How to Read Tire Size for Snow Chains
Tire chains are a necessity in common cold and hilly regions where even the best of snowfall tires fail to grip the snow-covered roads. Not only in snowy regions just many areas with challenging slippery terrain also require tire chains.
The tire bondage help grip the road by clawing onto the ice, mud, or snowfall-covered tarmac, and past doing so, the vehicle gains forward momentum.
Without a tire concatenation, the vehicle would spin its wheels without moving forrad.
In some snowy regions of the north, information technology is mandatory past law to have snowfall chains in the vehicle in instance the atmospheric condition turns extreme.
Page Contents
- 1 What makes up a tire chain?
- i.1 one. Sidechain
- one.ii 2. Cross concatenation
- 1.3 3. Links
- two How do I know what tire chains I demand?
- 2.1 Tire Sizes
- 2.ii 1. Tire width
- ii.3 2. Aspect ratio
- ii.4 3. Wheel Diameter
- ii.5 4. Machine Type
- three Choosing Compatible Tire Bondage
- 4 Exercise tire chains take to exist of an verbal size?
- v Installing Tire Chains
- 5.1 Step one: Lay Out Tire Chains, Tines Facing Up
- 5.2 Step 2: Connect & Join Both Ends
- 5.iii Footstep 3: Expect Chains for Cleaved Links or Tangles
- 5.4 Step four: Tighten for Snug Fit
- 6 Front-cycle or rear wheel?
- seven Final Thoughts
What makes up a tire chain?
A tire chain isn't just a simple concatenation that goes around the tires. It consists of a side chain, a cross-chain, and tire links for the entire setup to piece of work properly.
i. Sidechain
The Sidechain or, the link chain helps connect the links and the cross-chain. It forms the framework of the entire tire chain.
2. Cross chain
The cross-chain goes around the tire and looks very different from a typical chain. That is considering the cantankerous chain'southward job is to provide traction and so the vehicle can move forward. The cross-chain comes in contact with the tire and road.
iii. Links
Links are the blocks that make up the cross-chain. These individual pieces connect to brand a cross-concatenation.
A link is designed to grip the road and the tire to enable traction on icy/ snowy roads. Links can be studded links, V-Bar links, or internet links based on the size of the vehicle and nature of use.
How do I know what tire bondage I need?
Using the correct size tire chains is the key to making them work properly. Nonetheless, ane must first check if tire chains can exist used on their vehicle.
If there are restrictions on tire concatenation usage, it could be indicative of a reduced space betwixt the tires and the vehicle body. In such instances, the usage of tire bondage is not recommended.
Tire Sizes
Take a expect at your old tires to determine the correct size. The paradigm shown in this example indicates your tire's specs too as what they mean.

- P — Tire blazon
- 245 — Tire width in millimeters
- 75 — Sidewall superlative to width aspect ratio
- R — Tire construction
- 17 — Bike diameter in inches
1. Tire width
Tire width can be known by checking the sidewall of the tire. Manufacturers offer all the data about tire sizes and the specification. For the measurements, one could notice a fraction number on the tire wall in large font.
For case, if the size of a tire is 185/seventy- 15. The numerator gene of the fraction in this case, which is 185 is the width of the tire in millimeters.
2. Attribute ratio
The attribute ratio is the ratio of the overall ratio of the height of the sidewall compared to the width. The higher the number, the thicker the sidewall of a tire is and vice versa.
This information tin exist establish in the same fraction number every bit mentioned before.
For example, if the size of a tire is 185/seventy- 15. The denominator cistron of the fraction in this instance, which is 70, is the aspect ratio of the tire in millimeters.
iii. Wheel Diameter
The wheel diameter can be termed as the length of an imaginary straight line that passes through the wheel from one finish to the other.
This information besides tin can be found on the sidewall of a tire. Information technology is crucial to know the diameter when ownership snow chains.
For example, if the size of a tire is 185/70- 15. Number 15 in this instance is the bore of the wheel in inches.
One needs the tire width, aspect ratio, and bike diameter information to cull snow chains of the correct size.
4. Car Type
Sometimes, the type of vehicle tin besides influence the tire concatenation'due south compatibility. If the car is a medium-sized sedan, it may need chain links of a particular kind to tackle ice, mud, or snow.
On the other hand though, if the vehicle in question is a big heavy pickup truck that finds itself often on hilly unpaved terrain in winters.
And then a different blazon of snow chain with suitable links would be compatible as compared to the tire chains for a medium-sized sedan.
Choosing Compatible Tire Chains
While it is of import to choose the right size tire chain, i should also ensure the kind of activeness the tire chain is used for.
Tire chains come for many applications and a variety of vehicles, hence one must cull the right tire concatenation.
To go a lilliputian deeper, tire chains can differ from vehicle to vehicle despite the size remaining the same. An off-roader would need a different type of tire chain when compared to a small hatchback that performs city duties.
On the other hand, the purpose of the task and terrain the tire chains are going to be used for also make a huge difference.
There are specific tire bondage for deep snowfall driving, for driving on icy roads, chains for mud utilize, chains for light snow driving, etc.
We suggest one determines the tire size of their vehicle, the application for vehicle utilize, and the kind of terrain the vehicle would be used on. These details would assist in choosing the right tire chains.
Practice tire chains have to be of an exact size?
Yeah, we suggest the tire chains be of the same size as the tires then that they fit perfectly.
A loose tire chain may hands come off and be ineffective. On the other mitt, a tight tire chain could easily break or snap off under stress.
Tire chains of the verbal size prove to be more reliable over fourth dimension. Since they are used in extreme conditions, incorrect sized tire bondage could lead to 1 being stranded in extreme conditions, sometimes fifty-fifty in remote areas.
Installing Tire Chains

Pace ane: Lay Out Tire Chains, Tines Facing Up
Lay the bondage entirely next to the wheels that receive engine ability/ bulldoze. Ensure that the parking brake is engaged.
The Tines on the chain must confront up. You may then curtain the chains on the wheels with caution and precision until 3/4th of the tire is covered.
Tuck the ends of the concatenation under the tire.
Footstep ii: Connect & Join Both Ends
Drive frontwards by most two anxiety to bring the tucked part of the chain on meridian. Ensure the links are in place. Connect and join both ends of the concatenation using the anchor organization.
Step 3: Expect Chains for Broken Links or Tangles
Inspect to ensure that the chain is evenly installed and is tightened from all sides. Fifty-fifty alignment along the sidewall and a snug fit is key to installing the bondage properly. Make necessary adjustments after inspection.
Pace 4: Tighten for Snug Fit
Drive for about 100- 150 feet and so terminate once more to inspect the chains. This should requite yous an idea of how tight the chains are. If constitute loose, they need to exist tightened.
Once the corrections are done, the vehicle can be driven with the chains under specified speed limits.
Front-wheel or rear wheel?
Ideally, the wheels that get the drive from the engine need to be chained since they would require the most amount of traction. If the vehicle is an all-wheel-drive vehicle, all four wheels can be chained.
Final Thoughts
While choosing the correct chain in terms of size and role isn't rocket science, one needs to be conscientious in making the correct purchase decision to exist worry-free in difficult situations, and for that, it is important to have the correct size tire bondage.
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Source: https://www.tireforge.com/how-to-measure-tire-chains/
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