys running a half-ton truck, what chains are you taking into the hills if any? I am currently driving a 07 F-150.
I run a 2005 F150. Original tires are 255/xx/17. At the moment I'm running 285/xx/17 (don't recall the 'xx' numbers) but plan to switch back to new tires in the 265 or the original 255 size before the elk hunt.
For chains I am running heavy duty chins of an unknown brand. Picked them up in Craig one year after my standard-duty, v-bar chains broke for the umpteenth time. THe chains I have now have never broken and, while more expensive, have been worth every penny.
Every tire gets two rubber tensioners with 4-5 hooks each. They are cheap so be sure to take extras.
Some points others have mentioned and a few thoughts of my own:
1. Test your chains on your tires BEFORE you head for elk camp. Be sure you have a couple of extra links more than needed when testing them on dry ground. One of my first hunting trips in Colorado was with a friend in his 4x4. I asked if he had chains for all four. Yup, sure did. Unfortunately he also had new tires and when we got high-centered in axle-deep, freezing mud we discovered the the chains would "just about" fit - another link would have done the trick. Four of us spent a couple hours trying to get the chains on with an epic fail. Because "just about" was not nearly good enough, we spent the night on the hillside and stayed there blocking the road until the next morning when a couple of jeeps with chains pulled us up the hill.
2. Chains for all four are better than for two. Chains on the front work better than chains on the back due to engine weight and steering.
3. Your chains may feel tight when you first put them on but after 50-100 yards you need to stop and check them. Often you will find you can get another link or more, depending on how tight they really were.
4. There are two ways to put on chains: a) drive onto them and fasten them at the top, and b) put them on from the top and fasten at the bottom. I've done both ways but find the top-down approach is easier as gravity is working with you.
5. Having spent the night on a hillside (see above) and with multiple experiences chaining up in axle-deep mud because I was too stupid to chain up earlier, and a couple cases coming down a mountain out of control on icy gravel roads, I highly recommend chaining up BEFORE the going gets really bad. Worst case is it might turn out you "might" have been able to get by without them, something you will never know for sure. Best case is they might save your butt and your rig. A coworker ignored my advice, tried to go through a snow drift that at least one other vehicle had gone through and paid a $1,000 tow. He was just lucky that he was on a "main" road and the tow truck could get to him.
6. Chaining up in the mud or snow is much less unpleasant if you have the right accessories with you. Heavy-duty rubber-coated cloth gloves will keep your hands dry and much warmer. A large plastic bag makes a good ground cover and will help keep you cleaner and drier. A pair of coveralls that you can take off and throw in the back of the truck (or in the bag so they don't freeze, allowing you to use them again later when the chains need to come off) will help keep the inside of your truck cleaner.
7. Finally, don't be stupid. Even with chains on all four wheels, you can still get stuck. A come-along, tow rope, shovel and some long, heavy-duty chains accompany me on every trip. When in doubt, DON'T. Getting out of the truck in axle-deep mud that is under water is for the birds. This is especially true when you are by yourself.
