I don't have enough tractor/traction, what now?

[4570Man]

According to tractordata the L3200 would not be able to lift 2500 lb. on the 3 pt. Maybe if he had the rear tires filled and maxed out the 3 pt he might come close.

It is supposed to lift 1,900 at the pins and 1,500 at 24 inches. It is possible to add about 700 pounds with wheel weights. I don't have to plow snow, but adding weight makes a huge difference on dirt.

 

[Fallon]

The R4 industrial rims can't be offset like the R1 Ags can unfortunately. They are already loaded with bio ballast.

I hear you on the plowing downhill. I can really feel the extra drag going uphill on the dirt road out front as opposed to downhill. I managed to clear a path downhill to another road, but plowing uphill to the main road is a no go.

I can probably pick up a blower before next winder for under $1k hunting Craigslist. From what I understand the blower is the great equalizer on drifts, slow going, but you can creep on through despite having half the tractor needed to plow what showed up last-night. Ironically I have a SSQA single stage blower I'm looking to sell to a neighbor. It use to be a 3pt before the previous owner converted it to hydraulic & SSQA. I got a stupid good deal on it when buying a fuel tank from a guy, so picked it up as a project or flip of some sort. I don't have enough flow to run it. Easier to sell & get a 3pt one it than build a PTO power pack to run it or convert it back to a 3pt PTO unit.

My inclination at the moment it to get some chains for the front & see if that is enough. I think spacers are going to be the same ballpark as chains for the front. If the chains up front aren't enough I can still use them & that way I don't have to mess with my track. Widening my track means my rear blade won't cover my tracks at an angle & several other implements won't fit the clear your tracks guideline.

Any recomendations on what style to get? I see no reason not to go with the V-Bar ones for the extra cleats, I don't have to wort about tearing much up.
Duo V Bar $225
Duo-Ladder Combo v-bar $325
Reinforced Net Style $240

 

[Fallon]

I completely agree on the ballasted tires, made a huge difference in traction & stability during the summer. Not sure if a lot of extra ballast will help in the snow though. I was having problems getting stuck plows up in a lot of spots. I had to use the loader & abuse the front plow to push me out at least a half dozen times each 1 hour session today. Chains will take a bite into the snow, but I suspect more weight will just leave the tires spinning & packing snow into ice. But I'm no expert, hence asking the brain trust here.

 

[GPintheMitten]

No expert here either. I think if you have loaded rears, then chains would be the next thing to do. Chains on the front will help but with you already owning rear chains, I would certainly get the spacers. Look around craigslist for a wider blade but use what you got til then. Then sell your old blade.

 

[TugHillDog]

It is possible on your R4's to modify the chains such that they form a larger diameter on the inside of the tire than they do on the outside of the tire. I did this with an old Massey I had a few years back. You can draw the tighteners down enough to keep them from walking on the tires when you move the tractor. The advantage of this is that it gives you more clearance on the inside of the tire wells without having to purchase or machine hub/wheel extenders. In many compact tractors, wheel extenders are just requiring the wheel bolts to hold the entire weight of the tractor, unless you have that little rim to support the wheel...

As far as front axle chains, there was a thread here a while back as I recall, where people were of the negative opinions concerning front chains. If I recall correctly, some even cited owners manuals warning of dire consequences for using front chains.

 

[k0ua]

Chains make a huge difference I can tell you that. On ice they are the ONLY solution. But back to snow. many guys report the cutting the R4's can make enough difference. Remember the old Cutting siping R4 thread? I did it to my L3400, and we had one small snow in late March where i used it and it seemed to make a difference, but I did not have enough time with it before I traded it off in April 2012 to be sure. I got some chains for the Kioti and the difference is day and night.

http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/...ng-siping-r-4-a.html?highlight=cutting+siping

 

[teg]

Just a thought... http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/snow-removal/193438-cutting-groving-siping-r-4-a.html

I have no experience with it other than reading the thread...

{edit} k0ua beat me to it...

 

[Wild Bill the 2nd]

I am going to say that chains will help you out a lot more than additional ballast. The ballast can be a detriment for you when it is time to come back up the hill in the slippery stuff.

I would personally suggest the spacers. Reason being is that the front running gear is invariably weaker than the rear. By putting the chains only on the front you will be sending the lions share of the torque up front with little assistance from the rear.

It wasn't with chains but a friend down the road cleaned the splines off of his front driveshaft when he was getting bales out of a snowy lower field. The front tires caught traction and boom.

That is a different situation in that his tires were spinning and then caught a rut and got 100% traction but it is kind of the same principal and is something to consider.

 

[k0ua]

I am going to say that chains will help you out a lot more than additional ballast. The ballast can be a detriment for you when it is time to come back up the hill in the slippery stuff.

I would personally suggest the spacers. Reason being is that the front running gear is invariably weaker than the rear. By putting the chains only on the front you will be sending the lions share of the torque up front with little assistance from the rear.

It wasn't with chains but a friend down the road cleaned the splines off of his front driveshaft when he was getting bales out of a snowy lower field. The front tires caught traction and boom.

That is a different situation in that his tires were spinning and then caught a rut and got 100% traction but it is kind of the same principal and is something to consider.

I think this is the fear that a lot of people and manufactures have. On the other hand some posters have said they have put chains on the front only, and never had a problem..

 

[Wild Bill the 2nd]

I think it really depends on your terain, the driveway material, and most of all how you drive it.
Flat vs. Hills
Paved vs. Dirt
Gentile vs. Street Racer

If you have a hilly dirt driveway where you could get a lot of traction and you drive like the go pedal is a toggle switch then you should avoid it at all costs. For others with calmer temperaments and the right conditions it would likely never be an issue.