Snow chains for cars

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:41

Winter is a real test for a motorist. In cold weather, the oil freezes, the engine does not start well, the battery runs down hard. And the road conditions are sometimes just Spartan. Ice on the road is a particularly serious problem. Sometimes even good studded tires cannot cope with it. Owners of cars with Velcro, that is, with friction rubber, are especially affected. But there is a way out. These are snow chains. What kind of tool is it, what types are there and what are its features? Consider in our today's article.

Characteristic

Let's try to figure out what snow chains are. This is a car accessory, which is a structure that is put on the wheels of the car in order to improve its patency.

The tool is fixed along the width of the tire from the outer sidewall whenusing a special belt. In this way, snow chains for automobiles can improve off-road performance or on slippery roads.

Types

Conventionally, these instruments can be divided into two categories:

• Soft.
• Hard.

The first type is a design where rubber or plastic chains are located between the cables. In the second case, metal chains are used. Also, these tools are distinguished by:

• Size.
• Pattern.

Sizes

It is worth noting that the scope of snow chains is limited not only by the width, but also by the diameter of the wheel.

If they do not comply with the standards, these tools can deform an element of the brake system or steering mechanism. Usually, the instructions indicate the range of wheel sizes for which this or that model of automobile chains is designed.

Pattern

On the market you can find several options for chains with different patterns:

• Ladder. In this case, the tool is a sheath with chains that are perpendicular to the wheel. The design is very simple and primitive, so many even make such snow chains with their own hands. However, this pattern is mainly used off-road to overcome mud. After all, this chain configuration has good raking properties. But during operation, you need to understand that such a pattern has a small area of \u200b\u200bcontact with the road and can break under high loads. Therefore, experts do not advise using a similar scheme on ice areas and in deep snow.
• Honeycomb or rhombus. This is a more advanced design. In this case, the tire is wrapped around chains intersecting with diagonal lines. An accessory with a honeycomb pattern has a larger contact area. Experience shows that these chains are ideal for both ice and loose snow.
• Triangles. In this case, the tool is a longitudinal strip connected by side rods. The chains between the strips are stretched at a certain angle. Thus, a zigzag line is formed. Operating experience shows that chains of the "triangle" type do an excellent job in loose snow, but are powerless in mud.
• Diagonal. Typically, snow chains for trucks have this form. How are they arranged? Strips pass through the wheel, which deviate from the longitudinal axis and do not intersect with each other. This option is universal and suitable for use in slippery areas, as well as on loose snow.

Which is better to choose

As you can see, there are many options for chains with different patterns and fastening methods. What is better to choose? There is no single answer to this question. It all depends on road conditions. So, hard tools are suitable for an icy road. Soft plastic - for small muddy areas. Also, the latter are easily removed after overcoming a difficult segment of the path.

Note that the choice should be taken carefully. Rigid chains can damage tires under heavy loads. Therefore, you need to pay attention to the size of the links and the cross section. The larger they are, the better the grip on the road. But at the same time, the tire itself will be subject to wear.

How to use

Beginner motorists don't know how to put snow chains on wheels. This procedure is extremely simple and its algorithm is easy to understand:

• The first step is to jack up the car.
• Next, unfold the chain, straighten it and put it on the tire from top to bottom.
• After that, it remains only to fix the edges with a rubber band or cable. You can lower the car from the jack.
• The same action is taken with the wheels on the other side of the car.

How to use without a jack

It often happens that the surface is not hard enough to place the jack - it simply falls down at the slightest attempt to raise the body. How to be in such a situation? You can put on chains without a jack. To do this, you need to expand the chain with a snake and run into it. Until the end, you need to leave a distance of at least 30 centimeters. Then the rest of the tool should be put on the wheel and fasten the chain with hooks from the inside, straightening the links. The outer side also needs to be pulled off, but with the help of an adjusting cable. After driving a couple of meters on such chains, they need to be tightened. Then you can use them to the fullest.

Which wheels to put chains on

You need to mount them on the drive wheels. If speak aboutmost passenger cars, the chains are installed on the front. If you have an all-wheel drive SUV, it is recommended to install them on the rear or on all wheels at once.

Pitfalls

Anti-skid chains for passenger cars contribute to better cross-country ability. However, they significantly reduce controllability. Therefore, they cannot be used all the time. After overcoming a difficult section, they must be removed.

A machine on chains cannot be steered normally at speeds over ten kilometers per hour. The driver will notice a characteristic beating on the body and in the steering wheel. All this affects the life of suspension parts and steering gear. Therefore, the operation of the chains is only permitted at low speeds. Another disadvantage can be attributed to such a factor as tire wear. The tread will be subjected to serious stress, so chains can only be used occasionally. Recently, rubber snow chains can be found on the market. They don't have as good flotation characteristics as metal ones, but will be better than plastic ones and won't wear out the tread as much.

Bracelets

Very often, motorists began to use bracelets. Such tools are mounted in several pieces on one disk using strong clips or a ratchet mechanism. Usually, at least three such bracelets are installed on one wheel. As a result, a good analogue of a chain with a ladder-type pattern is formed. Bracelet sizes are also limited. If these are trucks, snow chains are large andsection. The main advantage of such tools is quick installation and removal.

To put on bracelets, you do not need to jack up the car or run into the chain, first laying it out on the road. Another plus is its compactness. Wristbands are smaller and practically do not take up space in the trunk. In terms of cost, they are even cheaper than classic chains. But they have a smaller contact patch. Therefore, it is not always possible to get out of the trap the first time.

R14 wheel chains

Motorists do not recommend buying chains for such wheels from a Russian manufacturer. The fact is that they are very massive and heavy. They also significantly increase the diameter of the tire, which has a negative effect on maneuverability.

For R14 wheels, you should choose imported accessories. These can be hard chains with small links, or soft rubber ones. Ladder drawing is not recommended.

R15-16 wheel chains

For such tires, experts recommend choosing products with automatic tensioners. Among the good manufacturers it is worth noting:

• König.
• Pewag.
• Thule.

They are light weight and easy to install. Also, when choosing, you should pay attention to the design of the telescopic rack and hub. For a front-wheel drive vehicle, it is important that the chain does not come into contact with tie rods and attachments (such as ABS sensors).

Summing up

Sowe found out what snow chains are. As you can see, there are many variations of these tools and drawing types. Which chains to choose? If you live in a large city, it is enough to limit yourself to buying bracelets. But if your road is rarely cleared, and the winter lasts more than three months, it is worth buying full-fledged chains with a honeycomb pattern. But you always need to carry anti-skid tools in the trunk - it doesn’t matter if it’s bracelets or chains.