I don’t know the exact reason, but ...

In the old days, when my 4x4 trucks had solid front axles, it was my practice to chain up the front end. With no weight in the bed, trucks just got around better with the engine weight over chained up tires in front.

But, ever since I downsized to small trucks with a 1996 Chevy S-10 4x4, again with my 2002 Tacoma TRD and now my 2018 4Runner, chaining up in front is a no-no.

Note, all the afore mentioned vehicles have/had independent front ends, not solid axles.

My thinking, and I believe I learned that after buying the Chevy, was that if you loose a tire chain to the inside of the tire, you will do a lot of damage to boots, CV joints and the like. On a solid axle, the chains usually got hung up on the axle and stayed put and drug until you stopped and yanked them out and replaced.

Rubber adjusters are essential to keep your chains taught, as well as helping to pull the chains outward off the tire if they do come off. Always used rubber adjusters. When I was in the car parts business, you’d not believe the percentage of people who refused to pay a few bucks extra for them, having that “it won’t happen to me” attitude.