Why do tire chains work?

[Kubotarip]

I'm an idiot, and want to learn things. Can someone explain to me the science/engineering on how tire chains work? How do the provide traction in snow/ice? Thanks for any help!

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

they increase the adhesion/grip/dig into 2 surfaces that lack the same.

On onside of the chain it grips into the rubber of the tire. (Rubber to chain)
On the other side it grips (digs) into the ice or slippery surface. (chain to ice)

so rubber-to-chain-to-ice is greater adhesion / grip than rubber to ice with nothing in-between.

 

[bnold]

They decrease the contact area, therefore increasing the point load applied to the ice/snow surface. Increased point load encourages breaking the smooth surface condition creating a bite (increased static friction).

 

[Rockbadchild]

usually idiots don’t ask questions …

 

[Kubotarip]

So the chain is breaking the ice at every contact point, makes since. In my head it just seems like a smooth chain would be slick on ice. I'm from the deep south so I've never even seen a tire chain lol.

Thanks for the info guys!

 

[Vigo327]

It is generally called surface pressure or surface loading.

PSI for example is pounds per square inch. If you want to increase surface loading you’ve got to either add pounds or reduce square inches. The chains reduce square inches drastically. On a hard surface like pavement itms enough to damage the pavement. On ice it is effective because it can break the surface layer and sink in a bit.

On the other side of things, compact track loaders are generaly preferred now over skid steers with ‘regular tires’ because they spread the same number of lbs over a much larger surface area, reducing damage to the surface they drive over, and also being much less likely to ‘sink in’ (and get stuck).

Semi trucks generally dont hydroplane because they have a huge surface loading of their contact patch compared to regular cars. Sporty cars with low weight and wide tires hydroplane very easily because their surface loading is low. It all depends on what you are trying to accomplish.

 

[Kubotarip]

usually idiots don’t ask questions …

I'm working my way up to ignorance. I used to be a moron...

 

[CalG]

Consider our local school busses,
they have deployable rotary swinging chain elements that are trapped between the moving tire and the road surface.
Enhanced mechanical engagement!

Seems to work fine.

 

[ROUSTABOUT]

So the chain is breaking the ice at every contact point, makes since. In my head it just seems like a smooth chain would be slick on ice. I'm from the deep south so I've never even seen a tire chain lol.

Thanks for the info guys!

I'm from Louisiana and live 20 miles north of the border region. Saw my first tire chains in 1972. I have those four chains here now. Our logging equipment has chains but we don't use them. More for mud than ice. But, it snows here often enough. Last time was 18" and it shut this place down. Snow chains were very useful for over a week. When everyone else can't go, I can go. I had 3,000 head of cattle I had to feed every day for two weeks. In four different pastures. One was a 30 mile trip one way, every day.

 

[4570Man]

So the chain is breaking the ice at every contact point, makes since. In my head it just seems like a smooth chain would be slick on ice. I'm from the deep south so I've never even seen a tire chain lol.

Thanks for the info guys!

A smooth chain probably would slid on ice but chains made for ice have spikes on them.

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

A smooth chain probably would slid on ice but chains made for ice have spikes on them.

The smooth chains wrk fine on ice. Above a certain pressure, ice melts back to water. The chains melt their own little pocket in the ice.

 

[Rockbadchild]

A smooth chain probably would slid on ice but chains made for ice have spikes on them.

Smooth chain provide more tractions then just rubber ... most people simply have smooth chain

 

[Rockbadchild]

Chains decrease the contact area so it increase the pressure by square inch like bnold point out, it create irregularities on the tires to dig in and provide more grip. around here haul truck don't used them in bush road since our terrain is flat but in more accidented terrain it is often mandatory to use them and they do wonder.

 

[tacticalturnip]

This was definitely not a stupid question.

 

[Vigo327]

This was definitely not a stupid question.

I like to think about it like this..

When i clicked the forum main page right now it said this:

193 members and 3,559 guests online.

