RealAnswers

Sometimes they’re required by law. Sometimes, they’re required by good common sense.
But they’re never a driver’s favorite thing to have to deal with. And often, they’re very hard
on tires. So long as there’s snow, chances are we’ll need chains. But some aspects of
chain use don’t have to be problems, as we’ll see.

What do chains really do?
Chains do two things: first, all the weight on the tire can be concentrated into the tiny area of the chain running across it, instead of being spread across a normal tire footprint. That helps chains dig in.

Second, while even the best tread design can become choked with wet, heavy snow, rendering the traction pattern much less effective, chains are so far apart, and relatively free to move that it’s almost impossible for chains to clog up.

Chains allow you to transmit drive forces and braking forces to the road under circumstances where unchained tires would be far less effective.

Some people say chains can be too tight. Others say they can’t be tight enough. Which is right?
Interestingly, both sides of this question are partially right. Here’s what happens: installing chains is no fun. It’s cold, hard, unpleasant work. But finally, the driver gets done, and climbs back into the cab – with teeth chattering.

Then, the trouble starts. As the truck goes down the road, the chains move around a bit. With open shoulder drive tires especially, some of the cross-chains drop into the shoulder notches. Little by little, the whole chain loosens as a result.

If chains become too loose, they can slap around inside fender wells, and in extreme cases, be thrown completely off the tire.

Meanwhile, all this unwanted motion by the chains causes them to twist against themselves, shortening the life of the chain. One manufacturer suggests that chains that are loose by just one link last only half as long as chains that are snug.

So, how can they be too tight?
Chains need to be able to move around a bit, to prevent them from digging into the tire, especially in the sidewall area, where the rubber covering the steel cords is much thinner than around the tread.

How can drivers get them right?
Chain manufacturers recommend that once the chains are installed, drivers run down the road a bit to let the chains settle in. Recommendations vary, but most manufacturers seem to think that two to four

miles is about right.

Of course, during that time, drivers should turn the radio off and listen carefully for noises that might indicate slapping or thumping. Then, they should stop, and check the chains.

Often, they’ll find they can take up a full link before tightening the cam locks or elastic tensioners.

Continuous shoulder drive radials, like the Bridgestone M726, can be easier to chain up and can maintain correct chain tension better because there are no shoulder notches for cross-chain links to drop into.

Is there a way to make this easier?
Interestingly enough, your choice of drive tires may make a difference. According to reports from drivers who must cross the Donner Pass in the Sierra Nevadas, tires with continuous shoulders, like the Bridgestone M726, can make chaining up easier, and fewer tension adjustments are necessary.

Why is that?
Because the shoulders of these drive radials have no notches, it’s easier to install chains, because the cross-chains don’t get caught in the notches. And, the fact that there are no notches means a cross-chain won’t drop into a notch, loosening the chain.

Are chains hard on tires?
They can be. One of the most common mistakes in installing chains is to install them with the cross-chain hook ends facing the tire. The sharp ends of these hooks can severely cut the shoulder.
And, as we’ve mentioned, chains that are too tight can damage sidewalls.
There are also special chains that have pieces of steel welded to the cross-chain links. These are often v-shaped to bite deeply into snow.
Put chains like this on backwards, and you not only don’t get the benefit of the v-shaped bars, but you’re driving them into the tire treads with every revolution.

When should chains be removed?
As soon as the truck gets out of the deep, heavy snow. Driving with chains on over pavement can cause severe damage to the pavement, the tires and the chains. Even if you’re going to have to chain up again soon, it’s better to get the chains off, to eliminate all that potential damage.