Video Transcript for DIY 2019 Kia Sorento Installation for the Titan Chain Snow Tire Chains w Cams

Hi everyone, it's Evangeline here at etrailer. And today, we're taking a look at our Titan Chain Snow Tire Chains with the twist links, the V-Bar studs, and the cam tighteners, right here on our 2019 Kia Sorento. So, there are three main features to these tire chains. You've got your twist links, which are great for deep snow, but you also have your V-Bar studs, which are ideal for really hard ice. And then you have your cam tensioners, just to get a tire fit quicker. So, this is gonna be helpful for those situations.

They are a little tricky to install though, and I'll show you how to install them later. If this is gonna be the situation you think you're gonna get you yourself and the Kia Sorento in, let's take a look at them. So these are ladder-style chains, which are the traditional tire chain style. And what's gonna happen here, is that it's gonna be a little jarring when you drive around, especially with the V-Studs. You're gonna hear on the road.

So, some of your tire chains have a diamond pattern, which cover more of the tire. I think they're pretty much about the same in terms of performance. Just a heads up when you're driving around. We have twist links with V-Bar studs on top, and they're made of a low-carbon steel, which is great for durability and strength, especially when you hit ice and rocks. The downside to low-carbon steel, which is what these are made of though, is that compared to some other chains that have, let's see, manganese-nickel alloy, or titanium alloy, they're not as corrosion resistant as those other types.

So, what happens then is, if you're planning on using this for multiple seasons, please just double check the chains before you put them on that second year, to make sure they still look good. You can also see how the bag they come in make it easy to put it back in, but you're gonna need your own zip tie or rubber band. So, if you're not planning on using tire chains much, and you just need them in case of emergency, this is easy to toss in there. Your Kia Sorento has multiple tire size options, so double check yours and make sure it's the right one. We have size 235/65R17.

You can find that printed on your side wall, and you can use that number here at etrailer.com's fit guide to get the right fit for you. Now with this specific tire size, it's a little tricky for fitment. Some of them are a little too loose, some of them are a little too tight. I think this is on the tighter size, tighter side, but also a great fit, especially with the cam tensioners. So I've installed a bunch of different tire chains on the Kia Sorento, and they're different for different situations. So I personally think this is gonna be good for if you like the twist style, because it doesn't clump up as much for snow, but you still need that extra traction for the ice, and you want the easy tensioning style. Now, the downside to this is it's a ladder-style chain. You're gonna have to reach around you're tire to make those connections. If that's gonna be a major issue for you, check out our diamond-pattern options. The Titan Chain Diamond Alloy Snow tire chain might be a good option for you. You can get that tension, but it's easier to install. But, this is gonna be more affordable, and it also gets the job done. So pros and cons. Now, let's take a look at how I got this on this car. When you get your tire chains, I highly recommend just going ahead and laying them out on the floor. That way you can see if everything looks good, that all the links are nice and not tangled. But also, this gets you familiar with the tire chains. That way you know how to install them before you're stranded by the side of the road. So first, untangle your chains and make sure they're facing the right way. There are cams on one side, so you want that facing the front of your tire. And then, on the other side you'll see how we have these hooks, and then you have the flat part of the hook. So I have the flat part facing down, 'cause I want it sitting on the tire and the hook away from the tire. Once everything looks good, you're ready to install them. And there's different methods for installing ladder-style chains. I know a lot of people like to drive over them, but if you have limited space, or maybe you're stuck somewhere, you're just trying them out in the garage, this is the way you install them by just laying them over the tires first, and then making sure you have an equal amount of chain on each side. Like, this is a little long on the right side, so I'm just gonna shift them over until it's even. And this is the hardest part about ladder-style chains. It's connecting at the back, hook and link. So, we're gonna try to get it over there. I can only reach the last one, so that's just gonna have to do. We'll go to the front, make those other connections. So, we have a lot of room for adjustment here up front, and we're gonna make our front connection. So, see how we have this link. Well, this link is just gonna go over the lever, and then you're gonna rotate the lever to get that tension in. You can make adjustments there if needed, or you could just rely on the cam tensioners. But once you have, you then just secure that lever or that extra link. But, we have an included tool. This is our cam tightener, and this is gonna be used with the cam tensioners. So, see how this fits in. Then you use it to rotate those cams. You have multiple cams along the tire, so rotate as many as needed to get a nice secure fit. Those cam tighteners are great, because then you get a really good tension on your chains. But even so, I still use separate rubber tensioners. And that's because, no matter how tight you get your tire chains, once you start driving around and you hit rocks, or you hit ice, then you might have a little bit of movement. And the perks of a rubber tensioner, is that it moves with your chain and adjust as well. So, this helps to maintain tension all throughout, and keep things nice and secure. And just like that, you fully installed your tire chain. Do the exact same thing over on the passenger's side. Afterwards, I recommend rolling forward or backward a couple feet, and then just double checking that everything still looks good. And if it does, then that's it. You're done with the install and you're ready to hit the road. And that was a look at our Titan Chain Snow Tire Chains with the twist links, the V-Bars, and the cam tensioners, here on our 2019 Kia Sorento..