Choosing Tire Chains

People who live in snow country are all too familiar with tire chains. They know the agony of painful fingers experienced when installing chains in a blizzard. Many other drivers only deal with chains during occasional ski trips. "Chain laws in effect" prompts people to buy tire chains, then hope they won't actually have to install them.

Chain Selection Ladder-style steel chains used to be the one and only option.
Ladder-style steel chains used to be the one and only option. These days, tire chains are made of different materials and have varying cross-chain/cross-member patterns.


Check the owner's manual first to help narrow down chain choices. Some front-wheel-drive vehicles are deemed Class S by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). This means that there's at least 1.46" from the tread-face of the tire to the wheelwell and .59" from the sidewall to the nearest obstruction. So, if your car is Class S, shop for chains that comply.


Next, know your exact tire size. This can help narrow down the possibilities. Even so, same-size tires' actual sizes can vary as much as 7% among manufacturers. So, chains should always be installed to check proper fit before they're actually needed.

Cable Chains
The two primary materials used for winter traction devices are steel links and steel aircraft cable surrounded by steel rollers. Cable chains represent the latest evolution in winter traction devices. Lower-profile than link chains, cables fit more applications and offer a smoother ride. Because they're lighter than links, cables are often easier to install, remove and store. Some even come packaged with rubber tighteners that eliminate having to stop and retighten the chains.