Snow Chains

FAQs, Tips and How To’s

Always use the correct size chains for your vehicle.
You should not be driving on the coloured sidechain or hoop.
Know your tyre size
How do I find my tyre size? Look for XXX / XX / XX. Some examples of this are: 195 / 70 /15 or 225 / 55 / 16 or 265 / 60 / 17 or 305 / 40 / 20
Check your chains at the start of each Winter
Are there any signs of wear & tear or damage? Have you changed your tyres/vehicle? Do your chains fit?
Do you know how to fit your chains correctly?
Practice at home before you hit the snow!
Untangle and unhook your chains before attempting to fit them.
Chains have a secret life when you’re not watching and like to get jumbled up! If they tangle as you’re fitting them, remove them, untangle them and start again.
Ensure your chains are suitable for your vehicle.
There’s occasionally limited space behind your tyre for a chain to fit safely.
Check your vehicle’s handbook – does it recommend that you fit them to the front or rear wheels?
Ideally, on a 4WD, they are fitted to the front but for some vehicles this is not possible. In this case, they will need to be fitted to the rear.
On 2WD vehicles, you fit to the ‘drive’ wheels (usually the front). However, on some vehicles this is on the rear wheels.
Most vehicles, driving on plowed roads, will only need one pair of chains.
Stop and fit (or remove) your chains in a safe place.
The middle of the road is not safe and impedes the flow of traffic.
Chain bags, boxes and the instructions are prone to blowing off the roadside in windy conditions!
Secure all of the snow chain packaging while fitting or removing.
Most chains need to be re-tightened after they are first put on
Drive forward a few wheel rotations, stop and re-tighten.
Banging noises are not normal
If you hear any banging from your chains or have concerns they have slipped, find a safe place to stop and check.
Know how to engage 4WD!
Don’t assume that your 4WD is always a 4WD, some vehicles need the driver to engage 4WD before setting off.
Keep your speed down!
Maintaining a slow speed significantly reduces the risk of damage to both your vehicle and the chains.
Snow chains are like insurance...
We hate paying for them at the time (just in case), but when you need to use them, you’ll be grateful you’ve got them.
You may not need chains to get to your destination, but you may need them to get home.
Keep your chains in the car, particularly in Winter.
How to remove your chains
Once the road is clear of snow, find a safe place (usually the next chain bay) and stop with the top fastener back at the top of the tyre. This will make undoing the inside top fastener easier! You will need to drive off your chains – just don’t forget to pick them up!!
Looking after your chains
Hose off any mud, hang them up to dry and remember to put them back in your vehicle.
Be Prepared
Having gloves and a headtorch might be useful for cold and dark missions.
Sorry, we do not offer a rental service.
Shotover Engineering sells snow chains.