First use of snowblower w/o chains

[George the Beagle]

Got to use the bx with front snowblower the other day for the first time. Having read the opinions about tire chains, I was waiting to see how it would work without them. My first few passes were directly out of the garage down a moderate grade, then reverse to the garage. I did notice a very slight spinning when backing up the grade, but not too bad. I finished the job with out any further spinning. Just as I was putting the tractor back in the garage I noticed....that I hadn't even had it in 4wd! The tractor has loaded turfs, a soft cab, and....er.....me in the seat. I guess I won't be needing any chains....

 

[JoeL4330]

ice would be the real worry ...if you want cheap insurance, get a set of chains for the front...light and relatively easy to put on (easier, of course, if you had a FEL) and give you good steering on ice; you may even find you already have a set that will fit, or can find them used on CL or whatever

 

[David s Von Gieserbrechta]

The season is still very young, perhaps where you live you dont get snow drifts like we do here in Manitoba Canada at-40f that you can drive your tractor onto without breaking through. Then maybe you dont need chains. For us here in the Great White North its Really a good idea to have chains on all fours, plus a bunch of weight.

David

 

[KubotaSam]

You may be able to get buy without chains however I would strongly recommend them. Something always seems to happen and you end up in a situation (ditch, snowbank) that you did not expect to be in. Jacking and shoveling in the middle of a snowstorm is no fun. I run chains on all 4 tires in the winter.

 

[grsthegreat]

Chains don't even enter the picture until there is ICE on the ground. Then their presence is appreciated. I blew snow for years with my old tractor without any snow chains but going up hills with ice on the ground was near impossible.

 

[AJRAPTOR]

we got a b26 with a 54" blower on the back but no ice chains here just a few small hex head sheet metal screws in the r4 tire lugs made a huge difference both in the wet slick packed in ice like snow and on the ice :thumbsup:

 

[techman]

I bought a set of chains for my BX22 when I first got it, and have yet to use them. No grade but 0.6 mi to snowblow. It's been nearly 10 years and I have not been stuck yet.

paul

 

[Jeff F.]

It has only been 2 winters for me- with out chains. I normally do most of my plowing in 2 wheel drive and try to save the four wheel if I really need it. If we get a storm of 8+ inches then i use the four wheel drive for the entire plowing. The majority of my blowing is on a level asphalt driveway though. I am using turf tires too.

 

[Don87]

My asphalt driveway goes downhill into a busy roadway. I use chains, cause I don't want to be the next fatality in my driveway(the first fatality was not due to ice).

My pickup, my car and the neighbors backhoe have all slid down my driveway in the wintertime.

 

[Jeff F.]

Do your tire chains damage your asphalt at all? That was one of the biggest reasons I never tried chains.