Liquid Tire Chain Was Pure GM Innovation

Nov 21, 2022
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3 min read
Steven Symes



Driving in colder climates where snow, slush, and ice are a constant reality during the winter months can prove treacherous without the right equipment. GM thought it had a magical solution to vexing problem of insufficient traction using regular street tires in winter wonderlands: Liquid Tire Chain. Introduced to the market in 1969 as option V75, shoppers could get the Liquid Tire Chain Traction Dispenser on pretty much the full Chevrolet model lineup.

The way the Liquid Tire Chain Traction Dispenser system worked was actually pretty advanced for the time. The driver could activate a control on the instrument panel, which would turn on two aerosol canisters, each mounted over the rear tires. Contained in those canisters was a polymer developed in the wonders of the space age, designed to make the tire tread pliable enough to grip the cold, slippery surface again.

You might be wondering why people back then didn’t just buy snow tires, which today is the sensible thing. Well, if you lived back then you already know snow tires weren’t all that desirable, or so we’ve been told, and that meant a lot of people skipped them. GM though the Liquid Tire Chain would appeal to people as a viable alternative.



If you don’t know, the key to modern winter tires is the compound they’re made of. Contrary to what most might believe, winter tires are softer than all-season or summer tires, which is why driving with them in warmer temperatures means they’ll wear much faster. They also don’t freeze easily, so the tires stay nice and pliable even when water on the road hardens, which in turn means they still grip instead of slipping uselessly. Snow tires also have different tread patterns, extra siping, and other designs to address the challenges of driving in the wintertime.

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