Putting Snow Chains on Your Semi-Truck

Winter is here, and it can get tricky in our region, especially if you’re driving something as awkward and heavy as a semi-truck. It’s vital that you take precautions to drive safely on slick, icy, snowed-in roads and highways, and snow chains on your tires can be a great help. We here at McCandless Truck Center know that not everyone has applied them before, so we’ve put together a brief guide to putting snow chains on your semi-truck’s tires, below. To learn more, or if you just want to see the trucks we have for sale, contact our stores throughout Colorado and Wyoming, today!

Preparation

If you start to see snow piling up, you’ll want to pull over to a safe shoulder or rest stop where you have the time and space to put on the snow chains. Make sure to park your truck using the parking brake to be safe. Any thick snow around your tires will need to be shoveled out before you can begin, and you should brush any snow off the tires and mudflaps.

Always apply tires during the day to ensure you have enough light to do it properly, and try to avoid installing them in any serious weather like a blizzard. Remember that you’ll only need chains on the drive wheels, and that you should remove them as soon as the road is clear.

Training and Precautions

We also need to make it absolutely clear: you need to be properly trained in applying tire chains in order to do it correctly. This guide can help remind you of the steps, but it is not a substitute for actual training. Incorrectly applied tire chains can cause serious damage to your tires and lead to blowouts, which is even more dangerous in snowy and icy scenarios than normal.

Make sure to follow all tire chain manufacturer guidelines on tire chain application, and to abide by all local tire chain laws.

1: Inspect Chains and Lay Them Out

Lay the chains flat next to the wheels they’re going on. Flatten them out and check for any damage—never apply a damaged or broken chain to your tires.

2: Drape the Chains on the Wheels

If they’re in good shape, you’ll be draping the chains over the wheels next. Make sure equal length of chain are hanging in front of and behind the wheel, then tuck the front end as close to the base of the wheel as possible. Hook the back and front ends together, making sure the inside and outside hooks have the same slack.

3: Drive Forward

Now you’ll get back in the cab, undo the parking brake, and start your engine. Drive forward slowly and carefully, just a few feet to get the tire chain in an easier position for tightening. 

4: Tighten and Secure the Chains

Head back to your chains and fasten them into place, then tighten the cams with an adjusting wrench to get them snug. You want to be able to fit about one finger under the chain so it’s not too tight, but no more. Drive forward and back a bit to make sure they don’t fall off, then you’re set!

Ready to hit the road? Contact us at McCandless Truck Center for more information on snow chains or to see our truck inventory. We proudly serve the people of Colorado and Wyoming—let us serve you today!