Yes, it is just about THAT time of the year again, the last month before the year ends. For gearheads though, it is time to change out your tires to snow tires, right? But why change it out though, when you can just use ice chains on your existing wheels!
Here we will talk about the best snow chains for 4x4 trucks and what makes them work. These chains are designed to be easy to attach to whatever existing wheelset you have. They enhance your tire traction in wet or snowy conditions.
Top 10 Best Snow Chains For 4×4 Trucks
Security Chain Company ZT751 Super Z LT Light Truck and SUV Tire Traction Chain – Set of 2
- Better all-around traction performance than conventional tire chains or cables
- Greater durability than conventional tire chains or cables
- Low potential for damage to vehicle body and mechanical components, even when abused. PLEASE NOTE -Chains should be fitted to tire before actual use. Fitment can be affected by age of tire, tire manufacturer and/or tread type
- Built-in rubber tensioner means there is no need to stop and retighten after installation
- Better compatibility with anti-lock brakes, traction control, all-wheel drive (AWD) and other electronically monitored control systems
- Fastest, easiest installation of any traction product
- Meets S.A.E. Class “S” clearance requirements or vehicles with limited clearance
- Easy to remove4.3
- Easy to install4.3
- Durability4.1
Peerless 0231805 Auto-Trac Light Truck/SUV Tire Traction Chain – Set of 2
- Easy installation and removal in minutes
- Diamond pattern cross chain provides a smoother ride and superior traction
- Fastest, easiest installation of any traction product.
- Eliminates loose chains and retightening stops
- Worry-free self-tightening ratchets provide automatic tightening and centering
- Meet class ‘S’ clearance requirements
- The item fits the following tire sizes-225/55-19 849, 225/60-18 856, 235/50-19 901, 245/45-19 957, 245/70-15 984, 255/40-20 1017, 285/35-20 1179, 295/30-20 1233
- Longevity4.4
- Easy to remove4.3
- Durability4.1
- Easy to install4.1
Glacier Chains H2814SC Light Truck V-Bar Twist Link Tire Chain
- Meets all state requirements for traction devices
- Comes with locking side-cams to always ensure a good fit
- Lever end fastener for easy mounting
- Great for your truck, van or SUV
- Tough carbon steel twist link cross chain with welded V-bar
Peerless 0232805 Auto-Trac Light Truck/SUV Tire Traction Chain – Set of 2
- Worry-free self-tightening ratchets provide automatic tightening and centering
- Do not exceed 30 MPH with these chains on
- Diamond pattern cross chain provides a smoother ride and superior traction
- Diamond pattern cross chain provides a smoother ride and superior traction
- Easy installation and removal in minutes
- Meet class ‘S’ clearance requirements
- Easy installation and removal in minutes
- Eliminates loose chains and retightening stops
- Meet class ‘S’ clearance requirements
- Worry-free self-tightening ratchets provide automatic tightening and centering
- Longevity4.4
- Easy to remove4.3
- Durability4.1
- Easy to install4.1
KÖNIG CB-12 020 Snow Chains, Set of 2
- 12 mm inside and on-the-tread clearance.
- 145/80-12, 155/70-12, 135/80-13, 145/70-13, 155/65-13, 165/55-13
- The simple and sturdy manual tensioning chain.
- Homologations/certifications/conformity: Ö-Norm 5117, UNI 11313, TÜV.
Security Chain Company QG2228 Quik Grip Light Truck LSH Tire Traction Chain – Set of 2
- Fastest, easiest installation of any traction product.
