Install Snow Chains on Tires

When driving in wet, slippery, snowy conditions, snow chains are absolutely essential for safe handling. Although snow chains may look intimidating, the basic idea is really simple: fit them over your tires, drive forward slowly, and tighten them up. In cold, wet conditions, this is easier said than done, but if you put on your tires before you reach snowy roads, you'll make your life way easier.

Steps

  1. Lay the chains out and remove any twists or kinks in the metal. If you have the time to do this prior to venturing out into the dark, icy world, your fingers (and patience) will thank you. On the road, this process can take longer than you think.
  2. With your car parked, parking brake engaged, and chains straightened, fit the chains over the top of the tire. Try to get the chain hanging over the top three-quarters of the tire, making sure that the chains running from side-to-side are straight.
    • Some types of snow chains will have rings fastened to the chains. These rings belong on the inside of the tire, and should rest on the bottom of the tire, near the ground, during installation.[1] This will require you to get under your car in order to install, and may require a little tweaking.
    • Tuck the chains under the tire so as you drive over them (the next step), they will be ready for attachment on the rear side.
  3. Drive the car forward slightly to expose the remaining one-fourth of unfitted tire. Put the car in gear, disengage the parking brake, and roll forward slightly. Remember, only a small portion of the tires was unfitted, so you'll only need to drive forward a bit. When you determined that you've gone forward enough to ensure full coverage, park the car and engage the parking brake once more.
  4. Connect the chains together. Starting from the inner part of the tire (near the tire axle), connect the two hooked edges. Do the same on the outside portion of the tires. Using a closer link, tighten the chain links so that they move as little as possible when you do drive.
    • If you are using link unit chains, try not to use any chain tightening tools. Traditional chains can be tightened with a link tightening tool.
    • A bungee cord with hook fasteners is a common way to make chains fit even tighter over your tires, especially if the chains don't have built-in tightening cams. These can usually be bought anywhere where snow chains are sold.
  5. Double-check that the inner and outer connections of the chains are in rough alignment. If the inner portion of the chain is tight, but the outside is loose, you will need to align them.
  6. Repeat the exact same process for the other tire(s) on your vehicle. Once you've had a bit of experience putting on snow chains, you can start installing chains on rear or front tires simultaneously. Doing this will drastically speed up the process.
  7. Drive 1/4 mile (1/2 km) and re-tighten the chains. Over the course of driving a little, the snow chains will shift a bit and will need to be re-tightened in order to secure the tightest bond.

Avoiding Common Mistakes

  1. Know how many tires to install snow chains on. A lot of people don't know how many tires they should put snow chains on. It is a good idea to install chains on all four tires, regardless of one or two drive axels. This way you have equal braking when stopping and your axel won't slide.
    • Alternatively, you may want to put chains on on all drive wheels of the car.[2] So if your car has front-wheel drive, put the chains on the two front wheels of the car. If your car is 4WD or AWD, put snow chains on all four wheels of your car.
  2. Get the right size snow chain. In order to find out what the right size snow chain is for your particular car, you need to know how large your tire is. Look for a long string of letters and numbers on the outside of your tires. The first number tells you the tire width; the second numbers tells you the tire height ratio (the ratio of the sidewall height to the width); and the third number tells you the diameter of the wheel, usually denoted in inches.[3] You'll need this information when you go shopping for snow chains.
    • Before buying chains, refer to your owner's manual. There are certain rim-tire combinations on some vehicles that are not compatible with tire chains and can cause damage to the vehicle.
  3. Don't go out on the roads before testing out the fit on your tires. It sounds simple, but it's a mistake a lot of people make. They assume that the chains fit like a glove, and when the time comes to install them out on the roads, they realize that the chains are unusable because the fit is wrong. Don't put yourself up a creek. Do yourself a solid and dry-fit your chains before driving in the snow.
  4. Give yourself enough time to fit the tires, and come dressed for business. Because the idea behind fastening chains seems so easy, a lot of people make the mistake of thinking that it will take a few minutes and then they'll be on their way. Not so fast. Under conditions that call for chains — wet, snowy, dark — putting on snow chains can take an hour or more. And unless you want to be cold, dirty, and drenched, wear proper rain gear instead of your ski-suit.
  5. Remove your snow chains as soon as you reach clear road. If conditions improve, or you come across a sign indicating that snow chains are no longer needed, take off your chains. Don't keep on driving with your chains — it puts a beating on the road, as well as your tires.



Tips

  • Chains always go over your drive wheel to give you maximum traction as you steer. So if you have a rear wheel drive, put them in the back. Opposite for front wheel drive. If you have 4 wheel drive, put them in the front.
  • Check the chains to see the maximum speed you can drive with your chains. In many cases chains should not be driven over 30 miles per hour.
  • After driving onto the chains you may need to step out of the car to check and see if your tires are in the correct position on the chains. If not, simply adjust the placement and look again.

Warnings

  • Ensure you have all hooks pointing outward so you don't damage your tires while driving.
  • Be aware of your surroundings so as not to hit anyone while moving the car.
  • Make sure this is done on a level surface and not on a hill.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.dmv.org/how-to-guides/tire-chains.php
  2. ↑ http://www.tirerack.com/winter/tech/techpage.jsp?techid=128
  3. ↑ http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000648651
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