You have to consider these points while driving on the snowy streets and roads. Road Condition: If the road snow is compacted, riding is achievable at a moderately fast speed. However, you can not drive too fast. A fresh snow layer on the road requires the driver to ride more slowly. Fitting: Tight-fitting on the tire and chain will provide more grip on the road.
As a consequence, you can drive faster. However, loose-fitting make driving slower. Always make sure about using the right-sized chains for the tires.
Age: The user will have more confidence in using a brand-new tire chain. Plus, the speed is higher in the advanced chains. On the other side, the old version tire chain can give the opposite results. Type: In comparison, the design of a tire chain can affect the speed at the moment of driving on road snow. Many snow chains can cover the whole tire wall and tread.
Snow chains face many difficult situations in snowy weather. Dangerous or unsafe road conditions require extra caution in driving the car. We are outlining few safety tips for going with the snow chains:.
At least 3 mm of tread should be in it. Winter tires are preferable to use. See the brake locks whether they are functioning correctly. A shovel should be brought with the users. However, we recommend using double pairs to get a better grip and traction. In case of using one pair, snow chains have to be installed on your driven wheels. Alternative traction devices are usually cheaper to purchase and easier to install than snow chains, but they are more prone to damage on surfaces such as dry pavement or gravel.
Snow chains are more durable and can be used on dry surfaces e. When driving with snow socks, the maximum speed of the vehicle should be reduced. Socks are typically labeled with the recommended speed on the packaging. When snow chain laws are in effect, most snow chains are considered legal, while only specific brands of sock are considered legal alternatives.
Both snow chains and snow socks are only intended for short stretches of road and inclement conditions but can be used for multiple uses. Another advantage of fabric is that it can be machine washable, but their compatibility with studded tires varies between brands. Many automakers advise against using snow chains on newer vehicles due to the narrow space in the wheel well. Also, snow chains, unless properly maintained, risk corrosion.
Like tire chains, snow socks are sold in different sizes and cover most of the commonly used tire sizes on the market. Snow socks are available for different vehicle classes, but most brands focus on cars and pickup trucks rather than semi-trucks or larger vehicles.
Since the largest variation of snow socks is in the market for cars and pickup trucks, unusual tires such as wide or low-profile tires are often covered. Buses, semi-trucks or larger vehicles require special snow sock models that can support the heavier axle load and larger wheel dimensions. Some brands also offer snow socks for specialized vehicles such as forklifts or airplane ground support equipment e. Signs like above are now being replaced ones like below, thanks to companies like AutoSock.
Buyer beware, not all alternative traction devices are made equal. The Scandinavian population used to pull wool socks over their shoes to avoid slipping on ice-covered surfaces, so the concept of using textiles to increase traction is fairly old. There is a story that claims Henry Ford used a carpet to get his car moving during the difficult winter months. In , a Norwegian tire specialist recalled this story and started thinking about a solution that could continuously apply an equivalent traction on the wheels of the vehicle.
Instead of placing the textile on the road, he came up with the idea of a textile that wraps around the tire itself. From there, the conceptual idea of the snow sock was born. After several years of research and development — and through working with automakers, yarn producers, tire experts and textile engineers — the first snow sock came to market in under the brand AutoSock.
If you are unsure of which to choose you may find useful our snow chains vs. It remains a grey area whether socks meet the required legal standard in European ski resorts. Once you have the hang of it you should be able to fit each snow chain in a couple of minutes. We recommend you try on the snow chains before you go on holiday. We have also produced snow chain fitting videos, available on the fitting page, so you can see how it's done. After using snow chains we would recommend washing them in warm soapy water asap, ideally with a firm brush to remove any salt residue and muck jet washing is also an option for this stage.
Finally having hung the chains to dry you should spray them with WD40 and then hang to dry again. The longer chains sit in a wet or worse, salty and wet container the quicker they will rust and deteriorate. The most common problems encountered are: 1 Wheel-spin or locking-up the wheels under braking - this is the most common way people break chains; 2 Incorrect fitting, in particular failing to centre the chains such that the inner or outer bands get run-over or any of the working components like the springs, ratchet or connectors.
You can see by looking at the chains that the chain sections intended to be driven on are more robustly built than the inner and outer bands, or the working components which should sit against the tyre wall away from the road surface. Chains massively improve traction on snow, ice, mud and even sand however they do not enable you to defy physics. Where you can and can't go largely depends on the vehicle's abilities, load, driver ability and myriad other factors. So do not assume you are invincible with chains on - some slopes for some vehicles will be unclimbable even with chains on.
In such circumstance do not spin the wheels to try get up the slope, as there is a high chance you will break your chains and potentially damage your vehicle. Generally snow chains must be carried in the European Alps from 1st November to 1st April. Spot checks are carried out and during periods of heavy snowfall vehicles without chains will be refused access to the mountainside.
Each country has slight variations in regulations, as shown below:. Reduced speed limits may apply. Should be carried and used as dictated by local signs or road conditions.
Any vehicles incorrectly equipped that are found to impede the flow of traffic are liable to be fined. Vehicles not equipped to travel through snow and ice and which impede traffic flow are liable to a fine. This site uses cookies, if you continue without changing your settings, we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies. Click here to learn more about cookies. What are the best snowchains for my vehicle? We offer a full range of snow chains to suit all vehicles - the key considerations are: 1.
Clearance - at the back of the wheel see below for more on this ; 3. What are the easiest snowchains to fit? Which are the easiest snow chains to remove? How many snow chains do I need? However, with some vehicles it is recommended to use four snow chains, or chains and socks two sets for additional traction — see below: What are the best snow chains for a rear wheel drive vehicle such as a BMW or Mercedes?
How many snow chains do I need on a 4 x 4? Which wheels do you fit chains to on a 4 x 4? How do I check the clearance of a vehicle? Or what thickness of chain can my car accommodate? My vehicle has limited clearance - can I still use snow chains? Where and when should I carry snow chains? How fast can I drive whilst using snow chains?
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