If you live in an area without snow, your vehicle most likely isn’t well-equipped to drive on icy and snow-covered roads. When driving on an icy or snow-covered road, it can be a terrifying moment when your vehicle starts to slip and lose traction. You feel the car moving sideways and the steering wheel shuddering, making it increasingly difficult to maintain control. Despite your best efforts, you may not be able to keep the car from sliding or spinning out of control. This puts your safety and the safety of others at risk, all because you didn’t apply tire chains or cables to your vehicle. Tire chains or cables can provide the necessary traction to help you stay in control of your vehicle and avoid accidents while driving on winter roads.
Tire Chains vs. Cables
Tire chains and cables do the exact same thing for your vehicle by providing additional traction during winter driving, but there are a few differences. Chains are a set of heavy, metal links and cables are a set of lightweight, steel cables that encase your tire. Because cables are more lightweight, they can be easier to install for some people. Tire chains lean on the heavier side and the metal links must be cut for the chains to fit snug on your tire. If you are driving through deep, heavy snow, chains often perform better, but tire cables will often work in most winter driving conditions.
How to Buy
Before buying tire chains there are a few things you need to know. First, and most importantly is the size of your tire size. Without this, it’s impossible to know which size chains or cables you will need for your vehicle. To locate the tire size on your vehicle, find the letter and number combination on the sidewall of the tire just above the rim. The numbers usually begin in the 200s and look something like “225/45 R 18”. See the photo below for an example.
After you’ve found your tire size, it’s important to remember tire chains or cables only go on the drive tires of your vehicle. If your car is front-wheel drive, the chains will go on the two front wheels. If your car is rear-wheel drive, the chains will go on the two rear wheels. If your car is all-wheel drive and equipped with snow tires, you don’t need to use chains unless directed by your local department of transportation in a case of extreme weather. If you aren’t sure which drivetrain your vehicle uses, please refer to the owner’s manual of your vehicle.
How to Install
After you’ve purchased your tire chains or cables, it’s time to practice installing them on your vehicle. Ideally, you should practice installing them on your vehicle before a winter storm so you know they fit securely. If you didn’t have time to practice installing them before a winter storm, that’s okay. Here are a few video tutorials to help guide you through the installation of your tire chains or cables.
How to Install Tire Cables - Tutorial
How to Install Tire Chains - Tutorial
How to Operate Your Vehicle After Installing
Once your chains are securely fastened onto your tires you can begin driving, slowly. While driving with chains on the maximum recommended speed is between 25-30MPH, going faster than that can cause damage to your vehicle, and in general is unsafe. Pay attention to any slapping or metal banging against metal sounds. This most likely means that the chain has come loose or is broken, it is imperative that you STOP immediately if this occurs! Driving with a loose or broken chain can cause the chain to become caught on part of your vehicle which may lead to serious impairment of the vehicle. Lastly, and most importantly, never drive on bare pavement while chains are on, this could result in the loss of control if the chains slip off, or cause the chains to break which in turn could lead to damaging the vehicle.
How to Maintain and Store
After you are done using your tire chains it's essential to properly clean and store them to prevent damage and prolong usage. Using a hose or a brush properly remove all debris and dry thoroughly before storing to prevent rust. Inspect to see if the chains sustained any damage while in use, such as broken links, stretched cables, or any other damage, if you see anything wrong with the chains then it is most likely time for a replacement. It is also important to check the tensioning mechanics before storing and using to prevent the chains from slipping off your tires and causing damage. For storage make sure they are in a dry environment with lots of circulation and away from sharp objects to prevent rust and damage. It may also be a good idea to store in an easily accessible location for when the time occurs to put them back on.
Tire chains or cables help keep you and others on the road safe during hazardous driving conditions throughout the winter months. Remember to properly install your chains or cables, be aware of any possible breakage or slippage while in use, and properly store and maintain for lengthened usage. Most importantly though, adhere to road advisories and highway patrol warnings and instructions to stay as safe as possible on the roads during winter.
If you need help with tire chains or cables for your vehicle, stop by any of our locations today. View all of our locations here.
