Many years ago, a coworker told me that his sons 2wd with chains would go through more snow or mud than my 4x4. I politely accepted the challenge. Almost forty years later, and I’m still waiting. Great video. Awesome vehicles. Thank you for sharing
Yeah - It’s weird logic. I mean, if it were true, you could always put a 4x4 in 2WD with chains. But you can’t put a 2WD in 4WD, right? I’m from the school of thought, “it’s better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it” 😇
@ absolutely my friend. Chains on front would have more effect than on rear. Adding power to front axle adds significantly more capability. I think that other than having the weight of most of the engine, trans, t-case biased forward, the fact that the front wheels are pulling and climbing, rather than being forced through makes a huge difference. My best to you and yours from Canada
@@FJAdventurer And don't forget! A 2WD w/ chains will get a lot farther in than a 2WD and no chains! lmao. And 4WD will just get you stuck $400 farther in than that! Heehaw. I jest w/ ye.
Ahh the memories !! When I lived in Alaska over 30 years ago I always carried chains in my rig. You just never knew when you might need them. I was out one time in the winter up near the Knik glacier when the weather changed suddenly, chinook wind and rain, turning everything into wet ice. My friend and I each had one axle set of chains, and there was one hill climb that was a notch cut in a hillside and had a serious drop-off to the drivers side down into the trees......all wet ice... We put my chains on my friends front tires and he drove up, took them off, then hiked back down an put them on mine and I drove up. Thank goodness we both ran the same tire size !! The chains we ran were the "V bar" style, very effective on ice. I bought another axle set of chains right after that!! I have been is several situations that I was very thankful to have had chains stowed in my rig.
Tim - you have lived an eventful life of off-roading! What’s your favorite territory and terrain? We really enjoy the lesser explored backwoods (rarer and rarer these days).
@@FJAdventurer Funny you ask that question, as I ponder that sometimes, but keep coming back to the really technical stuff as being my favorite. I love "working it" and having to strategize , picking my way thru terrain. A great youtube video that shows some of my favorite wheeling is "vintage 4 wheel drive rigs from the 40's and 50's take on Moab's Coyote Canyon" "Old Willys Vs Built Rubicons: Hump and Bump trail ride adventure" is another recent one, with the best part right near the end of the video where I drive up the "buggy line" of Bronco falls obstacle. It's crazy steep, and I have to really "work it" at the top, but I make it and the full buggy on 43" Mickey Thompson ProX stickeys following me can't climb it !! Only the trail leader in a linked buggy style Jeep on 42's makes it besides me..... None of the built Rubicons wanted any part of it !! To me, pushing the limits of my abilities is nirvana, and the various rocky trails all around the western states are full of great challenges for an old school rig on small tires. really tough to pick favorites, but red rock country is soooo awesome !!! I gotta get back to Tillamook / Browns Camp, because I wheeled hard there all the time back in the 90's, though I would only try it during a weekday, as I don't like traffic. I love the lesser run trails, and don't always HAVE to run the hardest trails.... It's just so much fun to get out with friends in these old machines and play, and there are always new places to explore, though like you said, harder to find these days. I do feel privileged to have the off road experiences that I have had, and always looking forward to the next one. I'm actually looking forward to more wheeling up in your neck of the woods, as I'm getting a place in Longview, Wa. and have some old friends with old time rigs in both Portland and Seattle.
When I hunted with my Dad he had a 62 Econoline van, camp was miles up a dirt road. Got stuck one time so he put his chains on, front bumper was pushing snow. Made it in and out fine. A few years later my first car was a 62 Rambler Classic, 6 cyl, 3 on the tree. I kept chains in that, amazed some of the crap I put that poor car through and it just kept chuggin. I know the newer cars will outperform all the old stuff on the street, but as teens we didn't stay on pavement all the time.
Yep - chains compensate well for lack of capability. We enjoy our old rigs for what they are, and enjoy the challenges that come with them. That said, chains are definitely going to be a staple in our gear going forward.
Now that looks like fun! I've always heard K02s grip snow better than any other all-terrains, but I'd love to see those chains compared to the Hakkapeliittas I run on my UZJ100.
I once had an '84 Dodge county truck with Slant 6, 2wd, 4 speed trans OD 4th with a limited slip rear. Chained up that thing could pretty much anywhere a 4wd could go. The main hang up, pun intended, was ground clearance.
I’d like to try that for sure! Not to see how well they worked, but if his tiny little 80 year old engine has enough power left over to just turn them 😅
What air pressure were you running in the FJ? I have a Jeepster Commando with KO2's and run them at 15psi in the snow. They do quite well for me. Axle ground clearance is an issue now. Need taller tires!
