Index
- Introduction
- Products
- Content
- Initial information and preparation
- Mounting
- Dismounting
- Maintenance
- Troubleshooting
- Common errors
1.Introduction
Chains in the Manual category are König chains with classic assembly and manual tensioning. The König models included in this category are K-Slim, CB-7, CD-9, CB-12, XD-16, XD-16 Pro and XB-16.
The purpose of this article is to provide you with more information and assistance regarding the use of König chains in this category.
2. Products
|
|
||||||
König K-Slim |
König CB-7 |
König CD-9 |
König CB-12 |
König XB-16 |
König XD-16 |
König XD-16Pro |
The products covered in this report are König K-Slim, König CB-7, König CD-9, König CB-12, König XB-16, König XD-16, and König XD-16 Pro.
3. Content
- 1 pair of chains
- 1 nylon bag including
- 1 set of rim protection buttons*
- 1 set of repair links
- 1 set of disposable gloves
- 1 plastic mat
* valid for all products except CB-12 and XB-16 which do not have the Wheel Shield kit.
4. Initial information and preparation
We recommend that you familiarise yourself with the product by taking it out of the packaging before actually using it.
The Wheel-Shield System*
Chains in the Automatic category are supplied with the Wheel Shield level 2 alloy wheel protection system. All elements that pass through the rim are coated with a special plastic protection. Inside the chain kit you will find the bag with the additional rim protection kit.
If, when fitting your König chain in the Automatic category, you find that the grey coloured side chain is in the vicinity of the alloy rim, we recommend fitting rim protection buttons.
Each button consists of a male and a female, which are paired by pressing with the fingers until they click. We encourage you to install a rim protection button on each side hook. Once installed, the button will cover the metal surface of the hook, which will be coated and spaced from the rim profile.
When you have completed the operation, we invite you to carry out a fitting test.
* valid for all products except CB-12 and XB-16 which do not have the Wheel Shield kit.
5. Mounting
First, disconnect the internal flexible cable and stretch it out, making sure that the chain has no knots. If you find knots, untie them so that the chain is presented in an orderly fashion.
Make sure you hold the cable with the yellow end in your right hand and lay the chain on the ground near the wheel.
To make the operation easier, we recommend that you position the chain so that the cable is closest to the wheel and the chain is more towards the centre of the car. This will minimise the risk of parts of the chain getting stuck under the tyre.
Push the cable through behind the wheel until the yellow end appears on the right-hand side of the wheel.
Take the two ends of the cable and lift them up, keeping them at a safe distance from the tyre, and when both are at 12:00 connect them together, inserting the end pin of one end into the slot of the opposite end.
König K-Slim and König CB-7 have a flat locking device: the two ends can be connected when presented at 90° to each other.
Place the cable on the tyre tread and prepare to hook the front end.
Take the red end hook and attach it to the first red end link.
Caution: Do not move the chain until the front part is hooked in. If the cable should inadvertently slip out of your hand, it could find its way behind the wheel and would also pull the rest of the chain, with the result that it would be positioned completely behind the wheel, where visibility is practically non-existent and it becomes difficult for an inexperienced user to unhook the cable.
With the front hook we have secured the chain to the top of the tyre and it will not be able to fall off at the back.
Now push the flexible cable behind the wheel with one hand while holding the side chain with the other hand and follow the cable's movement.
Check that the side chain ideally follows the profile of the rim.
Now it is time to connect the lower part of the chain.
With your right hand take the chain-locker and press the lever, with your left hand take the Micro-Adjust cable and pass it through the inside window of the chain-locker. Release the pressure from the chain-lock lever. The König CB-12 and König XB-16 are not equipped with a Micro-Adjust cable, and tensioning is done via the connection between the tension chain and the chain-lock.
With one hand take the elastic end and pass the Micro-Adjust device through the deflection hook(s).
Some models of chains have 1 deflection hook (CD-9 and CB-12), while the others all have 2 deflection hooks per chain.
Once the chain has passed through the deflection hook, you can apply tension to the elastic end and attach it to one of the links of the side chain.
We do not recommend over-tensioning the chain at this stage: the chain should not be too tight during the first few metres of driving, so that it is evenly distributed over the surface of the tyre.
Get into the car and drive a short distance at low speed. Stop to retighten the chains.
Unhook the elastic terminal (1), which you will find looser than you left it, and pull the Micro-Adjust cable from the deflection hook(s) (2).
