When & How To Use Chains

Tire Chains: A Quick Guide for Cars and Commercial Trucks

Tire chains should always be installed on the drive wheels of your vehicle.  
First, know your drivetrain:

• Front-wheel drive → chains on the front axle  
• Rear-wheel drive → chains on the rear axle  
• All-wheel/4-wheel drive → follow the vehicle owner’s manual. Most manufacturers recommend chaining only the primary drive axle (usually the rear), but some require or allow all axles. When in doubt, check the manual or the door-jamb placard.
• Special note for rear-wheel-drive vehicles: Even with chains, RWD cars and pickups are notoriously tail-happy on ice. Chains help, but they won’t turn a Mustang into a snowcat — drive like the back end still wants to pass the front.

Once installed, never exceed the speed rating in your chain instructions (typically 30 mph / 50 km/h if no rating is given). Chains give extra bite, but they do not make you bulletproof. Braking distances are still long, and other drivers may not have chains at all — stay defensive.

• Lay the chains out flat and untangled before you start.  
• Drape them over the tire and connect at the back first, then the front.  
• Pull forward 10–15 feet and re-tighten every connection. Chains will settle and loosen after the first few rotations — this re-tighten step is the #1 thing people skip and the #1 reason chains break or slap fenders.  
• Use rubber chain tensioners or built-in auto-tensioners if your chains came with them.
• Never spin tires with chains on and never drive on bare/dry pavement longer than absolutely necessary. Dry-road driving with chains ruins the chains quickly and dramatically worsens steering and braking.

Commercial Trucks, Buses, and Semis (Class 3–8)

Chain laws and best practices are much stricter for heavy vehicles, and fines are expensive.

Which axles get chains? 
  Most states and provinces follow the “drive axle + one axle per tandem” rule during chain-control periods. Typical setups:  

• Single-drive-axle tractor (6×4) → chains on both drive-axle tires (4 chains total)
• Tandem-drive tractor → chains on both axles of the tandem (8 chains) or, in some western states, chains on at least one tire per side on each drive axle plus the trailer steer axle if required  
• Straight trucks or buses → chains on all drive tires  

  Always check current state DOT or provincial chain laws (e.g., Caltrans, Colorado DOT, WSDOT, British Columbia) because “R-2” and “R-3” conditions have different requirements.

Cable chains vs. V-bar/link chains 
  Most fleets prefer low-profile cable chains for speed of installation and reduced interior fender damage. Aggressive V-bar or square-link chains give the absolute best traction in deep snow or ice but chew up pavement and are illegal on bare roads in many jurisdictions.

Speed & handling 
  Commercial vehicles with chains are normally limited to 25–30 mph. ABS and stability-control systems can act strangely with chains — expect occasional false interventions. Leave even more following distance than usual.

Automatic chains (OnSpot-type systems)
  Many modern fleets use air-actuated automatic chain systems. They’re expensive upfront but drop chains under the drive tires with a dashboard switch in seconds and retract when no longer needed. Great for routes that go in and out of chain control multiple times a day.

Carry extras
  DOT officers can and will put you out of service if you’re missing even one required chain. Most pros carry at least two spare chains plus bungees or spring tensioners.

Bottom line: Chains are a tool, not a superpower. Whether you’re in a sedan or a fully loaded 80,000-lb semi, slow down, keep them tight, stay off dry pavement, and give everyone else twice the room you think they need. Safe winter driving!