Z-Chains Traction Cables

Shur-Grip Z is designed to meet the everyday traction product needs of the average consumer. This traction cable is available to fit most passenger car applications. Super Z Truck Chains feature the same design and fit light truck tire sizes.

• Built-in rubber tightener takes up slack
• Installs without tools or jacks
• Constant contact between tire and road
• Better compatibility with anti-lock brakes, traction control, all-wheel drive (AWD) and other electronically monitored control systems.

Finally, there’s a winter traction aid designed to work with today’s larger wheel and tire combinations. Designed to require only 6.3 mm (1/4") of operating space in the critical inner sidewall area of the tire--less than half the space needed by most cable chains or tire chains. Choose the Super Z6 for passenger cars, or the Super Z8 for truck and SUV tire sizes.

• Built-in rubber tightener means you don't need to stop and retighten after installation.
• Low potential for damage to body and mechanical components, even when abused.
• Exceeds S.A.E. Class S fender clearance requirements.
• Easy-to-use chain tighteners for a snug fit.

For more than a decade, Z-Chain has been the winter traction product choice for police, fire, ambulance and other professional fleets throughout North America. Z-Chain offers fast installation, aggressive traction performance and extreme durability.

• Z-Chain's manganese alloy cross members provide superior, all-around traction performance and greater durability.
• Greater compatibility with anti-lock brakes, traction control, all-wheel drive and other electronically monitored and controlled systems, due to its unique cross member pattern.
• Fast, secure installation and removal, with no need to move the vehicle.
• Low potential for damage to vehicle body and mechanical components, even when abused.

For your safety (and the safety of others), tire chains are a must if you have to deal with treacherous winter driving conditions. Here are a few tips to help you make the right decision.

Fender Clearance
Clearance is an important factor in selecting chains. Many of today's vehicles have limited clearance around the wheels and using any traction aids can cause damage. For any vehicle manufactured since 1980, it's a good idea to check your owner's manual for clearance issues. It's also important to note that if your current tires are larger than the original equipment tires, you may have additional clearance issues not noted in the manual.

Installation
Tire chains should always be installed on the drive tires. For front-wheel drive vehicles, mount them on the front wheels. For rear-wheel drive vehicles, mount them on the rear wheels. If you're not sure what your vehicle is, consult your owner's manual, your dealership or your tire dealer. To ensure your car handles as normally as possible with chains mounted, it's preferable to install chains on all four tires. Owners of 4WD or AWD vehicles should refer to their owner's manuals for placement advice.

Driving with Chains
At no point should you exceed 30 mph with chains on your tires.

ABS/AWD
Having ABS is certainly helpful, but that's no guarantee of safe winter traction. Traction aids are still strongly recommended for vehicles with ABS. Likewise, all-wheel drive vehicles will obviously have better forward traction on slippery roads than their two-wheel drive counterparts, but braking will be risky without a set of chains on all four tires.

Reading Your Tire
To help you select the correct chains for your vehicle, we'll need to know your tire size. Let's say your tire sidewall contains the designation "P225/50R15." What does that mean?

P
The "P" indicates the tire is for passenger vehicles. On trucks, you may see an "LT" in this space, which means "Light Truck."

175
This three-digit number gives the width of the tire's tread in millimeters. The larger the number, the wider the tire. This is an important factor in selecting a tire chain, due to potential clearance issues explained above. This tire's tread width measures 175 mm from edge to edge.

65
This two-digit number, known as the aspect ratio, gives the tire's ratio of height to width. Numbers of 70 or lower indicate a short sidewall for improved steering response and better overall handling on dry pavement. The "65" indicates that this is a low-profile tire.

R
The "R" stands for radial. Radial ply construction of tires has been the industry standard for the past 20 years.

15
This two-digit number is the wheel or rim diameter in inches. If you change your wheel size, you will have to purchase new tires to match the new wheel diameter. These are 15" wheels.

M+S
If you see an "M+S" or "M/S" designation on your tire; that indicates that the tire has some mud and snow capability. Most radial tires have these markings; hence, they have some mud and snow capability. It's not a factor in selecting chains, but it's good to know.

Before you call AutoSport, take a pen and pad out to your vehicle and write down your tire sizes. Then, when your AutoSport Customer Service Representative asks you what your tire size is, you'll be able to confidently reply, "They're P225/50R15's." And we'll be able to help you pick the perfect traction aid for your winter driving. Shop well and drive safely!