Security Chain Company Z-579 Z-Chain Extreme Performance Cable Tire Traction Chain – Set of 2
Jan.28, 2010 in
Snow Chains
- Z-Chain’s manganese alloy cross members provide superior, all-around traction performance and greater durability compared to conventional traction products of any kind
- Z-Chain has 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
- Z-Chain’s package includes clear, step-by-step installation and removal instruction, as well as waterproof gloves. Replacement cross members are available through some retailers
Product DescriptionFor 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’s fast installation, aggressive traction performance and extreme durability simply out-class all other options. But the best just keep getting better. Automotive evolution never stops and winter traction products must keep up . Z-Chain’s rigid inside “hoop” has been replaced with a semi-rigid steel cabl. . . More >>
Security Chain Company Z-579 Z-Chain Extreme Performance Cable Tire Traction Chain – Set of 2
January 28th, 2010 at 8:38 am
I have a 2008 Mazda Speed 3 and these chains matched the tire specifications. We recently had heavy snow that kept my car garaged. After the snow had dissipated some I tried to drive out with the chains on and got stuck in the cul de sac after only 15 feet at which point the left chain ripped off. The car was put back in the garage until this morning, nearly a week later. The snow was clear and I had scheduled an oil change. Thank god we live on a quiet residential street, as I drove I found that the brake pedal compressed all the way to the floor and had almost no effect. If I had not found that out before turning onto the 45 mph road, or worse yet the freeway my 20 month old son and I would have been all but guaranteed to be in a high speed wreck. My car is now at the dealership, these chains cut my brake cables and yes they were carefully installed per the instructions by someone who has been putting on chains for 20 + years (not me). I am greatly infuriated that there is no specific warning of this risk anywhere on the paperwork included with the chains. This is a legal liability to the manufacturer and more importantly a major safety risk to the consumer. If you have a low profile performance tire do not buy these chains, they are dangerous.
Rating: 1 / 5
January 28th, 2010 at 10:17 am
These worked pretty good for me. They are easy to put on and take off, although admittedly, I have a truck with lots of clearance. Not sure how easy they would work with minimum clearance – but that’s not my problem.
Ran into a road ice situation in Texas and had to keep the chains on for nearly 100 miles. Traction on ice is great. Mostly just fine except near the end of the time I had them on, one of the cross cables broke. I was able to tie the flapping cable down to continue on, but I figured they would be a little more durable than that.
Rating: 4 / 5
January 28th, 2010 at 11:25 am
There are a confusing array of tire chains/traction control devices on the market, and even this particular company makes so many different models that it’s hard to tell which ones are the best. Here’s what you need to know about chains and traction control devices, and why I like the ones made by SCC. I also include some installation hints at the bottom of this review.
There are two broad types of traction control devices: Tire chains and traction control cables. Tire chains are actual chain links. Traction control cables are long pieces of metal cables, covered in a plastic coating, and designed to form a Z-pattern over your tires. The plastic coating is then surrounded by hundreds of tiny, round, metal springs. Cables are generally regarded as better because they are easier to install, last longer, are less damaging to roads, and work better with vehicles equipped with ABS. Also, according to SCC, you can safely drive with cable devices up to 30 mph, even on roads with no snow, without damaging them.
You should normally install traction control cables on your drive wheels, i. e. the wheels that actually push or pull your car forward. If the snow is really bad, though, you may have to install cables on all four wheels. Read your vehicle’s owner’s manual for more details on where to install your cables.
In any case, it’s a really, really good idea to have TWO sets of cables in your car at all times. That way, if something breaks (murphy’s law), you won’t be stuck.
Within the traction control cable category, there are two general types of cables: Self-tensioning cables tighten themselves using a tensioner (which looks, feels, and operates like a rubber band) that you install when you put the cables on. Manual tensioning cables are tightened by you, and have to be re-tightened after you drive for a couple hundred feet or so. I’ve heard that emergency vehicles tend to use the manually adjustable models because they are allegedly safer at speeds above 30 MPH, but driving above 30 MPH for any non-emergency personnel is illegal with any kind of traction control device.
There are several advantages to the manually adjustable models. They tend to have more slack, which can make installation easier. Also, the tensioners (i. e. rubber bands) on self-adjusting cables can and do break (it happened to me today) and if they break, you can’t use the cables. So, if you get a cable that has a tensioner, get extra tensioners, or better yet, an extra set of cables, just in case.
Here’s a breakdown of SCC’s cable products:
Z-Chain- Manually adjustable Traction Control Cable. Easy to install, but must be retightened shortly after you start driving. Very easy to install because they come with lots of slack. Often used by police and fire personnel.
Shur Grip Z/Super Z LT- Self adjusting cable. Tensioners can break so buy extras. Less slack, so can be harder to put on the car, but generally easier than Z-chains because you don’t have to manually tighten and re-tighten them.
