I will be towing a 21' bumper pull trailer weighing in about 10k gross very frequently this winter. Living in Alaska we get a lot of snow and ice.

Should I look into studded tires for the trailer or just throw on some chains? It is an enclosed dual axle.

Can chains be ran with studded tires when things are real bad?

 

wow, that sounds like good "stay home" weather to me.

you might get more reliable answers asking locals to where you are doing the towing.
many people on here have never dealt with that sort of thing.

we get some nasty weather sometimes in Indiana but ive never chained up. if i cant get through it with regular careful driving and 4x4, i stay home.

 

dot requires chains on trailers for semi's, but I guess studded tires might not be an option in the big truck tires?
I have only owned 1 set of studded tires and they would slide real easy on dry asphalt never tried them on ice though. I put new tires on before getting to drive it in the winter.

 

I remember having to chain all 4 on the forward drive axle, the 2 outers on the rear drive axle, and one tire on the trailer to go over Donner Pass on I-80.
[sarcasm]That was so much fun.[/sarcasm]

 

The only thing you are going to get out of the trailer axle is breaking. My experience is that studs, while effective at steering and traction for the drive axle, don't help that much with breaking. So I'd suggest chains for one wheel on each side of the trailer just in case, definitely a pair of chains for the tow vehicle's drive axle and studded tires all the way around on the tow vehicle as well if you have the money.

 

I worked Donner Summit for 18 years and in CA studs do NOT exclude you from chain requirements. Never had an issue with studs sliding on dry pavement, heard the story of them sliding but have never seen it, never heard of it first hand, never had it happen to me or the guys I worked with. You need to check with Alaska to find out there laws.

 

Chain the brake axle. Its helps you stop and keep the trailer straight. That's what I have done for years. Check to see what people there are doing on the road. I've had good luck and never a problem.

 

Do NOT cheap out on the quality of the chains for your truck or trailer. I've driven Donner for years and cheap chains just don't make it. Get high-quality reinforced chains (cam-lock) along with snubbers (black rubber tighteners) for all the chains. Put chains on that trailer brake axle for sure. Drive a mile or two and then recheck tension...when they heat up due to friction they stretch. Then they throw off the tire .

 

Check with local state requirements. After that get what your comfortable with. I've never used studs and can only see them helping on ice. I've also never put on drag chains but I have come down a hill wishing I had more than once, but that's also pulling b-trains. As for going up I've had it a few times where I've needed triples on both drive axles with full lockup. Never had a problem then. I've only threw iron on my pickup once and it was off-road in a foot and a half of snow. Otherwise just drove accordingly. It's not mandatory for cars and trucks under 55k lbs to carry chains in this part of canada