A Look at Automatic Tire Chains
With technology always advancing, it is no wonder that automatic
tire chains have made their way into the tire chain market.
These tire chains take away the pain of attaching tire chains in
wintry or wet conditions, and can save drivers a lot of time.
Automatic tire chains can be used on pickup trucks, RVs, mobile
homes, trucks, and buses, and they offer the traction of a
single set of conventional snow chains at the touch of the
button, which means an end to stopping and getting out of the
vehicle.
To install automatic tire chains, drivers mount an electric
switch to their dashboard, which provides 12 volts to an air
solenoid mounted on the vehicle's frame rail. Compressed air is
then supplied from either the vehicle's onboard air system or a
12-volt compressor kit. When the dashboard switch is activated,
the solenoid opens, thus allowing compressed air to enter the
air cylinder and lower the chain wheel so that it contacts the
inside of the tire. The friction between the tire and the
rubber-covered chain wheel then causes the chain wheel to
rotate, which creates enough centrifugal force to wave the
chains out in front of the tire. Chain is spaced at 60-degree
intervals in sixth lengths on the chain wheel. This guarantees
that there are always two chains between the tire and the road
service, regardless of whether the driver is accelerating or
decelerating. The traction is obtained both in forward and
reverse. When the dashboard switch is turned off, the solenoid
exhausts the air, and the chain wheels are brought back to their
resting position.
Automatic tire chains are a great new technology for anyone who
wants tire chains -- but does not want the inconvenience of
getting out of their car and installing the chains in adverse
weather conditions.