- 2,102
- 30
- 38
- Location
- Delta Junction, Alaska
The hook, about 42" long, made from 3/8 round stock, is standard equipment ( also a scoop shovel), on my vehicles. Its used to reach out for something, like pulling the inside chain rail between the tires, to get it hooked. Chaining up, should be practiced some. The best advise is "when in doubt, stop at the bottom and chain there". Spinning out is not the issue, its sliding off backwards. Your side rails need to be just long enough, to get them hooked, but not too long. I would carefully place them over the top of the tire, slightly off center, to allow me to pull the center rail between the duals & get it hooked. Hook is the key word. You don't want a cam latch there, but a hook, also on the inside rail. Then when you latch the outside, you take up the necessary slack. We don't run tighteners - they are not necessary, and take up too much time. When going to the Beach (Prudhoe Bay, 518 miles), we had real hills - 11 & 12%. Federal Highway Standards are max of 6%, and that is rare. All the Hills had names , like Finger Mtn., Ice Cut, Roller Coaster, Beaver Slide, and so on. With chaining conditions, you would chain for each hill, then take them off to run the flats, so you got good at it.