Speaking of tire chain

[Gregor 4,846]

When you install chains, do you want them tight, or a little loose?

 

Thanks  Greg

[wallfish 16,988]

I like'm tight. Installed tight with no air it the tires then air them up for a nice tight fit without the need for any tension springs, bungee cords or anything else. Yes it's a little bit of a pain to get them on that tight but they don't move rattle or roll

[ebinmaine 67,330]

I put mine on tight as a drum. I want ZERO movement of my tire chains.

 

I'll be curious to see if there's any counter opinions to that, and why.

[ri702bill 8,296]

I agree that you want them tight. I have dedicated filled winter tires that the chains stay on all year. I do exactly as John said when installing new chains and then add the air. Even then, it seems that the first time you use freshly mounted chains, there can be a little slack after the cross links find their happy spots in the tread. That is why you need the spring or O-ring tensioner device too. If the slack is not all taken up with the tensioner, it's time to revisit the installation process and shorten up the side chain(s). Also - be sure to install the chains with the cross link connectors hooks facing the right way - flat side to the tire....

Edited October 18, 2022 by ri702bill

[Racinbob 11,045]

Tight for me too with tires deflated during the install. Never needed or used tension springs. 

[Pullstart 62,812]

Tight enough to not fall off works for me!  Most of mine, I lay ‘em out, roll the tractor over them, and wrestle ‘em up over the tire.  Run for a while, tighten another link or two and call it good.  One time ever has a chain come off, or better yet run crooked.  
 

My theory on loose vs tight is that I can easily toss a chain under my truck tires and the instant the chain becomes stuck between the earth and the tire, forward progress happens.  Like a Wheel Horse drive belt, the chain isn’t being pushed into that gap, it’s being pulled from the back of the tire.

 

I do agree, a tight tire chain all evenly spaced out does look nice though!

[WHX?? 48,801]

Tight... I jack one side up and lay it over the top on a deflated tire then connect at the bottoms. Makes it easy to roll through tire to get it to lay just right. 

These nifty keepers @dclarke had on but those rubber tie downs work too. 

[JoeM 7,871]

A little loose on AG's so they find their place in the tread. 

Snug on turfs if I run a mower deck. 

I know on cars the wheel speed and low fender clearance needs them tight.

 

I think weight makes a big difference. 

 

Since I went to ATV rear tires, I have not used chains. Plowed up the steep snow cover drive with no issues. It is a good proving ground, pretty steep. 

[Pullstart 62,812]

3 minutes ago, JoeM said:

pretty steep.

Understatement of the year Joe!

[Jeff-C175 7,199]

Tight as I can gettem.

 

[Snoopy11 5,714]

7 hours ago, Gregor said:

do you want them tight, or a little loose?

 

1 hour ago, Jeff-C175 said:

Tight as I can gettem.

 

 

I made my own custom springs to keep mine tensioned. I may make more tensioning springs to go on the back side, once I get spacers on the machine and have more room to work with...

 

I really think... with a gravel driveway, having the chaines loose would certainly destroy chains (just my thought though)...

 

Don

[Pullstart 62,812]

On 10/18/2022 at 7:24 AM, Pullstart said:

Tight enough to not fall off works for me!

well after a few years of use, they weren’t tight enough!