tire chain questions

[MinnesotaEric]

I agree it will make the machine have to push harder, and you should normally use all the angle you can. But more angle does create more side stress. Without seeing the exact situation it is hard to say if that was good advice or not. But it wouldn't hurt to try, particularly if the snow isn't too deep. I would think though, with the tires at maximum pressure it should be hard to push the tire off the bead no matter what you do. Another thing for the op to keep in mind is that the pressure will drop with temperature.

If we're concerned about tires popping off of rims, the side loading of the tire is inconsequential to the loads put on the bead from driving forward—especially so we think it through. The tire is deflected sideways, breaking traction, but while breaking traction, the tire is spinning, thereby also deflecting the lateral load that would try to pop the bead sideways (what you're thinking to lesson through less angle on the plow) to the radial load which is already lessened because the tire has already broken traction and is spinning.