How to Install Tire Chains
Installing tire chains on your tires can ensure extra safety when driving in snowy conditions or in mountainous areas. It doesn’t take long to put chains on your vehicles tires and it can be easily done within a half an hour, maybe less with practice.
Supplies you need:
- Tire chains that are the appropriate size for your tires
- Working gloves to protect your hands
Instructions:
- Find a safe and level spot in your driveway and have enough space to move around the vehicle as you work. Place the parking brake on and for extra precaution, you can place a wooden blockage against the tires to brace them. The parking brake and the wooden blockage will prevent slippage. Also if there is any snow around the tires, clear that away.
- Make sure that your car is either a front wheel drive or a rear wheel drive so that you will put the chains on to the tires that will do much of the work. Lay out the chains underneath the car, with the studded side of the chains down, and have the first rung of the chains against the tires which has contact to the ground.
- Drive your car in reverse or forward, depending on which tires the chains will be installed on. Get out of your car and make sure that the chains are overlapping both sides of the tire. If this is satisfactory, get back into your car and drive either in reverse or forward for about two feet.
- Place the overlapping ends of the chains on top of the tires and clasp them the chains together.
- Attach the four metal hooks that are in front of the hubcaps into a crisscross pattern so that the chains do not slip while driving.
- Drive safely with the tire chains on your car and no more than 40 miles per hour.