KOZAK 11R22.5 Tire Chain Review

A set of four 7mm cam chains, and the state-by-state question you have to answer yourself.

Specifications

Specifications above come from KOZAK's published listing information. Treat pricing as approximate, since Amazon pricing moves.

What it does well

• 7mm cam-type construction is the conventional commercial pattern, and cams let you take up slack after the first few hundred feet.
• Sized specifically for the two most common drive tire sizes on a Class 8 truck.
• Buying ahead of the season costs far less than buying at a chain-up area during a storm, when supply and price both move against you.
• Studded links add bite on ice, which is where chain requirements usually come from in the first place.
• A hi-vis vest is included, and you will be standing on a shoulder in bad weather when you use these.

Where it falls short

• The listing is explicit that the tire, wheel and adjuster are not included. Budget for adjusters, bungees or cam tighteners separately.
• Whether four chains satisfies the requirement depends on the state and the level of the chain law in force. Some conditions require more.
• Studded chains are not universally permitted. Some jurisdictions restrict studs, and rules change between seasons.
• Chains are heavy, awkward and filthy, and putting them on in weather is genuinely hard work. Practise in a yard before you need to do it on a grade.
• Chain speed limits are low and chains punish you for exceeding them. Broken chains do expensive damage to fenders, air lines and tires.

What owners report

Owner reports on budget commercial chains cluster around one theme: the chain itself is usually fine, and the fit and finishing are where the price shows. Buyers describe hooks and cams that need working in, and links that need checking for burrs before first use. The drivers who are happiest are the ones who unpacked them, laid them out in a yard, fitted them once in daylight and found the problems there rather than on a shoulder in a storm. That is the single most useful thing anyone says about any set of chains.

The second theme is the adjuster question. Cam chains hold tension better than plain chains once you take up the cam, but you still want tighteners or bungees, and this set does not include them. Factor that into the price when you compare against a set that does.

The part no listing can answer for you is the legal one. Chain requirements are set by each state, they escalate in stages depending on conditions, and the number of wheels that must be chained varies with the stage in force. Some states restrict studs. This changes between seasons and sometimes within a season. Check the current chain law with the state DOT for every state on your route rather than relying on what was true last winter or on what a seller's page says. Our two versus four tire chains comparison explains how the requirement usually escalates and why the answer is not fixed.

Two practical points that come up constantly. First, chains go on drive tires in the configuration the law specifies, and throwing a set in the side box is not the same as knowing how to fit them; the time to learn is not on a 6 percent grade with hazards on. Second, chained speed limits are low for a reason, and a thrown chain at speed will take out air lines and mudflaps and can cut a tire. Our pre-trip inspection checklist and when to replace truck tires both matter more in winter, because chains on worn tires are a poor substitute for tread. If cold weather starting is the other half of your winter problem, our anti-gel additive versus block heater comparison covers that side.

Who it suits

• Drivers who run mountain passes in winter and want chains bought before the season, not during a storm.
• Owner-operators running 11R22.5 or 295/75R22.5 drives who want a spare set in the box.
• Anyone replacing a mismatched collection of old chains with a matched set.

Who should skip it

• Drivers who never run chain-law states, where the money is better spent elsewhere.
• Anyone expecting a complete kit. Adjusters and tighteners are a separate purchase.
• Drivers who need studless chains because of a stud restriction on their route.

Alternatives worth considering

Keep reading

• Two vs four tire chains compared
• Pre-trip inspection checklist
• When to replace truck tires
• Anti-gel additive vs block heater
• VEVOR chain and binder kit review

This review draws on published specifications, manufacturer figures and the consensus of verified owner reviews. We have not tested this product ourselves, and we say so rather than implying otherwise. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.