snow, chains, 31's & backspacing

Hi All
This has been bugging for quite a while. I have a 3" OME lift with stock rims & 31x10.5 BFG AT's. We make a few trips a year to Tahoe and Yosemite with the wife and kids.

I've done some wheeling with the club in deep snow in Humboldt but when I read the road advisory for the mountain areas down here they say that chains may be required for 4x4's also.

My problem is with the 31's on stock rims I would never get chains to clear my leaf springs, there is a big storm coming and we are leaving for Tahoe Friday.

So do I?
A) Go out in a panic and find some AR767's with 4" backspacing (I think) so I can clear some chains.

B) Get some chains that I'll never be able to use because of the clearance problem just in case they are checking.

Or C) Forgetaboutit Because I've got a rear locker and BFG AT's and won’t have any problems?

my expierence is that CHP rules are : 4x4 or snow chains

I have never seen them have it open to ONLY 4x4's with chains, and never seen them mandate chains on a 4x4.

Id go with option 2 - buy the cheapest crappiest Honda Civic chains ever...

Thanks XJ Ranger that is what I have been doing until now. The owner of the cabin we are going to told my wife that we need chain anyway and a search on the web brought me this:
CHAIN REQUIREMENTS in CALIFORNIA

I sweat this every winter so should I get the stupid rims and put an end to it. If I get 8" deep I'll be one step closer to that 6" long arm with the 33x 11.5's. Ha, ha, ha hoooooo. Oops I had a little moment there.

Thanks for helping another xj poser with his BS woes

What about running chains on the front? With a 4x4 I have always been taught to use them front, because the front is heavier and does all of the steering duties. It has always worked good for me, and I am on RE 3.5" with metric 32" truxus MT. And have plenty of clearance for chains. And that is Open/Open.







And boy do they dig when you get stuck

Thanks XJourney, that sounds like the deal.