How to Put Chains on Your Tires

Video Transcript

NATHAN MCCULLOUGH: Hi. My name is Nathan McCullough, on behalf of Expert Village. In these clips, we're going to about some of the tips and tricks in order to properly winterize your vehicle. In this clip, we're going to talk about a couple of the things that you can do to increase your vehicles traction if you happen to be stuck in a blizzard. Now, the first thing I have here in front of me is the get them all. This is the ultimate thing you can do to get out of a stuck position. However, they're not legal to be ridden in the summertime, and on most of paved roads, they're not legal to use, unless you're under a severe storm warning. Or unless it's happened to be marked on the highway signs or back road signs that you're driving. They are legal on dirt roads of any kind. What I have is what you call tire chains. They will apply an extreme amount of traction to the vehicle in order for you to get out of the ditch. I'm going to take them out of the package here. I'm not going to get into the specifics of installing them. I just want to give you a demonstration of what they look like. This is the brand new set. I've been lucky enough to not have to use them this year. You're going to put these on the drive wheels of your vehicle. If it's a front wheel drive vehicle, you're going to put them on the front. If it's rear wheel drive vehicle, you're going to put them on the rear. Now like I said earlier, they are illegal in most States most of the time. Just--they get--because they get so much traction, they will actually tear up the asphalt or the concrete that you're driving on. However, under certain conditions, if there's an extreme snow warning, or a blizzard, or if you happen to live in one of the very Northern States, or in a very desolate land area, like out in Montana, in the middle of nowhere, they are legal. And there will be signs that post them there. These are one of the things that you're going to want to take and have with you if you plan on travelling into one of those environments. If you happen to just live in a Northern State and get lots of snow. Something else I want to talk to you about is adding weight to the drive side of your vehicle. If you have a front wheel drive vehicle, you're kind of out of luck and you'll almost get all that you have right from the starting line. The good benefit about front wheel drive vehicle is that you have the weight of the engine and the transmission pushing down on your tires. The harder that's pushed down upon, the more friction that they'll have and the better traction you'll get out it. If you drive a rear wheel drive vehicle like me, you're going to want to take and add some weight to the back of your vehicle. Now, it will affect your fuel economy a little bit, however, it's better to get one or two miles less than the galloon, than it is to be stuck ever at all in the winter time. A vehicle like this, a full size SUV, you're going to want to add about 200 pounds in the back. You can use sandbags, bags of cement, blocks of wood, bricks, anything that you happen to have that really doesn't have any use that you can apply some downward force to your gripping tires with.

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