That said, I would have gone lower than the 20 psi I was at in the FJ if I had struggled much. We didn’t think lowering pressure on the CJ was a good idea with chains.
@@FJAdventurer Forgive the tangent, here, but Method now makes a "Bead Grip" wheel - not a beadlock, but a wheel with an outer bead flange with circumferential ridges that bite the i.d. of the tire's outer bead. Makes 'em go onto the wheel with more effort, yes, but one can air those down to 5 psi - and - ! steer tight turns! Imagine that. Cheers!
The goal is to keep the CJ as close to original spec as possible. So, he runs 6.5” wide Super Traxion tires. They are based on 80 year old tech 😅 The challenge is most of the fun for us. We want to enjoy the experience and our rigs for what they are. 👍
Hard to get snow tires in a 6.5 wide 😂. It’s important to Jamie to keep his CJ as original as possible, so the 80 year old tech in the Super Traxion tire is as good as it’s going to get.
Many years ago, a coworker told me that his sons 2wd with chains would go through more snow or mud than my 4x4. I politely accepted the challenge. Almost forty years later, and I’m still waiting. Great video. Awesome vehicles. Thank you for sharing
Yeah - It’s weird logic. I mean, if it were true, you could always put a 4x4 in 2WD with chains. But you can’t put a 2WD in 4WD, right?
I’m from the school of thought, “it’s better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it” 😇
@ absolutely my friend. Chains on front would have more effect than on rear. Adding power to front axle adds significantly more capability. I think that other than having the weight of most of the engine, trans, t-case biased forward, the fact that the front wheels are pulling and climbing, rather than being forced through makes a huge difference. My best to you and yours from Canada
@@FJAdventurer And don't forget! A 2WD w/ chains will get a lot farther in than a 2WD and no chains! lmao. And 4WD will just get you stuck $400 farther in than that! Heehaw. I jest w/ ye.
Ahh the memories !! When I lived in Alaska over 30 years ago I always carried chains in my rig. You just never knew when you might need them. I was out one time in the winter up near the Knik glacier when the weather changed suddenly, chinook wind and rain, turning everything into wet ice. My friend and I each had one axle set of chains, and there was one hill climb that was a notch cut in a hillside and had a serious drop-off to the drivers side down into the trees......all wet ice... We put my chains on my friends front tires and he drove up, took them off, then hiked back down an put them on mine and I drove up. Thank goodness we both ran the same tire size !! The chains we ran were the "V bar" style, very effective on ice. I bought another axle set of chains right after that!! I have been is several situations that I was very thankful to have had chains stowed in my rig.
Tim - you have lived an eventful life of off-roading! What’s your favorite territory and terrain? We really enjoy the lesser explored backwoods (rarer and rarer these days).
@@FJAdventurer Funny you ask that question, as I ponder that sometimes, but keep coming back to the really technical stuff as being my favorite. I love "working it" and having to strategize , picking my way thru terrain. A great youtube video that shows some of my favorite wheeling is "vintage 4 wheel drive rigs from the 40's and 50's take on Moab's Coyote Canyon"
"Old Willys Vs Built Rubicons: Hump and Bump trail ride adventure" is another recent one, with the best part right near the end of the video where I drive up the "buggy line" of Bronco falls obstacle. It's crazy steep, and I have to really "work it" at the top, but I make it and the full buggy on 43" Mickey Thompson ProX stickeys following me can't climb it !! Only the trail leader in a linked buggy style Jeep on 42's makes it besides me..... None of the built Rubicons wanted any part of it !!
To me, pushing the limits of my abilities is nirvana, and the various rocky trails all around the western states are full of great challenges for an old school rig on small tires.
really tough to pick favorites, but red rock country is soooo awesome !!!
I gotta get back to Tillamook / Browns Camp, because I wheeled hard there all the time back in the 90's, though I would only try it during a weekday, as I don't like traffic.
I love the lesser run trails, and don't always HAVE to run the hardest trails.... It's just so much fun to get out with friends in these old machines and play, and there are always new places to explore, though like you said, harder to find these days.
I do feel privileged to have the off road experiences that I have had, and always looking forward to the next one. I'm actually looking forward to more wheeling up in your neck of the woods, as I'm getting a place in Longview, Wa. and have some old friends with old time rigs in both Portland and Seattle.
As I wait for the family to get up, I get to watch this great vid!
Merry Christmas 🎄🎁
Thanks for the kind words! Merry Christmas right back at ya!
Dang watching that poor old jeep skipping through deep snow was really fun to watch, I can’t believe it made it through that! 😂 Merry Christmas
Merry Christmas!