Without opening the chain lock, pull the Micro-Adjust cable (3) firmly to ensure that the chain clicks evenly onto the tyre.
Now pass the Micro-Adjust device through the deflection hook(s) (4).
Once the chain has passed through the deflection hook(s), you can apply tension to the elastic end and hook it onto one of the side chain links (5).
You have finished. Now the two chains are mounted and tensioned and you are ready to go.
6.Dismounting
To remove your Manual chain once it has been installed on the wheel, we recommend that you stop the vehicle when the red front locking hook is at 12 o'clock.
It is also possible to remove the chain with the front hook in other positions, but the one shown above is the easiest to remove. The front hook is positioned close to the attachment of the inner cable. You can find out where the inner cable is located by looking at the front hook.
Unhook the elastic end from the side chain (1) and release the Micro-Adjust device from the deflection hook(s) (2).
Press the chain lock lever (3) with your right hand and release the Micro-Adjust cable from the chain lock.
Take the left and right ends and release them from under the wheel.
Now hold the side chain at 11 o'clock (left hand) and 1 o'clock (right hand) with your hands and move the chain towards you. When the flexible cable appears on the tyre tread you can stop.
Take the two ends of the cable and unhook it, it will fall to the ground.
König K-Slim and König CB-7 have a flat locking device: the two ends can be connected when presented at 90° to each other.
Now, with the chain on the ground, you can release the red front clasp from the red end link.
The chain is completely dismounted, so move the vehicle as much as necessary to free it.
In order to store the flexible cable chains in the case, we recommend that the cable is twisted twice (bending the cable twice) and then put the chains back into the case with the chain links on the inside in relation to the cable. This will prevent some chain links from blocking the opening or closing of the case.
7.Maintenance
Once the chains have been used, please wash them with lukewarm water before putting them back in the packaging. This will remove dirt and any debris or chemical agents left on the chain.
Washing the chain will also allow you to check the wear condition of the chain components and be sure that the chain will be ready for the next use.
Please allow them to dry completely, if necessary removing any residual water and moisture with a cloth.
Once dry, the chains can be placed back in the packaging, ready for the next use.
8.Troubleshooting
Tangled chain
please remove the chain from the wheel and free any knots or components that have become entangled.
The end rhomboid assemblies (near the cable closure) of most of our snow chains are fitted with givens, which allow the end portion of the assembly to turn in on itself to minimise knots.
If there are any knots, please focus on their position and free them before reinstalling the chain. Once installed, further check that there are no knots or chain links subject to abnormal twisting. If any knots are found, dismounted the chain and fix them before reassembling the chain.
Problems with chain / wheel compatibility: chain looks too big
Normally, users have concerns that the chain is too big for their wheel when they are hooking the two lower ends of the chain and the Micro-Adjust device, once tensioned, reaches the end of its stroke and prevents further tensioning.
Now let's see how we can better adapt the chain for your wheel.
Please release the Micro-Adjust device from the chain lock after pressing on the chain lever.
Now focus your attention on the upper front hook: The front hook will most likely be connected to the red end link, as suggested by the assembly procedure. The space you see between the red link and the last link before the side hook on the right is the space you have available to tighten the chain. So the more you tend to attach the hook to a link on the right (close to the side hook), the more space you will gain when adjusting the Micro-Adjust cable with the chain lock.
So the more you tend to hook the hook on a right-hand link (close to the side hook), the more adjustment space you will gain on the connection between the chainstay and the Micro-Adjust cable.
So, if your chain seems very wide, we recommend connecting the red front clasp with the first link on the right (the one before the clasp). In this way you will obtain the maximum possible adjustment of the lower part.
When you move the hook from the first red link to one of the following links, we recommend that you attach the unused links to the chain using the grey plastic mini-hook. In this way they will be in order and avoid banging on the rim when driving.
If, even after adjustment, your chain is still large and it is not possible to tension it further, it may be that your wheel is sized differently from the standard fit of the König snow chain.
In this case we invite you to get in touch with one of our Product Specialists who will assist you in determining the correct size for your wheel. You can write to us at Costumer Service
Problems with chain/wheel compatibility: chain looks too small
It is easy to determine when a flexible cable chain is too tight:
- If it is impossible or difficult to attach the various elements
- When fitted, the chain is too tight on the wheel: the side elements that should normally be on the tyre shoulder end up on the tread;
The first thing to do is to dismantle the chain and check that there are no knots and that the components are free to move.
Once this has been done, proceed with the installation again, making sure to connect the red central locking hook to the first red end link. This will ensure that you install the chain in its widest configuration.
