Chains hanging from axles

jrs1899

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2006
Location
Belmont
Random question, anyone know the purpose for chains hanging from the center section of axles on ambulances, armored trucks, etc. I saw an ambulance today and wondered what the purpose for them was. Any info would be great.
 
Im sure they are snow chains and just hang under for storage
 
Grounding link

some vehicles more than others develop a static charge while in motion, keeps the occupants from getting a "charge" when they dismount from the vehicle. (errant sparks on an ambulance can be a VERY bad thing if they have been flowing O2 heavily on a code run)

You don't see it, but MOST forklifts have this as well, usually a strap mounted on the bottom of the machine dragging the ground.

some tires have more carbon black in them, better disipating static build up. others not so much and develop quite a charge.
The worst (for me) is a lift truck on and epoxy floor wearing non-marking (white) tires, no static strap it'll damn near knock you on yer ass.
 
i've seen it on alot of forklifts in different factorys i visit and wondered what it was for. i'm enlightened!
 
rockmafia said:
The chains you see hanging are now chains. The lower, spin, and go under the tire for more traction. That way the are ready when needed, and they don't have to fool with puting them on, and taking them off.
http://www.insta-chain.com/
Click to expand...

Damn, you know, I forgot all about those damn things, thats probably what he's seeing.

But there are grounding chains/straps on a lot of these vehciles as well.
 
We have those on our fork trucks here at Borg Warner. Actually, some have a sort of metal strap that hangs underneath. Others have a chain that hangs off the back.
 
Ya those chains that spin under the tire when needed... Kinda like the old automatic wheel sanders they put on busses.. Pretty cool
 
I can understand the static electricity reason i ran a forklift all weekend ina convention center and noticed the bulid up of static electricty, but i would not have thought an ambulance would create the same amount of static electricty.
 
also the chains dont seem like they are close enough to the tires to do any good in low traction circumstances. Also this question did not come about in the blizzard conditions that have come about in the past day.:flipoff2:
 
I work at 3 different fire departments and one of the departments I work for has these. The concept is great, as long as you're in flat country. You flip and toggle switch on the dash and they drop down and start spinning. Here in the mountains of North Carolina they're about useless because as soon as you stop moving the chains stop spinning and there's a very small chance you'll stop with a chain under the tire. When you stop with no chains between the tire and the ground, you start to slide downhill. They're a lot easier to use, but they're useless here.
 
Yea, it's a self chaining unit. they use them on shcool busses too. I would think that if you just started spinning the rear tires on a hill after stopping, the chains would get thrown under the tire and help get you going.
 
Try this, once you get there and park it and it starts to slide, give it a little gas to throw the chains under the tires and stop it and leave it like that.
 
The insta-chain sounds cool and all the ideas about when you are stopped sounds cool also. I was talking to a cop friend last week about snow chains in North Carolina and they are illegal to have on your vehicle. The reason is because the roads are to soft to support the chains. Here is the law regarding the use of snow chains, and snow tires.


§ 20-122. Restrictions as to tire equipment (b) No tire on a vehicle moved on a highway shall have on its periphery any block, stud, flange, cleat or spike or any other protuberance of any material other than rubber which projects beyond the tread of the traction surface of the tire, except that it shall be permissible to use farm machinery with tires having protuberances that will not injure the highway and except also, that it shall be permissible to use tire chains of reasonable proportions or snow tires with metal studs designed to increase traction on ice or snow upon any vehicle when required for safety because of snow, ice or other conditions tending to cause a vehicle to slide or skid. It shall be permissible to use upon any vehicle for increased safety, regular and snow tires with studs which project beyond the tread of the traction surface of the tire not more than one sixteenth of an inch when compressed.
 
When peoples lives are on the line we don't have time to try to sit the tire on a chain. No tryin to be a smarta$$ about it but it's just not practical for us.
 
AQHACowboy said:
The insta-chain sounds cool and all the ideas about when you are stopped sounds cool also. I was talking to a cop friend last week about snow chains in North Carolina and they are illegal to have on your vehicle. The reason is because the roads are to soft to support the chains. Here is the law regarding the use of snow chains, and snow tires.
§ 20-122. Restrictions as to tire equipment (b) No tire on a vehicle moved on a highway shall have on its periphery any block, stud, flange, cleat or spike or any other protuberance of any material other than rubber which projects beyond the tread of the traction surface of the tire, except that it shall be permissible to use farm machinery with tires having protuberances that will not injure the highway and except also, that it shall be permissible to use tire chains of reasonable proportions or snow tires with metal studs designed to increase traction on ice or snow upon any vehicle when required for safety because of snow, ice or other conditions tending to cause a vehicle to slide or skid. It shall be permissible to use upon any vehicle for increased safety, regular and snow tires with studs which project beyond the tread of the traction surface of the tire not more than one sixteenth of an inch when compressed.
Click to expand...

I've seen tires chains on our local mail carrier and also Greensboro PD Crown Vics on I40. Not saying its legal :bounce:
 
AQHACowboy said:
I was talking to a cop friend last week about snow chains in North Carolina and they are illegal to have on your vehicle. The reason is because the roads are to soft to support the chains. Here is the law regarding the use of snow chains, and snow tires.
§ 20-122. Restrictions as to tire equipment (b) No tire on a vehicle moved on a highway shall have on its periphery any block, stud, flange, cleat or spike or any other protuberance of any material other than rubber which projects beyond the tread of the traction surface of the tire, except that it shall be permissible to use farm machinery with tires having protuberances that will not injure the highway and except also, that it shall be permissible to use tire chains of reasonable proportions or snow tires with metal studs designed to increase traction on ice or snow upon any vehicle when required for safety because of snow, ice or other conditions tending to cause a vehicle to slide or skid. It shall be permissible to use upon any vehicle for increased safety, regular and snow tires with studs which project beyond the tread of the traction surface of the tire not more than one sixteenth of an inch when compressed.
Click to expand...

Look at the part I bolded. Looks to me like it says chains ARE legal when they are needed. My interpretation (and what I have always been told) is you can get in trouble for running chains on a clean road, but if you're driving in snow/ice, it's fine.
 
AQHACowboy said:
I was talking to a cop friend last week about snow chains in North Carolina and they are illegal to have on your vehicle.
Click to expand...

Which is why cop cars and ambulances and DOT trucks run them, huh?
 
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