Chains New chains...Does this look right ???!!!

[Anonymous Poster]

OH!,

I meant to mention that I did not tie up those outside side chain links yet...but forgot!

I guess I will keep the tensioners on since I bought them and have no other use for the...but I was surprised how tight I could get the chains before I put the tensioners on...

Bill

 

[em14]

Macher,
I'm glad this is working out for you ... I'm so glad that I no longer need to worry about using chains ... especially after reading all of this ...
Leo

 

[snowman]

Macher;

I would think that with the chains "buried" in the lugs like they are in your picture, that they wouldn't do you much good. If it were me, I'd try to cross them over the lugs (so they don't work their way into to them as you drive) - that will make the chain bite into the ground/driveway.

For the tensioners, I used the 12" rubber straps that cost about $1.50 each. They work great and you can use as many as you need. You can't see it on the attached picture, but I use the rubber straps on the inside of the tire too to keep it snug and to keep the chains from hitting anything inside (I end up with about 1" clearance between the chains and my 3 pt link, fenders, hydro filter, etc.).

Your set up looks nice. Your tires look to be about twice the size of mine - my chains are heavy, so yours must be a bear to move around.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

Hi snowman and all,

<font color=blue>I would think that with the chains "buried" in the lugs like they are in your picture, that they wouldn't do you much good.</font color=blue>

That's a point that went through my mind too. I am by no means very knowledgable about chains on tractor tires.

I thought about trying to keep the cross links totally on top of the lugs, but it seemed to me if I did that they would just work their way between the lugs on one side or the other anyway, and then the chain would get loose.

So I put one side of each cross chain between the lugs, and the other side goes over top of a lug. I HOPE this is the way to do it. It is pretty much the same as on your tires, but I think my tire is larger so the chains look more buried.

Seems like about 80 percent of each cross chain is sticking above the tire surface, and I can feel the chains hitting the ground as I drive, so I HOPE they will make a big difference...

These chains were about 65 lbs each. At first I carried them, but soon learned to drag them part of the way when moving them /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

The tensioners cost $45 per pair. I had thought of using rubber straps but decided to go the "all metal" route. THese tensioner really pull! To get them on I had to use the handle from my floor jack, as a lever to stretch them so I could hook on. That was after breaking a broom stick in half...

Bill

 

[OverlyRun]

Putting on chains

Ignorant question: Why do people lay the chains on the ground and then drive onto them?

I don't have chains for my TC 35 but I did spend lots of snowy nights (why was it always nighttime?) as a kid in New England putting chains on the dual rear wheels of our family truck. The chains weighed about 40 pounds each it seemed. We always draped the chains OVER the dual tires first and then tucked one end under the tire and rolled forward about 1/4 turn of the tire. That way we weren't crawling under the truck to lift the whole set of chains up from their pinned-down position; only the short end to meet the already-draped other end. Didn't have to drag em up and over.

In minus 10 and snow this got the job done fastest and most reliably. In Spring mud too. But that experience is why I got ag tires and 4WD for the tractor. Might never have to put chains on again!!

Chas

 

[Thomas]

Re: Putting on chains

You got that right when it comes to putting chains on in the mud /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif thats if one stops before getting rut hung. /w3tcompact/icons/eyes.gif