Auto tire chains

[k0ua]

I will NEVER own a set of Bridgestone or Firestone tires ! We had a new Subaru that came with Bridgestone tires - all 4 went out of round by nearly 1" on the same day - at that time Subaru had Bridgestone handling everything to do with their tire warranty. Bridgestone would do NOTHING about it and claimed we must have hit pot holes or something - all 4 out of round and it was our fault ???? NOPE ! We had to buy a new set for a new car and they were NOT Bridgestone or Firestone ! The next car that came with Bridgestone tires only went from the dealer to a tire shop to have them changed to another brand. (just because the dealer did not have another brand that would fit).

I have a set of Blizzaks on my Chrysler minivan, so far so good. I had a set of the Firestone "shredder" tires on my 2000 chevrolet pickup. I never had any trouble with them, but they were 10 years old when I replaced them because of their age, Then the truck was wrecked (with the brand new tires on it) about 2 weeks later. mad:

 

[RobertN]

Best truck was a '64 Ford F100 a friend gave my Dad. Truck was beat up, Bazillion miles. At Idle, no oil pressure. Ran like that for a couple years till broke the tranny. Ran great, got good mileage for a 292 3 on the tree. When you revved it up, the oil pressure gauge was like a tach!

Dad gave it to someone else who put a used tranny in it and continued to use it as is, for a ranch truck.

We'll it happened, I ended up with a 4wd! My ford truck has an intake manifold leak, and with needing other things it will cost too much to be worth it. It has been producing 7 psi of oil pressure at 600 rpm lately. I installed a new oil pump and that did not fix it. Sometimes it is time to move on.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

The last time I had 4Wd (1977 to 1982) it had a manually-shifted transfer case, manual hubs, and a "solid" front axle. If (when) I get another 4WD I would like to get the same set-up, but I don't know if it even available anymore.

Dodge has a manual transfer case and straight axles are standard in 2500 and up. Why in the world would you want manual Hubs? I have seen conversion kits to get that but crawlingout of the truck to lock them in sucks and they never seem to want to engage easily.

 

[Loadstar]

Dodge has a manual transfer case and straight axles are standard in 2500 and up. Why in the world would you want manual Hubs? I have seen conversion kits to get that but crawlingout of the truck to lock them in sucks and they never seem to want to engage easily.

So your front axles and such are not always spinning. Plus they are always reliable. Typically you lock them out before you are at the point of crawling out.

 

[aczlan]

So your front axles and such are not always spinning. Plus they are always reliable. Typically you lock them out before you are at the point of crawling out.

Not sure what is current, but our 1997 Dodge 1500 has a axle disconnect. The axleshaft spins, but the driveshaft does not.

Aaron Z

 

[HHR]

Not sure what is current, but our 1997 Dodge 1500 has a axle disconnect. The axleshaft spins, but the driveshaft does not. Aaron Z

Starting in 2013, Ram added an electronically actuated Central Axle Disconnect (CAD) to all 4x4 3500 models. This feature was also added to 2500 models in 2014.
I don't really like the idea because the only thing you are stoping is the driveshaft and ring & pinion. The outer axle shafts are turning and the spider gears inside the differential are spinning a million miles an hour because the CAD only disconnects the "long" axle from the diff.

 

[aczlan]

Starting in 2013, Ram added an electronically actuated Central Axle Disconnect (CAD) to all 4x4 3500 models. This feature was also added to 2500 models in 2014.
I don't really like the idea because the only thing you are stoping is the driveshaft and ring & pinion. The outer axle shafts are turning and the spider gears inside the differential are spinning a million miles an hour because the CAD only disconnects the "long" axle from the diff.

The older 1/2 ton models (like ours) have the same thing, but its vacuum actuated rather than electronically actuated.

Aaron Z

 

[Diamondpilot]

So your front axles and such are not always spinning. Plus they are always reliable. Typically you lock them out before you are at the point of crawling out.

This is why I like the Ford ones. You have Auto, Locked, and Unlocked.

Chris

 

[RedNeckRacin]

So your front axles and such are not always spinning. Plus they are always reliable. Typically you lock them out before you are at the point of crawling out.

I think you are over glamorizing them. I always remember having to get out in the mud to lock them in because Noone ever thinks to lock them in before hand. I had a 3500 ram that I took to 180,000 miles and currently a 2500 with almost 120,000 miles and never had a u joint problem. Like I said, there is a conversion kit to change them to manual hubs if your heart desires. I'll just reach down and pull in 4wd.

 

[Loadstar]

Noone ever thinks to lock them in before hand.

Don't drag me into this.