You need a fair amount of weight, perhaps 400 or so pounds, should go
fairly close to the rear axle centerline. Further back and you increase
the "polar moment of inertia" and is tends to spin out. Bolting them
down is an EXCELLENT idea.

I really don't see much use for chains on the front for normal snow. If
you get the nasty ice storms like you see in Georga then you might
consider front chains. Ya gotta go, ya gotta stop, and ya gotta steer.

Consider some new tires. A full set of new, agressive All Terrain tires
does wonders. I do not like the Mud Terrain type tires for most normal
winter driving (mixed dry, snow, wet, slush, road driving). The big lugs
are great in deep snow but are really treacherous on ice or wet/slushy
asphalt.

I'd put some decent tires on, add the 400 pounds, keep a set of chains
with the cross bar teeth and you should be good to go. Won't keep up
with a decent 4x4 but better than 98% of the other drivers.

One last thing: keep your speed down to 35-45mph with chains on. Take
them off as soon as possible, stay off bare pavement

For what it is worth: I used to borrow a 3/4 ton 4wd pickup with a plow
and the bed full to the top with sand. Not a problem to plow 20" of snow
out of long country driveways without chains.

williamhenry wrote:
thanks I have a couple of large angle plates that I use for traction, I bolt
them to the frame though the existing rear bed bolts but I needed more
traction last year , I haven't looked at snow tires yet though,

should I put them on the front tires as well?