Super Z6/Z8- Newest Self adjusting cable, designed for vehicles with very little sidewall clearance. They have all the advantages and disadvantages of the Shur Grip Z. In addition, however, the connectors are a little harder to work with on this model because of their low profile.
On all of these models, the metal rings are made of a spring-like material, SCC says that you don’t have to remove the chains as soon as you reach a paved road. Rather, as long as you drive under 30 MPH, SCC says that you can drive with the traction control cables on your car, even as you switch between plowed and non-plowed roads. Because each of the hundreds of little springs are separate pieces, even when one breaks, it just falls off, and the others work to fill-in the void.
Installing the cables is relatively easy, and I’m definitely not a hands-on kind of guy. It took me about 15 minutes the very first time, and now that I’ve done it several times, I can get it done in under a minute per wheel. You should always do a test-installation of cables before you need them to make sure that you purchased the correct size and know how to install it. It’s also very useful to have some waterproof gloves handy and a towel with you, as it is often wet and cold when you need to install chains. A good choice for gloves are the long wristed rubber gloves that you can buy at the grocery store for washing dishes, or some disposal latex gloves. After you use the cables for the first time, fold each cable separately and then use a trash bag tie to keep each one together. Otherwise, the next time you need them, they’ll all be tangled together.
Here are some hints on how to install these chains.
1. Read the instructions from the manufacturer and pay close attention to the safety instructions. The basics of the instructions are (1) stay safe, (2) position the cables correctly, (3) connect the upper rear connector, (4) connect the upper front connector and tighten it, (5) connect the lower front connector and tighten it, (6) drive for a bit, (7) retighten the front upper and lower connectors.
The instructions are quite good, but they leave out a few helpful hints, which I will now share with you.
2. Put on some rubber dishwashing gloves and lay a towel down wherever you’re going to work, or you will get very, very dirty.
BEFORE YOU START, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THE CORRECT SIDE UP! There are markings all over the cables which indicate the correct orientation. Look for them!
3. When you slide the cables under your tires, start from a point between your front and rear tires. Slide half of the chain under your car, and then reach around from the other side of the tire to pull the cable around. Although the instructions describe a swinging slide motion, I’ve never seen anyone who could do that without twisting the cables up. Just pull them and things will be much easier.
4. Once the cables are around the tire, DO NOT pull the bottom connectors that hold the cables together at the bottom of the tire towards one another. Keep them as far apart as possible. If you pull them in tight, you won’t be able to pull the chain high enough in the back to connect the rear upper connector, which is what you are supposed to do first.
5. When you are connecting the rear upper connector, if you can’t get the rear upper connectors up above the tire so that you can see them, push the part of the cables that surround the bottom of your tire backwards and under your car a few inches. This will create slack behind the cables and allow you to pull the cables up in the back.
6. Once you have the rear upper connector connected, hooking up the front upper connector may be difficult. Try pushing the rear upper connector back so that it is laying against the inside sidewall of your tire and then pull the front upper connectors towards you as hard as you can. Don’t try to pull them towards each other. While sitting, just pull them straight out, towards you, and the rest of the chains should fall into place. Then they should be easy to connect.
7. Gently pull the parts of the chain that criss-cross your tires down towards the ground so that they aren’t all bunched up at the top. Look at the chain and make sure that the parts you can see, and especially the blue cable, is evenly distributed around the tire.
8. Then pull the bottom front connectors towards you (out, but not up or down) to create slack. Then connect them. Again, don’t try to pull them towards one another as that makes it almost impossible to create slack.
Rating: 5 / 5
January 28th, 2010 at 1:19 pm
CONS:
I bought the size chains that were recommended for my tire size on my Toyota Tundra. The chains were too large, and slipped off to the side of the tires, resulting in driving on the brackets, and the tires just spinning in the ice and snow. They were both installed according to the instructions provided, and I was able to tighten them down to the last notch. Unfortunately, I think that was part of the problem. If they were to be able to tighten just a little bit more, I think they might have been fine. For some reason, one of the chains worked great, and never slipped. The other, however, would slip off to the side, just going about 200 yards down the road. I think these would be excellent chains. . . if they would stay on the tires.
PROS:
These were very easy to install, and take off. Once you understand how they work, it only takes about 5-10 minutes. Also, they come with gloves that go up to the elbow, which is quite nice, as you have to reach around the tire to install the chains.
OVERALL:
I think I will try these chains again, and just get a slightly smaller size. They seemed to provide excellent traction (when they were actually on the tires. . . ).
Rating: 1 / 5
January 28th, 2010 at 3:38 pm
Putting the chains on the vehicle was easy – tightening them is a different story. It takes a lot of pulling, tugging, re-adjusting, etc. Once you get them on, the work well. If there was a cable tightner (like other products) youc ould adjust them easier. Small bag to put the chains in when not in use. Could use a bigger bag. Reasonable price.
Rating: 4 / 5