Best Tire Chains for Trips to California Mountains - V-Bar Vs Twist Link

Updated 03/17/2020 | Published 03/16/2020

Products Featured in This Question

Titan Chain Snow Tire Chains - Ladder Pattern - V Bar Links - Manual Tensioning - 1 Pair

(366)

$112.37

Titan Chain Snow Tire Chains - Ladder Pattern - Twist Links - Manual Tensioning - 1 Pair

(122)

$112.00

Titan Chain Snow Tire Chains w Cams - Ladder Pattern - V Bar Links - Assisted Tensioning - 1 Pair

(679)

$135.92

Titan Chain Multi-Arm Rubber Tire Chain Adjuster for Light Trucks - 1 Pair

(803)

$21.87

Question:

2014 ford F150 265/60-18. Hi, Between purchasing TC2828 with the V-Bar links vs. TC2228 with the twist links. Looking for best option in terms of keeping precious cargo family safe for trips to the mountains. Live in southern CA so not a heavy user or very familiar w/ tire chains, but would think the best traction would be the best option no matter what? Would use when necessary for trips to local mountains, mammoth or tahoe, so potential to encounter some fairly bad conditions. Seems v-bar tire chains offer the best option in terms of traction, or is v-bar overkill for what Im looking for? Also, think best to get w/out Cam tighteners as I read there is possibility of those coming undone and the chain loosening up?, so thinking TCMA2 tighteners a better option. Biggest question in terms of keeping precious cargo safe - Any possibility the v-bar tire chain rotates while driving and punctures a tire, or is that not a concern? Also, ever road restrictions anywhere not allowing use of v-bar chains? I could see certain cities/municipalities saying the v-bars chew up the road and arent allowed? Appreciate your help.

asked by: Tom

Expert Reply:

The best tire chains for your family trips to the California mountains are, as you suspected, the V-bar style chains.

The main difference between the Titan V-Bar Tire Chains # TC2828 and the Titan Twist Link Snow Tire Chains # TC2228 is their aggressiveness and ride quality. As you mentioned, the v-bar style chains are going to offer the most traction and are best equipped to really bite into that ice and provide excellent grip in deep snow. The only drawback is that your ride quality, understandably, is going to be relatively rougher than with the twist link style chains, which actually also perform really well on deep snow, but not so much on icy roads.

I've personally test-fitted and installed many tire chains that use cam tighteners and can tell you that with the amount of pressure you'll need to apply to even twist the cams in the first place, it would be extremely difficult and unlikely that one of them would come undone. So long as they're installed correctly, that isn't anything to worry about. The same thing goes for the concern of a v-bar link ever twisting in such a way that it would puncture your tire - when the chains are properly installed and enough tension is applied, you're more likely to brake off a v-bar way before it had a chance to twist inward and cause damage to your tire.

With that in mind, my recommendation is to actually go with the Titan V-Bar Tire Chains with Cams # TC2828CAM along with a pair of rubber adjusters # TCMA2, which you can use to increase the tension even more and keep the chains centered on the wheel as you drive.

I can't say I've ever heard of any tire chain laws specifically restricting the use of v-bar style chains (or any particular style for that matter) and I was unable to find evidence suggesting anything of that sort online either, so I'd say you're safe! Do note that tire chains should not be used on dry pavement at all, so make sure they are removed as soon as the road conditions clear up.