Using tire chains is a critical winter driving skill, but they can be tricky to put on and tighten. The goal is to have your chains snug and secure against the wheel.
To start, drape your chains over the tires and tuck the end with attachments under the tire tread. Make sure to keep your speed under 30 mph while chained up.
Tightness
When installing a chain, you want it to fit as tightly as possible against the tire so it can be pulled along easily and without friction. Too loose, and the chains will slide across the road surface and break off or be snagged by other vehicles, debris on the road, or other things like curbs and obstacles.
You will want to start by laying out the chains on the ground and checking for kinks or tangles. Then, measure your tire’s width (W) and height (H). If the chains you have are self-tensioning, they will automatically tighten onto the wheel as you drive. This can help avoid going back out and tightening the chain every few meters.
Once you have the right size chain and have gotten it ready to put on, grab the corners of the chain under your vehicle and drape them over one side at a time, making sure they are evenly and securely centered against the tire. Then hook the red chain guide straight across from the first end of the chain. Once the chains are in place, slowly move forward about 15 feet or a full car length to give the chains a chance to settle and become anchored to the tires.
Some chains also have a ring that goes around the inside of your tire; if you are using this type of chain, make sure it is hooked over the ring and not the center of the tire. Then pull forward slightly and tuck the excess side chain underneath your tire. You will then want to connect the inner side chain hook and fasten it.
After hooking the chain and moving forward about a foot, hop in your car and test drive it on a quiet street or empty parking lot to get an idea of how the chains feel and perform. Remember, the chains are only meant to be used at low speeds, and they are not designed to be driven over hard objects or steep grades where they might slip or break.
Looseness
If your chains are loose enough, they may snag on the ground or other objects and break. This can cause damage to your tires and chains and prevent you from driving with the proper traction you need on snowy or icy roads. You should never drive with chains that are too loose, and there are several ways to check if they are snug enough before hitting the road.
First, if you are not already parked in a safe spot, be sure to park somewhere away from obstructions so that you can easily put the chains on. You should also make sure the parking brake is set before getting started. Next, locate the fastening/tensioning mechanisms on your chains. Some chains use hooks, cams, or ratchet systems to secure themselves. Depending on your chains, you will need to figure out which side they go on the tire (some are designed for rear-wheel drive vehicles while others are for front). Once you know this, orient them correctly before mounting.
Once the chains are on, be sure to drive forward a little bit to expose the part of the tire that was previously touching the ground and to ensure they are snug over that portion of the tire and wheel. Once you are done, re-tighten as instructed in the manual, and you should be good to go.
You can also find a lot of helpful advice and tips from the people who make and sell the chains you are using on their websites, social media, and in their forums. They will usually have a lot of experience and can help you out.
Finally, if you are using a chain that requires air down, be sure to air down your tire before mounting the chains. If you are going to be running the chains a lot, the amount of deflection from the air will prevent the chains from being tight against the tire and may cause them to break or snag on something else. You can always re-tighten the chains after airing them down but be careful not to over-tighten them as this can cause excessive wear and tear on the chain, your tire, and your vehicle.
Squeaking
The suspension on your vehicle is a crucial part of the car’s handling capabilities and protects against imperfections on the road surface. However, a squeak can indicate that the suspension has worn out or isn’t properly lubricated. In this case, driving straight to an auto shop for professional assistance is best.
If you’re having problems with your tire chain, the first thing to check is the fastener hooks. Ensure they are all hooked securely, and the chains have no twists or tangles.
Most tire chains have a tension system to help you tighten them, but you should always read the instructions for your specific model carefully to ensure that you’re using the right system for your car. Some chains use cams, and others use ratchet systems, but they’re all designed to tighten up the chains.
Some of the most common reasons people break their chains are improper fitting and wheel spin under braking. The inner and outer bands, or working components of the chain, should sit against the tire wall, away from the road surface.
While airing down your tires can improve traction, it can also prevent the chains from sitting as tight against your tires as possible. This can cause them to break if you’re going over a bump or an obstacle.
When putting on your chains, always start by laying them out on the ground in front of your wheels, ensuring that they’re free of twists or tangles. Once you’re satisfied that they’re ready to go, hop in the car and drive about a meter forward so that you can connect the open ends of the chains and tighten them up.
You should always re-tighten the chains when traveling over long distances because they’ll lose their tension if you don’t. You should do this every 10-30 feet to ensure that the chains are as tight as possible.
Noise
If the chain is too tight it will cause it to rub against the front sprocket and squeal. This will wear the sprockets very quickly, causing the noise you hear. If this happens, loosen the chain a little and try again. The noise should go away.
Unless the chains are specially designed to be self-tensioning, it’s best to re-tighten them after every drive. This is because the chain deflects from side to side as you drive. This will make some sections of the chain sit closer to the tire than others, and that can break a link. You can prevent this by re-tightening after every 20-30 feet of driving, i.e., every time you stop to get gas, eat, etc.
After re-tightening, you should first drive forward less than a meter to expose the section of the tire that was previously touching the ground. This will allow the chains to re-center themselves on the tire and will prevent the tires from getting too hot while driving.
Once you’re done doing that, start the car up and slowly drive down your street. This will give the chains a chance to re-center themselves on the wheels, and they’ll also be able to settle into their grooves. Eventually, they’ll get tight enough that they won’t deflect as much when you’re driving, but they should still be fairly loose.
One thing to keep in mind is that if you air down your tires while running chains, it can cause them to be too tight. This is because the chains will deflect more than if they were on an inflated tire, and that can break a chain link. So always run chains with your tires inflated, if possible, to avoid this problem.
Also, make sure that you’re using the right size chain for your car and tires. The chain packaging will tell you which type of tires it fits, and if you’re not sure, consult your owner’s manual. A front-wheel drive vehicle should use chains on the two front tires, while rear-wheel drives should use them on the rear ones.