If, even after adjustment, your chain is still small and it is not possible to fit it properly, it may be that your wheel is sized differently from the standard fit of the König snow chain.
In this case we invite you to get in touch with one of our Product Specialists who will assist you in determining the correct size for your wheel. You can write to us at Costumer Service
9.Common errors
In this session we point out the installation errors that we find most frequently from customers.
Mounted chain with knots
When the chain is mounted with knots or with some components that are tangled or interlocked, the chain will tend to be short. You will find it difficult to engage the various components.
In this case, please remove the chain from the wheel and free any knots or components that have become entangled.
The end rhomboid assemblies (near the cable closure) of most of our snow chains are fitted with givens that allow the end portion of the assembly to rotate on itself to minimise knots.
If there are any knots, please focus on their position and free them before reinstalling the chain. Once installed, further check that there are no knots or chain links subject to abnormal twisting. If any knots are found, dismounted the chain and fix them before reassembling the chain.
Chain close to the wheel during cable routing
Some users lay the chain on the ground with the cable towards the centre of the car and the rhomboid groups towards the wheel. This error complicates the operation of sliding the cable behind the wheel and forces the user to reach under the car to grab the other end of the cable.
When laying the chain on the ground, make sure that you position it so that the cable is closest to the wheel, to prevent some of the chain components from getting caught under the wheel. You can also use your hands to guide the cable's path and direct the end under the vehicle as far outward as possible to get it into the most convenient position for collection.
Cable positioned on the tread
Some users, after attaching the two ends of the cable and connecting the red front end hook with the red end link, do not properly push the cable behind the wheel. This causes the cable to remain on the tread with negative consequences, such as:
- Chain cannot be fitted, lower link not possible;
- Abnormal dynamic behaviour of the chain, the rotation is unbalanced and the chain has an abnormal dynamic lift, which could cause interference with the components of the wheel arch;
- Breakage of the chain which, not covering the tyre uniformly, is unable to follow the wheel constantly and is subject to unforeseen pulls of high intensity on elements which do not have this functional characteristic by definition;
- Immediate consumption of the plastic extrusion of the flexible cable, which is not designed to resist the wear and tear generated by contact with the asphalt.
Chain not correctly adjusted
Adjusting the size of an automatic chain is possible thanks to the adjustment links, which are located near the front hook.
The adjusting links are the end links, which are free after the last side hook in the top right-hand corner.
Chain that looks too big
Normally, users are worried that the chain is too big for their wheel when they are hooking the two lower ends of the chain and the Micro-Adjust device, once tensioned, reaches the end of its stroke and prevents further tensioning.
Now let's see how we can better adapt the chain for your wheel.
Please release the Micro-Adjust device from the chain lock after pressing on the chain lever.
Now focus your attention on the upper front hook: Most likely the front hook will be connected to the red end link, as suggested by the assembly procedure. The space you see between the red link and the last link before the side hook on the right is the space you have available to tighten the chain. So the more you tend to attach the hook to a link on the right (close to the side hook), the more space you will gain in adjusting the Micro-Adjust cable with the chain lock.
So, if your chain seems very wide, we recommend connecting the red front clasp with the first link on the right (the one before the clasp). In this way you will obtain the maximum possible adjustment of the lower part.
When you move the hook from the first red link to one of the following links, we recommend that you attach the unused links to the chain using the grey plastic mini-hook. In this way they will be in order and avoid banging on the rim when driving.
If, even after adjustment, your chain is still large and it is not possible to tension it further, it may be that your wheel is sized differently from the standard fit of the König snow chain.
In this case we invite you to get in touch with one of our Product Specialists who will assist you in determining the correct size for your wheel. You can write to us at Costumer Service
Chain looks too small / tight
It is easy to determine when a flexible cable chain is too tight:
- If it is impossible or difficult to attach the various elements
- When fitted, the chain is too tight on the wheel: the side elements that should normally be on the tyre shoulder end up on the tread;
The first thing to do is to dismantle the chain and check that there are no knots and that the components are free to move.
Once this has been done, proceed with assembly again, making sure to connect the red central locking hook to the first red end link. This will ensure that the chain is installed in its widest configuration.
If, even after adjustment, your chain is still small and it is not possible to fit it properly, it may be that your wheel is sized differently from the standard fit of the König snow chain.
In this case we invite you to get in touch with one of our Product Specialists who will assist you in determining the correct size for your wheel. You can write to us at Costumer Service