- Highway service
- Durable
- On and Off road use
- Easy to remove4.4
- Durability4.1
- Easy to install4
- Value for money3.9
Thule XG-12 Pro Snow Chains for SUVs and Light Trucks One Color, 240
- Material: [chain] hardened manganese nickel steel alloy, [reinforcements] nylon (anti-scratch)
- Accessories Included: gloves, kneeling mat, mounting instructions, spare parts
- Number Included: 2
- Manufacturer Warranty: lifetime
- Recommended Use: driving up the side of a snowy mountain
- Designed for large pickup, SUV, and small to medium-sized commercial truck tires with very limited operating clearance around the drive tires
- Designed-in rubber tightener means there is no need to stop and retighten after installation
- Better compatibility with anti-lock brakes, traction control, all-wheel drive, and other electronically monitored control systems
- Better all-around traction performance than conventional tire chains or cables
- Cable chain for SUV’s and small to medium commercial vehicles under 20,000 pounds gross vehicle weight
- Easy to remove4.6
- Easy to install4.5
- Value for money4.4
Glacier Chains H2828SC Light Truck V-Bar Twist Link Tire Chain
- Tough carbon steel twist link cross chain with welded V-bar
- Meets all state requirements for traction devices
- Comes with locking side-cams to always ensure a good fit
- Lever end fastener for easy mounting
- Great for your truck, van or SUV
ISSE Textile Snow Chains, Classic, Size 54
- Imported
- Optimal for passenger cars, vans pickups and 4x4s. Max driving speed: 25 mph (40 km/h)
- For occasional use on ice and snow surfaces. Great for normal or emergency situations on snow and ice surfaces. Use on asphalt will reduce its durability.
- Reusable and washable 100% made in Europe Composition: 100% polyolefin
- Quick and easy to fit (a matter of minutes)
- textile
- Lighter and less bulkier than traditional chains (easy to store in the car)
- Ranking the Brands
- Security Chain: 50.00%
- Glacier Chains: 20.00%
- KONIG: 10.00%
- Thule: 10.00%
- Shark Industries: 10.00%
Comparison Table
| | | | | | | | | | |
| Security Chain Company ZT751 Super Z LT Light Truck and SUV Tire Traction Chain – Set of 2 | Peerless 0231805 Auto-Trac Light Truck/SUV Tire Traction Chain – Set of 2 | Glacier Chains H2814SC Light Truck V-Bar Twist Link Tire Chain | Peerless 0232805 Auto-Trac Light Truck/SUV Tire Traction Chain – Set of 2 | KÖNIG CB-12 020 Snow Chains, Set of 2 | Security Chain Company QG2228 Quik Grip Light Truck LSH Tire Traction Chain – Set of 2 | Thule XG-12 Pro Snow Chains for SUVs and Light Trucks One Color, 240 | Security Chain Company SZ462 Super Z8 8mm Commercial and Light Truck Tire Traction Chain – Set of 2 | Glacier Chains H2828SC Light Truck V-Bar Twist Link Tire Chain | ISSE Textile Snow Chains, Classic, Size 54 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brand | Security Chain | Security Chain | Glacier Chains | Security Chain | KONIG | Security Chain | Thule | Security Chain | Glacier Chains | – |
| Material | Plastic | Alloy Steel | Carbon Steel | Alloy Steel | – | – | – | Rubber | Carbon Steel | Textile |
| Item Weight | 7.7 pounds | 13.7 pounds | 31.6 pounds | 15.56 pounds | 7.89 pounds | 28 pounds | 7.52 pounds | 5 pounds | 32 pounds | 1.65 pounds |
| Vehicle Service Type | SUV, Light Truck | SUV, Light Truck | Van, SUV, Light Truck | SUV, Light Truck | – | Light Truck | – | SUV, Light Truck | Van, SUV, Light Truck | – |
| Manufacturer | Peerless | Peerless Chain | Glacier Chains | Peerless Chain | Thule GmbH | Peerless | Thule | Security Chain | Glacier Chains | Shark Industries |
| Product Dimensions | 17.5 x 8 x 7.7 inches | 12 x 11.2 x 3.1 inches | 17 x 12 x 2 inches | 12.1 x 11.7 x 2.7 inches | – | 13.3 x 11 x 4.7 inches | 14.57 x 3.94 x 14.96 inches | 22 x 8 x 8 inches | 16 x 12 x 3.5 inches | 14.75 x 8.5 x 3 inches |
| Cover Included | Tire chain | Tire chain | – | Tire chain | – | Tire chain | – | Tire chain | – | – |
| Size | ZT751 | Series 2300 – 231805 | H2814SC | Series 2300 – 232805 | CB-12 020 | – | 240 | SZ462 | H2828SC | Size 54 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | – | No | – | No | – | – | No | – | – | No |
Products with 5 star rating
Benefits of TPU Automotive Parts
TPU or thermoplastic urethane is a product of modern engineering and is a high-tech elastomer characterized by thermal stability as well as chemical and abrasion-resistant properties. Some of the best tire chains for pickup trucks are a combination of TPU and high-strength metal. Metal is strong but can be prone to corrosion, especially when exposed to harsh conditions. Metal can also weigh down your vehicle, making it consume more gas.
