How to Put Snow Chains on a Semi Truck

Snow plows clear deep snow, but can't clear the road entirely.

Snow chains are required on semi trucks during the winter months. The laws vary from region to region depending on the terrain and amount of annual snowfall. The state of Colorado in the western United States, for instance, requires trucks to carry snow chains between certain highway mile-markers from September 1 to May 31. If you are caught on this stretch of road during these dates without chains, you may be fined. Safety is the main reason for snow chains, which provide extra traction in the snow and on ice.

Things You'll Need

• Waterproof gloves
• Warm snow clothes equipped with light reflective fabric
• 6 single-tire snow chains of appropriate tire size, equipped with cams
• Cam tightening L-shaped or T-shaped tool
• Rubber bungees

Instructions

1. Find a designated chain-up area for semi trucks. Engage the brakes on the tractor and the trailer. Put on snow clothes and gloves.

2. Pull the snow tire chains out of their storage box. Drag and drop a chain near the passenger side steer tire, each of the four outside drive axle tires, and one of the four outside trailer tires.

3. Hang each chain over each tire to be chained with the tightening cams facing outward. Position the chain so that it is centered from side to side and front to rear on the tire. Tuck the first cross chain on the forward facing side of each tire into the space between the tire and the road.

4. Disengage the brakes of the tractor and the trailer. Drive the vehicle forward until the wheels have driven over the chains enough for the chains to come out the other side of the tire. Don't drive too far or the chains on top of the tire will fall off.

5. Unbuckle all cams. Hook the inside hooks together first and then the outside ones. Get as much slack out of the chain as possible by trying to get the hooks into the tightest links.

6. Insert the L or T-shaped cam tightening tool into each cam and swivel the tool until the cam tightens down. Inspect each tire chain until all cams have been tightened.

7. Drive the vehicle forward 100 yards and then get out and undo all cams. Take slack out of overall chain by re-hooking the main tire chain hooks on the inside and outside of the tire. Re-tighten each of the cams until the tread crossing chains are indenting the rubber tread of the tire.

8. Attach the rubber bungee hooks to all loose chain links. Fasten the bungee hooks back to the chain circling the outer side-wall of the tire. Loose links can lead to vehicle damage. Drive several miles and then get out and check the chains again for loosening. Tighten as necessary.

Tips & Warnings

• Remove chains when dry patches of payment are larger than the patches of snow.

• Driving with tire chains on pavement will heat the metal and lead to snow chain failure.

References

• Coops Are Open: Chain Law; Coops Administration; September, 2007
• State of California Department of Transportaion: Chain Requirements; CADOT; November, 1999