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.

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4x4 Truck Tires - For The Big Boys

What do you want to see? A blur of forest and land slide by as you spin in all directions with mud surrounding your truck as if you’ve become engulfed in a tornado that’s comprised strictly of earth and water, is certainly a compelling option. And, that’s right, it can be an option. But, there’s something else that perhaps, unfortunately, cannot be ignored. Sometimes you need to get to work. And unless your office is conveniently located well off the highway, by way of some little known and covered path, well then you may need to consider the handling and driving of your vehicle under multiple conditions.

Its not always glamorous, but the fact is your 4x4 tires are probably going to ride upon reasonably dry, smooth surfaces. But, that’s not to say that you can’t be ready for anything. More practical purposes for having a 4x4, and the 4x4 tires that go with it, are things such as slippery conditions due to snow or mud depending on where you live and drive. But this is why you can have it all with All Terrain tires, as used with your 4x4.

You can cut down on the discomforts of riding on mud or off road tires, such as noisy street driving that may seem as bumpy as if you are actually off road and also undesirable aspects, such as potentially greatly reduced fuel efficiency. But, yet, be ready for when you know (or more importantly when you don’t know) you are going to want good traction and grip from your 4x4 tires. The name says it all, you’re going to be able to tackle all terrains and yet not wish you had something different on your 4x4.

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