Easy tire chain installation

Tire chains are needed when traversing an elevated snowy area like a mountain pass. The general rule for tire chains is to put them on the drive wheels. So, front-drive cars require them on the front wheels, rear-drive cars require them on the rear wheels, and cars with all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive need them on all fours.

Most laws and recommendations say you should never drive faster than 30 mph with snow chains. Doing so will put you and your ride at severe risk. Tire chains come in a wide array of variants. They are available in different material types, patterns, sizes, installation methods, patterns, and different styles and designs. These factors are all key to making sure your chain fits and will work well with your car. Although safety glasses and mechanic gloves could help, they are not required.

Most tire chains are designed to attach without any tools. The manual will have specific instructions for usage, as well as several restrictions for what you cannot use.

Ladder chains literally look like a ladder when extended flat on the ground. This version has a flexible rail or tube threaded through one of the sides of the chains. This version has rails on both sides of the chain mesh. One side has a single rail, the other side has two rails. Snow chains are only used for extremely temporary situations, so they should not do any damage to your tires.

As long as you are using them only during those specific times and not on hard roads without precipitation, they could cause damage or dangerous situations. This should never be an issue. Tire chains are specific uses, and should only be used during the time of those specific uses. Then put your vehicle in gear and roll forward slightly. Remember, only a small portion of the tires are unfitted, so only drive forward a little bit. Turn the wheel toward the inside of the vehicle for easier access.

This will give you better access to the connections and make it easier to finish securing the chains. If you are installing the chains on the left tires, turn your steering wheel to the right to point the tire inwards.

If you are installing the chains on the right tires, turn your steering wheel to the left to point the tire inwards. Connect the chains together to cover the remaining portion of the tire. Starting from the inner part of the tire near the axle, connect the two hooked edges. Then connect the hooked edges on the outside portion of the tires. 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. Make sure the inner and outer connections of the chains are aligned. Look to make sure that the chains are going mostly straight across the width of the tire. If the inner portion of the chain is tight, but the outside is loose, you will need to adjust the chains on either side to make sure they are straight and then re-tighten them. Repeat the exact same process for the other tire s on your vehicle.

Fit the chains over the top of the tires and tuck them underneath, drive forward to expose the unfitted portion, connect the chains together, then make sure they are in alignment across the tire. Once you've had a bit of experience putting on snow chains, you can start installing chains on your front or rear tires simultaneously. This will drastically speed up the process.

Drive about feet 30 m and re-tighten the chains. The snow chains will shift a bit over the course of driving. To make sure they are tightened enough for safe travel, use the closer link or tightening cam to re-tighten all of the chains after you take a short drive. Part 2. Remove your snow chains as soon as you reach clear road. Take off your chains if the driving conditions improve or you come across a sign indicating that snow chains are no longer needed.

Disconnect the rings or chains from the inside of the wheel. You will need to get down on the ground to reach the connections. If it helps, turn the wheel hard towards the inside to get better access to the inside of the wheel. Open up the snow chains and lay them out as flat as possible. The chains will be stuck underneath your wheel for now. Drive your vehicle forward slowly. Pull forward just enough for the tires to clear the chains. Once the chains are fully exposed, carefully slide them away from the vehicle.

Take care not to twist or tangle the chains so that they will be easy to install the next time they are needed. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. 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. Helpful 4 Not Helpful 0.

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. Helpful 4 Not Helpful 1.

Be sure to give yourself enough time to fit the tires. Wet, snowy, or dark weather conditions can make it take an hour or more to put on snow chains. Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0. Do a test-fit on your chains to make sure you are prepared for inclement weather. Helpful 4 Not Helpful 3.

Check the chain packaging to see the maximum speed you can drive with your chains installed. In many cases chains should not be driven over 25 miles 40 km per hour. Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0. Ensure you have all hooks pointing outward so you don't damage your tires while driving.

Helpful 10 Not Helpful 3. Be aware of your surroundings while installing the snow chains so as not to hit anyone while moving the car. Helpful 3 Not Helpful 1. If when you are driving, you hear or feel that the chain may be broken and is hitting your car, stop driving and fix the chain as soon as you can do so safely. Never attempt to install snow chains that are too large or too small for your tire because it can be hazardous while driving and may damage your vehicle.

Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. You Might Also Like How to. How to. More References 9. About This Article. Co-authored by:. Co-authors: Updated: May 6, Categories: Tires and Suspension. Article Summary X To install snow chains on tires, start by laying the chains over the top of your tires so the ends hang down on the sides. Nederlands: Sneeuwkettingen omleggen. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read , times. Taking our first trip into the mountains and had no idea how to put these chains on.

The videos are short and super helpful. I love how they follow the text, instead of sitting through one long video. Got my chains on the first try!

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