We tend to think about whether our forum contributions are worthwhile in terms of the other members of the forum, the 'regulars'. It's very easy to forget that for every 'cool kid' here who already knows damn near everything there are MANY TIMES that number of people who are way earlier in their tractor-knowledge journey who are passing by and could find a lot of use from the things we say even if it sometimes seems like 'preaching to the choir'. So if you're posting something and you think 170 out of those 190 members already know it, that's one thing but what about the other THREE THOUSAND people who aren't yet members, who don't already know everything, and who may or may not ever become members or take more steps on this particular path, based on how much or how easily they learn during their visit today?

Sure, maybe some of the same information gets posted over and over again, but i guarantee you every time it gets posted new eyes see it, and some of them are going to be the ones passing it on to the next set of newbies, a little bit down the road. I think it's very rare for any explanation of how anything works, to be useless. Not too many people will write out good explanations for things just for posterity. Generally, someone has got to ask first. It's an important role.

 

[BlueKnife]

I'm an idiot, and want to learn things. Can someone explain to me the science/engineering on how tire chains work? How do the provide traction in snow/ice? Thanks for any help!

The chains cut into the ice and snow or mud. If you want an illustration, take a tire, tie a rope to it and drag it across the yard. Then take a chain and wrap it through the center and around the outside all the way around the whole tire. Now drag that across the yard. Take note of which way is harder to drag i.e, has more traction.

A smooth chain probably would slid on ice but chains made for ice have spikes on them.

Most chains that are made for ice and used on tractors do not have "spikes" on them. There are studded and what are called V bar chains available, as well as chains with square profile links, but smooth are the most common.

 

[LouNY]

Smooth chain provide more tractions then just rubber ... most people simply have smooth chain

Most chains that are made for ice and used on tractors do not have "spikes" on them. There are studded and what are called V bar chains available, as well as chains with square profile links, but smooth are the most common.

Not in my experience.
Most chains are the V bar reinforced, a few people run the smooth twisted link "highway" chain but most run a more aggressive chain. Such as the V bar, or square twisted link, the best chains are the studded chains.
In my early chain days we had the old double ring style, very good in deep snow or mud; almost useless on ice or hard packed snow.
The non reinforced twist link chains work a bit better on ice or hard packed snow then the double ring but are not as good in mud or deep snow.
The V bar reinforced work many times better then the twisted smooth on ice or snow pack and about the same in deep snow and mud.
The studded "Euro" pattern chains work much much better then the V bar reinforced on every surface.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Not in my experience.
Most chains are the V bar reinforced, a few people run the smooth twisted link "highway" chain but most run a more aggressive chain. Such as the V bar, or square twisted link, the best chains are the studded chains.
In my early chain days we had the old double ring style, very good in deep snow or mud; almost useless on ice or hard packed snow.
The non reinforced twist link chains work a bit better on ice or hard packed snow then the double ring but are not as good in mud or deep snow.
The V bar reinforced work many times better then the twisted smooth on ice or snow pack and about the same in deep snow and mud.
The studded "Euro" pattern chains work much much better then the V bar reinforced on every surface.

sorry got the smooth chains and the twisted link mixt up most people around here use the twisted link ... that's pretty much all I see ...

 

[BlueKnife]

Not in my experience.
Most chains are the V bar reinforced, a few people run the smooth twisted link "highway" chain but most run a more aggressive chain. Such as the V bar, or square twisted link, the best chains are the studded chains.
In my early chain days we had the old double ring style, very good in deep snow or mud; almost useless on ice or hard packed snow.
The non reinforced twist link chains work a bit better on ice or hard packed snow then the double ring but are not as good in mud or deep snow.
The V bar reinforced work many times better then the twisted smooth on ice or snow pack and about the same in deep snow and mud.
The studded "Euro" pattern chains work much much better then the V bar reinforced on every surface.

I imagine it varies regionally. My point was, smooth chains do work (not as well as studded or v bar) and tire chains are not "spiked", as the one poster (from Tennessee ) thought. I carry one set of heavy duty studded chains (made out of 9/32 chain. They're the size that are normally used on log trucks around here) and one set of square link in my pickup in winter. If I'm going to be using them on snow covered pavement or hard packed gravel, I use the square link. In deep snow or climbing snow covered dirt roads on grades towing a trailer or in the mud I use the studded chains.

 

[TractorTYMe]

I have smooth chain on rear due to fender clearance and grousers on front.