Practice putting on your chains in a clean, dry, parking lot!
Posted by UhOhAllWillyNilly@reddit | Truckers | View on Reddit | 7 comments
There sure have been a lot of questions about snow recently so I’ll share one critically important tip:
Practice putting on snow chains in a clean, dry, parking lot before you end up on the side of a mountain with your thumbs up your bVtt not knowing what to do. Ideally have someone who has done it before teach you how to chain up. Doing it a time or two before it becomes mission critical provides valuable experience and gives you the confidence to do it right when you need to. They need to face a certain way or else. And lay out ALL of your chains on the same clean, dry, parking lot to check them for damage & functionality. Make sure they’re the right size for your tires. (Sometimes the drive tires and trailer tires can require different sizes.) Remember to have a spare pair of chains! They break often (especially the “less expensive” ones). Finally I also carry 3 pairs of snow socks for when I can get away with them instead (they’re quicker to install when you’re knee-deep in the mud/slush with traffic roaring past with the skies dumping and quicker is safer when it comes to being at the side of the road in winter conditions).
Be safe, drivers.
EmotionalBar2533@reddit
Cams in front or back?
UhOhAllWillyNilly@reddit (OP)
I’m not sure I understand your question. The cams need to be on the outside of the tire so you can access them, and it’s easier if you tighten the bottom one(s) first so that you can get better leverage on the top ones as you tighten them last. Note that some higher-quality chains have a left- and a right-side chain so that the hardware all faces the optimal direction instead of one side facing the “wrong” way. [At first I inadvertently posted this as a comment instead of as a reply to your question.]
EmotionalBar2533@reddit
Sorry *boomers lol
UhOhAllWillyNilly@reddit (OP)
I’m not sure I understand your question. The cams need to be on the outside of the tire so you can access them, and it’s easier if you tighten the bottom one(s) first so that you can get better leverage on the top ones as you tighten them last. Note that some higher-quality chains have a left- and a right-side chain so that the hardware all faces the optimal direction instead of one side facing the “wrong” way.
InvestigatorBroad114@reddit
Agree to this. Too many drivers are trying to do it in the heat of the moment and don’t have a clue
Siena2@reddit
Have some 4x4's; easier to chain up that way.
why_does_life_exist@reddit
No, I’d prefer to just drive over the salt bucket I left by the drive tires like I did a few days ago.