How do I put diamond pattern chains on?
Rocky Valley staff will show you how to put the chains on your car. The information that follows is just to give you a general idea of what is involved.
It
is very important that you put the chains on the correct tyres: front
for front-wheel drive, back for rear-wheel drive. If you have a 4WD or
all-wheel drive car, check your owner's manual for the manufacturer's
recommendation. It may be front, rear or all depending on the design
of your specific vehicle.
The steps involved in putting on diamond chains are
- Park where it is safe. It is a good idea to put a groundsheet or other protection on the ground to keep you clean and dry.
- Remove
chains from bag. Unhook the fexible hoop and make spread the chains out
on the road. Ensure all connections are undone and there are no twists
or tangles in the chains; this step is important for ease of fitting.
- Pass
the yellow end of the flexible cable around the back of the tyre, from
right to left. Try to prevent the chains getting caught between the
tyre and the road.
- Pick up the ends of the flexible cable and
join them together on top of the tyre. Try to keep the chain links on
your side of the cable so they do not drop behind the back of the wheel.
- Connect the side chain and the red hook together on the front top of the wheel.
- Make sure to push the flexible cable right over the back of the tyre wall and off the tyre tread.
- Connect
the tension chain with rubber hook to the auto locking lever at the
bottom of the wheel and tighten firmly. Check the flexible cable is
running evenly around the inside wall of the tyre and is clear of any
suspension components.
- Using both hands rasp the spring
assemblies and wiggle them backwards and forwards to bed the chains
arond the tyre, re-tighten and take up the extra slack with the auto
locking lever. (If there is not enough tension chain left for
re-tightening, go back to step 5 and connect the 2nd or 3rd link of the
side chain onto the red hook at the front op of the wheel.)
- Check
the side chain is running evenly arond the sidewall of the tyre of the
tyre, this ensures the flexible cable on the inside of the tyre is
doinf the same. Pass the rubber hook through one or both side chain
loops and then secure firmly to the side chain opposite.
- Once
these steps have been completed and the chains are evenly and firmly
fitted to each of the drive wheels, drive forward slowly for 20 metres
to bed the chains in, then retighten firmly using the auto locking
lever and rubber hook.
To take off diamond chains
- Stop
the car so that each wheel is in the same position as when the chains
were fitted, with the autolock lever at the bottom of the wheel, then
reverse the steps for putting chains on
- When you have
disconnected the chain off the tyre make sure it is laying flat on the
road, then drive forward to clear the chains.
- Pack the chains away in their bag.
But Rocky Valley staff will demonstrate and explain when you hire chains.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 05 June 2008 )
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