Chaining up a Big Rig

Truck drivers may be required to chain up many times over their career. This short tutorial is meant to help new drivers as well as offer a refresher to experienced drivers.

Before winter hits, inspect your chains and make sure they are in working order. Replace broken or damaged chains. Also, inspect the chains after each use. Inspecting them while you put them away saves time.

Don’t wait until it’s too late to chain up. If the road is snow covered or icy, find a safe area to chain up. Preferably, a marked chain up area. When in doubt, chain up. Here is a basic overview:

• Lay chains (single or double) out on the ground on the side of the tires and stretch them out. Make sure the chain hooks are facing up to ensure they face out when being placed on the tire.
• Then drape them over the tires on both sides of the truck. Once the chains are lined up on the tires, pull forward enough to get the chains under the tires and have about 12″ of chain length.
• Then hook the chains together. Make sure you have the same number of links on the inside of the tire as you do on the outside of the tire and tighten the cams.
• The chains need to be as tight as possible. Use a tire chain tensioner or bungies to tighten further.
• Chain up the primary drive axle on the tractor. The “Primary” drive axle is always the rear axle of a 3 axle tractor.
• For the trailer tires, chain up the forward axle.
• Once on wet or dry pavement, remove the chains. Driving on wet or dry pavement with chains will break them.
• Drive at slow speeds. Do not exceed 30 MPH. Driving too fast with chains will either throw a chain or break them. This will damage your equipment and potentially harm others.
• Each state has different requirements on chain use and location. Double check your respective state so you know how many chains to use and which axles/tires to put them on.