Best Way To Put On Chains?

The best way to do it is don't do it. If the road's bad enough that I need chains to continue, then I'm parking and having a bologna sammich. I don't need to get out and slop around in the snow fighting with tire chains, only to continue down the road with a bunch of Supertruckers and Rookies in less than desirable conditions. No thanks, I'll park and wait for the plow.
I had a dispatcher that tried to tell me that I HAD to chain up.....hehehe...wrong answer. There's 2 things I HAVE to do in life...breathe, and pay taxes.

 

1. Make sure that you have the correct chains and tensioner tool on your truck before the season begins. This is done easiest by doing a trial installation; maybe at home. You can ask someone with experience to help you. Match chains to tire size. (example: 295 75/24.5) Carry a couple extra pairs of gloves because they will probably get wet.

2. Carry a spider bunge or at least 3 bunge's for each chain.

3. Lay the chain over the wheel with the hooks hanging over the rear of the tire. There are links at the front most part of the chain that should be cleanly(no slack) tucked under the front of the wheel as much as possible. Tensioners should also be on the outside, facing you. There are usually 4 of them.

4. Repeat step 3 on all wheels to be chained.

5. Pull forward between 1 and 1 1/2 feet. DO NOT let the axle behind the wheel being chained run over that chain or you will need to back up to make the correction.

6. In the rear of your wheels are now 2 links and 2 hooks. Hook them to gether. You should have an L shaped tensioner tool that came with your chains. Use this tool to take up the slack in as many tensioners as possible. The tensioner is an oval looking device. There are usually 4.

7. Attach your bunge's or spider bunge to the chain to take up the remaining slack. Drive forward about 3 feet and reinspect all chains.
I then try to drive about a mile and reinspect if possible. After that you should be good to go.

 

Let me make something clear about driving with chains. If the pass was solid ice, it would be closed. They would never let you try it if it was that unsafe. There is a difference between ice and heavy packed snow. You can chain up and drive safely on packed snow but on ice, it would be a disaster. The driving is done no faster than 30mph. It's no big deal and nothing to be afraid of. I've seen drivers try to take the pass without chains due to being unsure of how to chain up and they had to be towed and pay hefty fines. Cables are ok but they tend to break easier. I recommend cables if you just want to park and satisfy the DOT. However, cables are no longer acceptible by some states like CO.

If it is drivable on the other side of the pass, I will chain up to get over the pass. It's that or stay parked and hear the same old boring truck stories. In 30 yrs of trucking I've heard it all.

 

Also
If you are waiting for it to stop snowing over a pass. You could be there for days or even a week or more. If the pass is open you will be driving on packed snow, not ice. If it becomes ice, they will close the pass.

 

Make sure to drive slow and when you have an opportunity to stop and check them do so. They can really tear up your truck if they get loose.

 

Oh no worries, some of these guys can just whip out their Bologna sandwich and wait it out. Would hate to eat bologna for breakfast, lunch and dinner for a couple days though

 

I cant add much to what the others have posted except to say that you need more then one set of gloves cause they get wet and cold fast, and also good stand up flashlight unit, cause oftentimes you will be chaining up in the dark.

Once you get going down the road a ways, pull over and check them for tightness and take it easy on the speed. Chains dont last long if you run them hard and let the foolish idiots going 50 MPH chained-up pass you by.

 

I find that rope works much better.

The chains damage the finish on the bedposts !!!!!!

 

must be nice to be independently wealthy, how'd you make your millions?

Last time the chain law was up here in Colo., it was in place for 38 hrs, there were over three dozen trucks who followed your advice and parked for the entire time. Not only were they not making money, but most also got $50 fix-it tickets for not carrying chains in the first place.