As the winter weather approaches, depending on where you live, you may need tire chains this season. While chains are sometimes not allowed in the city, they can be a lifesaver on mountain roads and in more rural areas. Here's a set of helpful tips to help you keep your snow chain in place.
Snow chainsThe first step in snow chains is to choose the right size. While there will be some variations, choosing the right size for your vehicle's tires is important to ensure that they stay in place while you're driving. To determine the size of the tire you have, look for the label on the sidewall of the tire that contains three digits, then a slash, then two digits. The first number refers to the width of the tire. The second number is the percentage of width, which refers to the depth of the tire. Chains are usually suitable for a variety of tire sizes, so you can look for a set of chains that include the range of your tire sizes on the label.
To prepare for the successful installation of snow chains on wet, cold, and potentially dark roads, it's a good idea to remove the snow chains and dress rehearse them in your garage or driveway before attempting live installation. Although you should avoid driving with snow chains if there is no snow on the road as they can damage the road surface (and the driveway or garage floor), before trying to use snow chains for the first time, leaving them in a comfortable environment during a snowstorm or on the side of the highway next to a mountain pass will make your live installation go much smoother.
The chain is mounted on any set of wheels of the driving vehicle, so on a front-wheel drive vehicle, the chain is mounted on the front;For rear-wheel drive, they are located in the rear. Before installing, place the chains on the ground, making sure they are not tangled. There should be a cable or a straight chain on one side with a series of criss-crossing chains attached. Place the chain so that the hook holding the chain to the cable is facing the tire. This will prevent them from damaging the sidewalls of the tire. If your snow chains come with instructions, now is a good time to take them out, as not all tire chains are exactly the same.
Once the chain is unfolded and unfastened, pull it behind the tire and drape it over the tire with the open end facing the ground. Next, connect the two corners of the snow chain at the bottom of the vehicle together. There will be a hook or other device to connect the two. You can then connect the two corners of the snow chain on the side of the road facing the tire.
Tensioning the chain is the last step before driving. Most people will find that if you drive a little forward, it's easiest to tighten the chain and let it fall under the tires. You only need to turn a quarter to half a turn of the wheel. Different chains have different types of tensioners, but usually you will have another chain, a bungee cordtensioners, some clips, or some combination of those clips. The idea is to pull the chain closer around the tire, which is achieved by pulling the outward-facing chain toward the center of the wheel, allowing it to evenly distribute the chain tread over the tire surface. If you lose your tensioner, some people will use cable ties (make sure you have a way to cut it to remove the chain), bungee cords, or quick links to tighten the chain. While these fixes may be a last resort to get out of a blizzard, the ones used for tires are often recommended.
Driving on snow chains is slightly different from driving on regular tires. When using snow chains, travel at no more than 25 mph to avoid damage to the road or the chains themselves, and avoid quick stops and starts to prevent the chains from slipping. If you see a bare sidewalk, it's time to take the chain off because if you drive too much on a bare sidewalk, the chain can break;It's not good for the road;Damaged snow chains can damage your tires.