HOW TO PUT SNOW CHAINS N YOUR CAR

Expert Reviewed How to 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 Edit 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. Image titled Install Snow Chains on Tires Step 5 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. Advertisement 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. Image titled Install Snow Chains on Tires Step 11 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. Advertisement You're helping people by reading wikiHow wikiHow's mission is to help people learn, and we really hope this article helped you. Now you are helping others, just by visiting wikiHow. Direct Relief is a humanitarian nonprofit with a mission to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty and emergencies. Recognized by Charity Navigator and Forbes for its efficiency, Direct Relief equips health professionals in the U.S. and throughout the world with essential medical resources to effectively treat and care for patients – without regard to politics, religion, or ability to pay. Click below to let us know you read this article, and wikiHow will donate to Direct Relief on your behalf. Thanks for helping us achieve our mission of helping everyone learn how to do anything. Click here to be counted Community Q&A How do I move my truck forward if the road is very slippery? Answered by wikiHow Contributor Lay the chains in front of the tires and drive up on the chains for traction. 5 5 Ask a Question Your question here Submit Video Edit Tips Edit 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. 42 Helpful? 20 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. 25 Helpful? 10 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. 17 Helpful? 12 Know a good tip? Add it. Add Warnings Edit Ensure you have all hooks pointing outward so you don't damage your tires while driving. 6 Helpful? 2 Be aware of your surroundings so as not to hit anyone while moving the car. 7 Helpful? 6 Make sure this is done on a level surface and not on a hill. 7 Helpful? 7 Related wikiHows Edit How to Install Snow Chains How to Drive in the Snow How to Rotate Tires How to Fill Air in a Car's Tires How to Check Air Pressure in Tires How to Clean Tires and Rims How to Know when Car Tires Need Replacing How to Change a Tire How to Check Ball Joints How to Patch a Tire Advertisement Expert Review By: MP Mike Parra Master Mechanic 98 votes - 93% Co-authors: 15 Updated: 52 weeks ago Views: 184,942 Categories: Tires and Suspension Sources and Attribution Reader Success Stories CM Christa Milano Feb 3, 2017 "This is great. Taking our first trip into the mountains and had no idea how to put these chains on. The videos are..." more More reader stories Share your story Did this article help you? Yes No StepsCommunity Q&AVideoTipsWarningsRelated wikiHows Surprise Me! wikiHow to...