How fast drive chains

It is when you are approaching or negotiating a bend that skids often happen. So be slow when you are nearing a corner. Cruise control under snowy conditions can lead to skidding or hydroplaning. The snow chains must be fitted securely on the tires. If not, they can fall off when you are driving fast. It would help if you practiced how to install the snow chains on your tires. It is relatively easy to do. In installing the chains, use a pair of gloves and a pair of tire tensioners.

Get the chains from the pack or box and make sure that the chains are straightened out and not looping over one another. Hold them up so that one end is in your right hand and the other end is in your left hand.

You should see the metal latches along the two sections of the chains. The latches and hooks of the chains are usually color-coded to help you connect the same colors together. You should connect them in such a way that they will not cause any damage to your tires. To be sure, follow the instructions on the chain pack or box. Lay the chains on the ground in front of the tire. The latches should be on each side of the tire.

The tires should not run over them. Start the car and drive it forward so that the chain is directly under the tire. Stop the engine and cover the tire with the tire chain. Connect the latches on either side of the chain. If you install the chain on the right tire, turn the steering wheel on the left and vice versa if you install the chain on the left tire. Connect the hooked edges of the chain in the inner part of the tire. Then connect the hooked edges on the outside section of the tire.

Rotate the tightening cam or closing link so that the chains will be tight enough. Make sure that the links of the chain are evenly distributed throughout the tire. It would help if you only covered your tires with chains when traversing a road-heavy laden with snow. Using it unnecessarily will damage your tires and your car, and the road you are traveling on.

Your car should go about 20 to 30 mph 30 to 50 kilometers per hour with snow chains on the tires. Driving too fast with chains. Driving on dry roads with chains for extended periods of time. Driving on dry roads with chains can cause a vehicle to slide when braking.

How fast can you drive with snow chains? With snow chains on your tire, you should drive your car not more than 20 to 30 miles per hour 30 to 50 kilometers per hour.

Even if you want to, your car will not be able to drive at its normal top speed on a snowy road with chains on the tire. The maximum recommended speed is 30mph. A gentle driving style is essential when using snow chains. Excessive acceleration and hard braking will put too much pressure on snow chains and may cause them to snap. Fitting chains adds to the width and diameter of the tyre. Chains can interfere with the correct operation of electronic sensors on the wheel too. Check the handbook - this should make it clear if you can use snow chains on each size of wheel offered as standard or optional fit by the car manufacturer.

Practice fitting them at home when the weather's warm and dry and you'll be much more confident when you do have to handle them in more severe weather conditions. This can be exacerbated when a vehicle is heavily loaded in the boot and therefore it may be advisable to fit a second set of chains if clearance allows or a set of snow socks to the front wheels in order to improve handling.

Legally, it is only necessary to have snow chains for one axle when travelling in mountain areas. However, when driving a 4 x 4 some drivers prefer to use 4 chains two sets. Although in most conditions a single set of chains will provide enough traction, there are significant benefits with using two sets. It is important to refer to your vehicle handbook, as some manufacturers recommend fitting two pairs.

On a four wheel drive vehicle snow chains are generally fitted to the front wheels, but this can vary so please check the manufacturers handbook for advice. If there is restricted space between the wheel and the suspension or bodywork of the vehicle at the front, then the snow chains may either need to be fitted to the rear or a specialist chain used.

There are chains designed specifically for vehicles with reduced clearance, such as our XG Pro or K-Summits. A K-Summit has been designed for vehicles that have no internal clearance, as they are fixed to the wheel bolts and no part of the chain sits on the inside tyre wall. Some vehicles have very little space between the wheel and the suspension of the vehicle or other obstructions, meaning the chains could come into contact with the bodywork, braking systems or suspension with serious consequences.

Keep in mind that a chain sits over the rubber of the tyre, thus any obstruction which comes close on any side of the tyre could be an issue. You should also consider the proximity of the wheel arches when the steering is turned if you are fitting to the front wheels, usually the squeeze point is at 3 or 9 o clock on the back of the wheel when the steering is on lock.

Check by putting the steering on lock and putting your hand into the squeeze point to assess the proximity of arch to tyre, and the same for the opposite lock. Our standard car snow chains have a 9mm protrusion and so there needs to be a gap of about 15mm between the inner edge of the tyre and any obstructions to allow for movement of the chain.

For 16mm chains you need at least 21mm of clearance. When it is not possible to fit a standard snow chain we have various options to help.

The Thule K-Summit snow chain requires no clearance around the back of the wheel as it fixes to the wheel nut on the outside of the wheel, making it suitable for the most affected vehicles.

We also have a 7mm chain which has been specially designed for cars with insufficient clearance for a 9mm chain. A snow sock is another solution; a textile cover that wraps over the wheel to give improved grip on snow covered roads. The legality of snow socks on mountain roads is a grey area - some areas accept them and others don't. In practice, the conditions dictate who is allowed to pass, so if the weather is bad you can be turned back with a sock when you would be allowed to pass with a chain.

In order to fit a regular snow chain you also need enough space between the wheel and the arch to get your hands into the arch on top of the wheel, and ideally be able to reach an inch down the far side of the tyre as you will need to push the first connection down the back, off the tyre tread.

If you can't do this, then the best sometimes only solution is the type of chain that attaches to the wheel nuts, like the K-Summits. Some drivers prefer to use four snow chains two sets for additional traction. This would give more control, especially if you are driving for long stretches in areas requiring snow chains, but is not essential - some vehicles handle better than others in cold conditions so it's difficult to generalise.

On a four wheel drive vehicle they are generally fitted to the front wheels please check manufacturers handbook for advice, many are 'fit to rear' , if there is limited clearance at the front you will either have to buy a more expensive chain for the front or they will need to be fitted to the rear wheels. On mainland Europe a driver is responsible for equipping his vehicle for all weather conditions.