When I hunted with my Dad he had a 62 Econoline van, camp was miles up a dirt road. Got stuck one time so he put his chains on, front bumper was pushing snow. Made it in and out fine. A few years later my first car was a 62 Rambler Classic, 6 cyl, 3 on the tree. I kept chains in that, amazed some of the crap I put that poor car through and it just kept chuggin. I know the newer cars will outperform all the old stuff on the street, but as teens we didn't stay on pavement all the time.
Yep - chains compensate well for lack of capability. We enjoy our old rigs for what they are, and enjoy the challenges that come with them. That said, chains are definitely going to be a staple in our gear going forward.
Very interesting!
Thanks!
Now that looks like fun! I've always heard K02s grip snow better than any other all-terrains, but I'd love to see those chains compared to the Hakkapeliittas I run on my UZJ100.
Man…..Now I’m going to have to get some chains for my flatties. Thanks Jamie 😂
If you are running 6.5” tires, chains are a must (we discovered on this day)!
Great ride!
It was a fun day!
I once had an '84 Dodge county truck with Slant 6, 2wd, 4 speed trans OD 4th with a limited slip rear. Chained up that thing could pretty much anywhere a 4wd could go. The main hang up, pun intended, was ground clearance.
Chains are a game changer! But there is a limit to how much snow anything will “push”.
You should try low tire pressure some day, the extra traction you get is game changing
I was running 20 psi in the FJ, and have gone as low as 15. I’m always fearful of losing beads tho 😅
Can put chains on in 5 minutes,in a blizzard,in the road. Carried chains in my cars since 84. I have went many places others couldn't.
This exposure to chains has changed our understanding fundamentally!
Jamie needs to slap a set of sand rail paddle tires on his jeep and see how it does in the snow! 🤣
I’d like to try that for sure! Not to see how well they worked, but if his tiny little 80 year old engine has enough power left over to just turn them 😅
What air pressure were you running in the FJ? I have a Jeepster Commando with KO2's and run them at 15psi in the snow. They do quite well for me. Axle ground clearance is an issue now. Need taller tires!
20 psi on this day, but I’ve gone as low as 15 without an issue. I’m too chicken to go lower 😅
And with a winch the FJ can go where the CJ can go in mud!😊
You speak truth! In fact, with the FJ’s winch, it can likely make it everywhere (with some effort 😅)
Do you guys air down? Merry Christmas!
We do. Today the FJ ran at about 20 psi. The CJ wasn’t aired down because of the chains.
…and Merry Christmas!
losing some air pressure would be benificial , snow wheeling i run no more than 5 psi , you would be surprised the difference it makes
5 psi? Wow! Do you have headlocks? I’ve lowered mine down to 15 in the past, but I’ve never gone lower for fear of losing a bead.
That said, I would have gone lower than the 20 psi I was at in the FJ if I had struggled much. We didn’t think lowering pressure on the CJ was a good idea with chains.
@@FJAdventurer Forgive the tangent, here, but Method now makes a "Bead Grip" wheel - not a beadlock, but a wheel with an outer bead flange with circumferential ridges that bite the i.d. of the tire's outer bead. Makes 'em go onto the wheel with more effort, yes, but one can air those down to 5 psi - and - ! steer tight turns! Imagine that. Cheers!
@ - awesome! I’ll have to check those out, but I’m guessing I’ll find out they don’t have period specific wheel options.
5 psi is about as low as I would go with no beadlocks, beadlocks or method beadgrips get that shit down to 1.5 no issues
Maybe try some adequate winter tires on the 4WD? Then you don’t have to mess around with putting chains on and off.
The goal is to keep the CJ as close to original spec as possible. So, he runs 6.5” wide Super Traxion tires. They are based on 80 year old tech 😅 The challenge is most of the fun for us. We want to enjoy the experience and our rigs for what they are. 👍
I wonder how well chains work in mud……
Worth a try. Things couldn't get any worse for the FJ and its KO2's. If you have a chain stretcher, I have an idea for a video.
Very well. I once used them to get a 2nd pickup out of mud…but there has to be a bottom that is not too deep.
You have little girls 👭 vehicles.........and you call 🤙 that snow 🌨?????????????😮😮😮
Life is good in little girl vehicles! And by western Washington standards, yep! that’s snow 😅
Now you need to chain up the FJ in the mud.
I’ve been thinking the same thing. Definitely cheeper than 5 new tires.
@@FJAdventurer Way cheaper!
id wrather have actual snowtires
Hard to get snow tires in a 6.5 wide 😂. It’s important to Jamie to keep his CJ as original as possible, so the 80 year old tech in the Super Traxion tire is as good as it’s going to get.
Wrather?
He'd rather say wrather.