Aside from this, cable chains for trucks that are made of metal can be a bit hard to install. In contrast, pick up truck tire chains that are made with TPU can be installed even by the most novice of motorists. In fact, it just takes as little as 5 mere minutes to have these installed on any vehicle. On the flip side, these products are also a breeze to store when not in use.
Another benefit of TPU off road snow chains is that they provide a lot more grip on the road on any condition. This is because TPU can be easily molded to any shape and size. TPU will also be less prone to causing your tires damage, something that metal 4x4 snow chains are more likely to cause. These tire chains are also the most versatile as they can fit into just about any size of tires out there. They can quite literally help you out when you get stuck.
TPU vs Metal
In terms of brute strength alone, metal will win in that situation. However, when it comes to tire chains 4x4, it is not just about strength. Abrasion resistance as well as the material resistance to wear while accelerating and stopping is also important. Thermal stability, especially in very cold weather is something that gives TPU an advantage as the metal becomes brittle when exposed to extreme cold. TPU has a lot of advantages going for it number one is because of its lightweight and compact nature.
A thing to remember though, these TPU chains or metal chains for your light truck are not meant for long-term use, but rather for extreme conditions on a short-term basis.
What is Better: Tire Chains or Cables?
This is dependent entirely on the geography that you will be using your vehicle on as well as the way the chains are distributed on to the tire surface. There are three major ways that these add-ons are installed on tires:
- the cable type;
- the link type;
- the diamond type of distribution on the tire surface.
Cable-type attachments are simply thick cables applied horizontally across the tire surface. This type is well suited to lower profile vehicles such as sedans. Diamond tire attachments have chains that are spread in a diamond pattern on the tire surface and are more suited to vehicles with electronic controlled traction systems.
Finally there is the tried and tested method of simply linking the chains around the rims and tires, and this is suited to vehicles with higher ground clearance, such as trucks and 4WD vehicles.
Although these trucks have larger and more specialized wheels for off road conditions, snow and the inherent dangers that they bring. Instead of buying highly specialized snow tires, a snow chain is needed and works just as well. Trucks, even if they are 4X4, still need snow chains to safely navigate in snowy conditions. It is relatively easy to put on snow chains in cars, especially if it is made of TPU. These attachments usually just snap on and some use ratchets to secure them to the tires. ONe needs to simply lay the chain on the tire and move the vehicle forward until the whole tire has the chains fastened. The limit is between 20-30 mph and any faster would not be safe anymore. It’s not because the chains might go off their fasteners but driving any faster in the conditions that required you to put snow chains in the first place would be hazardous. Except for Florida, pretty much all states have regulations for snow chains to be used for icy or snowy road conditions. However for winter specific traveling these are the 11 states that you need to bear in mind: California, Colorado, Montana, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Do 4×4 Trucks Need Snow Chains?
How to Put on Snow Chains on Tires?
How Fast Can You Drive with Snow Chains?
What States Require Snow Chains for Trucks?
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