Security Chain SZ143 Super Z6 Review

Most modern cars have almost no room between the tire and the strut or inner fender, and the owner's manual will tell you that only 'Class S' traction devices are approved. That rules out traditional ladder link chains and makes the Super Z6 the standard answer: its cable construction and low-profile Z-pattern cross members keep everything within the clearance limits, and a set fits in a case the size of a lunchbox. When chain controls go up on I-80 over Donner, this is what you see on most of the sedans that aren't turning around.

Installation is the reason to choose it over cheaper cables. Drape the cable over the top of the tire, connect the inside fastener behind the tire, bring the outside together and hook it, then stretch the built-in rubber tensioner across the face. Roll forward a car length to seat it and you're done — no stopping again to re-tighten, which is the step most people skip and which causes most chain damage. With a little practice it's a five-minute job per tire in daylight; do that practice in your driveway, not on the shoulder.

Know the trade-offs: the coil-wrapped cable is less aggressive than a 12mm link chain, so on glazed ice or in deep unplowed snow you'll notice the difference, and it'll wear through a couple of seasons of regular use where a link chain lasts five. For the driver who chains up a few times a winter to satisfy a pass requirement and get home, none of that matters. Verify your size against SCC's chart — the SZ143 covers a band of common sizes, and a neighboring SZ number covers the next band.