Alternate traction devices are lightweight, certified substitutes for steel tire chains, built for vehicles that don’t have the wheel-well room for bulky metal links. The two common types are textile tire socks and cable chains, and most states accept either as legal in place of chains when controls are posted on mountain passes. Picking the right one comes down to three things: your vehicle’s SAE clearance class, the exact size printed on your tire sidewall, and which wheels your engine powers.
What Counts as an Alternate Traction Device
Textile tire socks are sleeves of high-performance woven fabric that stretch over the tread and sidewall. The fabric grips icy pavement partly by wicking the thin water layer off the ice so the material contacts the frozen surface directly. Socks add almost no bulk, which is why they fit cars with very tight fender clearance. They wear faster than metal or cable options and don’t match chains on pure ice.
Cable chains swap the heavy steel links of traditional chains for thin aircraft-grade steel cables wrapped in alloy traction coils. Cross-members along the cables bite into snow the way standard chain links do, but the whole assembly weighs much less. Most use a snap-on or ratchet system that self-tightens as the wheel turns. Cable chains sit between socks and full steel chains: tougher and better on ice than fabric, still low-profile enough for many modern cars.
Prices for passenger-vehicle sets generally run between $40 and $250.
Match the Device to Your Vehicle
SAE Clearance Class
Before you shop, find out your vehicle’s SAE clearance class. The classification, set by the Society of Automotive Engineers, describes the space between your tire and the surrounding fender, brake lines, and suspension. Two classes cover most passenger vehicles:
- Class S requires a minimum tread-face clearance of 1.46 inches (37 mm) and sidewall clearance of 0.59 inches (15 mm). This is the tighter spec, common on passenger cars and compact SUVs. Only low-profile devices such as thin cable chains or textile socks fit safely.
- Class U requires a minimum tread-face clearance of 1.97 inches (50 mm) and sidewall clearance of 0.91 inches (23 mm). This more generous clearance suits light trucks, vans, and larger SUVs, and accepts a wider range of chain and cable designs.
Your owner’s manual tells you which class applies. Fitting a Class U device on a Class S vehicle is a bad bet: the extra bulk can grind against brake lines, cut into ABS sensor wiring, or gouge the fender liner, and repair bills from that kind of damage can easily run into four figures. Every traction device sold in the U.S. is labeled with its SAE class, so matching once you know the number is straightforward.
Tire Size
Every device is sold by tire size, and yours is printed on the sidewall in a format like “225/65R17”: tread width in millimeters, aspect ratio as a percentage, and rim diameter in inches. All three numbers have to match exactly. A device even one size off can slip while you’re driving, bunch up inside the wheel well, or fail to grip. A poor fit can also void the warranty, which leaves you uncovered if the device damages your vehicle.
Which Axle
Install the devices on the wheels the engine actually drives. Front-wheel-drive vehicles get them on the front tires. Rear-wheel-drive vehicles get them on the rear. All-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive vehicles can take devices on either axle, though the rear is generally preferred unless the owner’s manual says otherwise. If you have four devices and conditions are severe, putting them on all four tires gives you the best mix of traction and steering control.
Putting devices on the wrong axle is a common error. Chains on the rear of a front-wheel-drive car add grip where you don’t need it and leave the steering and drive wheels with nothing, which handles worse than running no devices at all.
Make Sure It’s Legal Where You’re Driving
For an alternate traction device to legally substitute for chains, it has to pass testing showing it performs comparably in braking, acceleration, and lateral stability on snow. The dominant benchmarks come from the Austrian Ö-norm testing family, which covers metal chains, non-metallic devices, and commercial-vehicle products. Packaging that carries an Ö-norm marking tells both you and law enforcement that the product was independently tested against a reference chain or cable. Certified devices also have to work with modern electronic safety systems, including ABS, electronic stability control, and traction control; a product that interferes with those systems fails certification regardless of its snow performance. Manufacturers also have to specify a wear indicator so an officer can tell in the field whether a device still works.
States with mountain passes enforce chain controls in tiers. At the lowest level, most passenger vehicles with snow tires on the drive wheels can pass but have to carry chains. At a mid-level restriction, chains or approved alternate devices are required on all vehicles except those with four-wheel or all-wheel drive and snow tires on every wheel. At the highest level, every vehicle needs chains or traction devices, no exceptions.
Fines vary widely. Some states start around $50 for failing to carry chains in a designated zone; others go straight to $250 or more for driving without required traction equipment. If your non-compliance causes a lane closure or blocks a pass, penalties climb steeply, with several states imposing fines of $500 to $1,000 or more. Surcharges and court fees add to the total. Enforcement officers check for approved markings on the device or packaging; a product without Ö-norm certification or one that isn’t on the state patrol’s approved list is treated the same as having no device at all. Some states publish their approved-device lists on the transportation department’s website, and checking before a winter trip takes only a few minutes.
Driving With Them On
No traction device is rated for highway speeds. The standard maximum is 30 mph whether you’re running textile socks, cable chains, or traditional steel links. Higher speeds sharply increase the centrifugal force pulling the device away from the tire, which raises the risk of detachment or structural failure. A cable chain that breaks loose at speed can whip into your fender or brake components hard enough to cause serious damage.
Get the devices off as soon as the pavement is clear. Textile socks can disintegrate within a few miles on dry road. Cable chains and steel links grind themselves down on bare asphalt and chew up the road surface at the same time. When conditions improve, pull over at the first safe spot and take them off.
Putting Them On and Taking Them Off
Practice installing your devices at home before you need them on a dark, freezing mountain pass. Numb fingers, poor visibility, and close traffic make the job much harder.
Drape the device over the top of the tire, centered on the tread so it hangs evenly on both sides. Pull it down the front and back as far as you can, then roll the vehicle forward about three feet to bring the uncovered portion to the top and pull the rest into place. Connect the inner and outer fasteners and snug them down.
After installation, drive about 100 feet at low speed, stop, and re-tension every fastener. This step is not optional. The device shifts as it settles against the tire, and skipping the re-tension is the number one reason devices come loose. Check that it sits centered on the tread without bunching or sagging toward the wheel well.
To remove, undo the fasteners, pull the material or cables away from the tire as far as possible, and roll the vehicle forward off the rest. Fold or roll the devices loosely instead of cramming them into a bag; forcing wet, dirty devices into a tight space wears the fabric and corrodes cable connections.
Keeping Them Usable
Road salt is hard on traction devices. It stiffens fabric fibers and corrodes metal cables if it sits. After each use, let the devices air-dry completely, then brush off loose debris. Rinse textile socks with cool water. If white residue stays behind, blotting with a mild vinegar-and-water mix breaks down the deposits without harming the fibers. Don’t use bleach, and don’t put wet devices in a hot dryer; heat sets salt stains and weakens the fabric.
Store devices in a dry place out of direct sunlight. UV exposure degrades textile fibers and the rubber parts in some cable systems. A breathable bag works better than a sealed plastic container, which traps moisture and encourages mildew.
Replace devices when the wear indicator says so. Many textile socks use a two-layer design: once the darker inner layer shows through the lighter outer layer across the tread, the sock no longer grips reliably. For cable chains, inspect the cross-members for worn or flattened coils and the cables for fraying. One broken cross-member may not fail immediately, but it reduces traction and puts extra stress on the rest. Replace the set rather than patching sections.