Customer Reviews

Security Chain Company ES8961 Strap-On Cable Passe

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1 star:		(3)

 

 

The picture shows two pieces of chains on one tire. You need to buy two packs for your two tires. Descriptions do not point this out!

I have several sets of these strap-on chains and have received good service. I wouldn't recommend them for regular winter driving, but for those occasions where I need to get up a glazed hill, or out of a shallow ditch, these will do the trick. Easy to install and remove, they provide added traction when something more is needed to get me back on my way.

This product is good for Seattle conditions. In Seattle, the city government is opposed to salt use and standard plowing. They said they want to have snow/ice packed so they use rubber plows. Without saying whether the Mayor is smart or idiotic, this results in impassable side streets and some major streets. This product is good for those who drive on mediocre streets without chains but need to drive into the side streets to your home. It is only good for 1-2 blocks in my opinion. For that use it is good. Regular chains are not suitable if you need to drive on the interstate, which is high speed and cleared well by the state government. In short, if you need chains, this is not a substitute. If you need temporary traction for a very short distance but don't need chains for most driving, this is the perfect product. Do your self a favor and carry a flashlight and some gloves when installing it.

I found these strap-on cables very difficult to install. Of course its not the manufacturer's fault that you have to reach around your tire, in the wheel well, up to your elbow, in muddy slush. And depending on the design of your wheels, its very hard to reach thru the opening, past the disc brake, to grab the end of the strap, without gloves because of the small clearances and dexterity required. Those problems are just the reality of the situation: that you end up with frozen fingers and cold muddy arms.

The real problem is the bad design of these devices, as it is nearly impossible to tighten the strap adequately, due to the poor strap cinching mechanism. But they will function even if the strap is a little loose; when the tire spins, they skew a bit and that takes up the slack. But when you have to go back and forth many times, the cable skews back and forth also, which damaged two of my cables, and completely ruined a third one. The bottom line: I was able to get out of my stuck-in-slush situation, so at least it wasn't a total failure.

Also, because of the crappy cinching method, they were difficult to remove; the ruined strap had to be cut off with a knife.

So I recommend you save yourself some time and money by not buying this product.

I bought these as a backup whenever I got stuck in a snow storm and needed extra traction to get up our hill.
Well, the added a little more traction but then they broke off and one apparently broke my break line when it came off.
I now have Snow Tires that I use in the Winter. A MUCH better (and safer) investment.

Didn't get me out of a small snow ditch. Technically it probably did make a difference, but not enough I guess. I was on the go again, as soon as I got a hold of a couple of people to push me out.

The chain came loose after 1 mile. My tire size might be to large. You need to double/triple loop strap, I could only do it once. Also, you might need a wire coat hanger to wrap around the tire.