Chains on front tires for pushing snow

[oldafretired]

Is it a good idea to use chains on the front tires (with chains on the rear tires) when using a front snow blade? Would it put too much stress on the less robust front drivetrain? When I have the snow blade angled a lot, the tractor gets pushed sideways so would front chains help some with keeping the tractor going straight? Thanks!

 

[ray66v]

The angle of the blade, as you have noticed, is the key.

Angle it less, and you're able to go straight.

I don't believe chains will make much difference.

You need weight, and friction to over come the side forces that turn the tractor.

 

[CalG]

I tried chains up front. Not a big improvement on the side push. great for going forward though. I worried about the drive line stress so pulled the chains,preferring not to deal with them.

I did discover that judicious application of the plow lift cylinder can put a lot of weight onto the front tires and restore much of the steering control. Not hard to do!

I also favor a few rows of those screw in studs. They help on ice in many ways.

 

[George2615]

Welcome to TBN..............................

I use chains front and rear. Rear chains are standard 4 link ladder. Front chains are V bar. They do help steering by biting into the snow and ice. As Ray said, Less angle on the blade helps too. You don't need much angle, just enough to make snow go off the angled side of the blade. Rear tires are also loaded. If at all possible don't use the float mode on the loader and just lower the plow blade so its just off the surface. That keeps the extra weight on the front tires. It all depends on the snowfall we get. Last season was pretty light so I never even used the chains. I don't believe having front chains will cause any extra stress on the drive line because you are still going to have slippage on snow or ice. It may be a problem on blacktop.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I won't run them on the front of my tractors, those front end parts just aren't built heavy enough for me to take that chance!

SR

 

[oldafretired]

Thanks for the great info everyone! So I guess I won't be putting on my front chains this winter. It's enough work putting the back ones on anyway.

So I'll put some ballast on the front of the tractor. Do you think 100 lbs of lead shot would be of any help? I've been using float mode since my gravel driveway isn't that smooth. I just ordered one of those EA land levelers to try and get my gravel driveway as smooth as possible. Would not using float make a big difference?

 

[George2615]

Thanks for the great info everyone! So I guess I won't be putting on my front chains this winter. It's enough work putting the back ones on anyway.

So I'll put some ballast on the front of the tractor. Do you think 100 lbs of lead shot would be of any help? I've been using float mode since my gravel driveway isn't that smooth. I just ordered one of those EA land levelers to try and get my gravel driveway as smooth as possible. Would not using float make a big difference?

Just my opinion, my driveway is gravel too and float mode puts the plow on the ground taking all that weight off the front axle. I found if I drop the blade to the ground then pick it up just a little (maybe an inch or less) the weight stays on the axle and tires for better traction and less gravel gets plowed up that I have to rake back off the grass in the spring. I don't mind driving on an inch of snow in the drive. Later in the snow season when the ground is frozen I can then use float mode and it won't dig up as much gravel..

 

[4570Man]

Thanks for the great info everyone! So I guess I won't be putting on my front chains this winter. It's enough work putting the back ones on anyway. So I'll put some ballast on the front of the tractor. Do you think 100 lbs of lead shot would be of any help? I've been using float mode since my gravel driveway isn't that smooth. I just ordered one of those EA land levelers to try and get my gravel driveway as smooth as possible. Would not using float make a big difference?

Sell that lead shot and buy concrete or something else cheap instead. Shot was as high as $2 a pound, but it's came down to around $1 or a little more.

 

[oldafretired]

Just my opinion, my driveway is gravel too and float mode puts the plow on the ground taking all that weight off the front axle. I found if I drop the blade to the ground then pick it up just a little (maybe an inch or less) the weight stays on the axle and tires for better traction and less gravel gets plowed up that I have to rake back off the grass in the spring. I don't mind driving on an inch of snow in the drive. Later in the snow season when the ground is frozen I can then use float mode and it won't dig up as much gravel..

OK. I'll give that a try.

 

[oldafretired]

Sell that lead shot and buy concrete or something else cheap instead. Shot was as high as $2 a pound, but it's came down to around $1 or a little more.

The lead is ballast for my race car so I need to keep it.